Athens has quietly become one of Europe's great nights out. The centre around Kolokotroni and Agia Irini holds cocktail bars that regularly rank among the world's best; Monastiraki's rooftops serve sundowners with the floodlit Acropolis as backdrop; the former gasworks district of Gazi throbs with clubs and live venues; and Plaka hides a historic distillery bar. Here are 9 of the best places to drink and dance, with neighbourhoods, prices and tips.
Cocktail BarThe Clumsies
Area
City Centre
Type
Cocktail Bar
“Book the intimate downstairs room in advance — this is a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list.”
Cocktail BarBaba Au Rum
Area
City Centre
Type
Cocktail Bar
“Come for the rum and tiki-leaning classics — it's small, so arrive early or expect to spill onto the street.”
Rooftop BarA for Athens Rooftop
Area
Monastiraki
Type
Rooftop Bar
“Arrive well before sunset to grab a rail-side spot — it fills fast and the Acropolis view is the whole point.”
Rooftop BarCouleur Locale
Area
Monastiraki
Type
Rooftop Bar
“It's hidden down an alley off Normanou — find the discreet entrance and take the lift up to the terrace.”
Historic BarBrettos
Area
Plaka
Type
Historic Bar
“The back wall of backlit, multicoloured bottles is Athens' most photographed bar — try the house ouzo or mastiha.”
Bar / Club / VenueSix d.o.g.s
Area
Monastiraki
Type
Bar / Club / Venue
“The leafy hidden garden courtyard is the daytime draw; the basement stage hosts gigs and club nights after dark.”
Rooftop Club / Live MusicGazarte
Area
Gazi
Type
Rooftop Club / Live Music
“The roof stage has an Acropolis view; check the programme for live acts before booking a table.”
Alternative Club / BarBios
Area
Gazi
Type
Alternative Club / Bar
“Head to the rooftop for a mellow drink, or the raw basement (Bios Romantso) for underground electronic nights.”
Rooftop BarGalaxy Bar (Hilton)
Area
Ilisia
Type
Rooftop Bar
“A more grown-up, glamorous rooftop — dress up for panoramic city, Lycabettus and Acropolis views with a cocktail.”
Athens nightlife in detail
1.The Clumsies
The Clumsies is the crown jewel of Athens' remarkable cocktail scene — a bar that has ranked among the World's 50 Best (and reached the very top tier) year after year, drawing drinks pilgrims from around the globe. Set in an elegant neoclassical building on Praxitelous Street, it's a deceptively relaxed, all-day space: coffee and brunch downstairs by day, morphing into a buzzing, sophisticated cocktail destination by night, with a hidden, more exclusive back room for those in the know. The drinks, from a duo of Greece's most celebrated bartenders, are inventive, beautifully balanced and often playful, using local spirits and ingredients alongside serious technique, yet the mood stays unpretentious and fun rather than stuffy. It gets deservedly busy, so reservations — especially for a table or the downstairs room — are strongly advised. Prices sit at the premium end for Athens but remain reasonable by international 'best bar' standards. For anyone who takes cocktails seriously, or simply wants a genuinely world-class night out, The Clumsies is the essential first stop on any Athens drinks itinerary, and a benchmark of just how good the city's bar culture has become.
Hours
Daily from ~noon until late
Price
Cocktails ~€12–15
Getting there
Metro L1/L2 to Omonia or Panepistimio, a short walk to Praxitelous
Insider tip: Book the intimate downstairs room in advance — this is a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list.
2.Baba Au Rum
Baba Au Rum is a beloved, long-running cocktail bar on Klitiou Street near Kolokotroni, and — like its rival-cum-neighbour The Clumsies — a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list, cementing central Athens as one of Europe's great drinking cities. As the name suggests, its heart is rum: an extensive collection of it underpins a menu leaning towards tropical and tiki-inflected classics, from perfectly made daiquiris and mai tais to house creations bright with fresh fruit and spice, all mixed with skill and served in a warm, colourful, retro-tropical room. It's small and immensely popular, so on busy nights the crowd spills happily onto the pedestrian street outside, giving the whole lane a festive buzz. Prices are fair for the quality, and the vibe is friendly and unfussy rather than exclusive. Its location among the tangle of bar-lined streets around Kolokotroni and Agia Irini makes it a perfect anchor for a night of bar-hopping through the centre. For rum lovers and cocktail enthusiasts, or anyone wanting a lively, expertly made drink in the thick of the city's nightlife, Baba Au Rum is a must-visit classic.
Hours
Daily from ~early evening until late
Price
Cocktails ~€11–14
Getting there
Metro L1/L3 to Monastiraki or L2 to Panepistimio, near Kolokotroni
Insider tip: Come for the rum and tiki-leaning classics — it's small, so arrive early or expect to spill onto the street.
3.A for Athens Rooftop
The rooftop bar of the A for Athens hotel is one of the most popular sundowner spots in the city, and for good reason: it looks straight across the tumbling rooftops of Monastiraki to the Acropolis, which glows gold at sunset and is dramatically floodlit after dark. By day it's a laid-back café; as evening approaches it transforms into a heaving, energetic bar with DJs, a young, mixed crowd of locals and travellers, and a real sense of occasion as the light fades over the ancient citadel. The cocktails are solid and reasonably priced for such a prime view, and the atmosphere is more fun and unpretentious than exclusive. Its fame means it gets very busy, especially at weekends and around sunset, so arriving early to secure a spot along the railing (with the best view) is well worth it; midweek and slightly earlier is calmer. It sits directly above the Monastiraki metro, so it's supremely easy to reach and to move on from into the surrounding nightlife of Psyrri and the centre. For the quintessential Athens rooftop-with-Acropolis experience, this is the obvious, reliable choice.
Hours
Daily from ~morning coffee to late-night bar
Price
Cocktails ~€10–13
Getting there
Metro L1/L3 to Monastiraki — atop the A for Athens hotel on the square
Insider tip: Arrive well before sunset to grab a rail-side spot — it fills fast and the Acropolis view is the whole point.
4.Couleur Locale
Couleur Locale is one of Athens' favourite rooftop hangouts, and part of its charm is finding it: the entrance is tucked down a graffiti-splashed alley off Normanou Street in Monastiraki, where a small doorway and a lift whisk you up to a breezy terrace with a knockout, perfectly framed view of the Acropolis. The vibe is relaxed, arty and distinctly local-cool, pulling a young, stylish crowd from morning coffee through afternoon drinks to a busy, music-filled bar scene at night. Cocktails are creative and fairly priced, there's food if you want it, and the whole place has an easygoing, in-the-know feel that's a touch less touristy than some of the bigger hotel rooftops nearby. Like all the Acropolis-view terraces it's popular, so come a little before sunset to bag a good table, or midweek for more room. Its Monastiraki setting means you're perfectly placed to carry on into the bars and tavernas of Psyrri and the centre afterwards. For a cooler, slightly hidden alternative to the obvious rooftops, with the same spectacular view, Couleur Locale is a top pick.
Hours
Daily from ~10:00 until late
Price
Cocktails ~€9–12
Getting there
Metro L1/L3 to Monastiraki, down the alley at 3 Normanou Street
Insider tip: It's hidden down an alley off Normanou — find the discreet entrance and take the lift up to the terrace.
5.Brettos
Brettos, on Kydathinaion Street in the heart of Plaka, is the oldest distillery in Athens, founded in 1909, and one of the most atmospheric — and photogenic — bars in the city. Its back wall is a floor-to-ceiling display of backlit bottles glowing in jewel colours, above rows of huge wooden barrels, a spectacular sight that draws a constant stream of cameras. But it's a working distillery-bar, not a gimmick: it still produces its own range of spirits and liqueurs, and the thing to do is sample them — house ouzo, brandy, and a rainbow of flavoured liqueurs from cherry to mastiha (the distinctive resinous spirit of Chios). Cosy, characterful and refreshingly unpretentious, it's a lovely spot for an afternoon aperitif while exploring Plaka or an evening drink after dinner, with fair prices and a warm, old-Athens feel. It can get busy and it's firmly on the tourist trail given its Plaka location, but its genuine heritage and homemade spirits set it well apart from the area's generic tavernas. For a taste of Greek liqueurs in a beautiful, historic setting, Brettos is an essential Plaka stop.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–late
Price
Drinks ~€5–9
Getting there
Metro L2 to Acropoli, into Plaka on Kydathinaion Street
Insider tip: The back wall of backlit, multicoloured bottles is Athens' most photographed bar — try the house ouzo or mastiha.
6.Six d.o.g.s
Six d.o.g.s is a cornerstone of central Athens' creative nightlife — a rambling, many-roomed cultural space tucked into an arcade off Monastiraki that defies easy description. By day it's a mellow café-bar centred on a surprising, plant-filled courtyard garden hidden in the middle of the city block, a lovely spot for coffee or an afternoon drink. As night falls it shifts gears, with a bar scene spilling through its connected rooms, a basement stage that hosts an eclectic programme of live gigs — indie, electronic, experimental, international touring acts — and DJ-driven club nights that run late. It also stages art exhibitions and events, functioning as much as a cultural hub as a bar. The crowd is young, arty and local, the atmosphere unpretentious and the whole place has a genuinely underground, of-the-city feel that contrasts with the view-driven rooftop bars. Check the events calendar to see what's on, as the offering changes nightly; entry to the garden and bar is usually free, with charges for gigs and some club nights. For an authentic taste of Athens' alternative music-and-bar scene right in the centre, Six d.o.g.s is a must.
Hours
Daily from ~morning; club nights and gigs after dark
Price
Drinks ~€7–11; gig/club entry varies
Getting there
Metro L1/L3 to Monastiraki, on Avramiotou Street
Insider tip: The leafy hidden garden courtyard is the daytime draw; the basement stage hosts gigs and club nights after dark.
7.Gazarte
Gazarte is one of the anchors of Gazi, the former gasworks district that became the epicentre of Athens' club-and-live-music scene, clustered around the striking illuminated chimneys of the Technopolis cultural centre. A large, multi-level venue, Gazarte packs a lot under one roof: a rooftop bar-restaurant with views across to the Acropolis, one or more stages hosting a busy programme of Greek and international live music — from rock and pop to jazz and laïko — a cinema, and club nights that keep the energy going into the small hours. It's a versatile, all-in-one night out, where you might catch a concert then stay on to dance, or simply start the evening with dinner and drinks on the roof before diving into the surrounding Gazi nightlife. The crowd is a broad mix of Athenians of all ages depending on the event, and the district around it — packed with bars, clubs and tavernas, and served directly by the Kerameikos metro — makes it easy to build a whole night around. Check the schedule in advance for gigs and book if there's a show you want; otherwise just turn up and explore the levels.
Hours
Evenings; gigs and club nights vary by programme
Price
Drinks ~€8–12; event tickets vary
Getting there
Metro L3 (blue) to Kerameikos, a short walk into Gazi
Insider tip: The roof stage has an Acropolis view; check the programme for live acts before booking a table.
8.Bios
Bios, on Pireos Street at the edge of Gazi, is the beating heart of alternative, underground Athens — a raw, industrial, multi-level space that operates as a bar, club, live venue, cinema, gallery and general hub for the city's experimental creative scene. Spread across a Bauhaus-era building, it offers very different moods depending on the floor: a relaxed rooftop bar with city views for a mellow drink, a ground-floor café-bar, and a stripped-back basement that hosts everything from underground electronic and techno nights to concerts, art happenings, screenings and talks. The crowd is young, arty and unpretentious, and the whole place has a proudly non-commercial, DIY spirit that sets it apart from the polished rooftops and mainstream clubs — this is where you come for cutting-edge music and a genuine slice of Athens' counterculture. Prices are friendly and the programme changes constantly, so it's worth checking what's on before you go. Right in the Gazi nightlife district and close to the Kerameikos metro, it slots neatly into a bigger night out. For travellers who prefer the underground to the glossy, Bios is essential.
Hours
Evenings into late night; programme varies
Price
Drinks ~€6–10; event entry varies
Getting there
Metro L3 (blue) to Kerameikos, a short walk on Pireos Street
Insider tip: Head to the rooftop for a mellow drink, or the raw basement (Bios Romantso) for underground electronic nights.
9.Galaxy Bar (Hilton)
For a more polished, grown-up rooftop experience than the youthful Monastiraki terraces, Galaxy Bar sits on top of the Hilton Athens in the Ilisia district and delivers glamour with its altitude. The open-air terrace commands a sweeping panorama across the modern city to Lycabettus hill on one side and the floodlit Acropolis on the other, making it a memorable spot for sunset and evening drinks. The style is smart and sophisticated — well-crafted cocktails, attentive service and a stylish, slightly dressed-up crowd of Athenians and hotel guests — and while prices are among the higher in the city (cocktails around €14–18), you're paying for the setting, the polish and the view. It's a lovely choice for a special-occasion drink, a romantic evening or simply a calmer, more refined alternative to the busier, buzzier rooftops downtown. It's a little removed from the historic-centre bar clusters, near the Evangelismos and Megaro Moussikis metro stations and the museum district, so it works well combined with a Kolonaki dinner. Note it operates mainly in the warmer months; check ahead in winter. For upscale rooftop sophistication in Athens, Galaxy is a classic.
Hours
Evenings, seasonal (mainly warmer months)
Price
Cocktails ~€14–18
Getting there
Metro L3 (blue) to Evangelismos or Megaro Moussikis, a short walk
Insider tip: A more grown-up, glamorous rooftop — dress up for panoramic city, Lycabettus and Acropolis views with a cocktail.