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1. Odeon of Herod Atticus
- The southern slope of the Acropolis is the site of two ancient theaters. The one dedicated to Dionysos is the world's oldest theatre built in the... read more
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- Classical Music/Opera
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2. Gazi Technopolis Manos Chatzidakis
- The industrial installations of a former gas factory have been transformed by the Municipality of Athens into one of the city's major cultural... read more
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3. Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)
- The opening of the Athens Concert Hall, the Megaron, has brought the city a world-class concert venue with its imposing marble exterior and the... read more
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- Type:
- Theater
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4. Half Note Jazz Club
- The city's top jazz club is in its third decade now, and is the spot for excellent live performances representing various styles of classical and... read more
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5. Low Profile
- In a narrow, gutter-width bar, just in the gateway of cultured Kolonaki, the atmosphere is as smokey-voiced and bedroom-eyed as Tallulah Bankhead... read more
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- After-hours
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7. Villa Mercedes
- New "in" three-in-one venue. Restaurant/bar and private dance club. The garden restaurant opens at 9:30p and the bar at 11:30p. You can always... read more
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- Type:
- Nightclubs
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8. Greek National Opera
- The Greek National Opera, established in 1939, is the country's most important institution as regards opera productions. Housed in the Olympia... read more
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- Type:
- Classical Music/Opera
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9. Rock'N'Roll
- Rock'N'Roll has been the place to be seen after hours for the last two decades. The same company owning the popular Balthazar has made it what... read more
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- After-hours
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10. Six D.O.G.S
- One of the most progressive approaches to a "bar" in Athens is hidden in a little alley just behind Athinas Street and a stone's throw from Monastiraki... read more
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- Bars
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The Best of NileGuide
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On any evening in Athens, the night owls are out en masse. The choices on how to divide their starlight hours outnumber the barrage of taxi cabs waiting to take them there: artistic, cultural nights at the Athens Concert Hall or any number of performance venues, glossy nightclubs with high face control, low-lit lounges with none, smokey bars, bazoukias and rembetika clubs- places to hear Greek music the way the Greeks like it, and...really this list could get quite lengthy so we've saved you some reading by offering our top ten nightlife list, which takes all of these things into consideration and offers the best of the best.
It's not easy to top out a 2,000 year-old stadium with perfect acoustics directly under the Acropolis. Catching a performance at the Herod Atticus remains one of the most memorable things one can do while in Athens, particularly during the summer during the Athens Festival when it hosts a wide array of Greek musicians, ancient Greek theater, international dance and symphony orchestras.
Technopolis in Gazi is likewise unique as a venue, staging progressive musical, theatrical, and artistic events in a 19th-century gas factory for which the area is named. The modernity of the performances suits the area of Gazi, but for more traditional acts, the Athens Concert Hall or "Megaron" and the Greek National Opera have classical programs.
In the nightclub category, Villa Mercedes, Balthazar, and Rock N Roll are some of the most high-profile places in Athens. They're best suited for social climbers with deep pockets and not the thin of skin. Countless hopefuls have been turned away after a scrutinous screen by the doorman looking to keep out the ratty-tatty commoners. Six D.O.G.S attracts Athens' bohemian intellectuals into its varied performance space offering four bars, contemporary art, and live music acts that can best be described as Greek-indie.
On the contrary, the Low Profile is your approachable, easygoing best friend that just happens to have excellent taste in blues and Europe's largest selection of malt whiskey. Its Kolonaki address draws a worldly discriminating crowd fond of obscure American music and seeing the same ol' faces. The same crowd appreciates the Half Note Jazz Club, an old school venue where blues, jazz, and world musicians play in an intimate atmosphere of tables surrounding a small stage.
It's important to note that we didn't include bazoukias or skiladikos in this particular list. These sorts of establishments are deeply Greek and there are a number of extravagant places to hear this specific music that is not for the average traveler but rather for a full-immersion Athens experience.
{photo courtesy of travelsnippets via flickr}
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