Sense in the City Athens in Production
The Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis in Athens can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Birds can still be heard above the din of food-delivery motorbikes and scooters. The enigmatic and unique taste of mastiha is making it’s way into new products, including toothpaste and bottled water while the smell of coffee, even through facemasks, keeps the city fuelled. The marble feels smooth on concave steps, worn down from over 5000 years of sandals and trainers rubbing away at the stone. The city doesn’t feel old though. Neighbourhoods change and support a thriving, independent bar and cafe scene.
This ancient city, perhaps the first in the world, will provide the inspiration and ingredients for the first Sense in the City podcast. From Psiri to Plaka to Platōma – this is paradoxical city where ancient meets modern.
A Living Guide for Athens
Hosted by Alexia Amvrazi, author of 111 Places in Athens That You Shouldn’t Miss, and regular contributor on travel, culture, gastronomy for the Greek City Times, the podcast will help audiences experience current Athens from the point of view of locals, residents and visitors. Alexia will be joined occasionally by David Fuller, who first visited Athens in 1999, but now resides in the city.
Whether you are dreaming of travelling to Athens for the first time, already here or planning t return, the Sense in the City podcast will help you get a sense of the city that is a richer sensual experience than a guidebook or TV show.
Athens is a feast for the senses! Paradoxical and unpredictable, it’s a palimpsest of layers that in thousands of years have stored in them the energy of many cultures and stories, and the power of shifting realities. As someone who has been writing and broadcasting about the city for 20+ years, I’m thrilled to fling off my thinking cap and explore the Greek capital through the senses, sharing evocative experiences with listeners around the world. Sense in the City Athens will adventurously transport you around the city, awakening your senses to places and people you may have heard of, or could never imagine could possibly exist. Tune into hidden gems and enthralling feelings, eye-opening sights, overwhelming aromas, characteristic sounds, intriguing tastes. Listen up to gain a tangible sense of singularly Athenian perspectives that can’t be experienced through any guidebook, travel video or radio report.
Alexia Amvrazi – Host, Sense in the City Athens podcast
David Fuller, co-host and producer of the podcast said: “I’ve been to Athens 3 times a year for the last 15 years and I am still discovering new things. One of the great things about Athens is that the global brands have not replaced local businesses to the extent they have in other cities around the world. That might be scary for some people who are used to drinking the same coffee as they do at ‘home’, but it makes Athens a great place to do this podcast.”
Athens captures the imagination of millions. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it’s mind boggling how many tales it has to tell. Sense in the City Athens is an exciting chapter of the Sense project as it uncovers not just the iconic and legendary places of the Greek capital, but also delves in to lesser known pockets of this special place and allows people to see, hear, taste, smell, touch and sense a dynamic metropole.
Ruby Boukabou, Author of the original Sense in the City Paris book & Executive Producer
The Sense in the City Project
Based on the book – Sense in the City, Paris by Ruby Boukabou, the goals of the project are to allow people who can’t physically travel experience cities around the world through different media. Through article, podcasts and books, Sense in the City will also support local businesses – tempting visitors and locals alike to help the local community built back after disruptions caused by COVID19.
As well as the Paris book and supporting articles, the project will launch a podcast for Sydney Australia. Dubai and other cites are being planned.
The Sense in the City Project is produced and published by Pilote Media for RubyTV.