Perhaps the best place to get your bearings is Syntagma Square, crowned by the imposing Parliament building on its upper side and surrounded by other large structures, such as the exclusive Hotel Grande Bretagne. The grand avenues that lead towards Omonia are also full of massive Neoclassical edifices like the Numismatic Museum and those around smaller Platia Kolokotroni. Here you will find lots of travel agents, bookshops and fashion shops, especially on Ermou Street. Just south of Syntagma Square, you can take a breather in the lush National Gardens, which extend into the grounds of the Zappeio palace and beyond to the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Named after the well-preserved Thission (ancient temple of Hephaestus), Thissio is blessed with a small wooded park and some less frenetic streets that offer numerous quieter places to stay and eat. Largely pedestrianized Apostolou Pavlou Street runs between the Acropolis and forested Filopappou Hill, well worth climbing for more great panoramas, until it merges with Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. This leads to the up-and-coming area of Makriyanni, whose centerpiece is the magnificent new Acropolis Museum. Opposite the museum is the entrance to the southern slopes of the Acropolis, while the eponymous metro station nearby is at the top of Makriyanni Street, another strip of touristic cafés and restaurants.

Omonia Square is as plain in appearance as Syntagma is grand. Surrounded largely by functional blocks from the 1950s and 60s and no longer boasting its underground stalls, the square is now mostly frequented by immigrants and bargain shoppers. The most rewarding area to explore is to the south. Set off down Athinas Street, with the Acropolis gradually coming into focus in the distance, and you will get a sense of old commercial Athens, especially at the picturesque meat, fish and vegetable markets some way beyond the City Hall. The blocks to the west of Athinas are home to many Chinese and South Asian traders, adding a multicultural atmosphere to what was until the late 1990s a very homogenous society.

Side-by-side neighborhoods Psirri and Gazi provide some of the city’s prime nightlife. The almost claustrophobic streets of Psirri feature an interesting blend of original small businesses with the restaurants, cafés and bars that have recently sprouted up. The central artery of Agion Anargiron Street has lively places to eat or drink. Further west, you can visit the peaceful ancient cemetery of Keramikos, then cross busy Pireos Street to find yourself in Gazi. With the huge Technopolis performance and art complex converted from old gasworks at its heart, you really have to come at night to appreciate this maze of bars at its best, although a daytime stroll will allow you to admire the excellent street art.

Due to its proximity to the Acropolis, Plaka remains the area where the majority of foreign visitors stay and play. Its attractive features include small squares, some notable museums and the beautiful Mitropolis cathedral, as well as a host of places to stay, eat and drink. Its pedestrian zones make it a pleasant place to escape from the city’s notorious traffic. Adrianou and Kidathineon Streets contain a number of souvenir shops, offering classier items than you will find in the Flea Market. The most rewarding section to explore is the upper reaches towards the Acropolis itself, where many old stone houses with tiled roofs have survived. Up here you can find leafier corners and the odd quaint taverna with unobstructed views of the ancient rock.

Exarchia is in many ways Athens’ best-kept secret, discovered by relatively few international visitors. Located behind the main University and Polytechnic buildings, it is unsurprisingly home to many students, intellectuals and politicos. This is reflected in the area’s vibrant street art and graffiti, which seems to cover almost every inch of wall space. Some of the best Athenian tavernas are located here, as well as its most alternative bars and underground music venues. You'll find political bookshops and quirky stores here, yet it is also a neighborhood inhabited by families and older folk. On Saturdays, punks and grandmothers alike head for Kallidromiou Street, nestled below Strefi Hill, to pick up fresh produce at the traditional laiki agora (street market).