Monastiraki Flea Market

Monastiraki is where Athens comes to browse, bargain and people-watch. The square takes its name from the Church of the Pantanassa, a small 10th-century basilica that stands in the middle of it, and the surrounding streets have been a trading quarter for centuries. Today the name Monastiraki is often used simply to mean the flea market, a maze of shops and stalls spreading west from the square towards Thissio.

The heart of the market is Avissinias Square, home to the second-hand bazaar known locally as Yusurum, named after Noah and Elias Yusurum, Jewish merchants who were leading figures among the area's antique dealers in the early 1900s. Here and in the neighbouring lanes you will find furniture, old records, brass, prints, militaria and genuine junk piled high. Adrianou Street, the market's main artery, follows the line of an ancient road and runs along the edge of the Ancient Agora. Not everything on sale is an antique or a bargain, and in recent years leather sandals and souvenirs made by modern craftspeople have taken over many shopfronts.

Sunday is the best day to come. A festive atmosphere takes over, street bands play, and an open-air bazaar spreads south of the square towards Thissio, where collectors search for old phone cards, trinkets and tools. On Saturday nights junk sellers set up stalls among people heading out to the bars and restaurants. Haggling is acceptable at the antique and junk stalls, less so in fixed-price shops.

The market suits anyone who enjoys rummaging, and it is good fun for families, though the lanes get very crowded on weekend middays. Keep bags closed and phones secure in the crowds. Allow an hour or two, and go in the morning if you want to look seriously at antiques before the busiest period. The view of the Acropolis from Monastiraki Square is one of the classic city photographs.

Monastiraki metro station opens directly onto the square and is served by Lines 1 and 3, including trains from the airport. Afterwards, walk north into Psirri, an old artisan quarter now full of bars, eateries and street art, or east along Ermou Street towards Syntagma.