A walk in Exarcheia, and some information

I'm sorry for saying this: but "Exarcheia" is without a doubt the district that interests me most in Athens, much more than the Acropolis and all the museums. Below you'll find a documentary from 2019. It's only 15 minutes and really worth seeing for those interested. 

Briefly summarizing: 

Exarcheia is a neighbourhood in Athens close to the historical building of the National Technical University of Athens and is bordered on the east by Kolonaki (which is an upscale neighborhood).The area is known for being the historical core of radical political and intellectual activism, and is often considered the anarchist quarter of Athens, known for its radical democracy.

Greece's economic crisis hit it hard. And here the opinions differ a lot regarding whether you feel safe in the area or not... But I am willing to agree with the following opinion: solidarity and a culture of autonomy brought people together and that changed the neighbourhood’s vibes; its alternative lifestyle made it one of the most welcoming areas in Athens. It is in Exarcheia that I've met the nicest waiters, the coziest bars and the neighborhood is always full of young people playing board games, drinking coffee and so on. 

But with with that said, as far as I know there are two main dates to be aware of: November the 17th and the December the 6th. On these dates there are large riots (in particular) in this area and everyone advises you to stay at home and not leave your home, and the universities are closed. Sometimes the universities are closed for several days before / after. And since a few years back, the police don't go to Exarchia except in extreme situations since for them just to enter the neighborhood creates trouble.   

• On November 14, 1973 large demonstrations about the rejection of Greece's former military dictatorship began and escalated to an open anti-junta revolt and ended in bloodshed in the early morning of November 17 when a tank crashed through the gates of the Polytechnic killing at least 34 demonstrators (mainly students). Since then, several union and activist groups demonstrate in Athens during the Nov. 15-17 to mark the anniversary. 
• On December 6 in 2008, a Greek police special guard shot and killed 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos within blocks of the Athens Polytechnic University, leading to large protests originated in Exarcheia. 

Sources: wikipedia, itinari , Garda , Greekcitytimes

Earlier last week I went with Thora and Emý from Iceland and took a coffee in the area, and I took the opportunity to take some photos. I will definitely go there more times, the graffiti and street art there is just incredible!

I still have a lot of places, cafés, bars, and restaurants to explore in Exarcheia, but (besides from walking around and taking a coffee at any cozy bar/café) I have two strong recommendations that I would advise everyone to do: 

• Eat brunch/lunch/dinner at Ama Lachei 
• Visit the farmers market at the street "Kallidromiou" on Saturdays

With love, Elsa ♡

And regarding the 17th of November, this is a video from last year: