Sydney Beauty brand founder and Greek aficionado Kate Lillian Muir, Founder of Lillian Muir gives us her tips for a fabulous time in Athens.
Lillian Muir is a luxurious new luxury skincare brand celebrating the essence of the mediterranean. Founder Kate was so inspired by her time in Greece, she has created the ultimate skincare brand. Here she shares her insider tips for the ultimate Athens adventure.
From the best coffee to restaurants, day trips, living like a local and more, she has everything you need for a fantastic trip – and September is one of the best months to experience Athens.
- Odeon of Herodes Atticus
This ancient outdoor theater is simply extraordinary. Located under the wondrous Acropolis, go and see ANY concert or performance that is playing here – regardless of the language or the genre.
- Acropolis
Steeped in history and something to truly marvel at, it is clear why the Acropolis is one of the seven wonders of the world. My tip: go as early as you can in the morning and book a personal tour guide. You can also walk around the outside 24 hours a day, so if you are an early riser, watching the sunrise from here is magnificent.
- Outdoor Cinemas
So many neighborhoods of Athens house gorgeous, low-key outdoor cinemas which can be the ultimate local experience. Cine Aegli in the Zappeion Megaron Garden and Cinema Dexameni in Kolonaki are my favourites. The Grand Bretagne Hotel, one of Athen’s most magnificent also hosts cinema nights in the summer around their rooftop pool – a dip and a flick in absolute luxury. And the rooftop has some of Athen’s most magnificent views.
- Explore the Central Markets
Varvakios Agora is a foodie wonderland. This is more than a market, it’s practically a neighborhood in its own right with winding streets of specialty vendors selling everything from fresh fish to more types of olives than you ever thought existed. Take a cooking class and sample your way around with renowned chef, cookbook author, and food writer Carolina Doriti. Slip into her DM’s in instgram to book, and… tell her I sent you.
- Pour Latholemono on Everything
Make sure you purchase Pour Latholemono at the markets or local store and carry it with you to enjoy the ultimate Greek Translated exactly, it’s lemon and extra virgin olive oil mixed together until it doesn’t split; in action, it is delicious and needs to be drizzled in copious amounts over grilled seafood, salads, toasted bread… or like me… on just about anything. This really feels like the magic trick of that glowy, fresh-faced Mediterranean skin from the inside.
- Eat Everything
The food scene in Athens has got to be one of the most exciting in the world right now. Whether you are eating souvlaki and drinking house wine on the steps of Kolonaki at Kalamaki, in a neighborhood taverna like Leonidas To Diko Mas, or sitting street side at a place owned by a fishmonger like The Mauragio, you are in for an absolute treat. Incredible chefs and restaurateurs dot the city. If you are looking for something more polished, then head to Birdman (or its big brother Vezene), Marvo Provato, Akra, and Argoura. If you are looking for WOW, then head for Michelin-starred Soil or CTC Resto – head chef Alex Tsionis created the menu for Lillian Muir’s launch event in Athens.
- Coffee Culture
“έvа εσπρέσo freddo παρακαλώ!” A Freddo Espresso, please. Coffee culture in Athens is an art form served cold. Sipping a freddo espresso – one or two shots of coffee, stacked with ice, then shaken martini style or blitzed with a milkshake wand and adjusted to preferred sweetness with sugar syrup or honey – is an essential part of daily life in Greece. This is not a moment for rushing, take your time to savor every sip.
My favorite cafes in Athens in the city and surrounds include: Da Capo (Kolonaki), Blends (Glyfada), Roasting Warehouse (Neos Kosmos), Moorings (Vouliagmeni), and Ark (Glyfada).
- Culture Culture
One of the things I love the most about Athens is the collision between antiquity and contemporary. You see it on the streets, in the theatres, in the architecture; it feels like just around the corner there is a glimpse of the Acropolis waiting for you, or you are at a friend’s contemporary apartment, and out the window is a view of the Temple of Zeus. So while you are in Athens, definitely check out the Acropolis Museum, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, and Benaki Museum. If the art and culture gods align, then you might even be lucky enough to be in town during the extraordinary Athens Biennale.
- Support Local Makers and Creators
Like the incredible chef and creative movement in Athens right now, the design scene in Athens is wildly good. Make sure you pick up a memento or a makti from jewelry designer Hermina and shop the collections of Sea You Soon, Evi Grintela, Mi-ro, Costarellos, Zeus + Dione, and Ancient Greek Sandals.
- Athenian Riviera Day Trip
The sparkling coastline of the Athenian Riviera is truly paradise. There are some incredible new hotels that have opened here recently, including The Four Seasons and One & Only. If you have just one day to explore this beautiful part of Athens, here’s my recommended itinerary: Coffee: Ark Glyfad: Swim: Kavouri Beac : Late lunch: Bluefish Vouliagmeni – this is one of the most incredible seaside restaurants I’ve ever been to.
