Avdi Square

Athens

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DESTINATIONS greece athens Cafes Avdi Square

Avdi Square

Avdi Square is one of the restaurant and cafe hotspots of Keramikos and Metaxourgio. This recently revitalized square captures the vibe of Athens with street parties and avant-garde art to social activism and skate bowls. Check out the Municipal Art Gallery while you're there.

Cafes

Drinking coffee in Greece is an institution, and Athens is no exception. You will find the cafes and their terraces full of people, laughter, cigarette smoke and animation everyday and all year long. Cafes here are the place to meet up with friends, relax, have long conversations about life and politics, or to play backgammon (when in Greece, call it "Tavli"). The most Greek coffee drink is without a doubt the frappé. It was invented at the 1957 Thessaloniki International Fair by Giannis Dritsas — a representative of the Nestlé company. It's basically instant coffee whipped with cold water until frothy, served on ice. If you're not an instant coffee lover, ask for the server to add some sugar and milk to your drink. It's quite a marvelous invention for hot summer days. Or course, third wave coffee has made is to Athens as well. You can choose to sit at a trendy or alternative cafe, at a traditional kafeneio, or even at one of Greece's own coffee chains.