Seemingly, the hip hostel trend continues apace. And, like a practised acrobat, Athen’s City Circus manages to walk that fine line between budget and lovely with remarkable balance. The dorms are smart, clean and solid looking, with spick and span bathrooms to match. The shared spaces are stylishly kitted out with interesting and non-matching chairs and the whole place has what you might call character.

That character is typified by the striking balance between vintage and whimsical employed by the City Circus team – aka Epaminondas Skorpideas and Dimosthenis Misentzis – whilst the wall art (dealing very much in the latter), courtesy of Nevertheless, who also handle their delightful branding and graphics, is a real treat.

There’s a list of facilities as long as your arm, and this outré outfit even offers bedtime stories on request. Not sure if they’re joking – one suspects not. In the words of the management, run away and join the City Circus.

Photography © Olga Tzimou