--- title: "Three days of Athens through its studios and rooms" city: "Athens" country: "Greece" lens: "Art & Design" duration_days: 3 experiences: 6 price_from: "from €400 for two" currency: "EUR" firm_prices: 2 prices_on_request: 4 published: "2026-09-01" canonical: "https://keystothe.city/athens/3-days-art-design" source: "Keys to the City" license: "Free to quote and cite with a link to the canonical URL" --- # Three days of Athens through its studios and rooms Athens, Greece · Art & Design · 3 days · 6 experiences · from €400 for two Athens reveals her deepest secrets not on the sun-bleached marble of her ancient monuments, but behind the closed timber doors of her private workshops, where the city's creative soul is sculpted, carved, and painted by hand. ## Day one — Resonance of the Hand: Modernist Clay and Psyrri Woodcraft In the soft morning sunlight of early May, step into the leaf-shaded enclave of Zografou to enter the intact 1930s modernist residence of master sculptor Yannis Pappas. Surrounded by original plaster casts, bronzes, and working armatures, this studio remains an active place of creation and instruction. Guided by a master artist, you take a stool at the bench to practice classical drawing and sculpture modeling directly from historic plaster forms, handling the sculptor’s original tools and touching the tactile heritage of Greek modernist art. Moving into the afternoon, descend into the historic craft quarter of Psyrri, where Athens' urban benchmakers still preserve traditional trades. Cross the threshold of Giorgos Karellas’ workshop, immediately greeted by the rich, resinous aroma of freshly carved spruce, maple, and rosewood shavings resting on the workshop floor. Beside master luthier Karellas at his personal bench, observe the precise, rhythmic motions of hand-carving bouzoukis and Cretan lyras. Touch raw tone-woods, listen as the maker taps soundboards to test acoustic resonance, and witness a live demonstration of instrument voicing where woodcraft, musical heritage, and urban memory converge in complete privacy. ### Yannis Pappas Sculpture Studio: Working Atelier & Active Instruction - Morning, 1.5 hours · from €100 per group (verified Sep 2026) · Anakreontos 38, Athina 157 72, Greece · Private arrangement An intact 1930s modernist house and studio where active sculpture and drawing instruction take place amid the master's original bronzes and plaster casts. Provider: https://www.benaki.org/index.php?option=com_buildings&view=building&id=19&Itemid=1066&lang=en ### Giorgos Karellas Luthier Studio: Hand-Carving Stringed Instruments in Psyrri - Evening, 1.5 hours · price on request · Introduction by the house · quoted on request Enter a traditional Psyrri bench room filled with aromatic wood shavings to watch master luthier Giorgos Karellas hand-carve bouzoukis and Cretan lyras. Provider: https://www.karellas.gr ## Day two — Atelier Solitude & Modern Masters After-Hours Begin your day in Metaxourgeio at the Alekos Fassianos Museum, a celebrated architectural work designed by Kyriakos Krokos. Escorted by an estate curator, observe how raw exposed concrete, hand-hammered terrazzo, and sculpted bronze fittings frame Fassianos' bold figures. The journey reaches its quiet core as a private key unlocks the third floor: Fassianos' preserved personal atelier, kept exactly as he left it. Stand beside his working palettes, natural brushes, color pigments, and unfinished canvas sketches in absolute stillness. As twilight falls across Pangrati and public visitors depart, arrive at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation for an exclusive after-hours buyout of the entire collection. Step into silent, sun-filtered galleries illuminated solely for you, hosted by a senior museum curator. Without another soul in sight, stand inches from iconic original masterworks by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, and Moralis. Conclude this private evening with champagne in the soaring central atrium, celebrating premier European modern art in total sanctuary. ### Alekos Fassianos Museum & Preserved 3rd-Floor Atelier - Morning, 1.5 hours · price on request · Neofitou Metaxa 15, Athina 104 39, Greece · Private arrangement · quoted on request Explore Kyriakos Krokos' architectural building and gain curator access to Fassianos' preserved private atelier containing his tools, palettes, and unfinished sketches. Provider: https://www.alekosfassianos.gr ### Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation: After-Hours Curator-Led Collection Buyout - Evening, 1.5 hours · price on request · Eratosthenous 13, Athina 116 35, Greece · Private arrangement · quoted on request Complete private access to modern art masterworks by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Moralis in deserted galleries after public hours. Provider: https://goulandris.gr/en/exhibitions/private-guided-tours ## Day three — Writing the Light: Sacred Pigments & Restricted Vaults Your final day opens in the private studio of Dr. George Kordis, a leading international scholar and master practitioner of contemporary Byzantine iconography. Gather at his personal bench for an intimate atelier session centered on the ancient art of 'writing the light.' Watch as Dr. Kordis hand-grinds mineral pigments, mixes fresh egg tempera, and lays delicate sheets of gold leaf, revealing the spiritual line work and luminous brush techniques that have defined Eastern Mediterranean sacred art for millennia. In the afternoon, proceed to the grand neoclassical mansion of the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. Escorted by a senior curator, cross into private administrative areas to enter the museum's restricted conservation vaults—a high-security repository of Greek national treasures closed to the general public. Side-by-side with senior conservators, examine 19th-century revolutionary heirlooms, hand-embroidered textiles, and rare historical treasures removed from storage drawers specifically for your visit. Touching these preserved works under master guidance provides a sublime farewell to Athens' craft lineage. ### Dr. George Kordis Iconography Studio: Private Master Atelier Session - Morning, 2 hours · price on request · Introduction by the house · quoted on request Private access to the personal bench of Dr. George Kordis for live demonstrations of egg tempera grinding, organic gilding, and Byzantine line work. Provider: https://writingthelight.com ### Benaki Museum of Greek Culture: Private Curator Tour & Vault Heirlooms Session - Evening, 2 hours · from €300 per group (verified Sep 2026) · Koumpari 1, Athina 106 74, Greece · Private arrangement Enter the private conservation vaults of the Benakis family neoclassical mansion to examine 19th-century revolutionary heirlooms alongside conservators. Provider: https://www.benaki.org ## The footprint from €400 for two — experiences only; flights and hotels are yours to choose. 6 experiences · 2 firm prices · 4 on request. --- Source: Keys to the City — https://keystothe.city/athens/3-days-art-design. Prices are "from" figures per person unless stated otherwise, verified on the dates shown. Quote freely with attribution and a link.