Summer is Athens’ headline act. When the temperature heats up in July and August, so does the city’s nightlife. Most Athenian bars, clubs and cafés have been designed with summer in mind. Courtyards, rooftops, gardens and pavements everywhere overflow with locals and visitors. New friendships and flirtations form over breezy cocktails and leisurely meals that stretch out spontaneously into the small hours. (Don’t be surprised if you wind up dancing until dawn at a seaside club.)
The best way to beat the heat is to synchronise with the locals. Hit the beach early with an iced freddo cappuccino or hide out at an air-conditioned gallery or museum. Then take a siesta, ready to embrace the lazy pleasures of summer nights in Athens. Summer is also when festival fever takes hold of the city; so if you’re here between June and August, you can expect Athens to put on one hell of a show.
Summer speed in beautiful Dionysiou Areopagitou promenade.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Late afternoon strolls down Dionysiou Areopagitou are a summer ritual in Athens.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Great things to do in Athens in June
- Whip out your rainbow flags as the local LGBT+ community leads the Athens Pride parade through the streets, ending with a free concert on Syntagma Square.
- Head down to the city’s former gasworks to enjoy smooth grooves at one of Greece’s biggest jazz festivals. Jazz Festival at Technopolis is a week-long showcase of international acts and local bands. And it’s all completely free.
- Hit the coast to enjoy some high-octane shopping and cafe society in Glyfada—the glamorous gateway to the Athens Riviera.
- Sail around the Saronic islands on a three-in-one-day Greek island experience where you’ll hop between Hydra, Poros and Aegina on a catered cruise.
- Look out for Art Athina (usually held in June). This three-day showcase puts Athens’ most influential galleries under the same roof as international exhibitors, and is one of Europe’s biggest contemporary art fairs.
Join the locals by:
Jumping on a ferry on a Friday afternoon for a weekend escape to one of the islands near Athens, such as Aegina, Hydra, Spetses, Poros or Kea.
Plan your trip around:
Summer Nostos—Treat yourself to a week-long programme of free music, dance and theatre, all performed outdoors at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre.
Athens Open Air Film Festival—Athens transforms into a giant movie theatre with free screenings of classic and contemporary cinema in archaeological sites, museums and parks.
What weather to expect?
29°/20° C
Enjoy a weekend escape from Athens on elegant Hydra.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Hit the Athens coast to discover unspoiled swimming coves like these.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Great things to do in Athens in July
- Explore the wealth of beautiful beaches and swimming spots along the Athens coastline. There’s one to match every mood, motive or budget.
- Get to know the real Athens through the eyes of an insider on a free city walk with a local volunteer.
- Salute the sunset at a rooftop bar beneath the Acropolis. It doesn’t get much more Athenian (or romantic) than this.
- Shop for a pair of Greek sandals—or other handcrafted accessories made by one of the city’s skilled leather designers.
- Enjoy the relaxed summer vibe of the Megaron Concert Hall’s series of outdoor concerts staged in their grassy gardens. You might hear anything from pop, jazz or classical music.
- Discover the cosmopolitan coastal hamlet of Vouliagmeni on the Athens Riviera, and pass the evening at a chic seaside bar or pavement cafe.
Join the locals by:
Heading down to the beach after work for a pre-sunset dip, followed by a long evening sharing ouzo and meze.
Plan your trip around:
Athens and Epidaurus Festival—Where else but in Athens can you enjoy the great works of ancient Greek playwrights like Sophocles and Aristophanes in the city where they were originally performed? This annual celebration of music, theatre, dance and visual arts runs all summer long and features many famous international acts too.
Ejekt Music Festival—A rollicking music festival by the sea with a strong international line-up. This year’s headliner is Florence and the Machine.
What weather to expect?
33°/23° C
Take in a magical open-air performance at the ancient Epidaurus theatre.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
The Athens coast has many great spots like this for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Great things to do in Athens in August
- Take a sunset promenade through Anafiotika—a miniature Greek island village, complete with twisting alleys, painted doors and whitewashed cottages, tucked away below the Acropolis.
- Most Athenians head for the Greek islands in August. It’s your perfect window to explore the bountiful delights of the Athens Riviera.
- Go windsurfing or kitesurfing at one of the many water-sports club close to the capital.
- Dance until dawn at an outdoor nightclub by the sea. Two Athens Riviera classics are Island and Akrotiri.
- Bring your temperature down a notch at one of the city’s artisan ice cream bars.
- Retreat from the heat (and catch the last of the sales) at one of Athens’ air-conditioned shopping malls.
Get lost in the cobbled lanes of romantic Anafiotika beneath the Parthenon.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Go for the epic sunset, then stay for the August full moon at Poseidon's Temple, high above the sea in Cape Sounion.
Photo: Manos Chatzikonstantis
Join the locals by:
Booking tickets for a show at one of Athens’ atmospheric outdoor venues. From Roman amphitheatres to seaside stages, Athenians like to enjoy their culture alfresco.
Plan your trip around:
The August full moon when many of the city’s museums stay open until midnight. Entrance is free and there are musical performances.
What weather to expect?
33°/23° C
