Monastiraki

Athens is under heavy security Sunday as more than 5,700 police officers are deployed to oversee events marking the 51st anniversary of a pro-democracy student uprising violently suppressed by the military dictatorship in 1973.

Riot squads, motorcycle units, drones, and helicopters are providing real-time surveillance to police command.

Walking through the bustling streets of central Athens, whether as a resident or a visitor, or taking in the view of the sprawling, densely built capital from a balcony on one of its nearby hills, it’s nearly impossible to grasp that less than two centuries ago, this city was merely a tiny dot on the map.

The so-called commercial triangle of Athens, which is marked by the squares of Syntagma, Omonia and Monastiraki squares, and includes very popular areas such as Monastiraki, Plaka and Psyrri, and the district of Koukaki are the Greek capital's most popular neighborhoods for short-term rentals.

A bold yet simple proposal for radically improving the quality of life in downtown Athens has been on Athens Mayor Haris Doukas' desk for the past few days, awaiting his perusal. What it suggests, in short, is to partially rid central Syntagma Square from the bane of traffic.

Panepistimiou Avenue [InTimeNews] Vasilissis Amalias Avenue [InTimeNews] Arch of Hadrian [InTimeNews] Monastiraki square [InTimeNews] Vasilissis Amalias Avenue [InTimeNews] Ermou Street [InTimeNews] National and Kapodistrian University of Athens [InTimeNews]  [InTimeNews]

The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies (74 Mitropoleos, Monastiraki, europeanarch.eu) and the Chicago Athenaeum present "The Athenians, Short Stories of Art (Vol II)." In this group show, artists share small stories inspired by the Greek capital and expressed through various mediums. Admission is free of charge.

Anarchically parked tourist buses in some of the most central parts of Athens are a major cause of traffic bottlenecks during the summer, making an already bad situation even more unbearable.

Greek artists Ypatia Kornarou and Elissavet Efstathiou present their exhibition "Forsaken Places" at art-space bar TAF (5 Normanou) in Monastiraki. The two photographers explore the stories hidden inside abandoned buildings and spaces. Entrance is free. 

The annual Varvakios party returns, converting Athens' Central Food Market into a free-entry nightclub for all. Drawing over 6,000 attendees to Athinas Street (Monastiraki), it's a prime opportunity for mingling with locals over drinks. Simply bring your party spirit, and Athens will handle the rest for this lively May throwdown.

The Commercial Triangle of Athens is defined as the central area of the Municipality of Athens, flanked by Stadiou, Mitropoleos and Athinas streets, with the vertices of the imaginary "triangle" being Syntagma, Monastiraki and Omonia squares. In addition, it includes the squares of Klathmonos and Kolokotronis on Stadiou, as well as Kotzias Square on Athinas.