|
Nightlife in Athens
|
Clubs, Bars, Pubs, Discos, Live Music, DJs, Rembetika, Jazz, Latin and GayThey say the nightlife of Athens rivals that of New York, London and Paris and maybe surpasses those cities. One thing is for certain. You won't find more restaurants, bars, discos and clubs in a smaller area than you will in Athens with the majority of the nightlife being in central areas like Psiri, Plaka, and Thission and everything else being accessable by the metro. This is a listing of some of the different clubs. Thanks to Dorian Kokas and Michalis Orphanides, two famous musicians and friends who helped compile this list and told me their favorite places. These clubs come and go so call first to make sure they still exist and if they don't, or if you know one that should be listed please let me know. You can also find club info in the Athenorama Magazine which comes out every week. It is in Greek though. Check also Athens version of Time-Out and the Athens News for special events like touring musical groups. Many of these clubs are closed in the summer so call first. See also my page for going out late in Athens |
|
REMBETIKA
MUSIC CLUBS
PERIVOLI
T' OYRANOU
Lisikratous 19,
Plaka. Six Rembetika singers, cozy
atmosphere. Closed Sunday and
Monday. Babis Tsertos has played here in the past. (Click
here for info on Babis Tsertos.)( tel. 210
3235517, 210 3222048 ) Many places close in Athens when the weather gets warm but Stoa Athanaton in the Central Market of Athens (in the meat section) is one of the best places to hear authentic rembetika. Also the Platia Iroon Taverna in Psiri has 3 guys who just hang out and jam at night. In the daytime go to Kapni Karea Cafe which is between Metropolis and Ermou Streets in this little alley a block down from the small church of Kapni Karea in the middle of Ermou street. There is usually good music going on there in the afternoon. TAVERNAS WITH LIVE GREEK MUSIC
AMBELOFILO
3
Karagiani & Samothrakis, Kypseli. Light
Greek Island music. Traditional Greek food.
Call for days and hours. Tel.210 8678862.
(recommended by Michaelis) ETHNIC LATIN and Other Clubs
PALENQUE
41 Farantatou,Goudi.Open every
night.Live bands.Latin party every
Sat.Every Sunday live tango with famous Latin
bands.Every Monday Cuban Salsa
party. LIVE
ROCK CLUBS
|
|
ROCK JAZZ HIP HOP
Matt and Dorian's Pick: PARAFONO is a live-music club dedicated to jazz and blues - located near the center of Athens. For almost 25 years it has attracted a devoted following of music lovers that come to hear the most respected names in jazz and blues. Its cabaret setting, superb sound system and lively audience are what make Parafono the ideal venue in which to experience some of the very best JAZZ and BLUES entertainment offered in Greece. Sunday night is Dan & Katey's HOOTENANNY Country, Rock, Acoustic Jam so if you are a musician bring the tools of your trade. Parafono is on 1 S. Kirinis str & 130a Asklipiou str which is on the back side of Lykavettos. You can phone 210 644-6512 for directions or e-mail them at mail@parafono.gr
BOSSA
NOSTRA
22 Aristophanous, Psyrri. Red decor. Some
Latin. Tel. 210 3244891 60'S AND 70'S POP AND ROCK
SIXTIES
Posiedonos Ave. 62,P Faliro.(by the sea).Live sixties band, many alternating guest stars. Perhaps the best sixties music in Greece.(highly recommended by Dorian and Michaelis ) Closed Sunday and Monday Tel. 9819355, 9812741. The legendary Greek rock group Socrates is playing in our around Athens so check the Athenorama weekly events magazine. From Dec through Feb they will be at the Rodeo Club in Victoria Square.
BE
BOP
Orminou 4, Hilton Hotel. Live Greek rock, plus
jazz, funk, soul. Open all evenings.
(recommended by Michaeli) Tel. 210
7221708. GAY CLUBS ALEXANDER'S
Anagnostopoulou 44, Kolonaki.
Glamorous dancing in one of the most chic ares
in Athens. Tel. 3646664 Bar
Code: 34
Syntagmatos Pezikou 6. Tel. 210 422-2829 Free-Style 122
: Doukisis Plakentias 122 and Panormou.
Ambelokipi. House Techno Block
: Pigis 3 and Akadamias. Tel. 210 384-0205 Mainstream Clubs
Bareladiko Next
Generation
: Tefthidos 7. Peristeri. Tel. 210
578-2222
Questions?
OZON
Magazine is a guide to athens'
events/clubs/art/shops etc. It is distributed freely round trendy cafes
and bars and galleries and it is bilingual. Look for
it. You
can also find information in the excellent TimeOut
Athens Visitors Guide available
all over Athens. For Concerts and other performances see Summer Events See also Alexia Amvrazi's Nightlife Guide to Psiri
Return to Athens Survival Guide |
These
are my favorite type of clubs. Most serve food and some of the
acts are top-notch. Call for
programs.
For more
information on Greek Music go to my
Matt Barrett's favorite hangout is the James Joyce Pub at Astiggos 12 in Monastiraki. With an extensive bar menu, lots of imported beers, great music and lots of energetic X-pats who seem to be mostly Irish and Greek-Irish. They open at noon daily and stay open late. Their bigscreen TVs show sports from all over the world including NFL Football, Major
League Baseball and NBA Basketball as well as Cricket, European Football and whatever else happens to be on. In my opinion this is the best bar in Athens and over the Christmas holidays I ended most nights here. But I could easily begin my nights there too because they have great food. Introduce yourself to Diedra and Tom (the tall guy) and settle in for a night of beer and conversation with whoever happens to be sitting next to you since they will most likely speak English. Some nights they have live music.
To find it from Monastiraki just walk down Hepheston or Iphestos (next to the old metro station) to the end. Turn right and then left and it is half way down the block across from the big hole the American School of Archaeology left.
Mikes Irish
Bar: On Sinopis street in the Athens tower, this
college style bar plays live music on most
nights, serves great draft beer and has an
atmosphere that will make you think you are in
Austin Texas, Boston, Mass or
Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Go on a night
when Johnny Vavoura and his band (photo) are
playing and treat yourself to a night of
traditional rock and roll. Call 210 7776797.
Recommended by Matt Barrett because he happened to go on a night when Vavoura was playing. But keep in mind that if you are over 21 and not into heavy metal and really don't like trying to order a beer while standing 6 people deep at the bar you might want to avoid Saturday nights and probably Friday nights too. Especially if you don't smoke. Don't expect a typical Irish Pub full of interesting working-class Irishmen in animated conversation either. The name is pretty deceptive because
generally it can be so loud that you can't hear anybody and know if they are Irish, Greek or from Katmandu.
Peter Abanoudis is the owner and host
at the legendary
Red Lion
Pub
which opened in Athens as the first
authentic English Pub in 1972 and has
been a popular meeting place for
members of the foreign community and
travelers. For those who are looking
for a little familiarity or can't
afford to visit both Greece and the UK
on one holiday the Red Lion is a great
place to meet people. You can sit at
the bar and order from his selection
of imported and Greek beers in bottles
and on tap. English is spoken widely
in this pub and in fact you can even
forget you are in Greece. They have
dart tournaments and a DJ who plays
Rock & Roll tunes from the 60s,
70s and 80s. To get to the Red Lion
just find the Hilton and the Caravelle
Hotels and it is in the small park
between them at 16 Nidiron. It's a 15
minute walk from Syntagma or you can
take the Blue Line of the Metro
towards Ethniki Amyna and get off at
the stop called Evangelismos.
Recommended highly by Tom
Mazarakis.