Description of the attraction
At the foot of the Athenian Acropolis is the oldest district of the city - Plaka. Labyrinths of narrow streets, old houses in neoclassical style, historical monuments and museums, many souvenir shops and cozy restaurants will allow the most sophisticated tourist to have an interesting time. There is also one of the oldest streets in Athens - Hadrian Street, which has retained its direction since ancient Greek times.
Although many of the buildings in the area date back to the 18th century, almost all of them were built on foundations from ancient times. In those days, wealthy Athenians lived here. In the last century, many residents moved to other areas of Athens, and the buildings were occupied by various museums, shops, wine cellars and souvenir shops. Today real estate prices are comparable to scenes in the fashionable districts of Athens.
The central square of Plaka is called Filomousos Eteria. It got its name from the Society of fans of the muses (nine patron goddesses of art), founded in 1813.
The Children's Museum is worth visiting on Kidafenion Street. Particularly interesting is the reconstruction of the children's room with antique furniture and other attributes. You can even try on the clothes of that time there. This room is called the “grandparents room”. The museum also has its own playground and library.
Music lovers will be curious to visit the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments. The collection features over 1200 different exhibits. You can not only watch, but also listen to the sound of each instrument.
The Plaka area is also home to the Museum of Greek Folk Art, the Kanellopoulos Museum, the University of Athens History Museum and other famous museums.
On the way to the Roman Agora, there is the oldest meteorological monument, the Tower of the Winds, erected in the 1st century BC. In Plaka, there is the famous monument of Lysicrates and the Arch of Hadrian. There are also many Orthodox churches in Plaka. For example, the Church of Christ the Savior (St. Sophia), the Church of St. Catherine, the Church of St. Nicholas Rangavas and others.
Plaka is the oldest and most picturesque area of Athens, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Road traffic is prohibited in Plaka.
