Athens can be such a pretty city by day. It is an alluring, dazzling, gorgeous town to wander through. Art and history are all over the place.
However, at night, the city changes deeply. It unveils a magic atmosphere that will conquer visitors searching for unexpected fun. Let’s see what to do in Athens at night!
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Where to Stay in Athens
If you’re planning to spend some time in Athens, the first thing to consider is where to stay.
If it’s your first time in the Greek capital and you have no idea where to stay, I suggest you check out these hotels for an unforgettable stay.
- Budget: Athens Psiri Hotel
- Mid-range: Stylish studio below the Acropolis
- Luxury: Coco-mat Athens BC
Athens at Night: Seeing Athens Under a Whole New Light
They say the Greek crisis has squeezed creativity resources from the locals, giving a further twist of imagination. Like their ancestors, Greek people search for beauty, and nights in Athens are live-proof.
Alternative tribes of counterculture movements lighten up the atmosphere. They give new life to retro alleys and express authentic art in offbeat areas.
Having seen several angles of the city under the daylight, it was about time to peep into its dark alleys once the sun had set. I picked an Athens by night and had the time of my life.
And… I took my kids with me! They had as much fun as adults did and it was worth every minute. They were enthusiastic and loved every moment.
Take an Athens-at-Night Tour
Our appointment was at Syntagma Square, just after dawn, with a local guide with the right attitude for such an evening. It was an immediate entente as he was well acquainted with every palm of his city!
Our guide was able to share with us the love he feels for his city, making us feel a bit Athenians ourselves, even just for a night.
>> Click here for a night tour experience with a fantastic food tasting.
Sweet Chocolate
We headed down what he called the street of chocolate, a sweet path promising the right kind of night ahead of us. The most refined and traditional chocolate stores in Athens, all dressed up for the upcoming Easter.
Among them, Matsouka Le Chocolate stands out with wonderful windows displaying the most exquisite chocolate figures, a feast for our imagination and the senses.
Our stroll continued with a wise lesson: Don’t ever be afraid of Athenian traffic, but most of all, don’t be afraid of drivers. Be careful, but also be brave.
Secret galleries, drives, and porticos led into hidden alleys of gone splendor, boasting a wonderful array of light and imagination.
Cafés, bars, and pubs are crowded with eclectic people and more liberal decorations. Even a quick stop at a very ordinary door revealed itself as the gate to the only Private Bar in Athens.
A very anonymous entrance would open itself to a night of excitement and great cocktails for those few chosen ones who knew which bell to ring.
It’ll be the beginning of exclusive parties and excitement that few know about. Through more entrances and stairs, a marvelous world opened to our eyes.
Dark, narrow paths with amazing places to eat/dance/drink or laugh the night away… your choice! These are just some of the places we visited. All in all, the whole tour made me want to return.
Discover the Best Bars in Athens
The first bar we entered, Artizan, is a laid-back place famous for its coffee.
Right after Artizan, it was the moment of Bar Tessera, where the classy atmosphere, warm colors, and inviting scenario welcome visitors to stay for long hours just relaxing and having fun.
Little tables populated by friends having late cups of cappuccino and rivers of conversation. Laughter and utter joy.
A few steps away, Booze Cooperativa is a unique blend of play zones for you to take your time. Smoking allowed fun admitted.
It’s a magnificent to spend some time admiring all the strange forms of art in every single zone. How do they define themselves? Well, like this …
“A BRAIN HUB. TRIBES AND NATIONS IN CREATIVE DISRUPTION. TRENDSETTERS AND MIND CLUSTERS COOPERATE IN FULL TIME“
Go in, look up, and look around. You will love it.
Drunk Sinatra couldn’t be missing!
It offers alternative music, cool cocktails, and young people going about. I would definitely choose this space for a late-night meeting with friends for drinks, meze, and conversation.
Two more places followed our tour: The Holiday Bar, also known as Noel, a magical venue where, despite the plethora of clocks hanging everywhere, time seems to have stopped to allow people to live in an endless parallel world.
Athens, an Old-Time Favorite
Then it followed a beautiful underground garden which houses Six Dogs.
A mysterious entrance transports you into a city oasis, sandy floors, open terraces and trees, candles, animals and dimmed lights make out of this place a rightful contradiction.
A gate to the sixties opening into the most extravagant nineties. Loved it.
Athenian Gyros
Right after that, our second stop took us to enjoy a gyros wrap the way Athenians do, on the go. The chosen place was Monastiraki, and the food was really good!
We walked through Monastiraki Square to discover a secret feature that the city won’t even care to show you if you are not attentive enough: A tiny river flowing in the guts of Athens, covered by glass and barely seen if you don’t pay close attention. It’s the Eridanos. Look for it when visiting Monastiraki!
Monastiraki at Night
Through the entrance of the Monastiraki Flea Market, a completely different place at night. No shops, no crowds, hence it offers the opportunity to see the local imagination behind the closed doors, blinds, and shutters of the shops.
Turning into what seemed a dangerous alley, we made our way to one of the most beautiful, bizarre, and extravagant places I’ve ever been to. Above all, I found the place alluring.
It’s Taf Monasthraki. What used to be a detention and interrogation place in the past has been turned into a multicultural space (they define it as metathematic) where drinks and a lively atmosphere are not the only key features.
An impressive tour of what used to be detention cells allowed us to see how they were turned into zones devoted to interactive forms of art, including sounds, video, and live animals!
Right at the end of the street, the most famous mannequin of Athens opens the gates to Psirri.
Another favorite alternative spot in town, both day and night. In addition, incredible street lamps lead the way to the heart of a vibrant area of Athens… So close to the center of town and yet so far from it in terms of vibes and visitors.
Psirri
Psirri is one of those places you want to take advantage of when in town. Choose any bar, pub, or café, sit to see people passing by, enjoy a nargile, or stop for a snack.
This famous alley, Pittaki Street, has been decorated with lamps and artifacts donated by citizens to give the neighborhood new life and amazing light.
The most eccentric decorations lead to the heart of a vibrant area of Athens, so close to the center of town but so far from it in terms of vibes and visitors.
The alley ends in The Little Kook, a tea house and bar for which extreme imagination does not even start describing the concept of this venue.
From the outside setting, a reminder of Alice in Wonderland, to the way waitresses dress, it’s an invitation to childhood reminiscences with a darker twist.
Like going through the mirror and never coming back.
Psirri is a must-see. Just head there, stop by, and make a pause at To Koulouri To Psirri. Choose a freshly baked treat and move on to reach a more alternative or traditional venue. The choice is endless.
Rooftop Glam
As most Athenians do, we ended the night with a glass of wine. The place? A rooftop bar. Over the last few years, rooftop bars have become the thing to do in Athens.
However, we still needed to settle for the common thing to do. Thodoris chose a fantastic place, a magnificent rooftop bar in Athens Style, one of the top hostels in Athens, where super convenient prices don’t even match the outstanding beauty of Athens at night when seen from above.
Just as we were basking in the magical aura of the Greek capital, the unexpected happened-it started to rain. But even the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits or the beauty of the city, which seemed to shimmer under the droplets.
Wide skies boasting the profile of an illuminated Acropolis, Mt Lycabettus illuminated ancient sites under the rain.
A glass of red wine and great conversation with our tour mates. In conclusion, this was the perfect way to end a night with style.
With that unique Athenian charm that never fails to captivate, every visit to Athens deepens my love for this city. It’s a love that’s no secret and one that I can’t help but share with you.
This time, I surrendered to the city. I suspect my guide had a lot to do with my renewed love for Athens. Honestly…, I can’t wait to go back.
My special thanks go to Thodoris, a smart, smiling local guide who knows everything about Athens night hours.
When in Athens, we love to sleep here and here. Take a look if you are looking for a place to sleep in Athens. Urban Adventures, Athens, kindly offered the tour, but unfortunately, the tour is no longer available.
Which of these places would you like to see in Athens at night?
Other spectacular food tours of Athens are:
Read more about Greece
🛌 Suggested Accommodation in Athens:
- Budget: Athens Psiri Hotel
- Mid-range: Stylish studio below the Acropolis
- Luxury: Coco-mat Athens BC
🗺️ More resources to book your trip to Greece:
- 🛥️ Find convenient ferry tickets with Ferryhopper.
- 🚕 Book airport transfer with Welcome Pickups.
- 📍 Join adventures and cultural experiences with Get Your Guide.
📌 Before you Leave…
Pin this Guide to the Best Things to Do and See in Athens at Night!
About me:
I have lived in Chania, Crete, since 2016. As a local, I have an intimate knowledge of the island. I host culinary and concierge tours and experiences in Crete and write about the island for several travel media. During the last five years, I have helped many travelers plan the perfect holiday in Crete. I co-authored DK Eyewitness Top 10 Crete and had more glasses of frappe than any regular person could ever handle.