The Fruit, Meat and Vegetable Market of Athens

There are three Agoras in downtown Athens. One is the ancient Agora where the Thission building is, below the Acropolis and the hill of Areospagos. Then there is the Roman Agora near the Tower of the winds in the Plaka. Both have been closed for centuries. But the Agora on Athinas, otherwise known as the Athens Central Market is my favorite of the three and even when I am not shopping (how much meat and fish can you cook when you live in a hotel room?) I seem to get energized walking around. To me the Central Market is the most exciting place in Athens.

If you are coming from the Flea Market and continue from Monastiraki square down Athinas street towards Omonia when you get to Evripidou street you will find yourself at the Athens Market. Morning is the time to be here. It's a mob scene but lots of fun and a reminder that the true wonders of Athens may not be in the dead past but in the very alive present. Some of the butchers come from generations of butchers who have had stalls in the market for a century.

The Fish market is my favorite part. Wear shoes. The ground is kind of wet and fishy. Wander around and look at all the fish, some fresh, some frozen, and listen to the voices of the merchants as they call out their prices. Surrounding the fish market on three sides is the meat market and across the street are the fruits and vegetables. For some reason the pigs feet are in with the fish and I have not understood that. Any fish you can find in the Aegean and even some imported are here. The weirdest animals are found in the meat section closest to Omonia, though this depends on the season. I have seen giant woolly animals that looked like either a giant wild boar or a mastodon.

Check out the stores that sell olives. It's OK to sample. Find a type you can't live without and buy a kilo to keep with you on your journey. I like the big ones from Agrinion. My wife likes the shriveled oil-cured type. Taste them all. If you love olives this is your special heaven. There are also spice shops, cheese shops, canned goods, dry goods, live chickens, you name it. If you want to be creative with your shopping for gifts to bring back to family and friends, look around here. I usually bring back around ten giant cans of Mytilini sardines to go with my ouzo. This last time I brought back two big pickled fish called skoumbri (makarel) Tour An Olive Shop

If you are hungry visit the three working class restaurants in the meat market and the secret underground restaurant at the bottom of the vegetable market by the olive shops. Don't forget to try the Patsa. There are several restaurants and fast food places in and around the market including some old ouzerie-cafeneons and an old Rembetiko cafe called The Stoa Athenaton where you can see Rembetika legend Takis Benes and others at their matinees or at night. See clubs

If you have kids or you are a kid check out the two pet stores across the street from each other on Athinas between Sofokleos street and The Dimarch Square. Both have an amazing assortment of birds, especially parrots. There are usually one or two toucans, baby African Greys, exotic ducks, pigeons, chickens, monkeys, snakes (some really big ones), wallabees (like kangaroos), dogs, cats, guina pigs, chipmonks all in a shop that seems chaotic. Don't buy anything until you know you can take it home with you.