New Wallpaper City Guide to Athens
New Athens guidebook shows the stylish side of Greece's capital
Style mag Wallpaper also does guides to the world's great cities. The smooth, chic Athens guide is no Rough Guide, but is perfect for showing Athens as it is today
The Greek capital Athens has had a style make-over in the last few years. It's not too long ago that the idea of using Greek and chic in the same sentence would have been laughable. Athens was about as chic as a tumbler full of retsina, that acquired taste in Greek wine which not all travelers acquire. With the publication of the Wallpaper City Guide to Athens, the city now has a guidebook to match its recent transformation.
Those of us who have always loved the city, despite - or because - of its rough edges, have nevertheless been delighted to see it change. It's been like watching the ugly duckling start to grow into the beautiful swan. We don't want to see it change too much, but love it that Athens now has quite a number of boutique hotels, has Michelin-starred restaurants serving award-winning Greek wines, and yet it still has edgy, fun and funky districts like Psyrri and Gazi, both featured in this excellent Athens guide.
The Wallpaper City Guide to Athens would never be the only guide you would buy if planning a visit to the city, but it would be the only one which showed you with its eye-catching photography and careful selections just what it is that makes Athens so special at the moment. The city was changing even before the 2004 Olympics factor kicked in, but it's clear that isn't going to be a passing thing. It's still changing. Athens is sexy – just look at this guide.
The Wallpaper guide also draws attention to the revolution in gastronomy that's taken place in Athens in recent years too. It features Varoulko and Spondi, both winners of Michelin stars, and though lengthy reviews aren't Wallpaper's style, one look at these places and the minimalist descriptions and you'll be salivating. And you know something? Athens has more Michelin stars to come, that's guaranteed.
The pocket-sized Wallpaper Guide to Athens (little more than 100 pages) is selective, not exhaustive. You will still need your Rough Guide, but you'll need this 'smooth guide' too. It introduces you to Piraeus street graffiti as well as Thalasso spas. Most guidebooks tell you to head for the Plaka, which is where all the tourists go. It's like telling people to go to London and only visit Oxford Street. I'll be going to Athens myself again soon, and will be packing the Wallpaper City Guide safely in my hand luggage. You should do the same.
The Wallpaper City Guide to Athens is published by Phaidon at £4.95 in the UK and $8.95 in the USA.
Visit the Wallpaper website.
