Greece has both an ancient history and a dynamic present. From archaeological sights to film and music festivals, there's a lot to see and do. You can view the marble statue of Aphrodite at the National Archaeological Museum, check out the indie rock scene in Salonika and marvel at the contemporary art in Athens' small galleries.

Film Festivals

First held in 1960, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival has become a 10-day event, drawing over 70,000 people to more than 150 Greek and foreign films across the city's cinemas. Francis Ford Coppola, Faye Dunaway and Catherine Deneuve have all served as jury members at the festival. A bit more obscure, the VideoDance Festival presents a showcase of the latest experiments in media and movement. The seven-day festival is meant to spark dialogue between those in film and dance.

Contemporary Art Museums

Athens is studded with small contemporary galleries, including the well-known E31, Artaz, Alogo and Fizz. In Salonika, check out the State Museum of Contemporary Art, containing 1,275 pieces of prominent Russian avant-garde artists and a significant number of paintings and sculptures by Greek and foreign artists. The museum's Center for Contemporary Art also profiles emerging artists in the region.

Historical Museums

Greece is home to almost a hundred museums. Among the most well known is the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Called "one of the world's great museums" by Lonely Planet, this is the place to see some of the most important finds from Greece's archaeological sites, including mummies, ancient pottery and a marble statue of Aphrodite. Athens is chock full of museums, including the well-known Acropolis Museum, the Museum of the Ancient Agora and the Attica Museum. Even the airport has a free museum, located on the second floor upstairs from the Olympic Airlines ticketing center.

Athens Nightlife

Set in a former paint factory, Bios claims to be "Athens centre for today's art and cross media." The bar hosts DJs, screens art videos and occasionally transforms itself into a modern art exhibition space. Other music venues in Athens include Perivoli T'Ouranou (for traditional Greek music), Gagarin 205 (for metal) and An Club (for rock). In the summer months, the Rockwave Festival in Malakassa, a short drive from Athens, hosts a range of international musicians and thousands of sweaty concert goers.

Nightlife Outside of Athens

When you've had enough of the crowds and ancient ruins in Athens, slip into party clothes and head to a club outside the city. Specifically, check out the thriving alternative music club scene at Salonika, called the "Seattle of the Balkans" by the New York Times. Here, you can grab drinks, see contemporary art and hobnob with Greece's young and creative class. Be sure to visit Mylos, a former flour factory transformed in 1991 into an entertainment complex, and Xylourgeio, which spotlights experimental and alternative music.