Must-see nightlife in Northern Greece

  • Chatzi Bahtse

    Thessaloniki

    A little out of the way, this is the place to go for rembetika (urban 'blues') and other unamplified strains of traditional Greek song. Three brothers…

  • Magio

    Macedonia

    A wonderland of judiciously assembled kitsch, this two-storey cafe-bar in an arcade in central Florina is a great alternative to the smoke-filled caffeine…

  • Bátrachos

    Macedonia

    Follow the scent of freshly brewed coffee to this welcomingly off-kilter little cafe-bar, festively decorated in most of the primary colours. There is a…

  • Café Palermo

    Thessaloniki

    A lovely oasis of potted plants, geometric tiles, slanting coloured light, bentwood chairs and vintage ephemera awaits those who find Palermo, up an…

  • Coo

    Thessaloniki

    What started as a venue to promote the musical creations of a few friends morphed into Coo, the fantastic alternative bar of today. Coo often hosts live…

  • Briki

    Macedonia

    Hands-down Kavala's best-situated cafe, Briki sits pretty at the southern end of the Panagia peninsula, its wood-and-stone, bric-a-brac–crammed interior…

  • Arte Povera

    Ioannina

    This sweet house-turned-cafe is so relaxed and welcoming, you could easily spend hours here – there's coffee, homemade sweets, salads and a lovely garden…

  • Its Kale Cafe

    Ioannina

    This lovely cafe in a stone house inside the citadel draws just as many locals as visitors. It serves food, but most people come for a coffee and chat in…

  • Botilia sto Pelago

    Preveza

    This 'art cafe' is a pretty place to enjoy a morning or afternoon coffee or, by night, a Belgian beer and some acoustic music.

  • Thermaïkos

    Thessaloniki

    A marvellously mixed crowd plies this unpretentious waterfront bar, named after the gulf that forms the view. The chequerboard-tiled interior embraces…

  • Skyline

    Thessaloniki

    A tacky yet thoroughly enjoyable throwback, this revolving bar-and-restaurant sits atop the OTE Tower, a 76m-high spired statement of the 1960s from which…

  • TOMS Flagship

    Thessaloniki

    Set inside the courtyard of the Old Post Office building, this friendly, vintage-strewn space offers good coffee, drinks, brunches and books to browse…

  • Gorílas

    Thessaloniki

    This ultrapopular cocktail bar is all industrial interiors and serious attitudes – when it comes to cocktails. Thankfully the welcome comes without…

  • Mpate Skyloi

    Thessaloniki

    This punk- and alternative-oriented dive bar is the place to come for beer, good company and three-minute, three-chord rock songs. If you're not there…

  • Vogatsikou 3

    Thessaloniki

    Locals consider this darkly stylish cocktail bar to be the best in town. If you like your drinks fancy and shaken, you'll enjoy poring over a long menu of…

  • Hoppy Pub

    Thessaloniki

    With 18 beers on tap, and many more behind glass, Hoppy is Thessaloniki's most dedicated purveyor of craft and obscure froth. Beers change every week,…

  • To Pikap

    Thessaloniki

    This grab-bag of groovy businesses, anchored on a gregariously smoky cafe-bar, also accommodates a record shop, a few racks of designer T-shirts and even…

  • Women's Cafe

    Macedonia

    A superfriendly cake shop run by the wonderful Flora, where you can sip tea and coffee by day and enjoy drinks by night, and eat homemade sweets. The…

  • The Jam

    Macedonia

    There are more animated spots within earshot, but this relaxed little cafe-bar plays good music, makes good coffee and serves stronger stuff for the…

  • Tribeca

    Thessaloniki

    Pushing the food almost as much as the cocktails, this gleamingly kempt bar makes the most of its harbourside position with enormous plate-glass windows…

  • Veranda

    Parga

    It's hard to compete with the breezy waterfront bars, but Veranda has two assets: a grand view (nice at sunset) and quality cocktails shaken up by the now…

  • On the Road

    Thessaloniki

    This charismatic waterfront cafe-bar is packed with nomads and locals – its rock soundtrack, lack of glitz and general likeness to the captain's quarters…

  • Cafe Nikis 35

    Thessaloniki

    Sitting just below street level, this snug waterfront cafe-bar is perfect for a Sunday-morning coffee (€3) or afternoon beer (€4). It's sometimes a good…

  • Fragile

    Thessaloniki

    Surrounded by the neighbourhood's dark office blocks and dive bars, this rooftop bar has views that are more Gotham City than postcard-pretty, but no…

  • Berlin

    Thessaloniki

    Berlin has operated since 1979, and still welcomes a crowd of bleary-eyed party people seeking a grunge or Gothic fix to see them through until morning…

  • Seitan Pazar

    Preveza

    This bar-restaurant sits away from the water, but it's worth the walk for the lovely setting. In summer, its tables fill the narrow street, under shady…

  • La Doze

    Thessaloniki

    Skateboarding students and sports-car collectors mingle for cocktails and freestyle-DJ action at this legendary Valaoritou hangout. Put your trust in La…

  • Goa Beach Bar

    Macedonia

    This famed beach bar on a sheltered cove 4km south of Sarti pours drinks day and night in the season. It's reached via a rough and steepish track, so you…

  • Cafe Jasmine

    Thessaloniki

    The cosy interior cheerfully blends classic countryside Greece and colourful retro, with space for just a few tables. Along with coffees and drinks,…

  • Nouvelle Vague

    Macedonia

    Another of Kavala's linger-worthy cafe-bars, Nouvelle Vague entices with eclectic decor, a (nearly) portside terrace, and good coffee and cocktails. It's…

  • High School Pizza Bar

    Thessaloniki

    This nostalgic bar and pizzeria has some of the best cocktails in Thessaloniki's port area. The decor evokes school days past with pencil candleholders,…

  • Iktinou au Trottoir

    Thessaloniki

    Tucked away on pedestrian alley Iktinou, this bar sparkles at night with cocktails as rainbow-coloured as the fairy lights strung around the outdoor area…

  • En Arti

    Epiros

    This very hip little cafe makes a nice break after the Parigoritissa Church across the road. It has seats outdoors across the road, and at night it often…

  • Gambrinus

    Thessaloniki

    If your love of guitar music is matched only by your devotion to popcorn and beer, step into the darkness of this Czech-inspired place. Central European…

  • Palio

    Epiros

    This cosy bar-cafe sits at one end of Konitsa's old market street, with seats outside under the plane tree on warm nights. The tsipouro flows freely, as…

  • Apallou

    Epiros

    Konitsa's all-day coffee-to-cocktails cafe has a fantastic view, in addition to quality caffeine and a lively nighttime scene. Look for it inside the…

  • Wood & Rock

    Macedonia

    From chamomile teas to Campari and everything in between, this cafe-bar at the bottom of Panagia is housed in one of the quarter's most historic buildings…

  • Skala

    Ioannina

    An old stone house with several rooms, this cafe-bar has a cosy, slightly jumbled feel that's not unlike a rural English pub. In warm weather, there are…

  • Enola

    Thessaloniki

    Anything from 1980s to karaoke to thumping dance music can be danced to at Enola, Thessaloniki's liveliest gay bar. Enter from the Valaoritou side and…

  • Olympion Café

    Macedonia

    This lively cafe on pedestrianised Pavlou Mela is where Florina's young and glamorous come to sip an iced coffee during the day, or something stronger in…