Nightlife

If long nights out in town is what you're looking for, you've come to the right place. Athens ranks among the hottest nightlife destinations, with an electric, upbeat atmosphere and thrilling urban vibe that will give you a lesson or two in partying like there was no tomorrow. Do as the locals do: venture out between 23:00 pm and midnight, leave all your worries behind, indulge yourself in spontaneous revelry and, this is most important, don’t even consider venturing back before the early morning hours. In many nightclubs the fun starts after about 01:00 am, when the local “tsifteteli” songs (eastern style upbeat love songs that inspire the ladies to sensuous undulating dancing, similar to a simplified form of belly dance – often converted to a table dance on the spur of the moment).

As in many things here, you will discover that in Athenian nightlife moderation is out, all-out partying extravaganza is in. Wherever you choose to spend your night, if the weather has begun to warm up you’ll find the pavements and terraces strewn with tables and loud groups of friends chatting, teasing one another or people-watching.

As far as drinking is concerned, the locals enjoy their drinks but drunkenness is widely considered a sign of weakness, not virility. While we’re on the subject, bear in mind that, regrettably, a minority of bars and clubs serve methylated spirits, so if you find that your first drink was too much of a knock-out, play safe and order a glass of wine or a bottle of beer, which cannot be adulterated, instead.

That having been said, go on out and enjoy the party atmosphere of the safest city in Europe (and one of the safest in the world) and act on your impulses, on the whim of the moment – Athenian style.