Things to see and do with kids and teenagers in Athens

Teenagers in Athens will love to explore the street art scene. Several tour companies offer walking tours discovering the street art in the city. I followed the artist guide during the Athens 3-hour Street Art Tour.

Athens is a street artist’s paradise: from the established to the constant streams of new talent spraying up the neighbourhoods, this tour celebrates them all. Tagging, bombing, stencil and painting. Join us and get an up-and-close introduction to the city’s incredible street art scene counting 2,000 or so street artists. During this walk you’ll find the coolest works of art in the most unlikely places, thanks to your street artist guide.

Together with my friends from Travel Bloggers Greece, I joined the above described Street Art Tour on a chilly February morning. Our guide and street artist Nikos welcomed us in Thiseio train station and took us on a 3-hour walking tour that warmed us up quickly.

Related: Things to do in Athens with Teens

We walked from the train rails and heavily graffitied train wagons to the alternative neighborhoods of Gazi, Keramikos, Metaxourgeio, Psirri, and Thiseio. Together with Exharhia, these are the most painted areas in the Greek capital.

Nikos explained to us the history of Street Art. Did you know that graffiti initially started in New York by a Greek artist!? Nikos also told us that the word graffiti is derived from the Greek word ‘ grapho’ = writing or ‘scribbles on the wall’. His enthusiasm and knowledge was maybe the best part of the tour. I was amazed by some of the hidden messages inside the art.

During our tour, we saw many different styles of street art and on so many different buildings.

We admired edgy outdoor murals, stencils, raw graffiti, black and whites, geometrical shapes, clowns and images of kids and dogs and even a complete home covered in colourful street art.

Click here for more information and to book this Street Art Tour

We learned more about famous Athenian street artists Dimitris, Jason, Billy and Stamatis and about their personal themes, techniques, and concepts.

Kids and teenagers in Athens will find it entertaining to look up and spot the hidden art. They will enjoy the vibe and mood of the city and country through the street art. Much of the artwork has a political or social meaning or message.

Besides looking at the art, our guide told us lots about the history of the areas that we were visiting and their role in the past and present. I had no idea that the Keramikos area was the ancient industrial area where ceramics (Keramikos) and olive oil was produced. I also enjoyed Psiri neighborhood with its gallery of paintings and colorful streets.

I was really impressed with the amazing artwork around my adopted hometown. I am sure that kids and especially teenagers in Athens will be as well. A Street Art tour is an exciting and interesting way to discover the city. It takes you to unexpected and alternative places in Athens. And if you don’t like guided tours, than do visit the before mentioned areas of Athens city and admire the art by yourself. It is worth it!

If you want to book this tour and discover Athens with your teens;