Gazi and Kerameikos: Technopolis, nightlife and the ancient city of the dead

In Gazi, Athens did something clever: it took an old gasworks and turned it into a cultural centre. The red chimneys of Technopolis can be seen from far away, and around them spreads one of the liveliest nightlife neighbourhoods in the city. A few metres further on, behind a fence, Kerameikos keeps an ancient cemetery quiet among the greenery. Below you’ll find a walk with a map and what to do by day and by night.

At a glance

🚇 Kerameikos

Line 1 to Monastiraki, then Line 3, one stop.

🏭 Technopolis

The old gasworks, now concerts and exhibitions.

🍸 After 23:00

That’s when the bars fill up. Friday and Saturday, until morning.

🏛️ Kerameikos

The ancient cemetery, ten minutes on foot.

From gasworks to Technopolis

Gazi takes its name from the gasworks founded here in 1857 to light the streets of Athens. For over a century its furnaces burned coal and its chimneys smoked above a poor working-class neighbourhood. The plant closed for good in 1984.

In the 1990s the City of Athens rescued it, and in 1999 it opened Technopolis here, a cultural centre with concerts, festivals, exhibitions and markets. The stone buildings, the pipes, the iron gasholder and the chimneys stayed where they were. Inside is the Industrial Gas Museum, open since 2013, which shows how the plant worked and how its workers lived. It’s closed on Mondays and the ticket is very cheap.

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The tall brick chimneys of Technopolis in Gazi, above the old factory buildings — The chimneys
Gazi’s landmark, visible from far away.

Technopolis from Ermou Street, with the chimneys and old buildings — From Ermou Street
The old gasworks, at the end of Ermou Street.

The iron frame of the gasholder at Technopolis, under a cloudy sky — The gasholder
This is where the city’s gas was stored.

The courtyard of the Industrial Gas Museum with pipes, a sculpture and plants — The Gas Museum
Pipes, furnaces and machines, just as the workers left them.

A metal canopy and a chimney in the Technopolis courtyard, with the factory’s stone buildings — Inside Technopolis
Steel, stone and brick.

Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Mike Peel (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jean Housen (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

🗺️ The walk: from Technopolis to ancient Kerameikos

This route is short and flat. Do it in the early afternoon, while Kerameikos is still open, and stay in Gazi for the evening.

Kerameikos station. You come out on the square, in the heart of Gazi.
Persefonis Square. The main square, with cafés around it.
Iakchou and Persefonis streets. The streets with the bars and restaurants.
Technopolis. The chimneys and the Gas Museum, on Pireos Street.
Kerameikos Square. A quiet square between Gazi and the antiquities.
Kerameikos archaeological site. The entrance is on Ermou Street. See our guide to Kerameikos.
Thiseio station. Five minutes further down, Line 1 to Victoria.

🗺️ The Gazi and Kerameikos walk, stop by stop

From Kerameikos station, through the bar streets and Technopolis, to ancient Kerameikos and Thiseio station: about 1.5 kilometres, 25 minutes on foot without stops. Tap each number to see what it is.

Start · Kerameikos Bars and food Technopolis and antiquities End · Thiseio

Gazi at night

When the sun goes down, the Technopolis chimneys are lit red and the streets around Persefonis and Iakchou fill with people. Gazi has one of the densest clusters of bars and clubs in Athens: cocktail bars, big clubs with DJs, rooftops with Acropolis views and places with Greek music. Venues change names often, so check what’s on that day.

Athenians go out late. Dinner starts around 21:00, the bars fill after 23:00 and the clubs after midnight. Gazi is also one of the centres of LGBTQ+ nightlife in Athens, with bars for the community and for a mixed crowd.

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The Technopolis chimneys lit up red at night, above the stone buildings — The evening
The chimneys light up red.

The Technopolis gasholder lit in green and blue light at night — Light on the gasholder
The old steel becomes a stage set.

Technopolis at Christmas from above, with stalls, a lit-up tree and a carousel — Christmas
Technopolis fills with stalls and lights.

A small square in Gazi with palm trees, trees and cafés — A square in Gazi
Quiet by day, packed at night.

Photos: Andreas Messimeris (CC BY-SA 4.0), Georgios Liakopoulos (CC BY-SA 3.0), Jean Housen (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Ancient Kerameikos, next to the bars

A few minutes east of Technopolis lies Kerameikos, the largest cemetery of ancient Athens. It’s named after the kerameis, the potters who worked here. This is where the city’s great gates stood, the Dipylon and the Sacred Gate, where the Panathenaic procession and the road to Eleusis began.

Inside the site you’ll see the Street of Tombs, with grave stelae and statues, sections of the ancient walls and a small museum with sculptures and vases. It’s one of the quietest ancient sites in Athens, with greenery, frogs and turtles in the Eridanos stream. Check the opening hours, as it closes earlier in winter.

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A general view of the Kerameikos archaeological site with the church of Agia Triada behind — Kerameikos
The ancient cemetery, with Agia Triada above.

The Street of Tombs in Kerameikos with ancient funerary monuments — The Street of Tombs
Funerary monuments of classical Athens.

A marble bull ready to charge on a funerary monument in Kerameikos — The bull of Dionysios
A grave marker from the 4th century BC.

Photos: LBM1948 (CC BY-SA 4.0), George E. Koronaios (CC0, CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY-SA 4.0), DerHexer (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jebulon (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons

Food in Gazi

Before going out: tavernas and meze places around Persefonis Street, with tables outside.
Souvlaki: for something quick before or after drinks, in many spots around the square.
Quieter: for simpler food, Petralona is ten minutes south, with neighbourhood tavernas.
Late at night: bakeries and souvlaki places stay open late, especially at weekends.

Practical tips

Best time: afternoon for Kerameikos and Technopolis, after 23:00 for the bars.
Technopolis: check its programme before you go. During concerts the site is closed to anyone without a ticket.
Safety: the main streets are busy until morning. Watch your drink and your pockets, as in any nightlife area.
Wheelchair: Gazi is flat. Kerameikos has dirt paths.

🚇 How to get there from Ioulianou 50

Ioulianou 50 → Victoria station: 3 minutes on foot.
Line 1 (green), towards Piraeus: two stops to Monastiraki.
Line 3 (blue), towards Dimotiko Theatro: one stop to Kerameikos.
Kerameikos: you come out right in Gazi.

For a late return: Line 1 stops around midnight. On Saturdays Line 3 runs all night as far as Monastiraki, but Line 1 to Victoria doesn’t. A taxi to Ioulianou takes about ten minutes.

🚇 Ioulianou 50 → Gazi by metro

Line 1 to Monastiraki, change to Line 3, one stop to Kerameikos. You come out right in Gazi.

Ioulianou 50 · on foot Line 1 Line 3 Persefonis Square

Where it is in relation to the apartment

📍 From Angels Athens to the «Gazi · Kerameikos» neighbourhood

See at a glance how to get from the apartment at Ioulianou 50 to the heart of the neighbourhood. Drag the map and zoom in for details.

Angels Athens · Ioulianou 50 Gazi · Kerameikos

Frequently asked questions

Is Gazi worth it by day?

Yes, for Technopolis, the Gas Museum and ancient Kerameikos. But at night it shows its real character.

When do the bars open?

Most open in the afternoon but fill up after 23:00. On Fridays and Saturdays they stay open until morning.

Is it safe?

Yes, on the main streets with people around. Just watch your pockets and your drink.

Where should I go next?

From here, Psyrri is ten minutes east, for meze and rebetiko.

— Kathy