Plaka Markets, Athens

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through the Plaka markets and the Plaka district. One thing I love here compared to Italy is the amount of greenery and shade. There are plants everywhere, spilling over balconies, hanging off fences, lining the cobblestone laneways, it has a very inviting and lush feel. There are so many restaurants and cafes nestled amongst the trees, spilling onto the surrounding stairs and lanes, it has a great vibe.

Some of the items on display in the market did make us do a double take with the most surprising one being the racks of wooden penises of all sizes and colours. We weren’t sure what the significance is to Athens so we asked one of the vendors. She told us they just sold well so no reason other than they are a novelty gift that makes money. The other thing that freaked us out every time we walked through the market was the “Children of the Corn” mannequins. Very creepy.

I did love a lot of the shop displays and I loved the colours and vibrancy of the market. Even though there is a lot of tourist tatt for sale, there were also some very authentic and nice pieces to be found.Read more