Exarchia

The neighborhood of Exarchia is full of life and largely student-central, as the National Technical University of Athens (Polytechneio) is located just a few hundred yards away from Exarchia Square down tech-friendly Stournari Street. The area is also infamous for the anarchist groups that use it as a base for their demonstrations, although in recent years peace and quiet have largely prevailed. The National Archaeological Museum (the neighborhood's biggest draw) is next to the Athens Polytechnic, where the historic student uprising of 1973, which led to the ousting of the junta, took place. Look for the "Blue" building in Exarchia Square, which is a prime example of the modernist movement in Greek architecture. Rembetika music clubs, vintage record shops, comic-book shops, musical instrument stores, quaint little bars, traditional tavernas, and cheap souvlaki corners all coexist in the area, which is always buzzing with creative—one might dare say revolutionary—energy.