Every once in a while, you find that special place that meets the impossible set of criteria that makes families exceedingly happy. We found just that within the hustle of downtown Athens, nestled in an oasis away from the hustle.
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Location: In the concrete ugliness (truth be told) of most of Athens’ center, historical Plaka is an alcove of charm. And within Plaka, the Aeolian’s position is unmatched. A stone’s throw across the street, the 1st century BC Roman Agora fills your living room windows, while bedrooms face a leafy green square with a view towards the Acropolis.
If you’re familiar with downtown Athens, you’ll know just how special this spot is. Not just for its graphic surroundings. It’s also strategically close to everything a family might need. All within an easy five-minute walk are: an AB supermarket, Starbucks (or Third Place if you’re serious about coffee), Ermou (the Fifth Avenue of Athens), Monastiraki train station and taxi stand (opposite Moustakas toy shop), and on the stretch of Adrianou pedestrian street opposite the Stoa of Attalos, a line of tavernas (not all too touristy – try Kuzina) and cafés look out into an ancient park peppered with monuments. The Acropolis Museum is also a 12-minute walk away. With little feet to herd around, this location is everything.
Sleeps: Six (Three-bedrooms)
Two, generously-sized three-bedroom apartment units have double beds dressed in crisp white linen. And two bathrooms in each apartment mean relaxed family bath times. Cots are available on request.
Vibe: With herringbone parquet floors bathed in light streaming in from French windows, there’s a feeling of lightness in the open-plan space. Velvety soft mid-century style furniture lend a stylish warmth to modern interiors, while a sleek kitchen and gleaming marble toilets highlight the update to the neoclassical townhouse. Move the glass vase ornaments aside and the living room is spacious enough for the kids to play balloon volleyball in . Need a verandah? Pick the penthouse unit.
Notable Amenities: Netflix, a washing machine (laundry pods, a drying rack and iron included), air-conditioning (critical in summer, and not always a standard in Greece), and a fully-equipped kitchen for assembling easy breakfasts, entertaining endless snack requests, and preparing quick meals. We find that it’s easier to feed kids at home, so dinner orders from efood.gr were frequent. There’s no parking lot allocation, but we don’t advise driving around the chaos of town anyways.
The Service: Attentive and responsive.
Price: From about €200 per night in winter.
The Neighbourhood (within a five-minute walk):
