One of the great pleasures of visiting Athens is browsing in its small art galleries. This is a wonderful way to get a sense of the contemporary Greek art scene -- and possibly buy something to take home. Openings are usually open to the public, so if you see a notice of one, feel free to stop by. A good way to check on what's on is to pick up a free copy of the quarterlies Art and the City or The Athens Contemporary Art Map. Both are free, bilingual in Greek and English, and usually available in hotels and galleries. In case you don't immediately find a copy, here are some galleries to keep an eye out for.
In trendy Psirri, the Epistrofi Gallery, Taki 6-8 (tel. 210/321-8640; www.epistrofi.gr), has occasional concerts as well as shows. The Epikentro Gallery, Armodiou 10 (tel. 210/331-2187), stages frequent exhibits in its improbable location in the Athens Central Market, while not far away is one of the city's best known galleries, the Rebecca Kamhi Gallery, Sophokleous 23 (tel. 210/321-0448), open by appointment only in August. Bernier/Eliades Gallery, Eptachalkou 11, Theseion (tel. 210/341-3935), stages group exhibitions, as does Kappatos, Agias Irenes 6 (tel. 210/321-7931). There are also frequent shows at the Melina Mercouri Cultural Center, Iraklidon and Thessalonikis 66 (tel. 210/345-2150), near the Theseion, and at the Melina Mercouri Foundation, Polygnotou 9-11 (tel. 210/331-5601), in Plaka.
The fashionable Kolonaki district is chock-a-block with galleries: The Athens Art Center, Glyconos 4, Dexameni (tel. 210/721-3938), Photohoros, Tsakalof 44 (tel. 210/321-0448), and Medussa, Xenokratous 7 (tel. 210/724-4552), are three to look for. The Athens Arts and Technology School (tel. 210/381-3700) usually stages shows around town in July and August, when many galleries close or move out of town. One just-out-of-town suburban gallery that's open year-round and well worth a visit (in part for its great cafe and shop) is the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Omirou 8, Nea Psychico (tel. 210/672-9460; www.deste.gr), a 20-minute cab ride from Syntagma.
