Today I decided to visit Kifissia. I hoped it would be a quieter part of Athens that would not be packed with tourists. I got my wish. Compared to the bustling, tourist-trap streets of the Plaka and the other areas below the Acropolis, Kifissia was like a breath of fresh air.
When I woke up this morning, I knew nothing about Kifissia. It became and interesting option when I saw it’s at the opposite end of the metro line that goes to Piraeus.
Yesterday, I went to Piraeus. I chose to go there because it’s near the sea. Piraeus is also where the ferry terminal is and I wanted to check out the area because, when I leave Athens, I may travel on the ferry.
To get to Piraeus I had to take the metro from Dafni to Omonoia. Dafni is on metro line 2. It’s the line that links Anthoupoli with Ellinko. Omonoia is one of two metro stations where line 2 and line 1 of the Athens metro intersect. Line 1 is the oldest of the three metro lines in Athens and it runs between Piraeus and Kifissia.
This morning when I looked at the metro map, Kifisia appeared to be as far away from the city centre as it was possible to go by metro. Except for the airport, that is. The distance from the hustle and bustle of the city centre made Kifissia a very attractive option, but I still needed to find out what was there.
Imagine my surprise when I went online and discovered Kifissia is said to be the Beverly Hills of Athens. When I read that, I thought Kifissia may be an expensive option, but I decided to go anyway and I’m very glad I did.
Most of the articles online say Kifissia is only 30 minutes from the centre of Athens. That’s not true. I have no idea why so many people are saying this. The journey via metro line 1 it takes around 45 minutes. Maybe a little more. If you go via metro line 2 first and then change to line 1 at Attikes it may take closer to an hour.
However, when you arrive at Kifissia you will find yourself directly in front of a nice park and the centre of Kifissia is only a short walk away. It’s a busy area, but not as busy as the city centre and there are not nearly so many tourists. It’s possible to take a tour of Kifissia in a horse-drawn carriage though. That’s not going to be so appealing to locals so the area must get a certain amount of tourists.
There are any number of places to eat and drink in Kifissia, including a Starbucks coffee shop. As far as the cost of food and drink goes, the Beverly Hills of Athens is not as expensive as I expected. I only paid around €1.30 for a cappuccino from a stall by the side of the road and, later on, I bought a ham and cheese pasty and can of coke from a snack bar and paid just €3.20. Admittedly, it would have cost me a lot more to go and sit in a nice restaurant, but I never do that. I am always alone and the idea of sitting solo in a restaurant has zero appeal.
Kifissia is also a good place to go shopping and women who like designer clothes and upmarket boutiques may find this part of Athens a particularly interesting venue. As for me, I just like to walk and seeing some of the houses the wealthier residents of Athens call home was an interesting experience.
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