Take up a sport, lose weight, stop smoking, learn English... Whatever your new year's resolution or wish, you'll achieve it. All you need to do is travel! And here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.

Although the economic crisis has left its mark in the capital, as some buildings along its central streets have become noticeably decadent, Athens is well worth visiting, and enjoyment is to be had in its marked array of contrasts.

If you’re on a weekend getaway, the best thing is to organise your short stay by touring specific districts in the capital. And, the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to get around is undoubtedly by metro.

1. Plaka

One of the most authentic districts in Athens, with a rich Byzantine and Ottoman legacy. Indeed, this is the city’s oldest quarter and all the historical architecture is strictly protected.

Its siting at the foot of the Acropolis, its quaint, Bohemian atmosphere, its narrow, cobbled streets and the absence of cars make this one of the favourite districts among sightseers. It is a veritable oasis in the heart of a chaotic city.

Plaka is full of street markets, shops and bars. It is the ideal area for buying traditional products and antiquities, or for tasting local cuisine. However, keep an eye on the prices! This quarter is your springboard for seeing ancient monuments, notably theAcropolis,the Acropolis Museum and the Roman Agora.

2. Monastiraki

Northwest ofPlaka, between theAgoraand theAcropolis, lies one of the city’s major commercial hubs. Monastiraki is also the name of one of the oldest and most centrally located metro stops in Athens. It also features the added value of an unusual display – the archaeological finds that emerged during the construction of the underground.

The city was also the site of a Turkish settlement for over 300 years, so that nowadays you can still see the influence of that culture in such spots as the Tzistarakis Mosque or the Turkish baths.

Landmarks in the historica lMonastiraki Square include such emblematic buildings as the Church of the Pantanassa, the Tower of the Winds and Hadrian’s Library, in addition to the Pazari or flea market with the most diverse wares on display in its open-air stalls.

Adrianou Street is a pleasure to stroll along, as it is lined solid with interesting shops and bars. Highly recommended is Collage, a cafe-restaurant where you can eat great food, listen to live music or sip a fine cocktail on their terrace, soaking up the cool ambience all the while.

3. Gazi

This is the most stimulating, switched-on area of the city. It revolves around Technopolis, its cultural centre, the largest in Greece, housed in a former gasworks. The district started coming to the fore after the 2004 Olympic Games. This is the most chameleon-like district of Athens with a proliferation of endless pop-ups. The cultural and leisure activities hosted here draw the most avant-garde, cosmopolitan movements to this part of town.

Gazi has undergone marked changes. Where prostitutes and illegal immigrants once roamed, we now see haute couture fashion parades, while brothels have given way to cultural centres. The once abandoned 19th-century buildings have been refurbished as innovative restaurants noteworthy for their striking post-industrial decor. Standout examples are Hoxton and Gazi College.

For enthusiasts of vintage decoration and second-hand objects, Gazi is teeming with stores to browse through.

4. Anafiotika

This quarter has an unusual history. In the 19th century, King Otto of Greece commissioned his palace to be refurbished by prestigious architects from the Cyclades Islands. They chose to settle in the Anafiotika quarter but, feeling homesick for their native land, they decided to build their new homes in the traditional Cycladic-island style. The result is that we can now admire the typical blue-and-white houses lining cobbled streets with a pronounced seafaring air. Together with the squares, viewpoints and gardens, the complex has become one of the most picturesque areas in Athens. It stands out as a pretty “island” in the urban sprawl, affording idyllic views of the city and acting as a vantage point for gazing at some unforgettable sunsets.

5. Kolonaki

This is the city’s chic district with its upmarket luxury and designer stores. The neoclassical and Modernist architecture endows the area with a distinguished, stately air which becomes evident as soon as you set foot in it.

Located here are some of the city’s trendiest bars, pubs and discos. Mind The Gap is ideal for having a bite or your first drink of the evening, while Dybbuk is perfect for dancing to good music until daybreak. Athenians love enjoying their social life, both during the day and by night, a fact we became aware of when experiencing the congenial atmosphere in the local venues, which always seem to be packed.

This district is adjacent to the famous Syntagma Square and is distributed around the foot of Lycabettus Hill, an excellent vantage point for taking in 360° views of the city.

Athens is a destination that should take pride of place on your calendar! Make sure you book your Vueling soon!

Text by Tensi Sánchez of ilovebilbao.com

Images by Aurora Loudeiro

The most touristic of the Greek Dodecanese Islands is the beautiful Kos, with about 48 kilometers long and eight wide, which is very close to the coast of Turkey. It is normal then that their simple and tasty cuisine is influenced by their neighboring country.

One of the most popular choices is to ask for mezze or meze (very common in the Middle East and in this part of the Mediterranean), a varied selection of dishes that are accompanied with ouzo (or similar drinks like raki, tsipouro or tsikoudia), an alcoholic beverage made in Greece. It is usually prepared with all kinds of ingredients such as eggplant, tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumbers, fish, cheese, peppers, olives or seafood.

Although the mezes are accompanied with ouzo, it doesn’t mean that you have to take them without measure. You are supposed to eat and drink slowly, enjoying the company and the lively conversation.

Try for instance the Gavros Marinatos (anchovies marinated in oil, lemon and salt), the grilled octopus or the Kalamarakia (fried squid), the saganaki (Kefalotyri cheese fried in olive oil), the tirokafteri (made from a softer cheese like feta mixed with yogurt, olive oil and lemon) or the keftedes (fried meatballs seasoned with mint and onion).

Other typical recipes of the island are the noodles in broth called "pitaridia" the "dolmades” (grape leaves stuffed with rice), the "pastitsio" (pasta with vegetables), the "katimeria"(pancakes with mizithra cheese served with honey and cinnamon), and the "lampropites' (pies filled with a cheese called prosfa). There are plenty of different restaurants on the island, from typically Greek food with traditional flavors to international restaurants, bars and nightclubs, with guaranteed fun until the wee hours of the morning.

Nick de Fisherman
Georgiou Averof 21
One of the most popular places to eat fish and only fish, mostly because you will not find meat dishes in this restaurant run by a fisherman and his family since 1942.

Barbouni
Georgioy Averof 26
www.ilovebarbouni.com
Fresh seafood dishes, assorted meze, fish coming directly from the sea and some of their wonderful cocktails to finish.

Agkyra
Averof 14, Kos
Family business with views of Kos’s Harbour.

Dihtaki
Georgiou Averof 30
Seafood and some vegetarian options in this delightful place with a terrace facing the sea.

El Gallo
Georgiou Averof 12
Great Greek and Spanish tapas facing the sea in the city of Kos.

Psarovarka
Antimahoy 1 Kos
Although it was opened recently,this restaurant has earned a reputation as one of the best on the island. Home-made dishes cooked with local products, seafood mezes, salads and high quality fish. They have hammocks on the beach where they serve drinks.

Taverna Mike
Eth. P. Polemiston, Lambi
www.mike-kos.eu
Let yourself be advised by Mike and Gina on the best food and wine of the place. A spacious and welcoming restaurant to taste the specialties of the island.

La Prima
Plaza Diagoras, Kos
www.laprima-kos.com
Pasta, some vegetarian choices and the best saganaki mussels (Greek recipe for mussels with onions, tomatoes and feta cheese).

Picture mezze por Banu

A place well worth discovering!Check out our flights here.

Greece and its islands are a paradise for tourists where culture, mythology, art, cuisine and incredible landscapes blend perfectly. But if people go to Santorini or Crete looking for a relaxing and peaceful holidays, they go to Mykonos in search of its leisure and its famous beach parties, like it happens for instance in Ibiza.

Mecca of gay tourism, people live without prejudice in Mykonos; it is a happy, carefree and cosmopolitan island as many people who visited Mykonos at the time as a tourist, and stayed falling in love of its style and life quality.

The facades of the houses in the tourist areas are painted twice a year of pure white and make a wonderful contrast to the blue, yellow or deep red of some domes or details in the houses, in a neat appearance.

During the day you can relax on the pristine beaches of Kalo Livadi, Agrari, Elia, Psarou, Paranga Gialos, Ornos or Kalafatis, and, when the night falls, enjoy their wide leisure offer.

Two of the most popular beaches are Paradise and Super Paradise, about 6 miles southwest of Chora; nice beaches with good infrastructures, particularly famous for its parties. When evening comes, the entire beach becomes a huge outdoor club where house music and lounge turn up the volume in different bars and people dance until dawn. Here is the Paradise Club, one of the most popular clubs on the island, especially for the younger public, with the best techno, pop rock and dance music.

Out of Paradise and Super Paradise, there is a great deal of small clubs or large macro-discos throughout the island:

Caprice Bar
caprice.gr

It has been in Alefkandra for years, one of the most beautiful areas of Mykonos, also known as Little Venice, with its low houses with porches that almost reach the water.

Cavo Paradiso
cavoparadiso.gr

With a privileged location on a cliff overlooking the sea, Cavo Paradise is the place for electronic music lovers. The best dj’s come around here during July and August!

Skandinavian
skandinavianbar.com

Located downtown and with two floors; the ground floor is occupied with bars with terraces and there is a dance floor upstairs where house and the most commercial hits sound.

Astra Bar
www.astra-mykonos.com

One of the classics of the Greek night. Its doors opened in 1987 and its decor is stunning. Since then, the Astra Bar is a place, not as big as the famous clubs of the island, but where you can find good music and an atmosphere away from the tourists. Sometimes they bring djs and boast their taste for good music.

Picture Little Venice by Zitumassin | Picture Mikonos by Sailko

Perfect plan to go with friends! Check our flights and sign up!