Athens attracting tourists with coffee and cakes

The favoured drink among locals in Athens is a strong, black iced coffee served with foamed Nescafe powder. Photo: discovergreece.com/dpa

The graffiti-covered steel gate opens with a loud rattle. “Welcome,” says Zachos Varfis, gesturing towards the open compound behind the gate, in the heart of Athens’ Kerameikos district in Greece. There are freshly planted trees and shrubs, wooden tables with benches and, a bit further down, a small skate facility – the Latraac Cafe and Skate Bowl.

“When we came here,” says Varfis, spreading his arms, “this was all a single ruin.”