Entertainment in Athens

There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.

Here's a brief overview of some of the things that are available.

Theatre, Dance and Classical Music

A Performance of Don Quixote at the Greek National Theatre in AthensThe Greek National Theatre in Athens
A Performance of Don Quixote

While Athens has a lively theatre scene and a National Theatre company, most performances are in the Greek language. You might get to see a visiting theatre group, if you check the listings (see below) while you're there. There is also a Greek National Opera company, and several halls putting on classical concerts. Dance is popular too, from contemporary work to classical ballet to Greek traditional dance, notably at the very popular Dora Stratou Theatre at the foot of Filopappou Hill. 

The Dora Stratou Dance Group in Athens, GreeceThe Dora Stratou Dance Group

Bars, Discos and Clubs

Athenians like to have a good time and the city has as many bars, clubs and discos as anywhere else. These range from intimate venues which might play a little soft jazz to huge barns of discos pumping out hip-hop at shattering levels. Because of the noise factor, and the summer heat, during the hot months some clubs close down because the customers prefer to head out to the open-air venues in the city's beach-resort suburbs.

In the bars and clubs every kind of music is catered for (jazz, blues, rock, reggae, '60s, world music) but it's advisable to check the local listings magazines as while some clubs are devoted to one kind of music, other have different styles on different nights. You don't want to go along to a great reggae club and find that it's '60s night. There are fewer choices available in the summer, partly due to the air-conditioning question and partly due to musicians going out to the Greek islands to work the much busier tourist resorts there.

Movie Entertainment in Athens

There are plenty of cinemas all over Athens, showing the major international releases in the original language, with Greek sub-titles. They tend to be fairly inexpensive, and programmes can be found in any of the city's several listings magazines. In summer many of these close down, unless they have good air-conditioning, and open-air cinemas spring up to take their place. These tend to show second-run movies and old black-and-white films, and are very much social occasions. People talk a lot, as they are not listening to the foreign soundtrack, which can make it hard for foreign visitors who are desperately trying to hear what's going on! Late-night showings usually have the sound turned down anyway, to avoid disturbing the neighbourhood. But it is all certainly a very Athenian experience. You can usually find one or two open-air cinemas in and around the Plaka, while the conventional ones are all over the city, with several along Stadio, Akadimias and Panepistimou Streets (also known as Venizelou).

Buying Tickets for Entertainment in Athens

Apart from obviously going to the venue itself, the easiest way to get concert and other tickets is to go into almost any of the big central record shops and buy them there. They are also a good source of information, with adverts and flyers for concerts and clubs.

Information Sources

The Why Athens WebsiteThe Why Athens Website

The best source of entertainment information is Athinorama magazine, published every Friday. This is in Greek but is still useful as names of films, bands, programme times etc are all in English. There's also an online version, which you can use an app or a browser like Chrome to translate for you. A phrase book which includes the days of the week should help out too.

There are plenty of other online sources too. The  What's On section on the Ekathimerini website, Athens24.com, This is Athens and WhyAthens.com are all good sources of information about entertainment in Athens.

You might like these other Athens pages...

  • Cape Sounion and the East Coast

    The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.

  • The Best Things to Do in Athens

    The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum

  • Best Cocktail Bars in Athens

    Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.

  • Athens: Travel Information and Advice about Athens, Greece

    Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athensguide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.

  • Athens Weather and the Best Time to Visit

    The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.

  • Athens Walking Tours and Other Experiences

    Athens walking tours and other experiences like cookery lessons, ceramics workshops, dining with a family, and street art are available from Alternative Athens

  • Athens to Santorini

    There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

  • Athens International Airport

    Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

  • Athens in the Rain

    Athens in the rain isn’t something you’re likely to experience but here are suggestions for things to do in the rain in Athens including museums and shopping

  • Athens Food Tours

    Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

  • Athens Events and Public Holidays

    If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

  • Athens Eaters Guide

    Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.

  • Athens Dining Guide

    This Athens dining guide doesn't list restaurants but gives practical advice on types of eating places, tipping, hotel breakfasts and picnics.

  • Athens Culinary Tours

    Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.

  • Athens Car Rental

    Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.

  • Athens Airport Hotels

    Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.

  • Athens Airport Car Rental

    Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.

  • A Drive around Attica

    This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

  • Athens Acropolis

    The Athens Acropolis has the city's most iconic building, the Parthenon, along with other historic buildings and is where the Elgin Marbles were taken from.

  • Artistic Athens

    This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..

  • Pictures of Athens

    Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website

  • Where to Eat in Athens and Piraeus

    If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.

  • Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens

    Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.

  • Piraeus

    Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

  • National Archaeological Museum

    The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Greek Recovery Funds to Go into Acropolis Upgrade Works

    Twelve projects including upgrade works on the Acropolis have been cleared for funding out of “Greece 2.0” – the country’s recovery plan approved earlier this month. Alternate Finance Minister Theodor…

    Read More

  2. US Keeps Covid-19 Travel Restrictions Due to Delta Variant

    The United States will keep all existing Covid-19 travel restrictions in place due to concerns over the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announce…

    Read More

  3. Chania, in Western Crete

    Chania is the main city in Western Crete with a lovely setting and a beautiful harbour as well as several museums.

    Read More

  4. Cyprus Obliges Travelers from Greece to Undergo Testing Before Arrival

    Greece has been placed on the Covid-19 orange list of Cyprus’ colour-coded country categorization travel system, based on a new epidemiological risk assessment of countries. The new changes come into…

    Read More

  5. Greece’s Indoor Restaurants, Venues Only for the Vaccinated

    Starting Friday, July 16, indoor venues such as restaurants, bars, and theaters will only be accepting vaccinated and seated-only customers until August 31, Development and Investments Minister Adonis…

    Read More

  6. AEGEAN Begins Operation of Seasonal Base on Mykonos

    Greek carrier AEGEAN has started the operation of its seasonal base on Mykonos, aiming to enhance its flagship quality services and improve the connection of the popular Cycladic island with major int…

    Read More

  7. UK Revises Advisory for Greece, Paves Way for Travel

    The UK’s FCDO revised its travel advisory for Greece after announcing on Thursday that as of July 19 travelers from amber-listed countries would not be required to self-isolate upon return.

    Read More

  8. Greece to Launch ‘Covid Pass’ App that Checks Customer ‘Safe’ Status

    Greece said this week that starting July 15, restaurant and F&B business owners would be able to download an application that will check whether the health/vaccination status information provided by c…

    Read More

  9. Authorities Recommend Self-test for Land Travel in Greece

    Travel by road domestically in Greece will not require a negative rapid test but the presentation of a negative self-test is highly recommended, said Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias d…

    Read More

  10. Covid-19: Greece Extends Rules for Domestic Flights to the Islands

    The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) has extended the travel rules for passengers of domestic flights traveling from the mainland to the islands, until 6am, on Thursday, July 15.

    Read More