Newsletter April 2023
Thomas Gravanis
Athens for the Senses
If we had to pick just one of the many charmful traits Athens carries this time of year, we would probably go for a scent. We would seal the gentle aroma of blossoming bitter orange trees in this digital message and send it your way. Alas, we cannot (and AI platforms are just not there yet) so we have no choice but to fall back on the sensible use of old-world words and pictures to beckon you to discover a sensational Athens in April.
Read on to find out how a walk along the longest street of Athens can turn into an exciting showroom stroll through the last 150 years of Greek history, culture and architecture. Enjoy local hospitality with a one-of-a-kind dinner reservation in Plaka, in what would otherwise be an impossible experience. And finally, pack your cherished Athenian memories with souvenir picks from the city's best design stores.
Thomas Gravanis
Painting the Portrait of Patission Avenue
A walk along Patission Avenue, the longest street of Athens, offers more than an exploration of one of the most diverse thoroughfares of the city. It’s a showroom stretch that exhibits one and a half centuries of history, architecture and culture. All you need to know is where to look.
Let us show you around
A Bespoke Dining Experience Awaits
Savour a custom made dinner in a remarkable setting: a 19th century Plaka townhouse, located on Europe's oldest street. Choose between two different settings; a glass-floored dining room set over archaeological finds, or a moonlit private terrace with spectacular Acropolis views.
This is greek hospitality
Thomas Gravanis
Designed to Remind you of Athens
Skip on the Parthenon fridge magnets and Zeus-shaped novelty ouzo bottles for your souvenir shopping and head to these great concept stores for some serious interior inspiration and locally-made wares.
By design, not by accident
Georgios Makkas
3 Great Things to Do in Athens in April
• Head over to Plaka or the chapel of St George on Lycabettus hill and join the locals in celebrating Greek Easter by lighting a candle in a church;
• Go vintage shopping around Monastiraki flea market, Athinas Street, and Psirri. From antiques to designer threads, Athens is great for bargain hunters;
• Book a table for lunch by the sea at an excellent seafood restaurant at pretty Mikrolimano harbour in Piraeus.
What's On in Athens
Nikolai Lugansky in Rachmaninoff’s Third | 7 April
One of the greatest interpreters of Rachmaninoff’s work takes on "the Mount Everest" of piano concertos, the composer's Third, at the Athens Concert Hall.
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The Greek Schubert | 8 April
Internationally acclaimed baritone Aris Argyris, in the company of pianist Peter Bortfeldt, presents sixteen of Schubert's compositions relating to Greek mythology.
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BICEP Live | 30 April
One of the most sought-after electronic music duos in the world brings their stunning live show to Athens for the first time, supported by brilliant acts such as The XX's Romy.
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Mikhail Karikis: Because We Are Together | Until 28 May
The prominent representative of Greece’s cultural diaspora makes his debut at the National Museum of Contemporary Art with six key audio-visual installations.
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Nelly's | Until 23 July
Surely amongst the highlights of the season is the fascinating retrospective exhibition on the work of Elly Sougioultzoglou-Seraidari, better known as Nelly's, hosted by the Pireos annex of the Benaki Museum. More than 500 photographs of the renowned 20th century photographer's oeuvre are on display, including her legendary portraits of semi-nude dancers at the Acropolis.
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