Psyrri is a gentrified neighbourhood known for its bohemian cafe-bars, live music taverns, artisanal boutiques, exotic spice bazaars and small number of hotels. It's one of the oldest quarters of Athens and used to be regarded as a dodgy place until the early 90s. In the late 19th century, Psyrri used to be the ‘Bronx’ of Athens. ‘Koutsavakides’, ‘hobbler dudes’ in Greek, would walk the streets in their jackets worn on one sleeve and bully locals. You'll see this archetypical character show up in street art all over the neighbourhood.

These lavish gardens were constructed in 1694 as a residential retreat for Mitsutomo, the second Lord of the Owari clan. Sadly, however, most of the garden and its buildings were destroyed during World War II. The restoration took a long time, with the garden being finally opened as a public park in 2004. If time permits, visit the adjacent Tokugawa Art Museum, the third oldest private museum in Japan, which miraculously survived the World War II air raids.

Take a culture break in the Design Museum and Design Gallery. These cover everything from industrial and commercial to historical design, and have the visitor wondering (as happens every few minutes or so in Japan): 'Just where does this astonishing creativity come from?'

Pytteskogen is a nature and fairy tale trail next to the centrally located Hembygdsparken, featuring trolls, a wishing well, and many other wonders to discover along the way. Perfect for children!