Dawn has not yet broken over Markou Mousourou Street, but a familiar ritual is already unfolding. Giorgos Grigoriadis, owner of the traditional grocery store, a tall figure against the pre-dawn light, meticulously raises the shutters and arranges his stands. The sun, as it begins its ascent, bathes the preserved 18th and 19th-century mansions, the intricate stone stairways, and the charming Nikiforou Theotoki pedestrian street in a soft glow. This daily scene is a testament to Mets, an Athenian enclave that many consider the city’s last true oasis.
Mets: A History Woven with French Charm and Romantic Tales
The very name ‘Mets’ carries a whisper of its French origins. Situated along the historic Ilissos River, this area was chosen by Karl Fix in the late 19th century for Greece’s first brewery. He named it after Metz, the French city lost after the Franco-Prussian War. Yet, for a long time, Athenians knew it by a more evocative name: Pantremenádika, ‘the place of the married couples,’ a discreet haven for lovers amidst its verdant hills.
Over the decades, Mets has cultivated a reputation as a magnet for creatives and free spirits. Renowned figures like composer Eleni Karaindrou, musician Foivos Delivorias, and writer Sotiris Dimitriou call it home today. In the past, it hosted director Nikos Koundouros, scientist Giorgos Grammatikakis, and former mayor of Athens Antonis Tritsis, cementing its status as a cultural hub.
The Allure of a Downtown Village
What sets Mets apart is its unique blend of urban convenience and suburban tranquility. Just a ten-minute walk from Syntagma Square, adjacent to Pangrati, and a few blocks above the vibrant Anapafseos Street, Mets offers a rare sense of safety and neighborly familiarity. This is largely attributed to a high rate of home ownership; many residents have inherited their properties, choosing to remain or return as adults. Active community associations further nurture this spirit, addressing concerns from housing to neglected sidewalks and even campaigning for an organic farmers’ market.
Giorgos Grigoriadis, 47, whose family moved to Mets from Plaka in 1977, recalls a time when the area was colloquially known as ‘First Cemetery.’ “You can imagine how much fun taxi drivers had with that! They would ask, ‘Do you want me to drop you off inside or outside?'” he chuckles. He remembers the 1990s, when many of his schoolmates’ families left for the northern suburbs. His younger brother and business partner, Pantelis, 32, was the sole Mets student in his middle school, with all his classmates residing in Pangrati.
The Enduring Heart of Local Commerce: Giorgos’s Grocery Store
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a decline in local businesses, with greengrocers, tailors, and photo studios slowly disappearing. “The new century found us lacking,” Giorgos admits. His grocery store, which had been a neighborhood staple for decades, was taken over by him twenty years ago. He has since dedicated himself to serving the residents of Mets, the enclave bordered by Ardittou, Longinou, Nikiforou Theotoki, and Anapafseos Streets.
“I want people to come to me for the quality of my products, my service, and the personal connection,” he explains, meticulously arranging fruit on his shelves. His commitment extends beyond mere transactions; he often takes groceries home for customers with mobility issues, even stocking their fridges. His inventory reflects the sophisticated tastes of his clientele, offering everything from wild Alaskan salmon and Sicilian orzo to rose petal jam and French breakfast radishes – a testament to the neighborhood’s “aristocratic identity,” as he calls it.
ΨKM: A Modern Corner Store with a Designer’s Touch
Across from Giorgos’s grocery, on Markou Mousourou, stands ΨKM, the neighborhood’s most charming modern convenience store. Maria Polyxa, its owner, greets everyone with a flurry of cheerful ‘good mornings.’ Her family has been in Mets since the 1950s. “Until the ’90s there were more open spaces, and we spent the whole day outside,” she reminisces.
Maria, an interior architect with a master’s in Public Art and Environmental Design, has infused her store with a unique aesthetic. It’s a delightful jumble of cigarettes, chips, toys, stationery, books from small publishers, and magazines. Cigarettes are discreetly tucked into an antique chest, and a table invites passersby for a game of backgammon or a quiet read. The store’s playful name, ΨKM, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Greek military canteen (ΚΨM).
Before ΨKM, Maria was already a familiar face in the community through P.O.E.M. – the Cultural Visual Arts Group of Mets. She has led countless art workshops for children, many of whom contribute to ‘Metsaki,’ an annual magazine. Both children and adults eagerly participate in the revived Mets Carnival, an event first launched in 1927 by the Ardittos Beautification and Cultural Association and brought back to life in 2008. “Our first parade was ten years ago,” Maria recalls, leading us to the new P.O.E.M. space where workshops are held and carnival costumes are crafted. Among spools of fabric and paints, a handmade John Lennon doll, a testament to Maria’s artistic humor, watches over the creative chaos.
The Odeon: A ‘Lighthouse’ of Community and Culture
Next door to ΨKM, the Odeon stands as an enduring landmark. Open from morning till night, under the steady hum of a 65-year-old ceiling fan, it offers warmth, privacy, and good music to all who enter. Dimitris Fandis, Maria Polyxa’s husband, describes it as “two different places in one.” By day, it’s a café for regulars and passersby; by night, it transforms into a bar, with Jacques Brel playing softly in the background.
Before 1988, the space was a traditional dairy shop where old men played cards over meze. Dimitris’s parents, a musician and his French wife who met in Paris, stumbled upon the place for sale and transformed it. They named it Odeon, a nod to both the nearby Panathenaic Stadium and their beloved 6th arrondissement of Paris, home to the historic Théâtre de l’Odéon. Dimitris, who began working there as a boy, took over in 1997, and for Athenians, the rest is history.
‘Metoikoi’: Newcomers Embracing the Mets Spirit
Venediktos Adipas, a fashion designer, arrived in Athens from Patras in 2000. While initially settling in Pangrati, a walk led him to Mets, and he instantly fell in love. An elderly lady, noticing his interest, connected him with an owner seeking a quiet tenant. “I assured her I was exactly that person,” he laughs, now a ‘metoikos’ or settler, as locals call newcomers. He remembers a time when windows were left open at night, a testament to the area’s safety. Though not ideal for a student due to its lack of nightlife, Mets became his home. Today, he’s considered a true local, having even contributed two striking murals that are part of the neighborhood’s annual treasure hunt.
Since 2015, the Maison Faliakos atelier, where Venediktos works alongside Christos Petridis, has been located on Markou Mousourou. The initial surprise of a fashion house window display in a quiet, family area quickly turned into curiosity. “Those first days, people literally bumped their heads against the glass, trying to peek inside,” Christos recalls. Soon, many became clients, and even more, friends. “We left Kolonaki just as it was changing, and here, we found exactly what we were looking for,” he says, sitting on the pedestrian steps.
A similar story unfolds with Nitra Gallery, nestled in a small alley between Markou Mousourou and Anapafseos Streets. Aliki Tsirliagkou, the gallery’s second-generation owner, moved from Thessaloniki to Athens in 2017. After a project space in Kolonaki proved challenging during the pandemic, she shifted her focus to curating art collections for hotels, leading to ArtSpark. Kolonaki’s tiny space no longer served their purpose, and in Mets, they found a 200-square-meter space with a different kind of energy.
“Here, visitors don’t just see an exhibition – they experience it. Mets itself is full of landmarks that connect past and present, even an open-air sculpture gallery of sorts: the First Cemetery of Athens,” Aliki notes, guiding us through an exhibition of Panos Famelis’s works. She believes the future of galleries lies beyond mere exhibitions, seeing them as cultural spaces. Her venue on Aristonikou Street, once a publishing house warehouse, has been warmly embraced. “When we were renovating, everyone who passed by asked what we were opening. They hoped for a shop to meet their everyday needs but when they learned it was an art gallery, they welcomed us just the same,” she smiles. “As a Thessalonikian, I feel perfectly at ease in Mets,” Aliki adds, ready to walk her dog, Mili. “The rhythm here is just a little slower than in downtown Athens, and I love that.”
Challenges and the Enduring Spirit of Mets
Mets, as Maria Pertselaki observes, is a haven for animal lovers. She found herself in the neighborhood after the 1999 Athens earthquakes and has lived there almost continuously since. “Those of us who live here enjoy real quality of life. We’re lucky to be surrounded by two hills, Ardittos and Longinos,” she explains. Daily, dozens of “dog parents” gather on Ardittos Hill, where magpies, hoopoes, cyclamens, and even the remains of the Temple of Tyche can be found, now with a dedicated dog space.
However, this idyllic rhythm faces disruption from the housing crisis. “Our neighborhood is becoming increasingly touristy – we constantly hear the sound of suitcase wheels rolling on the cobblestones,” Maria notes with concern. Rents, always high, have become exorbitant. Online listings confirm this: a 40-square-meter apartment for €940, a 65-square-meter ground-floor flat for €800, and larger apartments exceeding €1,000. Availability is also a major issue. One evening, a triumphant customer bursts into Giorgos Grigoriadis’s grocery store: “You won’t believe it – I found a place!” he announces to Pantelis and Giorgos, a conversation that soon drifts to Panathinaikos and the weather.
As the sun sets, people drop by for fresh dinner ingredients. “Give me the key,” an elderly woman cryptically requests, and Giorgos retrieves a large box of keys, finding the right one. “I keep everything here, spare keys, documents, money, and of course parcels from couriers,” he explains with a smile. “We’re just like a village here – everyone knows everyone.” Mets, a place where time seems to slow, where artistry thrives, and community endures, continues to hold its secrets close, offering a vital counterpoint to the relentless pace of modern Athens.
Source: https://www.ekathimerini.com/leisure/destinations/1288234/the-secrets-of-mets-the-most-beautiful-village-in-athens/
