Athens Central Municipal Market

Location: Athinas Str.

The Central Municipal Market of Varvakios is the liveliest market you will find in Athens. Gathering hundreds of people every day, there you will find most of the shops selling meat, fish, eggs and many others as well as restaurants under the same roof!

General info

Varvakios is a food market selling meat, fresh fish, olives, nuts, herbs, spices, and all those delicious Greek products.
It is the first food market of Athens constructed in 1886 and is located between Monastiraki and Omonia.

One of its entrances is on Athinas Street where the fish and seafood stools are. There, you will find the freshest fish coming every day directly from Kavala, Naxos, Kalymnos, Paros, Evia, Symi and other seaside locations.
If you continue further, you will find yourself in the meat department where charcuterie and cheeses are also sold.
On the opposite side of Athinas Street, you will find shops with vegetables and fruit.
Small shops selling herbs, nuts, honey, wine, and oil are also located around that region.

The market is full of life. People from all districts of Athens come here to shop for their households while restaurant managers will also be there trying to spot and get the finest quality products for their menu.
As in most of the food markets, Varvakios gets crowded and there is a lot of noise and yelling but we have to admit that this is part of its charm!

The food market is open daily from 07:00 to 18:00.

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Taverns & Restaurants

As you stroll around Varvakios's corridors, you will discover a few taverns and eating spots.
The oldest and most reputed one is Ipiros which serves Greek dishes and soups every day.
One of the most famous soups is patsas, made out of veal tripe. The recipe originates from Eastern Turkey and was brought to Greece via the refugees from Asia Minor in 1922.

Another famous spot that is an important part of the urban history of Athens is Stoa ton Athanaton. It is a rebetadiko, meaning a place where you can have a glass of wine or raki and a meze and listen to live Greek music, mostly rebetika songs.
Lastly, new eating spots like sushi bars have opened and bring a new aroma to the market.

Food tours

To get to know a city and a culture better, you should try their eating habits.
Taking a food tour in Athens will introduce you to the town’s culinary scene while giving you the chance to discover hidden and authentic gems.

The most popular food tours are:
• The Original Greek Food Tour: This is a 4-hour walking tour that allows participants to explore and try local tastes at Varvakios Agora, Evripidou Street, and more.
• The Authentic Greek Food Tour: This 3.5-hour morning tour features sipping coffee the traditional way at the oldest cafe in Athens and getting lost in the food market.
• Greek Food Discovery Small Group Walking Tour: This tour includes 8-10 delicious food tastings and visits to the food markets.
• The Classic Food Tasting tTour: Through this tour, you can taste traditional pies, pastries, Greek yogurt and Greek coffee. You will also explore small shops.

How to get there

There are many ways to reach the Central Municipal Market from any location in Athens.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: (0030) 18288, (0030) 18222, (0030) 18180. You can also book your taxi online.

On foot: As the Central Municipal Market is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from Syntagma Square in approximately 15 minutes.

By metro: The closest metro station is Omonia (Red Line). Note that in order to reach the Central Municipal Market from the metro, a 5-minute walk is needed. Get a map of the metro here.

By bus/trolleybus: The closest bus stop is "Dimarxeio". Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.