Run-a-Way
The Fun Way
Athens is a city that is characterised by the vast variety of entertainment. It's a city that never sleeps. There's also somewhere else you can go, something else you can besides your usual habits.
So, here you will find places to visit and things to do so you can have fun. The activities that are presented here are shopping, swimming, clubbing (and everything that has to do with the night life), eating and enjoying yourself in every possible way.
Start having fun!
Shopping
In Athens there are many malls like The Mall Athens, Golden Hall, Athens Heart, Metro Mall and other local ones.. However, there are many streets filled with stores waiting for you to explore them. These are Ermou Street, Patision and Agiou Meletiou, Skoufa in Kolonaki, Omirou in Nea Smirni, Ioanni Metaxa in Glyfada, Harokopou and Davaki in Kallithea, Grigoriou Lampraki in Pireas, Larissis in Ampelokipoi, Kifisia and in the metros station of Marousi.
Swimming
One of the perks of Athens is that is near the sea. From the centre, it takes only 20 minutes to go on the beach.
The most noted ones are in Vari, Varkiza, Vouliagmeni, Alimo, Kalamaki, Glifada, Faliro and Agios Kosmas. Moreover, on the other side there are some others like Porto Rafti, Sxinias, Lagonisi and Marathon.
Activities you can do there besides swimming are sunbathing, playing tennis, beach volley and doing various water sports.
Outdoor Movie Theatres
Cine Thission was named the world's enjoyable movie theatre. But it's not the only outdoor movie theatre in Athens. Around the city there are countless movie theatre that are deserve some attention. There you can enjoy from blockbusters to classic old Hollywood films to European Cinema.
To name a few, there are Cine Paris, Athinaia, Ellinis, Cine Floisvos, Cine Psichiko Classique, Aigli near the Parliament, Zefiros, Anoixis and Riviera.
For all those who love Greek food (and we know you are too many), let’s see some places where you can buy and or taste many Greek goodies. Don’t worry cause you don’t have to walk a long way. We are going downtown.
And let’s walk Evripidou Street. Plenty of colors and sweet smells around you from all these goodies. Here you can find many herb and spice stores. You can also put in your shopping basket delicious olives, authentic feta cheese and of course many Greek alcohol products like tsipouro, ouzo, wine etc. Find a type you can't live without and buy a kilo /or liter to keep with you on your journey. This Street is one of the most interesting and diverse shopping streets in Athens.
Need more shopping but you’re also hungry from walking? No problem at all. Nearby at Agora, Athens central market, you may continue the shopping of your favorite products and stop for a while to taste a nice meal in one of the streets that bordering the Agora. Athinas, Evripidou, Eolou and Sofokleous Streets are the places where you can find excellent Greek food and not only… There are also two working class restaurants in meat market if you don’t want to walk for long.
If while enjoying your walk through these areas the night falls, at Stoa Athanaton you can enjoy Rembetika legends like Takis Benes and others at their afternoon matinees or at night.
There are many many things we can propose to spend your time pleasantly but we will stop here for now. To be continued with more hot spots….
“Fly me to the moon”. It’s not that difficult as it may sounds. Only 745ft and you will feel like you are flying upwards of Athens ! You guess right. We are on Lycabettus.
Are you a romantic soul and want to fulfill your senses with a unique view of Athens?
At 745 ft. (277 m), Lycabettus stands high above Athens, commanding a clear view across the Attica basin and the Aegean. There are also a superb café and a restaurant which named “Orizontes” . Enjoy your lunch or dinner with a panoramic view of Athens.
Here are two ways of how you can reach this place. On foot, or for those who don't have the energy to make the climb they can take the Funicular Railway, the world's weirdest train which leaves at the top of Ploutarchou street in Kolonaki.
Enjoy Athens the High way !
Bouzoukia
This are clubs that feature live popular Greek music performed by prominent Greek singers. There, you are served drinks and snacks. Don't forget! These are the places people break plates, throw flowers and dance on the top of the tables! You can find some in Syggrou Avenue, Poseidonos and Peiraios.
Clubs
Athens is filled with night clubs. There are many and serve every taste. You can find clubs playing European and American music, Ethnic clubs, gay clubs, rock music clubs, summer clubs near the sea, elegant ones, small ones and big ones. If you can name it, you will find it!
Bars & Coffee Shops
Like clubs, there are many. There is one in every nook and crany. More casual than clubs, you can experience there too live music. Coffee Shops, however, are open during daylight, unlike bars. Areas you can discover some of them are Exarcheia, Thisseion, Plaka, Kolonaki, Panormou and Neo Irakleio.
Concerts
Every week, there is at least one concerts happening all around Athens. Places that there is always something going on are Technopolis and the Garden of Megaron of Music (during summer). Other places are stadiums like the Olympic Stadium and the Tae Kwon Do. Stages are being set up everywhere, for example Dionisiou Aeropagitou Street underneath Acropolis or in the Sintagma Square.
Music varies. You can listen to greek music of every genre, european, african, american, jazz, metal, pop, rock and so on.
Theme Parks
Athens has two notable theme parks; the Attica Zoo Park and the Allou! Fun Park. The first one is a home for over 2.000 animals. It is a place where you get to see wild animals up close, take strolls in a natural enviroment and have a pic-nic.
The latter one is where the real fun starts. A scary house, a spinning wheel, a shock tower and many others are a guarantee that you will have the time of your life.
Terra vibe Park
As Athens is not only the historical center and the surrounding municipalities, we would like to introduce you the Terra Vibe Park. Actually is is located in Malakasa but trust us. It worth a visit especially from those who like Rock, Pop, New wave and any type of modern music. Just a few kilometers away from Athens, you will have the opportunity to enjoy many of your favorite worldwide famous musician artists. Need directions? Then visit the official website : http://www.rockwavefestival.gr/site/index.php?Cat=4&id=44
So, Terra Vibe is a park in Attica, Greece, which is used as a venue for large-scale outdoor events, such as concerts and festivals.
Opened in 2004, it has hosted events such as the Rockwave Festival and Terra Vibe Festival, and covers 40 acres (160,000 m2).
In 2010, the Sonisphere Festival took place and the Big Four of thrash metal performed with headliners Metallica.
Mötley Crüe were due to play Rockwave in 2009 as part of the Crüe Fest tour but due to heavy rain in the Malakasa area, the venue was ruled unsafe and the event cancelled. Lauren Harris was support. The rain eventually stopped in time for the final day of the festival when Slipknot headlined.
The venue has hosted many festivals and some them are the annual Rockwave Festival,Sonisphere Festival 2010,Terra Vibe Festival and many artists have performed there not only as part of a festival.
According the time you are visiting Athens, (especially at spring, summer) you can enjoy concerts from worldwide music stars. Following a small list of many of these famous artists and music groups :
Sting, Duran duran, the Cure, Kylie Minogue, Manu Chao, Leonard Cohen, Lenny Kravitz, Deep Purple, Metallica, Iron Maden and the list has no end !
