The historical building in which Kyria Boutique House is now housed harbours secret tales of longing, loss, and love that conquered all.
The story of Aliki and Giovanni – two star-crossed lovers that managed to triumph in the face of uncertainty – is, quite simply, what dreams are made of.
The scene is Athens circa 1900, when the city was a coveted destination hub for European travellers seeking to capture the brilliance of classical Greece.
Little did he know that something more was to enchant his heart, when – one sunny day in May – he caught sight of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
He used what little Greek he knew to enquire in the neighbourhood as to who this beauty was.
People were quick to give him her name: Aliki.
He also ascertained her place of residence: a beautiful, grand building right under the Acropolis.
Giovanni passed day and night waiting under her balcony with the hopes of catching a fleeting glimpse of her. Aliki, too, it seems, had noticed Giovanni on that very first day, but feared the wrath of her strict father. Without even knowing his name, Aliki watched him from afar from her balcony.
One night in June, when the stars shone brilliantly in their thousands, Giovanni worked up the courage to profess his love to Aliki, but her father was quick to intervene, banishing Giovanni for good.
Gripped with grief over her loss, Aliki cried constantly. Unable to watch her daughter suffer, Aliki’s mother convinced her father to find Giovanni and bring him back…