Fun and entertainment Crete

Look up: on a terrace overlooking the lake and the sea, at the top of a building, from which decibels of music and laughter cascade, is this cocktail bar drowned in the vegetation. It is without a doubt the liveliest bar in the city. More than a hundred cocktails are offered, as well as a wide range of other drinks. It's not surprising that all generations choose this bar to dance until 5am!

Located in the heart of the historic centre of Réthymnon, this all-day bar-restaurant is well worth a visit. There is a good chance of attending one of the live musical evenings that take place very often or a theme evening. Otherwise, the DJs provide lively evenings every day. In short, this establishment is a meeting place for local youth, providing entertainment and friendliness. From morning until very late at night, you have a good reason to visit him: brunch, snacks, desserts, salads, burgers, among others.

A meeting place not to be missed, in the heart of the old town, which rhymes with refinement, conviviality, quality of drinks and good music. The decor is imposed by the ruins of the old buildings abandoned after the Second World War and which have housed this open-air bar reflecting, for some, a Venetian air. The rich cocktail menu is prepared by award-winning professionals. Among the cocktails, we recommend the two signatures: Sinagogis Them, gin flavored with jasmine, and the Med Fresh, with flavors of tangerine, cardamom and mastic of Chios.

A warm welcome from Lucky, who loves to tell the history of the village. In this traditional café, you can drink and dance to Greek music or, occasionally, rock'n'roll. The café also provides flashlights for visiting the caves. Several soul and blues music personalities frequent the village of Azogires and this café. In 2017, blues musician Archi Lee Cooper was awarded the title of honorary citizen by the village council..

One of the first establishments to serve cocktails, over 30 years ago. Today it is a splendid bar-cafe that offers all-day dining with hearty breakfasts in the morning, all-day brunches, and international snacks to accompany your evening nectars. The coffee is delicious, the cocktails are well prepared. Mention for the view, from the terrace perched above the Gioma Meze, or on the small square in the shade of the pines.

At the Café du Lac, you come to enjoy the quietness of the place and admire the view of Lake Voulismeni. In the morning, you can have your coffee or breakfast there. Later in the day, fast food and snacks of very good quality are offered. Very pleasant to have a glass of good wine accompanied by a cheese platter. This is an ideal place to sip a cocktail, with music that is always quiet. The prices are higher than elsewhere, but the view and the atmosphere will reward you. Good address for lovers.

Tables and chairs set up on the beach in the shade of the tamarind trees, a little set back from the sea. A very pleasant and quiet place to take refuge to let the hot afternoon hours go by. Salads, snacks, some light meals are also served here... The list of cocktails is rich: if you don't find what you are looking for, ask the waiters if you want a tailor-made cocktail with the ingredients of your choice. Ideal to refresh yourself between two swims. Relaxed atmosphere. A good choice!

This blue bar, located in the centre of Paleohora, in one of the busiest and most lively streets of the city, is open all year round with the Nikos twirl. To take away or to consume on the spot, installed around the tables in front of the establishment, you can enjoy your coffee, a fresh fruit juice, a beer, a cocktail, some snacks or salads. This is the place to come if you want to mix with the locals and watch the Formula 1 races or the football matches of your favourite clubs. Always friendly.

Huge nightclub, located in Platanias, close to the beach and which has been making clubbers happy for more than 25 years. Probably the most famous club in Crete, but behave yourself: the staff and the bouncers are fed up with tourists who drink too much and behave badly. This is a very popular nightclub for the locals and very lively. If you are respectful, there should be no problem at the entrance. During the day, there is also a beach bar that rents sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach.

One of the bars in the center where you can have your breakfast in the morning, your coffee in the afternoon and your cocktail in the evening. It is one of the nicest and most exclusive bars in the city, with its wooded decor, lounge music and mixed clientele of Greeks and tourists. It also serves snacks and nibbles. Agios Bar won the prize for the best cocktail in Crete in 2020! It is a meeting place, a social and cheerful place in the center of the village, with a very good quality of service and well-made liquors.

For those who love lively evenings or want to know the nightlife of this city! Metropolis Society Bar is one of the best known bars in Rethymnon. Located in the Venetian port, open all year round, it is full of students in the off-season, but locals and, in recent years, tourists have been flocking there in the summer as well. Mainstream music and classics from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. DJ but also some live parties: check the programme. A good way to party and meet the youth of Rethymnon.

This all-day bar-café located on the road along the beach of Réthymnon is renowned for its lively nights. Great list of original cocktails, great atmosphere, and from time to time live musical evenings. Ideal for brunch or breakfast, especially if you like salty or sweet pancakes. Very good fast food and dishes inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. Very beautiful spacious terrace full of small potted palm trees that make sunsets even more pleasant. Professional and friendly staff.

A must for food lovers, the Kookoovaya is an allday cafe/tea house offering, above all, a breathtaking view of the sea and the city of Hania. Located in Akrotiri, at the end of the esplanade known as "the tombs of Venizelon", the establishment is a meeting point for the locals who love to have gourmet breaks and take time to relax in a very pleasant setting. Among the pastries, we recommend the chocolate cake with chocolate syrup, the walnut cake with a scoop of ice cream... Several snacks as well.

On the first floor of the Polydoros Hotel, a tastefully appointed family-run establishment in the center of Paleochora, between the Pachia Ammos and Chalikia beaches. Set in a beautiful open-air garden, the hotel's wine bar offers over 40 different Cretan wines by the glass. A place to enjoy some of Crete's finest wines, before dinner or later in the evening, away from the busy tourist life of Paleochora, in a very pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.

This cosy lounge café is housed in a former ice cream factory dating from the first half of the ^20th century. Today, the foundations of the building preserve vestiges of the ancient Byzantine and Venetian periods, as well as interwar warehouses. Popular with locals, especially young people, the Pagopoieion offers brunch, popular world dishes (pasta, burgers, pizzas, etc.), salads, pastries and, later in the evening, cocktails.

A must for jazz and blues fans, this bar also caters for all those who want to enjoy the great classics of the soul and funk scene, as well as authentic Cretan music on live evenings. Located right in the heart of the market, it has become a night-time meeting place unlike any other in Agia Galini: it's a place where customers are encouraged to talk to each other, which is why mobiles don't go by the wayside! Not to be missed during your stay, if only for the quality of the drinks and the atmosphere!

The city of Hania is full of cafés and bars with a certain charm, and unusual establishments, each more original than the last. The Ride is a café-bar that lives to the rhythm of the bicycle! Not far from the old port, this former bicycle garage, run by a cyclist, is the place where lovers of this sport meet to share their passion with others! Whether you feel like having a coffee or tasting a beer or a cocktail later in the evening, this establishment can offer you long moments of conviviality.

The Reggae Vibes music festival took place for the first time in 2007 on the beach of Almyros. Since then, it has been a unique institution and musical event for fans of reggae and dub music, not only in Crete, but also in the rest of Greece. It takes place every year uniting many world famous bands. With a growing success, the festival contributes, in its own way, to the cultural and touristic development of the Lassithi region.

Hania's sailing club café is a must. It is located in the Moro Arsenal, built in 1607 under the Venetian occupation and beautifully restored. In this imposing building you can enjoy a coffee or a drink from morning until late at night. The pace is maritime, frantic and lively. Enjoy the setting sun and the view of the lighthouse while sitting on the terrace. The staff is lovely and quiet, which doesn't spoil the whole. Little tip: take your freddo to go and walk on the pier, between the horizon and the old port.

A cozy bar housed in the ancient monastery of Karolos, where you can enjoy the charming interior garden, its fresh stone arcades and its young and fashionable population. Very pleasant during the long summer evenings. The cocktails are prepared with taste and seriousness, and the thirst for the merry nocturnal nocturnals who find themselves here. The hotel also offers numerous cultural events and never forget children (puppet shows, theater…). You will find the program on the Internet.