Attica City Link: The Iconic Shopping Center of Athens
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Attica City Link is one of Athens’s most famous shopping centers located on the border between Syntagma’s popular neighborhood and Kolonaki’s upscale neighborhood.
For over 50 years, the Attica City Link has become home to the city’s most popular stores and restaurants. Here, you’ll find a wide array of luxury designer clothing stores, jewelry stores, tobacco shops, stylish restaurants, cafes, and occasional art and fashion events that complete one of the most unique shopping experiences you can have in Athens.
Keep reading to find out what you can expect to see at the Attica City Link, the story behind the famous arcade, where to eat, and how to get there.
Shopping at Attica City Link
Spanning over 25.000 square meters and seven floors, Attica City Link is the ultimate shopping destination in downtown Athens, offering products by more than 860 trendsetting brands.
For its largest part, the City Link building is occupied by Attica, the largest department store in Greece. You’ll find countless options for men’s and women’s wear, luxury fashion accessories, jewelry stores, children’s clothing, beauty and wellness products, and much more.
In addition, Attica City Link is home to some of the most exclusive brands in the world, such as Cartier, Hermes, Brooks Brothers, Philipp Plein, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Links of London, to name a few.
If you don’t find what you were looking for in the Attica City Link, we recommend taking a stroll down Ermou street in Syntagma, the most famous shopping street in Athens.
Cafes and Restaurants in Attica City Link
The ultimate shopping destination in central Athens, Attica City Link, couldn’t miss a few exquisite cafes and restaurants to complement and enhance the visitor experience.
These are ideal for a quick drink or even a romantic fine dining experience after your shopping spree is over. Below, you’ll find a short description of the restaurants and bars you’ll find in the Attica City Link.
Pasaji
Pasaji is an all-day restaurant that invites guests on an exciting culinary journey that fuses traditional Greek flavors and ingredients with exotic tastes from the most remote corners of the planet, like Hawaii, Hong Kong, and the Virgin Islands, in an elegant setting.
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday: 1 pm – 1.30 am and Sunday: 1 pm – 9 pm
Athénée
Athénée is a legendary restaurant that used to be a favorite hangout for celebrities like Manos Hadjidakis, Sophia Loren, and Anthony Quinn. Today, Athénée offers a unique blend of traditional Greek and international cuisine paired with fancy cocktails from before the 1950s and drinks inspired by the Tiki culture.
Opening hours: Every day from 9 am to 2 am
Julep Bar
Taking its name after the famous cocktail Julep Mint, Julep is a sophisticated cocktail bar with a charming outdoor patio that serves premium drinks and refined culinary treats in cozy spaces elegantly decorated with dark wood and bronze elements.
Opening hours: Every day from 1 pm to 2 am
ILiOS
With an atmosphere reminiscent of Athens in the 1950s and the 1960s and art nouveau decoration resembling a typical brasserie, ILiOS is a fascinating restaurant serving simple yet delicious Mediterranean dishes made with fresh, locally sourced seasonal ingredients.
Opening hours: Sunday – Wednesday: 10 am – 1.30 am and Thursday – Saturday: 10 am – 2 am
Clemente
Clemente is a chic cafe that can immediately transport visitors to a quaint square of Venice by serving gourmet, single-variety espresso, fresh snacks and delicious breakfast in a baroque setting that has become a favorite hangout among bohemian Athenians.
Opening hours: Every day from 9 am to 10 pm
Culture and Events at Attica City Link
Apart from a thriving shopping center, the Attica City Link is an iconic landmark of Athens, a cultural hub that links the architecture, history, and aesthetics of the interwar period with modern times.
The building’s dazzling arcade called “Stoa Spirou Miliou” is home to several theaters as well as an impressive sculptural installation called “Perasma” (Passageway), which is one of the largest in Europe.
Attica City Link frequently hosts events of all kinds, like fashion shows, art exhibitions, concerts, and film festivals. Especially if you are visiting Athens during Christmas, a visit to Attica City Link is a must, as there is usually a wide array of lively festive activities taking place throughout the complex.
The History of Attica City Link
Just before the outset of the Second World War, Athens flourished and expanded, with many new buildings popping up throughout the city center. One of them was the Manor of the Army Stock Fund, an architectural gem that balanced harmoniously between the past neoclassical character of the city and the dawning modern era.
This new building was designed to house an abundance of shops, bars, barbershops, gyms, and nightclubs to become the most significant leisure centers in the city.
However, WWII changed everything, and it wasn’t long before Manor reached a period of decline in the 1970s. The time had come for a complete reimagining of what the old building could offer to the modern city of Athens.
The renovation designs further emphasized the building’s interwar era art deco character while revamping spaces to create a fascinating contrast between old and new. In addition, an impressive crystal glass roof was added over the passageway called the Spirou Miliou arcade, marking it as the central area of the Attica City Link.
Overall, we can safely say that this experiment was a great success since, nowadays, the Attica City Link is one of the busiest shopping hubs in Athens and a favorite dining spot among locals.
Opening Hours of the Attica City Link
Below, you’ll find the opening hours of Attica City Link:
- Monday 9 am – 9 pm
- Tuesday 9 am – 9 pm
- Wednesday 9 am – 9 pm
- Thursday 9 am – 9 pm
- Friday 9 am – 9 pm
- Saturday 9 am – 8 pm
- Sunday Closed
The Attica City Link is closed on national holidays.
Keep in mind that these opening hours refer only to the stores and shops in the Attica City Link. You can see the cafes’ and restaurants’ operating hours in the commercial center above.
How to Get to Attica City Link
Attica City Link is located right between Syntagma and Kolonaki in central Athens, occupying a block surrounded by four of the most famous streets in the city: Amerikis, Panepistimiou, Voukourestiou, and Stadiou.
The easiest way to get there is by getting to Syntagma metro station (red and blue line), walking down Stadiou street, and turning right at Voukourestiou street. The distance is less than 5 minutes.
- The exact address of the Attica City Link is Amerikis 4, Athina 105 64
Things to Do in Athens Near the Attica City Link
The Attica City Link is located in the heart of central Athens, meaning there are endless possibilities for what to do next.
First, you can start with a visit to the National Historical Museum, located just across the street, on Kolokotroni Square. Next up, make sure that you spend a few minutes admiring the famous Athenian Trilogy on Panepistimiou Street.
If you want to spend some time outdoors, follow Voukourestiou street all the way up to discover Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in Athens that offers amazing views over the city, or explore the charming Dexameni Square below. Alternatively, you can head back towards Syntagma to keep exploring downtown Athens.
All in all, with seven floors filled with stores offering products by local and international brands, some of the most alluring restaurants and cafes in Athens, and a vibrant atmosphere, Attica City Link offers a unique shopping experience you can’t afford to miss.
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