While Athens is a city that captivates every type of traveler regardless of age, millennials are guaranteed to have the best time. And not only because the Greek capital has a vibrant nightlife and a vast cultural scene. But mostly, because Athens boasts an underground art and music scene fueled by Athenian millennials’ artistic curiosity.
Thriving Nightlife
With so many different types of nightlife hangouts around the city, you can’t get easily bored after midnight in Athens. Each neighborhood around the city center has its own unique atmosphere and welcomes different types of night owls. Are you in the mood for partying until the wee hours, relax after work, or have a bite accompanied by a glass of wine? Athens offers more than one options for each occasion. Those yearning for a fruity cocktail know that there isn’t a better place to taste one than the fancy terraces in Thiseio and Plaka. The nearby Monastiraki and Psirri are lined with hip bars ideal for one -or more- relaxed after-work drinks. Every Saturday, you’ll see Gazi square jam-packed with boys and girls in their twenties waiting to enter the district’s bustling nightclubs.
Local Music Scene
As you walk through the city’s streets, you’ll notice that music spills out from every bar, store and café. Bars and concert venues around Athens make sure to keep their calendar full with live music shows all year round. From Spiti Art bar‘s jazz gigs to Bad Tooth‘s hip hop sessions every Tuesday, Athens knows how to keep music lovers’ interest alive. Of course, Greek traditional music gigs couldn’t be missing from the capital’s nightlife. Restaurants and local taverns usually host a group of two or three musicians playing the guitar and the bouzouki while singing traditional rebetika songs.
Athens is a Student City
Home to Greece’s best universities, Athens is filled with students coming from both the capital and the countryside. Millennials from all over the world come to Athens to live the ‘Erasmus dream’ or end up making a -rather long- stop while they’re taking a road trip across Europe. Thus, Athens is a melting pot of millennials of different backgrounds. Plus, meeting new people in Athens is quite easy. Locals are always willing to strike up a conversation and passers-by never miss an opportunity to share their story. Plus, from early spring until late autumn, the city’s universities host festivals, events and music concerts gathering the city’s young crowd.
There are Numerous Music Festivals
Throughout the year and especially in summertime Athens brims with music festivals. Well, don’t expect to find something as spectacular as Spain’s Primavera or England’s Glastonbury but you’ll still get to see some of your favorite international artists. Release Athens Festival, Ejekt Festival and Rockwave are the country’s major festivals but there are also several smaller ones that will quench your thirst for music. Every year in June, the two-days Plisskën Festival brings hundreds of established and upcoming artists of the international music scene. Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival that takes place in May is jazz lovers’ annual date.
Modern Art Galleries
Aside from the world-class museums and UNESCO World Heritage listed sites, Athens is home to numerous art spaces and galleries. Non-profit institutions and organizations such as State of Concept Athens, DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art and Radio Athènes display exhibitions all year round presenting contemporary artworks of world-class artists.
…and Art Festivals
Over the past few years, Athens’ art scene has flourished with many art festivals being added in the already long list. Every year in May, Athens Digital Arts Festival brings top-notch installations and artworks inviting the city’s culture buffs to explore the different forms of digital art. International Dance Film Festival – ATHENS VIDEO DANCE PROJECT which has been taking place for 9 years in a row, presents dance documentaries and movies as well as dance performances and workshops. Moreover, several institutions such as Οnassis Cultural Centre Athens and Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center hold cultural events throughout the year.
The Islands
Starting from early and until September ends, locals escape Athens in every chance and hit the country’s islands. Whether it’s Easter holidays or a long weekend, locals look for an excuse to leave the noisy capital for the tranquil surroundings of the sun-drenched islands. The scenic islands of the Argosaronic Gulf (Agistri, Aegina, Poros, Spetses and Hydra) are less than an hour trip by boat and yet feel miles away. Piraeus port starts filling with millennials packed with their camping equipment signaling the beginning of the summer season.
Why Athens Should be on Every Millenial’s Bucket List photos courtesy of Guillén Pérez / Flickr, elias filis / Flickr, Romain Etienne courtesy of Athens Digital Art Festival, By Lichinga / Wikimedia Commons, Semina Psichogiopoulou / Unsplash
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