Makrygianni neighborhood

As you’ve surely noticed, you are at the foot of the Acropolis! It’s towering on your right, perched on top of the so-called Sacred Rock, nearly 160 metres high. You’re now walking along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. It’s named after Dionysios, who was a member of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece back in the 1st century AD – a profession formerly known as “Areopagitis”. He was the first ever Greek official to convert to Christianity in 52 AD, thanks to the Apostle Paul. He even went on to become Bishop of Athens! He left his mark on the city’s history, and so they named this street in his honor. It’s located in the Makrygianni district, which is named after a Greek general who played a key role in the Greek War of Independence between 1821 and 1830. After 4 centuries under Ottoman rule, Greece finally regained its freedom in 1832, with the help of the world’s leading countries at the time. Look around you! The neighborhood is full of beautiful neoclassical and modern 19th- and 20th-century houses. Here, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll with a view of the Acropolis, away from the traffic and crowds of the city centre!