Athens is undergoing a cultural turnover as a result of the financial crisis. Some are calling it “The New Berlin” as the next generation of artists and designers are turning to the streets to churn out social messages. In fact, they’re reinventing their city – independent of the outcome – building their own vision for the future. Last month, I was in Athens for five days and managed to hit the street, as well as interview the key players in the scene (who prefer to keep their real identities anonymous).

The Street Art

There are so many artists working in bright colors under this critical time of change (I guess it’s no surprise the Athens School of Fine Arts also offers courses in street painting). On the outskirts of the city, there are abandoned factories that have closed due to the crisis. The factories have become ripe stomping grounds for street artists who have taken over the spaces to paint. One artist shoots cans of spraypaint that explode in color, a tribute to William S. Burroughs, while another paints fake dollar bills with a TV-headed president. Downtown, a lot of cartoons fill the street, from chained figures to sombre portraits of the elderly. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is a key figure painted in the Euro-inspired streets, sometimes where she is painted as Mickey Mouse.

Types of street art in Athens

The street art scene in Athens is comical, graphic and riddled with storytelling – far more than just tags. Yes, it’s political, as you might expect. But beyond the played-out financial crisis, there is hope. With a tour from the local art collective “Wrong,” who run the street art gallery Sirri 12, I saw wooden cut-outs of golden trees, poetic catch phrases, coins by Greek artist Achilles, paper paste ups by STMTS, stencil pieces and a Euro Disney Angela Merkel. There were also tags on subway trains and cartoon faces on tree stumps. The freshness of this creative scene is a throwback to reminds me of New York in the 1970s.

Safety First

The main mistake I made was wandering alone through Chinatown, which is dangerous. Moments after I took this photo [DSC_800], a female cab driver pulled aside and rolled down her window. “You better get out of this area now,” she said. “You could get your camera stolen. Be careful.” I headed to a populated street and strolled out of Chinatown.

When I met up with the “Lathos” street art collective (“wrong” in Greek) at Sarri 12 Gallery, the only street art gallery in the city (and probably the country), they agreed with the cab driver’s warning. Unless you’re joining a group tour, or having locals guide you around (as I later did), don’t go to Chinatown. The artists also told me not to walk around with my camera over my shoulder, as street thefts are frequent. Wear your camera around your neck or sideways around your body and keep an eye on it!

The critic: Cacao Rocks

One artist I spoke to was Cacao Rocks, who has been working as a street artist since 2007. He is a bit of a headline master, conjuring up cheeky slogans like “This is Not Berlin,” which might have been a response to an article in German newspaper Die Zeit which called Athens “the new Berlin”.

“We’re tired of it,” he said, when talking about politics and sees the city comparison as cultural hype. “This is not Berlin, it’s Athens,” he said. “This piece is political criticism because the EU and Germany decide what Athens will do, we don’t really have democracy – they act like Greece is Germany. Merkel is deciding what we do in Greece, how much tax we’ll pay.”

The feminist: Cleo43

But it’s not just a boy’s club – female street artists are also active in Athens. Cleo43 got her name from her grandmother, who was a strong female role model for her. At 13-years-old, she touched a spray can for the first time. “I love to paint, I love to create, this type of expression graffiti gives you is great, as you don’t have to be serious, you just have fun,” she said. “Being a woman in this male-dominated art scene is hard but I love seeing the work of women artists.” A few other female street artists in Athens include Lebaniz Blonde, IRIS and Simone Fontana. The challenge is on the streets. “You have to know the place you’re going and what to bring with you,” she added. “Athens is a complicated place.”

The activist: N_Grams

N_Grams, an artist with the “Lathos” collective who helps run Sarri 12, has painted a variety of work in the neighborhood of the gallery. From abstract works painted on garage doors to pasted paper works on second-storey levels, one main character he paints is the TV-headed man. He has also helped paint a memorial to a hero dog which died after attending Syntagma Square protests, where the public was gassed. His work is also science-inspired and critical of financial systems. “I think capitalism is wrong, it comes from the wrong place,” he said. “They don’t give a shit about the people; it’s only for the profit.”

Street Art lovers will find plenty of interesting cities covered in graffitis and paintings all over Europe, but Athens certainly stand out from the bunch and is one to look out for! Have you ever been?

This is a guest post by Nadja Sayej.

Nadja is a Berlin-based arts and travel reporter and photographer who hails from Toronto, writing for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Economist and other publications. Check out her work at nadjasayej.com and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @nadjasayej.

All photos by Nadja Sayej and courtesy of N_Grams & Cacao Rocks.

Walking into the Hotel Grand Bretagne is like walking into Buckingham Palace, or maybe, a Ferrero Rocher chocolate box. Everything is gilded in royalty. And gold. In other words, if you don’t actually backpack in heels, but in fact, God forbid sneakers, this is the place you feel a tad underdressed.

“The hotel is a landmark, even if you cannot stay here, you know it,” said one staff member, who was decked out in gold jewellery, silk scarves and a designer pantsuit. The Grand Bretagne, which opened in 1874 in the former, lavish Dimitriou Mansion is the best five star hotel in the city. In fact, its where all VIPs descend upon, including Amal Clooney, Roger Moore and Lady Gaga – the royal suites go for as much as €14,000 a night (or as low as €285).

Despite the Greek financial crisis, tourism is up almost 30% in 2015, and it certainly shows at this bustling hotel. Renovated before the Olympic Games, which Athens hosted in 2004, the Grand Bretagne has a rooftop pool, a spa, a new roof garden, a cigar lounge and antiques in each and every room, giving the place an age-old auction house vibe – like something out of Goodfellas. It makes sense because much of the art that fills the halls and bedroom walls of the Grand Bretagne – from ancient maps to Greek lithographs – were auctioned from Christie’s Auction House.

First Impressions

The door man outfitted in green gives the place an old school vibe. The nearby gift shop, which has perfume, gives a waft of sweet smells throughout the friendly vibe in the front lobby. What’s stunning is the view of the Acropolis from the breakfast patio on the top floor! They even have a “Check Out For Children” Unicef donation, where a $1 USD donation to kids in Africa and the Middle East is billed to your account upon check out (at your choice).

The Neighborhood

Set in the heart of Syntagma Square, the hotel is just steps away from the Greek parliament and the National Garden, which is home to the sightseeing-worthy Olympic Stadium. I also walked to the nearby Gagosian Gallery and the B&M Theocharakis Foundation for the Arts. The hike up to the Acropolis is just a 30 minute walk under the sun (thank God for those sneakers), but if you’re feeling ambitious and want to take a ferry to the Greek islands (the closest one is Aegina), the concierge will print out the day’s boat times and offer a hotel towel for swimming on the island. They can also offer helpful tips (like pre-buy your return ticket, as the last boats back to the city are often packed).

Accommodation

Entering a room at the Grand Bretagne is like having Christmas come early. Among the gifts guests receive upon arrival, include a bottle of the traditional Greek schnapps, Ouzo, in a chandelier-looking, glass bottle, as well as snacks each night including black olives and bread sticks. They also thoughtfully print your name out on a suede travel label for your suitcase, which was impressive.

Food and drink

There are several places to dine and soak up the views in the Grand Bretagne, including the 7th floor GB Rooftop Garden which offers a stunning view of the nearby Mount Lycabettus. The savoury menu is by Michelin starred chef Asterios Koustoudis (personally, I couldn’t resist the veggie pizza with feta, something I’ll never tire of). Bring your bathing suit! There are enough lounge chairs to chill by the poolside for day-long swimming and cocktail dipping, endlessly.

The central, first-floor Winter Garden serves afternoon tea daily from 12 until 8 p.m. the lobby has free Wifi, so this is a great place to stop for a cup of Darjeeling while planning your next day trip (don’t miss out on the sandwiches and sweets). Also check out Alexander’s Bar, where you can try a glass of high end brandy while gazing at the intricate, 18th century tapestry of Alexander the Great behind the bar. Downstairs, the Cellar is a 17th century themed wine cellar with over 3,000 wines, which is used for intimate dinner parties.

Spa

There are some serious perks with the spa and pool, which makes staying here a heavenly dream. The relaxation pool soothes with downtempo tunes as you soak in the calming saunas before a dip. They have foot massage water pools, a workout gym and a relaxation room with a five-star chill factor. Even if you’ve got to dash for a flight, they have a bathing suit express dryer (10 seconds!), so you can take a quick dip before rushing off to the airport.

It’s safe to say hotels can make or break your trip to a city you visit. Thankfully, this one was a good choice.

Dear Travelettes,

A couple of weeks ago I treated myself to a weekend getaway in Athens, Greece. Here, I met up with German expat Anna who showed me around town in my quest for drinking, dancing and greek gods hotties. One night i took my camera along and filmed a few impressions of Athens nightlife – ladies: welcome to Travelettes TV!