Best Museums in Greece

"A single avid ethnomusicologist collected almost 1200 folk instruments; the best are on display in three floors of this house-turned-museum. Headphones let visitors listen to the gaida (Greek goatskin bagpipes) and the wood planks priests on Mt Athos use to call prayer times, among other distinctly Greek sounds. Musical performances are held in the lovely garden in summer."

"This small but interesting museum is located in a beautiful old mansion in Plaka next to the Roman Agora. The Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments displays nearly 1,200 unusual instruments. The museum is especially interesting for children because they can listen to various instruments with headphones."

"1-2 Diogenes St Plaka Tel 325-0198. This is my friend Groves Willer's favorite museum in Athens and I am inclined to agree with him. It is easy to find, right across from the Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora."

"Meat lovers are in for an unforgettable treat in these awesome butcher-owned steak houses (Vasileos Pavlou 103, Voula - Skoufa 52, Kolonaki)."

"New York Sandwiches in the neighborhood of Ambelokipi serves some of the most delicious burgers in Athens, in an environment which will remind you of New York. The burgers are made with 100% premium beef, hand formed and griddled to perfection. Try the 5th Ave Pastrami burger with melted emmenthal cheese and pickles, or if you prefer a snack, the New Yorker mini burger with melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, onions, tomato and mustard, ketchup and mayo sauce, is ideal."

"A bit of New York aura finds its way to Ampelokipoi where diner New York Sandwiches offers smiling staff serving French toast, Eggs Benedict, American pancakes (the praline pancake is particularly good), bagels with various fillings, burgers, salads and, of course, New York cheesecake for dessert. Wash down with strong filter coffee, a fresh juice or a Bloody Mary."

"All right, we’ll admit, there’s nothing like a real New York bagel, but New York Sandwiches provides a decent substitute, and lots of other options for hungry brunch-goers. It’s very classic and straightforward, including omelettes, several varieties of eggs benedict, and even steak and eggs. It has a location in Syntagma and another in Ambelokipi."

"One of the best places to taste a local brunch in Athens is located in the heart of the cool Thission neighborhood. All the young hipsters in town gather around this trendy bar located just a few blocks away from the Acropolis. Coffee cannot be skipped in the morning and that’s the right place to taste it: the award-wining baristas of The Underdog roast their own coffee and you can even purchase a package to bring it back home as a souvenir of your Greek vacation."

"The Underdog is a coffee shop in Athens with world-class roastery vibes. It is also a coffee roastery and bar but they are really known for their specialty coffees, especially their flat white. On any given day, you’ll find 10 espresso roasts from South America and Africa available to try."

"You finally made it to the Acropolis – now after that epic sightseeing, it’s time for a coffee!. And maybe something a little stronger… The beautifully designed Underdog is both a bar and a café in one. Décor almost as great as the coffee."

"Located in an industrial building in the Gazi Technopolis Park, this rooftop where you can have a drink in Athens is more known for its musical offer than for its views. The absence of pretty panoramas is fortunately compensated by a discovery of the typical Athenian festive atmosphere. At Le Gazarte, you can enjoy a relaxed and musical atmosphere that is ideal for meeting locals."

"After dinner, keep the night going at the arty music café, Hoxton, with live music at Gazarte, or with a techno rave vibe at PIXI. If a Wild Night Out is Not Your Scene... go for a dinner surrounded by the best view in Athens instead. Orizontes Lycabettus is at the top of the rocky outcrop called Lycabettus Hill."

"It takes chutzpah to open a 'Japanese Pub + Grill' on the same street as the best sushi restaurant in Athens (Sushimou). But self-styled 'chef-butcher' Ari Vezenes pulls in the after-work drinks crowd to his latest venture. A wooden counter lined with chunky oak stools runs the length of the narrow space, a warm cocoon of wood panelling, glazed tiles, and diffused light."

"The first bar in Athens to rank among the World’s Best Bars, this jaunty cocktail mecca wears its many accolades lightly after a decade in the limelight. As the name suggests, the rum list is exceptional (your aged rum comes with a nugget of dark chocolate) and their mai tai, zombie and tiki punch are pitch perfect every time. Add a tropical-meets-mid-century backdrop, sultry lighting, and a soundtrack that swings between Cuban boleros and Jamaican dancehall, and you have all the ingredients of a Caribbean holiday in downtown Athens."

"A few twists and turns away from Syntagma Square near the hip and happening Romvis St, you will find Baba au Rum that was established by Thanos Prounarous, a pioneer in the Greek bar scene. Having won several awards over the last few years and listed as one of the best rum bars in the world (The Rum Society) this eclectic bar has become renowned for its premium selection of rum and other spirits. Exotic drinks and cocktails are mixed with organic herbs and unexpected spices."

"Tiki styling and a soundtrack of Cuban boleros create the illusion that it's always summer at Baba Au Rum. It consistently appears in the World's 50 Best Bars awards, and the rum list alone is seven pages long. Signature cocktails are inspired by everything from Baudelaire to Barbados."