It is hard to imagine anyone coming to Athens and not visiting the Pláka - always the hub of the city's eating and nightlife for locals and travellers alike.

It is hard to stroll the Pláka's streets without being reminded that you're a tourist, since they are lined with souvenir shops and every few doors you will find someone trying to entice you into their taverna. The Pláka is a tourist trap in many ways but, like Soho in London or the Left Bank in Paris, it is also where you'll find the locals eating and drinking. The area developed mainly in the 19th century on the north side of the Acropolis, when the population of Athens began to expand. As a result there are many fine buildings on view, and you can see inside some of these mansions. A few are still in their original state, such as the Centre for Hellenic Tradition; others have been modern ised as museums, like the Kanellopoulos or the Museum of Greek Musical Instruments.