Athens At Night: From Rooftop Bars To Hidden Hangouts

With so much to see and do in Athens, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to fit everything in. Luckily for you, the city barely sleeps – and how could it, when dinner often starts at 10 pm and stretches well into the night, leaving just enough time to hop from bar to bar? Inevitably, you’ll find yourself wandering the streets after dark, ready to dive headfirst into the city’s flamboyant nightlife.

Clubs? Of course! There’s something for every taste. But Athens after dark has so much more to offer than just the dance floor…

For starters? Rooftops, of course! Because we simply can’t get enough of Athens from above. Whether you’re after a sunset drink or a full-on dinner with a view, the Greek capital has rooftops galore to choose from. Around Voutadon and Monastiraki, panoramic terraces such as Attic Urban Rooftop, Thea Terrace and A for Athens offer front-row seats to the city’s iconic skyline. The choice is yours: go for a lively, buzzing atmosphere or opt for something a little more elegant and intimate.

Speaking of the latter, Athens has an impressive repertoire of wine and cocktail bars to explore. Wine lovers, in particular, will find their happy place around Pangrati and Romvis, where independent spots champion Greek grape varieties, natural wines and carefully crafted drinks, often away from the crowds and the city’s more overrun hotspots.


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For a little oenological adventure, start with Heteroclito, where you might just stumble upon your holy grail if you’re after a natural wine or a limited-production bottle. Then there’s Junior Does Wine, showcasing more than 60 independent wineries from Greece and beyond, alongside seasonal bites to nibble on. And for those who like their wine with a side of expertise, Oinoscent was founded by sommelier Aris Sklavenitis, who was named Greece’s Best Sommelier. Now, that’s a recommendation worth raising a glass to!

More of a cocktail person? No worries, Athens has you covered, too. There’s 7 Jokers, the go-to spot for your favourite bartender’s favourite bartender; The Bar in Front of the Bar, with its wonderfully unconventional concept and ever-changing menu. Here, six original cocktails are created daily, all following a zero-waste philosophy, so you never quite know what delicious surprise awaits. And then there’s Baba au Rum, which ranked 20th in the world’s 50 Best Bars list. Nothing less!

Ultimately, whether you’re sipping cocktails on a rooftop high above the city or exploring a tucked-away wine bar in a basement, why stop at a good drink? Why not pair it with a little music, too?

Eclecticism is the name of the game when it comes to Athens’ smaller music venues. One minute, you might stumble across Balkan beats or traditional Greek melodies on a street corner; the next, you could find yourself immersed in Berlin-style minimal techno. The city’s music scene is wonderfully unpredictable, and that’s precisely what makes exploring it so much fun.

If there’s one genre worth discovering while you’re here, it’s rebetiko, often described as the Greek equivalent of the blues. Born out of working-class culture, it carries a whole world of longing, heartbreak and rebellion in its melodies. In Psiri, Enastron or Το Ρεμπετάδικο του Ψυρρή are some favourite among those looking to dive into Greece’s musical soul alongside some yummy mezze. Exarchia, a neighbourhood with a character all of its own, is also home to some excellent rebetiko haunts. Head to Kavouras, strategically located on the first floor of a souvlaki joint that never closes, or to Aggelos, and if you're lucky enough, you might catch Lena Kitsopoulou, a celebrated Greek actress, performing rebetiko songs on a Saturday.


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Looking for something completely different? Then it’s time to discover the bouzoukia. This quintessentially Greek nightlife experience is not to be missed: picture the biggest Greek hits performed live by a singer whose fame may vary, the crowd singing along at full volume, and bouquets of flowers flying towards the stage throughout the night. Subtle? Absolutely not. Unforgettable? You bet!

And if you’re after something a little more unusual than a straightforward live music gig, Athens has plenty of surprises up its sleeve. Take The Speakeasy, a bar inspired by the illicit drinking dens of the 1920s, hidden inside an otherwise unremarkable apartment building near Syntagma Square. Finding the right doorbell is half the adventure: you’ll need word of mouth (or a peek at their Facebook page) to get through the door. Then there’s Crust, a little New York-style pizza joint with a rather unexpected secret. Head downstairs and you’ll find yourself in a basement venue hosting everything from jazz concerts and open-mic nights to techno, house and disco sets. For a more arty evening, The Art Foundation, tucked away in Monastiraki, combines a gallery space with an arthouse cinema, offering a cultural detour from the usual bar-hopping routine.

Eventually, even the most dedicated night owls might fancy a little peace and quiet. Luckily, Athens is just as enchanting when you step away from the crowds. Wander up Filopappou Hill to admire the city lights and take in the views, let your imagination run wild among the ancient ruins and winding streets of Plaka, or stroll along the peaceful paths of the National Garden for a more romantic end to the evening.


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And if all that wandering has worked up an appetite, don’t worry: in Athens, the night doesn’t have to end just yet. The city’s 24-hour restaurants, known as afteradika, a term derived from the Greek nightlife expression for after-hours, are there to save the day (or, rather, the night). Pull up a chair, order one last meal and watch the hours slip away.

After all, if you’re lucky – and bold – enough to explore Athens’ nightlife to the fullest, you might just find yourself watching the sun rise over the city, with the Acropolis standing proudly in the background. Now, that’s what we call making a night of it!