Visitor numbers to Athens are surging, fuelled by the great-value allure of the ancient city. In mid-October, while Athens basked in the late embers of an Indian summer, I set about staking out some tasty bites, cheeky libation spots, lesser-trafficked sights and unbeatable buys. Monastiraki Square always hooks me in like a tractor-beam, when I’m in Athens.

There’s an equal parts evocative-and-infectious spirit about the place, particularly after sunset, as the floodlights surrounding the Acropolis bathe the landmark in a golden glow. The area throngs with al-fresco eateries, leafy streets and the warm hue of the antique street lamps. Roving vendors with food carts also do a brisk trade, touting cheap street eats like koulouri, tiropita and freshly sliced coconut, at all hours. 

For many Athenians, their bog-standard breakfast is coffee, a cigarette and koulouri, which is a ring of crisp, sweet white bread, covered in sesame seeds. By mid-morning, they may follow that up with a tiropita, a savoury cheese pie. Neither snack draws a mention in the accolades showered on the Mediterranean diet, even though you’ll find these super cheap eats are central to daily life. But they’ll fortify you as a pick-me-up, as you navigate the sights and the crowds.

Also on the cut-price front, if you want to gorge yourself silly on succulent souvlaki, cruise into Kostas in Monastiraki for gryos pita or kalamakia. Operating for seventy years, Athenians swear by this joint, reflected by the lines that billow outside, come lunchtime. (Plateia Agia Irini 2) Heading up Athinas Street, towards Ommonia Square, the scars of deep recession are brutally reflected in the derelict and defaced aesthetic of many venerable old buildings. Encountering the mangling of marble-clad buildings, consumed in a stew of enraged graffiti is particularly jarring.

But it’s worth withstanding the eyesores to reach Varvakios Agora, the Central Market, a grand old wrought-iron classic, where you’ll see old fashioned butchers in knife-swinging action. It’s like a mass slaughter house of theatrical proportions. Hundreds of hanging carcasses, illuminated by swinging light bulbs, adds to the spectacle. Rove the fish market and the fresh produce section, where many of the ebullient vendors look like Con the Fruiterer. Many stalls in the market have been run by the same family for over a century. I just love it for the frenzy of colour and activity.

Need another pick-me-up? Opposite the Central Market, for fabulous old-fashioned taverna fare, pop into Klimtaria where cheap eats like tiropites and pastitsio (oven-baked pasta) are served amongst age-old wine barrels and grapevines. It’s a popular haunt with locals, often hosting live music and excellent cooking classes. Also in the district, Krisnos (87 Aiolou St) offers a very sweet treat – loukoumades, freshly fried doughnuts with a honey and cinnamon topping. They’ve been creating these decadent delights since 1923.

Hunting for something to take back home? Monastiraki flea market is an essential experience, a heady and sprawling hive of merchandise, scattered across side streets and narrow lanes. There’s plenty of tourist tat, but it’s also a great place to buy superbly crafted hand-made leather sandals, pottery and that signature bargain souvenir – Greek olive oil soap, usually crowned with a stylised clay fridge magnet. The further west you venture from Monastiraki Square, the more eccentric and eclectic the bric-a-brac becomes.

Narrow passageways groan with tiny stores selling little treasures from gramophones and copper kitchenware to old coins and vintage fashion. Vinyl stores have morphed in popularity as have the spoil of antiques stalls. In fact, you’ll often turn a corner and think the entire contents of a 19th century household have just been emptied out onto the street. As you rummage through this rolling bazaar, you may want to bear in mind that anything over a 100 years of age can’t be taken out of Greece, without a special permit.

Psirri offers a striking insight into urban regeneration—a working class neighbourhood that’s evolved into a  buzzing nightlife epicentre, housed in repurposed factories and workshops. Within this maze of enticing venues, my favourites include Oineas, specialising in modern Greek fare. Plump for the grilled octopus. Another top pick is Liosporos Jazz Café, which is a stickler for Greek traditions, serving old-standards like soutzoukakia (minced lamb with tomatoes and basil.) Psirri is also home to possibly the most fabled handmade leather sandal store in Athens. Pantelis Melissinos now heads up the business, the son of Stavros Melissinos. Stavros was also known as the Poet Sandalmaker, who entered business in 1954, crafting high quality leather sandals. His roll-call of former customers included the Beatles. You’ll find the store at 2, Aghias Theklas St.

In the heart of the city, Ermou is the pedestrianised shopping street, flanked by department stores and a multitude of big label outlets.  Take a breather from the retail bustle, to sample some divine snacks. Matsouka – Le Chocolat brims with tasty delights, including pistachios grown on Aegina, award-winning olive oils.

At the foot of the Acropolis, Plaka is the oldest, continuously inhabited neighbourhood of Athens. The atmospheric district’s marble paved main street, cobblestoned lanes and pastel-coloured mansions are a perennial visitor hit, whether you’re shopping for trinkets or noshing up large. While the area is now largely considered a tourist trap by locals, one restaurant that constantly scores highly with Athenians’ is Psarras. A beacon of authentic Greek cuisine since 1898, the setting is dreamily romantic with wooden tables scattered across mulberry-shaded whitewashed steps leading up to the Acropolis. Brigette Bardot dined here.

Enjoy a drink at Vrettos, an historic bar that has specialised in producing ouzo for 107 years. It shelves are adorned with liqueurs in a rainbow of colours, in addition to more than 170 wine labels. There’s over 30 flavours of ouzo on the menu. As much as ouzo is an acquired taste, try the cherry and lemon versions. They hit the spot for me.

Fancy a hotel with a view to lift the spirits? At the Hilton Athens, on swanky Vassilissis Sofias Avenue, the Galaxy Bar is the cherry on top. With unobstructed views of the floodlit Acropolis rising above the city, this see-and-be-seen bar serves inventive cocktails saluting the stars, such as Jupiter (gin, Champagne, cucumber and mint.) Galaxy’s spacious open-air terrace is fittingly edged with potted olive trees, and the festive bar stays open late into the early hours of the morning. Just a few steps away from the Athens Metro, this ultra-modern and stylish hotel boasts a variety of restaurants, generously-sized accommodations, marble bathrooms and every contemporary creature comfort you could hope for.

Milos Restaurant is swooned on for its fresh fish dishes, while Byzantino serves a broader Mediterranean menu, offering buffet and a la carte dining. Guests with Executive Lounge access can enjoy around the clock refreshments, tasty snacks and complimentary breakfast, along with a wealth of concierge services and free access to Hiltonia Spa’s spoil of facilities. Hilton Athens also features one of the city’s biggest pools, so stupendously sized, it deserves its own post code, fringed by the equally restorative Oasis Pool Grill & Bar. www.hiltonathens.gr

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s Travel Correspondent on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.