HERE - Olympia Summer Academy

TOUR OF ATHENS, stage 8
FROM LYCABETTUS HILL TO STREFI HILL
62
89. Lycabettus
Theatre.
1.1 ➣Lycabettus Theatre
An open-air theatre built from
1964-1965 by the architect
T. Zenetos at the site of an old
mine following the recommendation
of the Greek actress
A. Synodinou, for performances
of ancient drama. It has a capacity
of 3,000. In summer cultural
events are staged here, attracting
music and theatre fans.
1.2 ➣Ayios Georgios
( ✒ page 26)
1.3 ➣Ayioi Isidoroi
( ✒ page 26)
2 NΕΑPOLI
Neapoli is encompassed by
Lycabetus hill and
Mavromihali Str. It is, after
Plaka, the oldest neighbourhood
of Athens (Neapoli means New
Town). Neapoli and Exarhia
were developed in 1860. The
first residents were mostly students.
The area is situated near
the University and the Poly -
technic. Later it became
a favourite
residential neighbourhood
of artists.
At Asklipiou is the
remarkable neoclassical
church
of Ayios Nikolaos
Pefkakion (1895).
Facing Lycabettus
Hill, is an area on a
steep incline, with
pedestrian zone,
lined with trees
and steps leading
to the central roads
(among others,
Solonos Str., Asklipiou Str,
Ippokratous Str, Sina Str, Massalias
Str,and Delfon Str) where you
will find, among others, a multitude
of cafes, small bookshops,
antique shops.
tude of important neoclassical,
eclectic and modernist buildings
are preserved. Follow ing
the renovation works, the
neighbourhood attracted a new
generation of residents. Go for
a walk in the pedestrian zone
of Themistocleous Str (from
Themistocleous Square to
Kallidromiou Str) and other
pedestrian zones of the area
(among others, Valetsiou Str,
Methonis Str, Eresou Str), a quiet
area, and rest in a café, bar or
traditional taverna.
☞
THE SIGHTS:
3.1 ➣Exarhia Square
is the central square of the
neighbourhood. It is a busy
square, with a vivid night life.
You will find here a multitude of
cafes and small, trendy bars and
two open-air cinemas,offering
unique entertainment in the
summer. Also, in the neighbouring
streets apart from the many
restaurants and café-bars, one
would find unique shops selling
clothes, old records, books and
hand-made jewellery.
STREFI HILL
4
Strefi hill is located in the
vicinity of Exarheia Square,
and despite of its relatively
small size (approximately 12.5
acres) it forms a green oasis in
the densely built city. It was
planted with trees in the
decade of the 1920’s, until then
it was used as a quarry.
Nowadays one will find here
sport facilities, ouzo bars, an
open-air theatre made of stone,
and at the top you may enjoy
a panoramic view of the city.
To get there, you take
Kallidromiou Str, a beautiful
street, with neoclassical mansions
and small popular cafes
and bars, (from Emm. Benaki
Str to Deliyianni Str).
90. A detail
of the balcony
of a neoclassical
house
in Exarhia.
91. Exarhia
Square.
63
GETTING THERE: If you want to
go by car, there is only one
road leading to the top of the
hill. If you want to walk there
are a multitude of footpaths.
You may also use the funicular,
which operates daily from the
crossroads of Aristippou Str and
Ploutarchou Str (Kolonaki).
3 EXARHIA
An old Athens neighbourhood,
with a special charm.
It is known as a residential
neighbourhood of students and
artists, with a Bohemian character,
contrasting with the “worldly”
Kolonaki Square. In the past
few decades, a series of reconstruction
works have considerably
upgraded the area. A multi-