“Souvlaki. And baklava. And that round bread with sesame seeds.
Koulouri! These are a few things I definitely want to try while I’m in Athens,” Grace says as we head from Syntagma Square toward Monastiraki early in the morning, trying with little success to avoid the heat. In her early 20s, Grace has just completed a course in pastry studies and, along with her brother and parents, has come from Canada for a vacation: first Athens, then the islands. During the few days they will spend in the capital, they have planned to visit the Acropolis.
However, before ascending the Sacred Rock, they decided to join one of the many food tours now available in the city. Searching online, one will find dozens of gastronomic tours advertised. “Eat Like an Athenian,” “Gastronomic Secrets of the Center,” “Exarchia: Taste of Utopia,” “Tasting Athens’ Food and Wine” and “Midnight Gastronomic Tour” are just a few of the titles that appear.
Some seem more casual, while others are more curated and insightful. The tour I am joining, along with 10 visitors from Canada, the UK and Mexico, is organized by Alternative Athens, a Greek company that started operating in 2013 and, according to its website, aims to present travelers with “the authentic side of Greece, beyond the easy tourist stereotypes.” “For the next three and a half hours, we will talk about the history, food and landmarks of the city, walk around, and, of course, eat,” says Antigone, our guide, outlin.