Wondering Around Athens [Part 2] Kolonaki Area

 Going down the hill of Lycabettus , one meets Dexameni Square, a large square with a picturesque cafe where  important poets and writers used to relax in the past such as Costas Varnalis and Alexandros Papadiamantis.

Descending the southwestern slope of Lycabettus hill,  there is Kolonaki area which is considered to be one of the most prestigious areas of the Athens. The official name of the Kolonaki Square is Plateia Filikis Etairias which means the "Friendly Society" square, and took its name from the secret 19th-century organization whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state.  
Kolonaki is also one Athens' leading shopping areas with a number of high end brand boutiques such as Dior, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton etc. most of them situated in Voukourestiou Str., also known for its jewellery shops.

This high-end area of the capital  is the choice of every bon-viveur, an eclectic variety of cafes bars and restaurants makes it more alluring than ever to the visitor!
But Kolonaki is not only an area for people watching and coffee sipping!

There are a lot of museums situated in Kolonaki that one can visit such as the Benaki Museum  that houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern times and the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art, one of the most important museums in Greece, with a notable collection of artifacts form the Cycladic Art. Two minutes walk from Kolonaki Sq., across Vasilissis Sofias Avenue there is the Ilisia Manor , that houses the Byzantine Museum and the War Museum of Athens.  

TIPS:  

•  Drink your capuccino in Da Capo Cafe in Kolonaki Square 
• Visit the St Dionysius the Areaopagite church
• Have drinks in Haritos street.
• During the summer, watch a old movie at the "Athinaia" open air cinema   in Haritos street and do not miss the traditional cheese pie during the intermission. 
• Visit the Museum of the History of Greek Costume in Dimokritou str.