Hammam new year

What’s merrier than past blending into now, extrapolating into future? Hot baths, marble, arab lamps, canned water, led panels, wifi routers, inflatable pagan ornaments.

Winter street food Athens

The mini winter street food of the historical centre will begin at Monastiraki square. (The fruit stands are deserted in the rain but koulouria are always dependable.)

A walk through the market alleys…

…leads to waffle cubes and cuteness.

Turning back and taking Ermou, the high fashion street…

means it’s time for creative-ethnic koulouri sandwich (resisting for now the roasted corn and chestnuts outside).

Walking through Plaka brings along the sun, lurking pigeons and sachets of dried nuts,

just in case anyone’s hungry on the walk towards Koukaki,

and to a warming souvlaki next to Syggrou-Fix metro station.

Right at an iconic urban spot for letting the day set in the halo of distant sea-reflected light.

Booze and colour

At Booze Cooperativa, one of the first all-day and night art-cafes with large common tables and maze-like rooms in Athens. In plain words, one at the hipster forefront.

Its decadence is rather less artificial these days.

Still, a place that could make you imagine being at the crossroad of continents at the turn of last century, coming together with random adventurers over a clear cocktail and a chessboard.