The area of the Central Market is named after a great Greek national hero, Ioannis Varvakis. Varvakis in his early years, was a pirate, known as a fearless and fierce man who cruised the waves of all seas from the of 17.
He later offered his ship and crew to the Russian forces, fighting the Russian- Turkish war and was honored by Catherine the Great herself.
During the Greek Revolution, Varvakis joined “Filiki Eteria” (The Society of Friends) and offered his entire fortune to the fight against the Turks, playing an important role to the Greek Independence.
Holding the greatness of his name, the entire area around the Central Market, carries a “specific something” that one can only feel by experiencing its’ ways.
Walk inside the open-air fruit, meat and fish market and let the aromas guide you through the producers’ benches. Taste fresh delights grew on trees, grew from soil or washed to the shore.
Smell the herbs and spices picked by hand on the tops of the Greek mountains. Eat, drink, observe.
Take a tour around the shops of the area, through the narrow alleys and the graffiti-covered walls of old buildings. Discover the hidden treasures inside second-hand stores. You can trade, you can buy, you can bargain. Walk away wearing something that carries history and memories.
Turn around the corner -any corner- to sit and have a drink, a local red or beer. Grab a bite, make new friends and dance your way into the nightfall where and invitation to some party, finds you.
Maybe it’s a bar, a rooftop or an old underground storage but it’s certainly going to be great!
