We tested over 1,000 places and included only the 30 best. The 'Soul of' collection is a new approach to the art of travelling that consists of vagabonding around, chance encounters, and unforgettable experiences.

Every guide in the 'Soul of' collection includes:

• the 30 best experiences a city has to offer; 
• interviews with those who give the city its spirit;
• illustrations that capture the city's soul

We've all climbed the Acropolis and wandered the winding streets of Plaka. But if we really want to experience the true essence of Athens today, where do we go? Soul of Athens is your guide to the best of what this city really is right now - and how it's evolving. Celebrating both the old and the new, we'll meet the guardians of the city's authentic heritage and talk with the bright young things who are building its future.

We'll eat at hidden tavernas, explore the city's long-forgotten arcades, listen to the melancholic sounds of rebetiko, take a journey to the east on the old Orient Express without leaving Athens, learn about Greece's finest herbs and sample some of country's best new wines...

Join us as we experience the Soul of Athens together. Soul of Athens is written by Alex King, a British news and features journalist based in Athens who covers travel, alternative culture and humanitarian issues in the region. Photography by Alex King and local photographers.