UltimateCity Guide Athens
The Acropolis of Athens lit up at night

The city guide to Athens, Greece

The best of Athens,
ranked.

Curated Top 20 lists of the restaurants, bars, nightlife, hotels, sights and beach clubs that make Athens one of Europe's most exciting cities.

Where to eatWhat to see

Six lists. 120 places. One unforgettable city.

Athens has become one of Europe's great city breaks, with world-ranked cocktail bars, Michelin-starred kitchens, ancient wonders, rooftop views of the Acropolis and a Riviera of beach clubs just down the coast. We've picked the twenty best in each category so you can spend less time searching and more time enjoying the city.

Restaurant tables on the steps of Mnisikleous Street in Plaka, AthensTop 20RestaurantsFrom Michelin stars to market tavernasMonastiraki Square in Athens at nightTop 20BarsWorld-ranked cocktails and rooftop viewsThe Athens skyline at nightTop 20NightlifeClubs, live music and Riviera summer nightsSyntagma Square and its grand hotels at nightTop 20HotelsGrand icons, boutique gems and Riviera resortsThe Parthenon on the Acropolis of AthensTop 20AttractionsAncient wonders, museums and viewpointsThe bay of Vouliagmeni on the Athens RivieraTop 20Beach ClubsSun, sea and sundowners on the Riviera

Top picks right now

Restaurants

  1. 1DeltaKallithea · Fine dining
  2. 2Botrini'sChalandri · Fine dining
  3. 3SpondiPangrati · Fine dining
See all 20

Bars

  1. 1LineKolonos · Cocktail bar
  2. 2The Bar in Front of the BarMonastiraki · Cocktail bar
  3. 3Barro NegroSyntagma · Agave bar
See all 20

Nightlife

  1. 1Six d.o.g.sPsyrri · Arts venue & garden bar
  2. 2Gagarin 205Patisia · Live music
  3. 3Half Note Jazz ClubMets · Jazz club
See all 20

Hotels

  1. 1Hotel Grande BretagneSyntagma · Luxury hotel
  2. 2King GeorgeSyntagma · Luxury hotel
  3. 3Four Seasons Astir PalaceVouliagmeni · Resort
See all 20

Attractions

  1. 1The Acropolis & ParthenonAcropolis · Ancient site
  2. 2Acropolis MuseumMakrygianni · Museum
  3. 3National Archaeological MuseumExarcheia · Museum
See all 20

Beach Clubs

  1. 1Astir BeachVouliagmeni · Luxury beach
  2. 2Island Club & RestaurantVarkiza (Limanakia) · Restaurant & club
  3. 3Balux Beach ClubGlyfada (Asteras) · Beach club
See all 20

Know your neighbourhoods

Plaka & Makrygianni

The old town beneath the Acropolis: pedestrian lanes, neoclassical houses, the Acropolis Museum and many of the best-located hotels.

Monastiraki & Psyrri

Flea markets by day, rooftop bars and buzzing streets by night. The heart of central Athens nightlife.

Syntagma

Parliament, grand hotels and many of the city's best cocktail bars, all within a few minutes' walk.

Kolonaki

Chic, upmarket and leafy, with designer boutiques, smart restaurants and stylish bars on the slopes of Lycabettus.

Gazi & Kerameikos

A former gasworks district that became the city's clubbing quarter, with venues around Kerameikos metro.

The Athens Riviera

The coast from Piraeus to Vouliagmeni: seafront restaurants, luxury resorts and summer beach clubs.