Athens Central Market (Varvakeios, or Dimotiki Agora), Athens

If you want a break from touring the historic sites of Athens or simply need to save money on food, or wish to see how Athens is fed, consider visiting the city's busy Central Market. Full of exotic sights, smells and colors, it is simply ideal for the “life as it is” photography. Halls of meat, fish, fruits and veggies, spices and herbs, as well as cheeses and sweets from all over Greece are here to be found. If you're not faint-hearted, you may even watch the butchers at work.

Varvakeios is undoubtedly one the best places in town for authentic Greek lunches, local food specialties, and edible souvenirs such as fresh olives (many olive vendors here have vacuum-seal equipment, so you can easily take your purchase back home), feta cheeses (made from sheep's, goat's, or cow's milk, varying in texture from the young cottage-cheese-like to the aged hard, granular kind, and ultimately, kefalotyri – hard, salty sheep’s milk cheese), and herbs.

Finally, you may treat yourself to a freshly-cooked meal at one of the first-come, first-served grill areas (try the grilled calamari!), or seek these two spots in particular:

– EPIRUS TAVERN ("Oinomageireio H Epirus"; Filopimenos 4; Mon-Sat: 6am–8:30pm)
Pleasant casual/retro feel; very welcoming staff/owners; typical grandma's recipes, very well cooked; and enormous portions. If on a little adventurous mood, try the tripe soup or the goat soup; if you feel less adventurous, stick with the chicken soup or the vegan options.

– KRINOS ("Κρίνος"; Aiolou 87; Mon, Wed, Sat: 8am–5pm; Tue, Thu-Fri: 8am–8:30pm)
Great place to pop by for a snack of the delicious “loukoumades”, or Greek deep-fried doughnuts, deep-fried to a golden crispy brown, then drizzled with honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon. A plate of 6 costs €3.5. To give the extra kick, ask for a serving of soft ice-cream (vanilla, chocolate, or mix)!

Tip:
Although Varvakeios operates from early morning until late in the afternoon (Mon-Sat), it is still best to do your shopping here first prior to setting out to dine at EPIRUS or KRINOS, as many of the market stalls and nearby shops wrap up for the day at about 3pm.

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 7am-3pm (late: 6pm)