Kolonaki

Kolonaki is the capital's upscale, fashionable quarter, set on the lower slopes of Lycabettus Hill. Its streets around Kolonaki Square and Skoufa, Tsakalof and Patriarchou Ioakeim hold designer boutiques, independent shops, galleries and a dense run of cafés and bars.

The crowd is a mix of locals, office workers and visitors, and terraces stay busy from morning coffee through late evening. Several museums sit within walking distance, and the funicular up Lycabettus starts nearby.

It suits a relaxed stroll with stops for coffee, window-shopping and people-watching rather than a fixed sightseeing list.