Athens' Best Spots For A Unique Night Out
![Night view of Athens from Lycabettus Hill](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/3456055663_feafe87db8_b.webp)
In a marvelous city of ruins and concrete like Athens, you are bound to find a good time just waiting for you around the corner. With a dynamic nightlife scene, perennial landmarks, a sea of funky bars and exquisite restaurants, Athens has a plethora of entertainment on offer. However, if you’d like to explore the more unusual and less obvious side of the city and discover what you can do in Athens to spend a night you will always remember, then be sure to check out our list of suggestions below.
1. Join the fun at Allou! Fun Park
Amusement Park, Park
![Allou! Fun Park](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1988421.webp)
2. Chill out with a movie at an open-air cinema
Cinema, Movie Theater
![Vasilios Koutroumanos](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/cine-thisio-5-photovasilioskoutroumanos.webp)
3. Dine under the stars at Electra Palace Hotel Athens
Hotel
Dance the night away at the bouzoukia
You cannot enjoy everything Greece has to offer and skip one of the main traditions: a night at the bouzoukia. If you are not familiar, the bouzoukia – coming from the Greek word bouzouki, the traditional stringed instrument central to traditional Greek music – are live music clubs where famous Greek singers perform for an entire season, much like the residency shows of Las Vegas. In the past, it was at the bouzoukia where people would smash dishes to demonstrate their joy. This expressive – and rather destructive custom –has been replaced by the more manageable tradition of throwing a great number of flowers to the stage in honor of the singer and their talent. During the summer months, most of them switch to their summer locations along the Athens Riviera on Poseidonos Avenue. Club22, Stavros tou Notou and Votanikos are excellent bouzoukia establishment where you can discover this unique experience.
http://instagram.com/p/BEotJWDn1ET/?taken-by=club22_livestage
Watch a performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus or Lycabettus theater
During summer, both the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the open air Lycabettus theater are frequently used for live performances. The former focuses mostly on theater, opera and more classical choices, while the latter has hosted hundreds of famous bands and artists from around the globe, such as Pink Martini, Césaria Évora, Angélique Kidjo, Buena Vista Social Club, Peter Gabriel, PJ Harvey, Thievery Corporation, Morrissey and many more. Whether Puccini is your cup of tea, or the Scorpions are more likely to rock your boat, both these outdoor theaters are guaranteed to offer you an incredible experience.
Lycabettus Theater, Lycabettus hill, Athens, Greece, +30 210 722 7233
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens, Greece, +30 210 928 2900
http://instagram.com/p/BCVIJH9Opbg/?tagged=lycabettustheatre
Discover rembetika, the Greek blues
You cannot be in Greece and not be down for a night of nostalgia and Greek blues. Rembetika (or rebetika) is a style of music born in the 1920s, its roots in the Smyrneika songs brought over by Greek refugees after the Asia Minor destruction. There is a great number of Greek rembetika venues across town where you can enjoy a night of delicious house wine and sweet melancholy. Who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised as an impromptu rembetiko dance transpired right in front of your eyes.
Take a tour of the best bars downtown
With such a dynamic and vibrant nightlife available in Athens, a bar crawl is an excellent option to discover the colorful variety of bars downtown. Book a tour and get an introduction to Athenian bar culture via Athens Bar Crawl or, if you’re more of an independent watering-hole explorer, why not tailor your own bar crawl? Whether you enjoy whiskey, beer, wine or even sake, the city center offers a plethora of options.
For a wild night of sake: Sushimou, Furin Kazan, Koi Sushi Bar, Aji Sushi
For delicious cocktails and strong spirits: The Gin Joint, Noel, The Clumsies, Baba au Rum, 42 bar
For a night that would make Dionysus blush with envy: By the Glass, Oinoscent, Heteroclito, Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro
http://instagram.com/p/BH9KMhPBIIG/?taken-by=heteroclitoathens