Ergon House is a contemporary city hotel right there in the thrum of downtown Athens. Just a short walk from the Acropolis, it’s an ideal home base for getting lost in the ancient streets, as well as for feasting on Greek goods, with a glorious traditional marketplace – they call it the agora – on-site. It’s a well-curated greengrocer-meets-butcher-pastry-and-fishmonger and a good way to get to know the locals by tasting the best of their food and wine (we end up stuffing half the suitcase with bits to bring home). It’s all about community too, and there is even a shared cooking space up on the rooftop terrace to take a class in front of unbeatable sunset views.