Athens is one of my favourite European Capitals, so what better way to spend the day than visiting the historical city center and combining it with this free self guided walking food tour! There is plenty to discover, the people are friendly as well as the food and drink options are fabulous. We spent 3 nights in the city and on day one we planned our own Athens self guided food tour around the centre. We admired some of the famous sites as well as tasting some of the delicious Greek food in the city, including Miran Deli and Little Kook cake shop.
Table of contents
Self-guided Athens Food Tour
Kolouri tou psiri
This delicious Athens food tour starts in the Centre at Kolouri tou psiri. A Kolouri is a circle of bread, sprinkled with sesame seeds created in Thessaloniki, but can be found on many street stalls in Athens. This legendary bakery, loved by the Athenians, sells them warm and fresh!
Little Kook
Just a stone’s throw from here you will find the dessert café, Little Kook. Known for its elaborate decorations which change regularly to match different themes such as Christmas, Halloween and various fairy tales. The street (Karaiskaki) is also decorated, so visit here even if you are not going into the café. The cakes are elaborately decorated, as well as tasting delicious and the portions are huge. Little Kook is a popular destination, so be prepared to queue at peak times. Visit this café at a different time from your Athens food tour, as you will not be able to eat much for a while after visiting! Do not miss Little Kook !
Monastiraki Square
At the heart of the city, popular with both tourists and locals is Monastiraki Square. Situated at the intersection of several streets including Ermou Street (the long main shopping street), Athinas Street (where you will find the central market) and Monastirakiou Street.
The square has a vibrant atmosphere and includes street vendors, shops, restaurants, as well as some notable landmarks including the Tzisdarakis Mosque and Hadrian’s Library. From the square, it is easy to access the Metro.
While you are here on your Athens walking self guided food tour, grab a coffee from one of the rooftop bars. We chose the one at the top of the A for Athens hotel, providing us with lovely views across the square and the city.
Continue your Athens Food |tour at Miran Evripodou Street
From here we headed towards Evripoudou street to the fabulous deli Miran. Here you will find a wide variety of cold-cut meats and cheeses. Best of all Miran has an area at the back of the shop where you can order a tasting platter to sit down and enjoy. We ordered the Miran platter for 1-2 people, which was ample for 3 of us as part of our food tour. It includes a good selection; the meats and cheeses were delicious. Miran Deli is the place to buy some great meats and cheese to take home! Do not miss this stop on your Athens food tour.
As well as Miran Deli, Evripodou street also has several interesting spice shops, selling an abundance of different herbs and spices, with Elixr being of particular interest.
Athens Central Market
Also known as Varvakios Agora, the next stop on your Athens food tour is the Central market is a must-visit to experience the flavours and cultures of Greece. Large parts of the market are dedicated to meat and fish, with large halls selling a varied selection of both.
Built in1886 the market is popular with both tourists and locals. It is well worth a wander through the fresh food halls and the market’s other stalls which amongst other things include fresh fruits, vegetables and a vast array of spices.
Krinos – A Must Stop on Your Athens Food tour
On Aioulou, not far from the central market, you will find Krinos, which specialises in the fantastic Greek doughnut Loukoumades.
Krinos is the oldest loukoumades shop in Athens and they opened in 1922. They still make this traditional doughnut by hand. A portion consists of 6 doughnuts We enjoyed a shared portion, having them with honey and cinnamon.
Harry’s Pies
A 5-minute walk from Krinos, in the direction of Syntagma Square you find Harry’s Kitchen. This tiny shop could be easily overlooked if you did not know where to find it, on a small pedestrianised street (Athanaiou Axarlian). Pies are reasonably priced and taste amazing. Try the feta pie (it has a perfect hint of mint), for a delicious snack.
Ariston
Continue your Athens food tour bu heading around the corner to Voulis Street, where you find Ariston Bakery, which has been on the same site since 1910. A huge choice of pies is on display in metallic pans, served in square slices. Take the opportunity to buy the Bougasta (a famous traditional Greek breakfast pastry made of phyllo dough and vanilla cream with semolina), which is fresh and served warm.
Athens Royal Palace and Syntagma Square
Being full of pie and doughnuts, we crossed into Syntagma Square and walked towards the Royal palace. Greece no longer has a royal family but the tomb of the unknown soldier and palace (now Greek parliament) are guarded by Evzones in their traditional attire. Guard changes take place every hour and this is fascinating to watch with their unusual marching style. The main changing of the guard takes place on a Sunday at 11 am.
Athens National Gardens
Also known as the royal gardens, this park is located behind the parliament building in the centre of Athens. Commissioned by Queen Amalia of Greece in 1838, as a private garden for the royal family, it eventually opened to the public in the late 1920s. The gardens are popular, offering a peaceful escape from the otherwise bustling city. The park has some interesting features, such as a small animal section, a botanical museum, a duck pond and several ancient ruins. A short walk from this park you can also find the Olympian Zeus Temple.
Plaka – A Great Stop for traditional Tavernas and Cafes on your Athens Food Tour
From the Gardens it is a short walk to Plaka, a historic neighbourhood situated beneath the Acropolis hill, known for its narrow streets and crammed with souvenir shops along with traditional tavernas and cafes. It is popular with tourists and is a must-visit area of the city. We enjoyed browsing around this vibrant area, and continued our Athens food tour stopping at Melina Café for a delicious milkshake. The outside area on the street was perfect with its backdrop of the Acropolis
Anofiotika, Athens
Leaving Melina Café, we continued up the hill to visit the scenic and quieter neighbourhood of Anifiotika, which is situated on the northeast side of the hill below the Acropolis. It is known for its traditional island-like whitewashed houses with blue doors and windows. It is a quaint place to visit and explore, but remember people do live in the houses!
The Acropolis, Athens
As you walk up and out of Anifiotika you find yourself on the wide path which leads to the Acropolis entrance. Of course, this is the ultimate destination, particularly on your first visit to Athens. Having paid your entrance fee, continue to walk up the paved path to the Acropolis. Part way up you come to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus built in 161 AD.
Shortly after this, you find the Propylaia, the magnificent entrance gate to the ancient city of the Acropolis. Climbing the steps and walk between the Doric columns, and there standing majestically in front of you, on the highest point of the hill, is the Parthenon. A stunning building giving fantastic views of Athens which can be admired as you walk around it. Several other ancient monuments you can be explored during your visit and more details can be found here. The best time to visit is early in the morning before the day gets too hot and the crowds get too large.
Areopagus (Mars) Hill
Rather than turning left for the acropolis ticket office, you can turn right to climb the metal staircase up Mars Hill. From here you have a stunning view of the Parthenon from a higher vantage point. Rather than going back down the stairs, continue down the other side of the hill, through the park and onto Apostolou Pavlou. Turning left here will take you to the Acropolis Museum.
Greek Yogurt from Fresco
On leaving the park we turned right and headed through the Thissio neighbourhood towards Monastiraki. After exiting the park on the left-hand side is the next stop on your Athens food tour; the Yogurt Bar Fresko. Here you can purchase yoghurt with a variety of toppings as well as ice creams. The thick Greek yogurt with honey is thoroughly recommended!
Coffee or Beer from Senso
Walk further down Apostolou Pavlou and you come to several restaurants, with outside seating, giving magnificent views of the Acropolis. Our recommendation is Senso, where the food is good and the staff are very friendly. Here you can watch the world go by with a beer, coffee or tipple of your choice!
We also visited here on another day for an evening meal. There was a good choice of food and prices are reasonable. The hanging kebabs as well as the Gemista (stuffed peppers/tomatoes) are good options.
Athens Best Ice Cream – Kokkion Psyri
Continue down the hill, browsing the trendy area of Psyri. You will find yourself back near the starting point of your tour. If you love ice-cream continue to Protogeneous and find Kokkkion Ice Cream parlor, with arguably the best ice-cream in the city! This small handmade ice cream store has some unusual flavours included on the menu and is a great stop on your Athens food tour. We loved the chocolate with orange and black pepper.
Zisis Fish in a cone
About a 5-minute walk from Kokkion on Aglas Irinis you find Zisis Fish in a Cone street food. Here you choose from 6 different varieties of lightly fried fish including squid, cod, sardines and shrimps. There are tables if you wish and there is a more varied menu of other fish dishes. This place is worth a visit on your Athens self guided food tour, if you are a fish or seafood fan, looking for something quick and well-priced.
O Thanasis and Bairaktaris Restaurants – The Final Stop on Your Athens Food Tour
Finally, if you are not a fish fan or still fancy a traditional Greek snack to finish your Athens self guided food tour, then head back to Monastiraki Square for Kebabs in one of the above restaurants. They are busy, full of both locals and tourists, so do not hesitate if you see a spare table or it will be gone! They sell souvlaki, gyros and also kebabs, so take your pick. For a cheap eat choose the folded Kebab meat pitta which costs under 4 euros. During our stay in Athens, we tried these kebabs in both restaurants and O Thanasis was our favourite.
We had a fabulous few days in the City and this Athens food tour gave us a good opportunity to discover the city with its different culinary delights.
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For more information or tips for this food tour of Athens then please contact us.