Pay homage to Athen's most impressive legacy- the Acropolis, haggled with
the merchants in the old Turkish bazaar around Monastiraki Square and Explored the 19th-century quarter of Plaka … all before noon. Now you are ready to drink like Dionysus.
Where to crash
Athens' first "hip hotel," the Semiramis, is located in Kifissia, a wealthy suburb about 10 miles north of the city center.
Styled by trendy designer Karim Rashid, the hotel has such features as a shining-pink cube in the entrance, a rotating collection of contemporary art in the rooms, and digitally
programmed door signs.
NightLife
What's a Flagrant without checking out the nightlife?
Bars are the staple of Greek nightlife, with new establishments opening every week. In summer, many of the most popular spots, especially dance clubs, move to temporary venues along the coast (check with your hotel concierge on seasonal places of clubs).
Frequented by the under-30 crowd, these clubs are usually huge, lively, and packed.
Getting to them can be a nightmare, especially on weekends, when the coastal road, Poseidonos, becomes a kilometers-long traffic jam.
Most bars stay open at least until 3 AM. Drinks are rather steep (around EUR6) but generous, and often there is a surcharge on weekend nights at the most popular clubs. Foreigners usually get in automatically; large groups of single men may have some trouble on a busy night. Most clubs and bars do not take credit cards for drinks.
From September to May, Athen's beautiful people make an appearance at Central to see and be seen in the cool, creamy interior while enjoying cocktails and sushi.
From May to September, Central is closed in town; it reopens on the coast as Island, which is dreamily decked out in gauzy linens and directly overlooks the Aegean.
with notes from Fodors and USA Today
