Talk on romantic destinations usually covers mountains, valleys and islands, places like Pelion in northeastern Greece, mountainous Arkadia in the Peloponnese, and romantic Thessaloniki, but Athens, too, offers spots filled with a sense of romance.
To avoid longer trips away from Athens, discover the more romantic side of the capital. I’m sharing with you my favourite spots, but you can certainly discover a whole lot more.
Hotels
The Margi
The Margi, for me, is one of the most atmospheric hotels to be found in Athens. Its amazing pool space with a wooden deck, warm and gentle colours, as well as greenery, welcome guests, offering instant relaxation, even before entry into the lobby area. The rooms offer an ambience that is just as relaxed. They feature earth-tone colours, dominant wood elements, used for the floor, furniture and walling. The cosy beds and sofas are a major plus. The hotel’s communal spaces, particularly atmospheric, offer a similar vibe. At the Lobby Lounge restaurant, I suggest you choose a table by the fireplace, for an enhanced atmosphere. Also, don’t skip visiting the hotel spa, one of the city’s most delightful. Its widespread wood features, pale pink colours and dim lighting induce a sense of nirvana that is made complete with a relaxing massage for two or a dip into the small and cute swimming pool.
11 Litous, Vouliagmeni, www.themargi.gr
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Sweet Home Boutique Hotel
Sweet Home Boutique Hotel, close to Syntagma, is my choice for a downtown hotel. A restored neoclassical building whose exterior is adorned with purple bougainvillea plants, its rooms are designed to achieve a lovely balance between classic and modern. Chandeliers and patinated desks are combined with new-age décor and amenities, all of which creates a charming environment that is ideal for two.
5 Patroou, Athens, www.sweethomehotel.gr
Home & Poetry Hotel
I am also very fond of the Home & Poetry Hotel, in the Plaka district, just a few steps away from the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates. It offers 16 rooms in total, not big but very atmospheric. One of the rooms is up at the attic. It has a slanted ceiling and skylights. Some rooms feature marble fireplaces, while others are divided into two-room spaces. All the rooms offer discreet luxury and quality furniture.
10 Lysikratous, Athens, www.homeandpoetry.com
Cafes
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Portatif
On the corner of Skoufa and Sina streets in Kolonaki, Portatif café is an intimate spot with a Paris-type feel. Its interior, new-age and neoclassical in style, is an ideal place to sit with your partner for a coffee and any of the superb sweets on offer. Stroll along Skoufa street for some window shopping and then head down Sina street to enjoy a piece of cheesecake with homemade marmalade or, if preferring more traditional local sweets, a syrupy, butter-rich galaktoboureko. Any sweet ordered here will be thoroughly enjoyed.
21 Sina, Kolonaki, www.sweetportatif.gr
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Tazza all-day bistro & wine bar
At Syntagma, the Tazza all-day bistro & wine bar is a fairytale-like setting. Its exterior is filled with flowers, while inside, old-fashioned light fittings spread sweet light, creating a love-is-in-the-air atmosphere. The rich interior décor, baroque-inclined, features art-painted ceilings, chandeliers, sculpted gold frame mirrors and velvet chairs.
5 Petraki, Athens, www.facebook.com/Tazzaathens
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Menta
I like Menta in Kifisia, northern Athens, because of its relaxed, uncontrived style and island-like outdoor activity. The division of spaces ensures additional charm. Customers can opt to sit at the steps, tables with candles – set between the trees – or the tables inside. The spot offers many cosy corners. The interior is small but tastefully designed, while the sweets on display are eye-catching.
10 Agion Theodoron, Kifisia, www.facebook.com/menta.cafe.kifissia
Restaurants
Sense
Sense restaurant, situated on Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens’ finest pedestrianised street, is incorporated into the stylish Athens Was hotel, a member of the Design Hotels group. The restaurant, which has received a Michelin Plate distinction, offers a stylish setting, comfortable sofas, an exceptional view of the Acropolis, and a menu that takes a different approach to delicious Greek cuisine, all of which promises a special evening. Dress up, take a stroll along Dionysiou Areopagitou street, and then enjoy a superb meal amid a setting of discreet luxury with the Acropolis as a backdrop.
5 Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, www.senserestaurants.com
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Feedel Urban Gastronomy
Feedel Urban Gastronomy, another favourite place, is a more casual setting for a romantic dinner. It is hidden behind a chapel, Panagias Tis Romvis, on Evaggelistrias street, close to Ermou street. I love this spot, not only because it is detached from passersby and the city noise, but also because of the tiny park right in front, which makes your mind drift from the fact that you are in the heart of Athens.
1 Ktena, Athens, www.facebook.com/feedelurbangastronomy
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Aleria
Aleria, in business for the past 15 years or so, is a classic choice for a romantic fine-dining outing. It is housed at a 19th century, neoclassical single-storey building in the central Metaxourgeio district. It exudes class, whether you choose to sit in the main dining space with white-tablecloth covered tables, or at the small atrium. The menu is curated by well-known chef Gikas Xenakis, who approaches Greek cuisine with a modern perspective for superb delicious dishes.
57 Megalou Alexandrou, Athens, www.aleria.gr
Cinemas
Cine Athina
Cine Athina in Halandri offers a light sense of romance amid vintage style. It represents a total departure from big, characterless multiplex cinemas and, instead, offers an arty, homely feel. It opened in the 1950s and, following a brave revamp a few years ago, has acquired a completely unique identity, putting it into its own league. Black-and-white photographs of movie stars and a variety of film posters cover virtually every inch of the walls. The décor includes an antique film projector, while a fireplace, as well as sofas, tables and chairs, offer relaxation before and after films. Filmgoers may sit and browse through magazines and books with material concerning the cinema, and, afterwards, have a coffee or a drink, in what feels like a genuine café environment, to discuss the film just seen. The cinema, itself, also possesses unique style, combining modern and industrial styles. Besides the seats, filmgoers can also enjoy films seated in sofas with tables.
Cine Athina, 18 Solomou, Halandri, www.facebook.com/cineathina
Bars
Wagon Bar
A World War II train carriage has been converted into The Wagon Bar, also known as To Treno sto Rouf, one of the city’s good choices for a romantic drink. Its wooden interior, from end to end, dim lighting, and terrific music selections create an almost enigmatic atmosphere that is ideal for a romantic evening.
Rouf railway station, www.totrenostorouf.gr
Il Consigliere
Il Consigliere, an exquisite little bar next to the old Parliament building, offers a homely feel and a retro vibe. Its old-fashioned sofas, small wooden tables, dim lighting and jazz music create a lovely and cosy atmosphere.
15 Anthimou Gazi, Athens, www.facebook.com/Il-Consigliere
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Juan Rodriguez
Although not a romantic spot in the customary sense, I find the Juan Rodriguez Bar to be unbelievably atmospheric and highly recommend it for a date. Upon entering the place, it makes you feel as if you have travelled in time and space. The décor is an exotic mix of Panama, New Orleans and, possibly, a little of the colourful Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday in Mexico commemorating deceased loved ones. The dim lighting, velvet booths with wooden tables, superb cocktails and good music are sure to draw you a little bit closer to your date.
3 Pallados, Athens, www.facebook.com/juanrodriguezbar
Strolls
From Klathmonos square to Psyrri
No matter how many times I walk from Klathmonos square to Psyrri, which a recommend for a romantic stroll, I always discover something new. It could be a new little shop, a detail I have missed, new graffiti expressing the spirit of the times, or a new bar. Begin from Klathmonos square, take Praxitelous street, pass through Miltiadou street, and turn at Agiou Markou street. These roads are filled with small shops selling just about anything your heart desires. Vintage, designer items and classic pieces all co-exist in harmony. Get to Agias Irinis square, stop for some loukoumades (deep-fried dough pieces covered with honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon), and then cross to the other side of Athinas street to enter Psyrri, a district combining a bit of everything, including neoclassical and 1940s architecture, hipster bars, classic meze food spots, leather product shops – remnants from the time when the area was filled with tanneries – and stylish boutiques selling creations by modern fashion designers. Don’t miss walking through Riga Palamidou street, displaying superb graffiti. End your stroll with a drink at the charming Zampano bar, on Sarri street.
Drive
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Sounion
A seaside drive towards Sounion, southeast of Athens, is the ultimate cruise if on a date. This route is superb if the drive happens to be traffic-free. The Temple of Poseidon in Sounion may offer the wider Athens area’s most renowned sunset experience, but I would recommend this location for sunrise. Give it a try and you will not regret. This experience requires getting up early, but the early-day serenity and open sea is magical. Settle at one of the rocks and enjoy watching the sun rise from behind the nearby Makroniso island for an orange-coloured horizon.
