Kolonaki, Athens

Kolonaki is an upscale Athens neighbourhood spread along the southern slopes of Mount Lycabettus. Its defining marker is the column in Kolonaki Square: this two metre column shaped the area’s identity before urban development, and it gave the neighbourhood its name, literally “Little Column.” Look at the column as you take in the square; it is the tangible clue behind a name that might otherwise sound abstract.

Kolonaki also brings together museums and galleries. The Benaki Museum occupies a preserved neoclassical manor house, while the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art and the National Gallery of Greece are also here. Across Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, you find the Byzantine and Christian Museum and the War Museum of Athens. Its nightlife includes bars, ouzeries, and tavernas.