Exarchia is the most distinctive neighbourhood in central Athens — a tight grid of streets between the National Archaeological Museum and Lycabettus Hill, traditionally home to students, anarchists, left-wing intellectuals, and artists. The walls are covered floor-to-ceiling in political graffiti and stencil work, the bars stay open all night, and the central square is a permanent open-air debate.
Visit during daylight without worrying. The atmosphere is hostile to chain shops and police but not to curious travellers. The cluster of independent bookshops along Themistokleous Street, the dive bars on Mesolongiou and Valtetsiou, and the dozens of small mezedopoleia and ouzeries make this one of the best places in Athens to eat, drink, and watch how the other half of the city actually lives.