Thousands of balls, hundreds of thousands of lamps, millions of ornaments and gift bags! Artificial snowflakes, lead soldiers hanging out with goblins and reindeer on the sidewalks. All this composes a unique scenery in the heart of Athens. At Psyrri’s district. Where Christmas comes to life. The most fairytale store in town. The Little Kook.
How was the Little Kook born? Once upon a time, on December 12, of 2016, in a dull corner of Psyrri’s district, a fairy-tale shop was inaugurated. Its purpose was to take us to the pages of a fairy tale in every visit. But Christmas is its favourite time. What does Little Kook mean? It’s the name of a goblin. He was the protagonist of the childish fantasy of one of the shop owners. Like every year, so in this Christmas, the little goblin decorated his place with toys and lights from side to side.
The neoclassical two-storey mansion that houses Little Kook offers sweets, cakes, cupcakes, chocolates and a thousand or two of other things in a very special setting. But what makes it stand out, even more, is its decoration.
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If you pass by 17 Karaiskakis street in Psyrri’s district, you can’t avoid noticing it. The sweet fairy-tale shop catches the eye all year round. Christmas, though, is its favourite. It transforms into something magical. It is undoubtedly the most exuberant and ornamented corner of Athens. It stands out from afar and almost everyone stops for a photo.
If you stand and observe the decoration, you wonder how many hours were needed to decorate it. Garlands, lamps, elves, Santas and thousands of ornaments turn the way into a living fairy tale. Even if you haven’t passed by, you’ve definitely seen a photo circulating on social networks. Because of this decorate, after all, it is one of the most photographed shops in the centre, at Christmas.
The inside is just as impressive as the exterior. The store is ornamented from side to side. You’ll see scenes and stars from fairy tales. Armour, old dining rooms and a piano. Of course, there’s no lack of a Christmas tree as well as its many lights. Paintings, ornaments and music complete the atmosphere of the fairy tale. In addition, you will notice that the rooms are themed and dedicated to a hero or a fairy tale.
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What you will order
In addition to the immersive decoration, Little Kook offers wonderful dishes. First, let’s make it clear that this isn’t a store you will go to and find a place to sit easily. It’s always crowded, especially on these days. You have to be patient and sometimes wait behind a long queue. But it’s worth it. For the wide variety of hot chocolate. For the amazing red velvet cakes and all the other weird cakes, you’ll find on the list. Of course, they don’t have ordinary names. But a “Come out, come out wherever you are” cake doesn’t challenge you to try it? As well as the delicious apple pie. You can also enjoy homemade cherry juice or choose from a wide variety of teas.
If you order a dessert, you will be surprised by the huge portions. Of course, it’s all served in a special style. So is the look of the waiters. It is also taken from the pages of a fairy tale.
Either if you get in, or if you pass by Little Kook, especially at the most festive time of the year, the only sure thing is that you will make a short stop. It is of no coincidence that this spot in Psyrri’s district is a talk of the town every year since the day it opened. If you have small children, it can be a nice walk, even passing by and staring at the ornaments. A little kid will spend hours observing them and telling you over and over again about their favourite. A walk there will convince you…
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