Wander a few minutes north of Nine Athens and you’ll find yourself in Plaka, the labyrinth of pastel houses, bougainvillea-draped balconies and marble-paved lanes that hugs the foot of the Acropolis. Locals call it the “Neighbourhood of the Gods,” and after a morning spent here you’ll understand why.

Start your morning at Anafiotika

Climb the narrow steps off Stratonos Street and the city falls away. Anafiotika was built in the 1860s by stonemasons from the Cycladic island of Anafi, and the whitewashed cottages still feel transplanted from the Aegean. Go early — the light is best before nine, and you’ll often have the lanes to yourself.

Where to eat

• Klepsidra — a tiny taverna on Thrasivoulou; order the htapodi (grilled octopus) and a half-litre of house white.
• Yiasemi — pastel-blue stairs make this the most photographed café in Athens, but the bougatsa is the real reason to go.
• Lukumades — Greek doughnuts soaked in thyme honey, two minutes from our front door.

What to bring home

Skip the souvenir stalls on Adrianou and head to Forget Me Not on Adrianou 100 — a quietly brilliant design shop stocking work from contemporary Greek makers. The hand-painted ceramics and olive-wood boards travel beautifully.

Ask the front desk for our printed Plaka walking map — it marks every stop above plus a handful of places we keep to ourselves.