Destinations & Culture

Athens, Greece

Why Athens is worth more than a stopover

Athens after dark, as George Calombaris knows it from years of returning.

6 min read

Athens is one of the coolest European cities right now.

George Calombaris

Ask George Calombaris what he does when he lands in Athens, a city he returns to every year, and the answer is simple: “Just eat and drink.”

It’s also his advice to the growing number of people asking him what to do in the Greek capital. “There isn't a week that goes by where people aren't asking me, oh, you know, what do I do when I go to Athens now?” he says.

His answer? “It's the new Berlin.” For George, it’s the city’s creative energy, artists and ever-evolving food and bar scene that make it so compelling.

It’s a different take on a city many travellers treat as little more than a stopover before the Greek islands, with the Acropolis as the main event. George isn’t dismissing the ancient landmark. He just prefers to take it in from a rooftop bar.

So, beyond the postcard view, where does he go, who does he see and what does he eat and drink? Here’s George’s Athens, stop by stop.

A basement taverna with two doors

Start where George starts: the markets. Among the stalls selling meat, fish and local produce, he heads to Diporto, a traditional koutouki — a basement taverna tucked beneath the streets of Athens.

“It's in a basement,” he says. “It's one door to go in and one door to go out.” The name Diporto means “double doors”, and the place is said to date back to 1887.

Inside, there’s little to distract you from the food. George describes an older man working a small charcoal grill, a casserole of the day, often something fish-based such as sardines, and a single salad. White wine is poured, bread lands on the table, and that’s lunch. There’s no menu to deliberate over and no lengthy list of choices. You eat, pay and leave. Today, the simplicity draws a crowd, so allow time if you’re planning a visit.

It’s this mix of old and new that helps explain why George calls Athens the new Berlin. Beneath the city’s creative energy and evolving food scene, places like Diporto hold onto a way of doing things that hasn’t changed much in generations. For George, exploring the markets with chef Polychronis Damalas is as much about discovering unfamiliar ingredients as understanding the culture behind them. In Athens, the next great food discovery might not be a new opening, but a basement taverna that’s been serving lunch for more than a century.

No.1

Line, Athens, in Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026

1887

Year Diporto taverna dates from, per the Athens guide

12 April

Greek Orthodox Easter in 2026

The bar that is not about grapes

From a basement taverna steeped in tradition to a bar pushing the boundaries of what a drink can be, George’s Athens is full of contrasts. His next stop is Line, a cocktail bar in Kato Petralona, set inside a former art gallery and run by two people he thinks are doing something special.

“These boys are super cool,” he says. George calls Line “sensational” and rates it the best bar in the world. The accolades are impressive, too: Line ranked No. 1 in Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026 and No. 5 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026.

What makes it stand out is what happens behind the bar. George describes a philosophy built around taking produce from a biodynamic farm and bringing it straight to the venue, where it becomes something entirely new. Line’s fermentation lab and house-made fruit wines put that thinking into practice, turning seasonal ingredients into drinks that go well beyond the usual cocktail list. Like Berlin, Athens is reinventing its creative scene without losing sight of what came before.

The team’s creativity extends to Otto’s Athens Vermouth, made with Attica wine and Greek herbs. Its name nods to King Otto, the Bavarian-born first king of modern Greece, and a 19th-century Athens tradition of vermouth-making that inspired the recipe.

“Why would Greeks be making vermouth?” George asks. The answer lies in Athens’ long history of absorbing outside influences and making them its own — a quality that feels distinctly in step with the city he calls the new Berlin. Here, tradition isn’t something to leave behind. It’s something to build on.

Bouzoukia starts at midnight

To see the Athens George knows, you have to stay up late. Like Berlin, the city comes alive after midnight, with a nightlife shaped by its own culture and traditions. George’s next stop is bouzoukia, the live-music clubs where Greece’s biggest singers take the stage on Friday and Saturday nights. Some are friends of his, and he knows the scene well. The shows, he says, can run until seven in the morning.

But the music is only part of the spectacle. Greek pop fills the room, crowds dance and carnations fly towards the stage in appreciation of the performers. With tableside service and a party that lasts until dawn, bouzoukia are as much a social ritual as a night out.

George is just as fascinated by the crowd, from shipping tycoons to groups of friends sharing a table. The flower-throwing, the late hours and the sheer energy of the room make for a distinctly Greek night out.

One place to experience it is Posidonio, on the Athens Riviera, known for its late-starting live shows. It’s a different side of Athens from the markets and experimental cocktail bars, but it captures what George loves about the city: a place where tradition and modern culture meet, and the night is far from over at midnight.

Old traditions, new flavours

For George, Athens’ appeal goes beyond food and nightlife. Greek Easter offers another glimpse of the city’s character. “Forget Christmas,” he says. After 40 days of Lent, the celebrations build through services on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, culminating in a midnight ceremony of candlelight before families head home for a traditional bowl of soup. George calls it magical.

That deep-rooted tradition exists alongside a more experimental food scene. At Kapsa, his friend Christoforos gives souvlaki a modern twist, cooking over vertical charcoal grills and pairing the meat with an unexpected curry mayonnaise. It’s this interplay between the old and the new that underpins George’s “new Berlin” comparison: a city proud of its traditions, yet always finding new ways to express them.

Is Athens worth more than a day or two?

George Calombaris thinks so. He describes a city of markets, bars, late-night music and all kinds of souvlaki well beyond the Acropolis. That is his view, and he has returned every year.

Is Line the best bar in Europe?

Line ranked No.1 in Europe's 50 Best Bars 2026 and No.5 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2026.

What time does a bouzoukia night start?

Around midnight, according to venue reviews, and it can run to the early morning. Weekend tables usually need to be reserved.

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More of George's Athens

George goes back to Athens every year and keeps a long list of the places he returns to. Follow him to see where he goes next.

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