Glyfada, spread over seaside and mountain areas – the latter is called Ano (Upper) Glyfada – is a place where, during summer, you will see people coming out of apartment blocks in swimsuits to go shopping.

17

It is the part of Athens possessing the strongest American vibe. Glyfada, in Athens’ seaside south, took its name from the term glyfo, salty water in Greek. Despite the savoury name, it’s all sweet living in Glyfada. We spent some time in the “Miami of Athens” and did not regret a moment of it.

Why Miami?

Between 1947 and 1993, a US Air Base was maintained in nearby Hellinikon, greatly influencing Glyfada’s American style. Long before the emergence of Airbnb and its encouragement of city-break travel, people could be overheard speaking English in Glyfada, even during tourism’s off-season. Not surprisingly, most American basketball players signed with Greek clubs prefer living in Glyfada. Taking a walk around the district definitely has an American feel. It is far brighter lit at nighttime, compared to your usual Athens neighbourhood, and the roads and footpaths are much wider. Everything is bigger and more spacious, compared to the rest of Athens, even most cars. Skateboards have been a common sight on Glyfada roads and local playgrounds from long ago. Another Glyfada trademark is the coexistence of noisy and quiet spots, within metres of each other.

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Noisy and quiet spots coexist within metres of each other in Glyfada. Photo: Zisimos Zizos/Glyfada municipality
Photo: Zisimos Zizos/Glyfada municipality

Road of the poets

Lambraki Street used to suffer from car congestion, vehicles parked all over the place, including on the central reservation. This is no longer the case. Clear, free-flowing pavements and bicycle lanes have been developed along the central reservation area. Cars nowadays park at new peripheral spots, while stanzas by Greek poets are displayed on the pedestrianised street and benches. You can take a stroll and recall or discover important moments in Greek literature.

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Road of the poets/Photo: Zisimos Zizos/Glyfada municipality
Road of the poets/Photo: Zisimos Zizos/Glyfada municipality

Italian cuisine at La Pasteria

Glyfada residents are among the country’s most well-travelled people, the majority having enjoyed Italian food in Italy, which has made the Italian restaurant La Pasteria, at Vassos Katraki square, an essential part of their lives. Whether you prefer pasta dishes, pizza, Italian meat or fish-based dishes, this is the right place. La Pasteria’s carbonara is a much-loved classic dish for patrons that does not need any special mention. We will focus more on the food we tried at the restaurant during our recent visit to Glyfada.

The Bruschetta Melanzane Afumicati e caprino, prepared with smoked eggplant and goat’s cheese, was delicious. The freshly sliced Parma prosciutto, served with parmesan, was also exceptional.

The Pasta alla Parmigiana, linguini with melted parmesan and cream, looked like it had come straight out of a traditional Italian kitchen, the difference here being its fancy presentation, as a bonus. We did not leave until we also tried the spot’s now-renowned pizza, with the new La Pasteria dough, left to ferment for 72 hours before being put into the oven, and some dessert. We ordered the Torta di Cioccolato, hot chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. It was superb, making it onto our list of dessert alternatives here, already including La Pasteria’s Tiramisu.

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La Pasteria’s pizza is made with a new dough, left to ferment for 72 hours before being put into the oven
La Pasteria’s renowned Carbonara

Amongst yachts and boats

One of Athens’ most impressive marinas is located just a short distance from central Athens. We highly recommend a visit to the Glyfada marina. Grab a take-away iced or hot coffee from the local everest café and sandwich bar. Personally, I choose special Arabica, their signature blend!

For coffee

Glyfada is a main attraction for Athens’ south, drawing lots of people, day and night, both on weekdays and weekends. We enjoyed sitting for coffee at Flocafe Εspresso Room, on Lazaraki Street, a very stylish place for all seasons. It serves three different coffee blends, America Latina, Honduras Premium and Colombia Freshly Roasted. If not a coffee enthusiast, the place also offers a wide range of other beverages, including biscolato, and classic cocktails.

The shop window is filled with freshly baked butter and chocolate croissants, chocolate, white chocolate and lemon-flavoured cookies, as well as homemade apple pie, carrot cake, red velvet cake and chocolate cake, amongst other selections. The spot also has a brunch menu for all tastes, including pizza, burgers, club sandwiches, eggs Benedict and health-food choices such as salads, nutritious smoothies and healthy bowls.

Shopping

Glyfada has been the commercial hub of Athens’ southern suburbs for decades. Many luxury brands maintain stores in Glyfada’s extensive shopping district, offering shoppers numerous clothes and accessories shops with helpful staff.

Classic spot for burger and other delights

Once done with your shopping, there is nothing better than a satisfying meal at Goody’s Burger House on Konstantinoupoleos Street. For years, this spot has been a hangout for youths coming in from all over the southern suburbs. We had a burger. The place also serves club sandwiches, chicken wraps, fresh salads, pasta dishes, as well as a Meat-Free Burger for vegetarians.

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Goody’s Burger House fully applies quality assurance standards
Selections include burgers, club sandwiches, chicken wraps, fresh salads, pasta dishes, as well as a Meat-Free Burger for vegetarians.

Water sports capital

Many Glyfada locals are avid water sports enthusiasts, active in anything from more conventional sports such as swimming, water polo and sailing to alternatives like surfing and scuba diving. Specialised stores catering to all water sports may be found in Glyfada. They attract customers from all over Athens. The Glyfada Nautical Sports Club is one of the most historic and successful clubs in Greece.

Golf course

Not surprisingly, this cosmopolitan part of Athens boasting international flair also hosts the country’s oldest golf course. Its 53 hectares offer vital greenery to the area and have also helped reinforce Glyfada’s up-market status over the years. The Glyfada Golf course incorporates into its name, as a tribute, Greek statesman Konstantinos Karamanlis, the country’s best-known golfer.

Glyfada by night

We visited Glyfada in late autumn, not summer, as would have seemed more logical, but the colder weather certainly did not appear to dampen spirits in this part of Athens. People were out and about looking merry. Glyfada’s nightlife options include pubs, classic bars, cocktail bars and wine bars.

The best way to top off a night out in Glyfada is with a DIY sandwich at the local everest outlet, a classic choice, just like Glyfada.

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