Athens has, in the past decade, become one of Europe's most exciting bar cities. The Clumsies sits on every World 50 list. Baba au Rum is the longest-running serious cocktail bar in the country. The 10 below show why the Greek capital deserves the airfare. Most are within a 15-minute walk of Syntagma Square.
Part of our 50 Best Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
Read the world list
The 10 best bars in Athens
01 · Athens
Praxitelous
$$
Two floors · All-day
Vassilis Kyritsis and Nikos Bakoulis's Athens flagship. Every annual list has them in the top 10. Café-bar by day, serious cocktail room by night.
Order: Charcoal Sour
02 · Athens
Klafthmonos
$$
Rum-led · Casual
Thanos Prunarus's room — the bar that started Athens's cocktail revolution in 2009. Rum-forward, tropical-leaning, deeply seasonal.
Order: A daiquiri made with their reserve agricole rum
03 · Athens
Monastiraki
$
Garden · Music
All-day cultural space — café, music venue, bar. The garden in summer is one of Athens's best spaces.
Order: A spritz in the garden
04 · Athens
Monastiraki
$$
Acropolis view · Casual
The rooftop above A for Athens hotel. The Acropolis fills the entire western horizon at sunset.
Order: A glass of assyrtiko, Acropolis side
05 · Athens
Kolokotroni
$$
Speakeasy · Reservations
Through an unmarked door near Syntagma. 42-seat cocktail bar. Quieter than The Clumsies; technique-focused.
Order: Bartender's choice from the seasonal menu
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
06 · Athens
Hilton
$$$
Hotel rooftop · 1972
On top of the Hilton Athens, opened 1972. Direct view of the Acropolis and Mount Lycabettus. The Athenian hotel-bar standard.
Order: A martini with the Acropolis view
07 · Athens
Koukaki
$$
Wine bar · Greek-only
Greek wine only. Deep-dive natural-wine list, knowledgeable owners, casual neighbourhood feel.
Order: A glass of Aegean assyrtiko + their cheese plate
08 · Athens
Kolokotroni
$$
Christmas-themed · Year-round
Christmas-themed bar, year-round. Lights, ornaments, snowflakes — and surprisingly serious cocktails.
Order: A holiday-spice spec, regardless of the calendar
09 · Athens
Monastiraki
$$
Rooftop · Acropolis
Hidden rooftop accessed through a fashion store. The Acropolis is directly above. Less touristy than A for Athens.
Order: A Greek-spirit cocktail with the Parthenon visible
10 · Athens
Pangrati
$$
Cocktails + small plates
Pangrati neighbourhood favourite. Cocktails paired with Greek small plates. Quieter than the Praxitelous cluster.
Order: A signature with their house-made Greek herb infusion
More Athens bars by categoryCocktail, rooftop, hidden gem — the full Athens index.
See the full list
Why Athens is the surprise European cocktail capital
Athens has cheap rent, exceptional Greek produce (the herbs, the fruits, the local spirits), and a generation of bartenders who trained in London and Berlin and came home. The combination has produced rooms that compete on the world stage. The Clumsies and Baba au Rum are essential; build an evening around either. Most bars peak after midnight; locals don't dine before 10 PM.
