Nikos Chatzilias spends his days caring for swarms of bees against the backdrop of Athens’ rooftops. He is one of a growing group of residents in the Greek capital turning to rooftop beekeeping — a hobby that blends environmental awareness with the sweet reward of locally flavored honey, reports AP/UNB.
A lifelong honey enthusiast, the 37-year-old once consumed it daily with tea, bread, and desserts. Unhappy with mass-produced jars, he enrolled in beekeeping classes in 2020 and soon launched his own practice. “I saw how well it worked for the hives, and the daily interaction with bees gave us joy. That’s why we kept going,” he said.
This summer, Chatzilias managed 30 hives placed across seven rooftops — one of them overlooking the Parthenon. His colonies, numbering about 1.2 million bees, produced around 500 kilograms of honey, each batch labeled according to the neighborhood it came from.
Athens’ diverse flora lends each harvest its own profile. Coastal areas yield honey with hints of pine, while other districts carry the notes of eucalyptus, acacia, or bitter orange.
Although urban beekeeping is not new to Greece, Chatzilias sees today’s efforts as more deliberate, reflecting concern for ecosystems. His enthusiasm has inspired others, such as Aggelina Chatzistavrou, who set up hives on her own rooftop. “If everyone had one hive, our environment would be transformed,” she said.
The practice is not without hurdles. Neighbors worry about stings, allergies, and the nuisance of hauling hives up and down stairs each season. Yet Chatzilias insists that city residents, long separated from nature, simply need time to adapt. This year, he is testing whether hives can remain on rooftops year-round. “Even in the chaos of the city, nature responds and continues to give life,” he said.
