10 Best Rooftop Bars in Athens for Views, Cocktails and Summer Nights
Anglais Athens
Updated June 2026
Here is the truth about Athens rooftop bars in 2026. The view sells the drink. The drink does not always sell itself. Cocktails on the good rooftops are running €14 to €18, sometimes €22 if the bar is famous enough to charge it. That is the going rate for an Acropolis sunset, and depending on the bar, it is either worth every cent or a hostage situation with a view.
This is our 2026 list. The ten rooftops we send our own family to, ranked by which one we would pick first if we only had one night in Athens and the sun was already low. No tourist trap padding, no “hidden gems” that are quietly packed by 7pm. The honest version.
How to do Athens rooftops without losing the night
A few ground rules before the list:
Arrive by 6pm. The good rooftops do not take reservations for bar seats, and the Acropolis-facing tables fill an hour before sunset. By 7pm in summer you are queueing on a stairwell.
Book the dinner ones. Restaurants on rooftops (GB Roof Garden, Taratsa, Retirè) do take bookings. Book a week ahead in June through September. Two days ahead the rest of the year.
Eat before you drink. Greek cocktails are stronger than they taste and the meze on offer is small and expensive. Have dinner first, then climb up for one drink.
The view costs more than the drink. A €16 cocktail with no Acropolis view is overpriced. A €16 cocktail with a full unobstructed Parthenon is fair.
Friday and Saturday are tourist nights. Sunday through Wednesday is when Athenians go. Quieter, easier, same view.
The 10 best Athens rooftop bars for 2026
1. A for Athens, Monastiraki
The one we put first. A boutique hotel rooftop on the 7th floor of the A for Athens hotel, looking directly at the Acropolis from about 300 metres away. The view is full, unobstructed, and ridiculous. Cocktails €12 to €15, first-come first-served, get there by 6pm in summer if you want a bar seat. The energy is young, loud and Greek as much as it is tourist. If you only do one rooftop in Athens, this is it.
2. Taratsa, Mitropoleos
Opened 2024, already on every Athens list worth reading. Above Mitropoleos Street, just south of Syntagma. Smaller than A for Athens, more polished, food worth ordering rather than just snacking on. The menu leans Eastern Mediterranean. The view is direct Acropolis, slightly higher angle than A for Athens, lit beautifully after dark. Book ahead. Cocktails sit around €16.
3. 360 Cocktail Bar, Monastiraki Square
The 360-degree view bar above Monastiraki Square. Acropolis on one side, Lycabettus on another, mountains stretching out behind. The drinks are well-made and the staff have been there long enough to know what they are doing. Slightly older crowd than A for Athens, less of a queue, the view is the trade-off (you get more directions but slightly less Parthenon).
4. GB Roof Garden, Hotel Grande Bretagne
The grown-up choice. Hotel Grande Bretagne rooftop, Syntagma Square, full dinner restaurant with sweeping views from the Acropolis to Lycabettus Hill. Not cheap. Cocktails €22 and up, dinner mains €45 to €75. What you pay for is the white-tablecloth service, the calm crowd, and the fact that you can sit there for three hours and never feel rushed. The 50th anniversary year (2026 marks 50 years of the GB Roof Garden) is worth marking with a drink even if dinner is out of budget. Book.
5. Retirè, Ergon House
The Athenian local favourite. Top floor of Ergon House on Mitropoleos Street. Smaller crowd than the tourist-heavy rooftops, better cocktails than most, food that locals come back for. The Acropolis view is front-row but slightly off-centre, which is part of the charm. Booking is wise on weekends.
6. Thea Terrace Bar, Plaka
Down in the Plaka tangle, closer to the Acropolis than almost any other rooftop in Athens. The Parthenon is so close it feels like you could throw a coin into it. Smaller scene, less polished than the Monastiraki rooftops, but if proximity is what you want, Thea wins. Good for first-night-in-Athens drinks before walking back down through Plaka for dinner.
7. Attic Urban Rooftop, Athens centre
Newer entry. A restaurant-bar with full Acropolis views and a slightly more design-forward feel than the older players. The food is solid, the cocktails creative, and it has not been overrun yet. One to try in 2026 before the queues catch up to it.
8. Couleur Locale, Monastiraki
The cheap option, and a good one. Open during the day too, which is rare for rooftop bars in Athens. The Acropolis view is full, the prices are 30% lower than the polished competitors (cocktails around €10 to €12, beers €6), and the vibe is unfussed. Great for a daytime drink before dinner. Entrance is through a clothing shop on Normanou Street, which is half the fun.
9. Sky Bar at Athens Was Hotel, Acropolis foot
Behind the Acropolis Museum, at the foot of the rock. The view from here is unusual: you are looking up at the Parthenon rather than across at it, and you get the south slope theatres in the same frame. Quieter than the Monastiraki crowd, expensive cocktails, but the angle alone is worth one round.
10. Galaxy Bar at Hilton Athens, Ilisia
Furthest from the Acropolis, the only rooftop on the list that does not put the Parthenon in your photo. What it gives you instead is the whole Athens skyline, Lycabettus front and centre, and a more glamorous vibe than the Monastiraki bars. Not for first-time visitors. For repeat travellers who have already done the Acropolis rooftops and want something different on night three or four.
Where we send Aussies first
If you have one Athens night, go to A for Athens. Arrive at 6pm, grab a seat, watch the sun set behind the Parthenon, then walk down to Plaka or Monastiraki for dinner. Whole evening sorted for under €30 a head on drinks.
If you have two nights, do A for Athens on night one and Taratsa or Retirè on night two (with dinner booked at Taratsa).
If you have three or more, build in GB Roof Garden for the proper grown-up evening. Worth the price once.
If you are travelling with kids or non-drinkers, Couleur Locale is the friendly one. The day rooftop also works as a coffee spot, which the others do not.
The rooftops we do not recommend
A few of the big-name rooftops trade entirely on their view and have stopped putting effort into anything else. The drinks are weak, the service is slow, the food is microwaved, and the prices are highest. We are not naming names in writing, but a good rule of thumb: if a rooftop is on every tour guide’s list and gets coachloads, skip it. The view is the same from the rooftops one street over.
Athens rooftop neighbourhoods, briefly
Monastiraki and Plaka. Closest to the Acropolis, best for first-time visitors, all the heavy-hitter rooftops are here. A for Athens, 360, Couleur Locale, Thea, Taratsa all within walking distance of each other.
Syntagma. The grown-up scene. GB Roof Garden, Retirè. Easier crowds, higher prices.
Psyrri. The cool kids’ neighbourhood. Smaller rooftops, less of a view, but the after-rooftop dinner scene is the best in Athens. Pair a Monastiraki rooftop drink with a Psyrri taverna for the perfect night.
Koukaki. South side of the Acropolis. Local vibe, fewer tourists, the rooftops here look at the south slope rather than the Parthenon face. Worth it if you are staying in this neighbourhood already.
Cycladic Spaces tip: bring a light jumper or wrap even in July. The wind picks up after dark on every Athens rooftop, and once the sun goes down the temperature drops 5 to 8 degrees. Nothing kills a sunset drink faster than goosebumps. Also, wear shoes you can walk in. Half the good rooftops involve a stairwell or three.
Retiré Bar at Ergon House
FAQs
What time do Athens rooftop bars open?
Most open at 6 or 7pm in summer, earlier (3 or 4pm) for the ones that do daytime drinks like Couleur Locale. Closing is usually 2am, later on weekends.
Do I need to book Athens rooftop bars?
For dinner spots like GB Roof Garden, Taratsa and Retirè, yes, book a few days ahead. For drinks-only rooftops like A for Athens, 360 and Couleur Locale, you cannot book a bar seat. Get there before 6pm to claim one.
How much do drinks cost on Athens rooftops?
Cocktails range from €10 (Couleur Locale) to €22 (GB Roof Garden). Most sit in the €14 to €16 range. Beers are usually €6 to €9. Wine by the glass starts around €8.
Are Athens rooftop bars open in winter?
The hotel rooftops (GB Roof Garden, A for Athens) stay open year-round, usually with covered or heated sections in winter. The smaller independent rooftops mostly close from November to March.
Which Athens rooftop has the best Acropolis view?
A for Athens has the most direct, unobstructed full Acropolis view. Thea is the closest physically. GB Roof Garden has the widest panoramic view including the Acropolis. Different best for different reasons.
Can I take kids to Athens rooftop bars?
The dinner ones (GB Roof Garden, Taratsa, Retirè) yes, before 8pm. The drinks-only bars technically yes, but the late evening vibe is not built for kids. Couleur Locale works during the day.
