Similar to the streets and historic buildings of Tel Aviv’s Florentin district, the architecture in most Athens neighborhoods is dilapidated. The walls, signs, objects, and streets of every district in Athens are covered in graffiti – containing tags and slogans. In fact, it would be challenging to find a spot inside the city that has not been subjected to spray painting sometime over the previous two decades.

As a cultural hub, Athens is often regarded as a major center for street art and graffiti. An energetic and exciting street art movement coexists with the remnants of an old civilization. As a result, there are many massive murals with millions of graffiti tags woven into them, leading to the integration of historic buildings with the contemporary urban landscape. Poor and desolate areas plagued by drug and sex crimes next to upscale retail complexes selling expensive foreign labels and visited by tourists. Architectural neglect and emptiness are at the foothills of magnificent historical landmarks.