Athens Declared ‘Best Smelling’ City in Europe

People living in Athens may disagree, but a recent study analyzing 30 major cities in Europe and beyond, has found that the Greek capital is the best-smelling city.

The study by HAYPP has shed light on this overlooked aspect of urban life and looked into factors including cleanliness and proportion of flower shops, bakeries, and perfume shops to give each city a “smell score.” And the city that sniffed its way to the top of the charts was Athens, Greece.

The study explains that the bustling street markets, the aroma of fresh produce, herbs, and sizzling Greek delicacies wafting through the air put the Greek capital at the top of the relevant chart.

Athens is a feast for the senses, the study claims, scoring 8.3 out of 10 on the smell-o-meter. From cheesy tiropita (cheese pie) to sticky-sweet baklava, the city’s bakeries are serving up some serious scent satisfaction.

Athens is also a floral paradise, boasting 31 flower shops and 22 perfumeries per 10 square kilometers, which means delicate fragrance lingers around every corner of the city.

The city’s commitment to cleanliness is also reflected in its Environmental Performance Index (EPI), receiving a score of 56.2. While Athens may have claimed the top spot, it’s worth mentioning the other cities that have made it to the list of the world’s nicest-smelling cities.

Paris, with its romantic ambiance and elegant boulevards, secures the second position followed closely by Zurich, renowned for its cleanliness and picturesque surroundings, round up the top three. Dublin is at number four, followed by Luxemburg and Nicosia.

Here are the top ten:

What locals may think about Athens being the best-smelling city

Athenians would perhaps be more skeptical of the results of the study. Athens’ cleanliness is a bit of a mixed bag. Central areas and tourist spots are generally well-maintained, with regular trash collection and sanitation. The historic areas around the Acropolis are quite clean.

However, cleanliness can vary depending on the neighborhood. Some areas are tidy while others might have more litter and graffiti. Air quality is a weak spot for Athens, most local residents would argue. The city struggles with moderate air pollution due to factors like traffic and industry.

The good news is that Athens is taking steps to improve air quality. The city is expanding its metro system and investing in cleaner buses, and it also imposes traffic restrictions on vehicle use in the city center. Electric vehicles are also encouraged through incentives for people to switch to cleaner modes of transportation.

While there’s progress, air quality remains a challenge in Athens.