Once the epitome of Athenian glamour in the 1960s, Victoria Square fell into decline after the 1980s as middle-class families fled to the suburbs. The 2008 global economic crisis exacerbated the downturn, and by 2014 the square had become an encampment for refugees fleeing war in Afghanistan and Syria. Today, it has reborn as the most multicultural area in Athens, a vibrant neighbourhood where dozens of languages are spoken.
The square’s revival is evident in its diverse businesses. Café des Poètes, run by Maria-Liza Karageorgi, remains a hub for the city’s ageing intellectuals. Newer arrivals include the Afghan-Persian restaurant Victoria, Lebanese-owned Enjoy Just Felafel, and a Georgian bakery baking flatbreads in a stone oven. Bangladeshi grocers stock African staples for Nigerian, Somali and Congolese residents.
NGOs such as the Melissa Network, housed in a 1920s villa, support refugee women and children. The area also hosts long-standing Greek establishments, including the traditional restaurant Krouskas, the seafood ouzeri Ouzeri tou Laki, and the gay-friendly Diva Café. Theatrical traditions thrive on Codrington Street.
Named after Britain’s Queen Victoria, the square honours her empire’s return of the Ionian islands to Greece in 1864. Today, its air resonates with a “Babel’s Tower of languages,” reflecting the rich tapestry of its residents.
