Escape to ATHENS

With fascinating history, warm weather and a new food scene, Athens is ideal for a weekend trip

-  NICK REDMAN 

Friday fun

First night of a September weekend in Athens, and the evening air is T-shirt-balmy. It's a magical time to be out and about in Athens, in the narrow streets between the Syntagma and Plaka areas. The Greek capital may be about all things ancient, but it has a thriving modern food, wine and cocktail scene that keeps it up late too. On Friday nights, it's especially energetic.

A great place to start is the Blue Bird, a spot every first night in Athens should feature. Red wine slips down, earnest intellectuals rub shoulders with glamorous lookers, and it's soon apparent that Athens has a stylish, vibrant side. If you want to continue the fashionable theme, try dinner at nearby Birdman - a restaurant magnet for smart night owls that's friendly, with delicious Japanese dishes - where you can sit outside under burners, eating dumplings and watching happy crowds stroll by. And true fashionistas might even end the evening at the irresistible Baba Au Rum bar, with its tiki wallpaper and rum-based cocktails!

Saturday sightseeing