In Athens, creativity in art, food and more is on the rise

The Greek capital has added impressive arts venues, edgy restaurants and a thriving hotel scene to its well-known classic attractions.

Here's a surprise: While Athenians were locked down due to the pandemic, a flurry of creative and entrepreneurial activity was underway. The result? A total of 272 new restaurants, according to the local industry association, along with hundreds more cafes and bars. The city has also acquired 34 new hotels, providing 1,982 rooms over the past two years. And its cultural landscape has blossomed, with major national projects coming to fruition.

“We have seen a cultural revival and a growing food scene that put highlighting the new dynamism of the city. said Vassilis Kikilias, Greek Minister of Tourism. The addition of new hotel construction and the upgrading of older ones, Mr Kikilias said, made him "optimistic for the season".

In May, the number From outsiders the number of visitors to the city was still below 2019 levels, but only by around 12%, and since then crowds have returned to central squares and monuments in numbers reminiscent of pre-pandemic days. p>The ImageSyntagma square, in the center of Athens, is once again filled with strollers. Credit...Maria Mavropoulou for The New York Times

Covid vaccination certificates are no longer required to enter the country or to visit shops, restaurants and museums, and since the 1st June, face masks are no longer required in closed public spaces with the exception of hospitals, pharmacies, public transport and ferries.

Cultural gems shine again

The Greek capital's new cultural gem (or rather an impressive burnished old one), the National Gallery reopened last year after an eight-year, 60 million euro overhaul. Twice as large as the original, the sleek new building has a glass facade that allows natural light to illuminate the exhibits and offers visitors a glimpse of the city around every corner. You could spend hours exploring the three floors tracing the evolution of Greek art over nearly seven centuries. But even a brief visit should not overlook the striking works of Greek Modernist painters Konstantinos Parthenis and Yannis Tsarouchis with their dreamlike symbolism, and the luminous paintings of Orientalist Theodoros Rallis and Post-Impressionist Iakovos Rizos.

A fourth floor dedicated to Western European art is due to open in the coming weeks and will include paintings by Picasso and Mondrian stolen in a daring heist in 2012 and recovered from the last year.

Another treasure for art lovers is the National Museum of Contemporary Art, a former brewery which opened its doors at the end of February 2020 after a long refurbishment, but closed almost immediately with the country's first lockdown. Five floors of thought-provoking sculptures, videos and installations by Greek and foreign artists - new exhibits tackle themes of nation-building, mass protests and the environment - are topped by a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view of the Acropolis on the southern coastline.