Varvakios Agora (Athens Central Market)

Athens' central market has operated on Athinas Street since 1886, funded in part by a donation from benefactor Ioannis Varvakis, whose name it carries. Behind Neoclassical facades, the covered fish hall -- reportedly the largest in Europe -- runs down the centre of the building with more than 100 butcher stalls and around 150 fish stalls, while the surrounding streets hold fruit, vegetable, herb, olive and cheese traders. Open Monday to Saturday, it draws thousands of shoppers daily and remains a working market rather than a tourist attraction, though the fish-hall tavernas serving grilled catch to market workers at dawn have become known to visitors too.