It used to be all about chasing the light of the sun, but this year, travel has a darker side, and it’s all about starry skies and after-dark adventures. Noctourism, which refers to travel focused on nighttime experiences, is booming and is set to be one of the hottest travel trends for 2025 as more and more travelers opt for unique, after-dark experiences. From stargazing under the Acropolis to a full moon picnic on a remote, sandy beach, Greece can be a fascinating dark sky destination for those seeking unforgettable travel experiences under the night sky.
Booking.com has named noctourism a top travel trend for 2025, describing it as a desire to “ditch the daylight crowds for midnight magic.” A global survey of more than 27,000 travelers by the company showed nearly two in three travelers said they have considered “darker side destinations” for activities such as stargazing (72 percent), once-in-a-lifetime cosmic events (59 percent), and constellation tracking (57 percent). Most activities involve the night sky but several others happen on the ground.
“Noctourism is set to transform travel in 2025 as night own travelers are increasingly seeking unique after-dark experiences,” said Wayfairer Travel CEO Jay Stevens. The luxury travel company said noctourism experiences rose 25 percent in the past year, with requests for Northern Light viewings in Norway and Iceland to night diving in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Ahead of the trend is journalist Stephanie Vermillion, author of the new National Geographic book 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Adventures After Dark, which details all the adventures you can have after dark, from lantern festivals to sleeping under the stars.
“Just being out in the dark, whether it’s a full-moon hike or a twilight safari, adds a layer of excitement, mystery and adventure,” she said. “And I think nature becomes even more enchanting at night, with sparkly fireflies, kaleidoscopic auroras and the animal kingdom’s nocturnal soundtrack -the night provides such a visceral reminder of our world’s multi-sensory beauty.”
Whether it’s a stroll under the dimly-lit Acropolis during a crisp summer night or gazing at mystical monasteries glowing under the moonlight at Meteora, Greece is beyond seductive after dark, especially in the summer where many of its archaeological sites remain open at night during August’s full moon while several after-dark festivities are organized across the country.
Strolling down Dionysiou Areopagitou, the most beautiful street in Athens, feels like taking a journey back into the history of Greece’s ancient capital. Surrounded by monuments and archaeological sites right below the Acropolis, this quiet, paved promenade is one of the most impressive streets in the world which, will also soon be getting a lighting makeover that will further enhance its beauties at night.
The most notable building on the promenade is probably the new Acropolis Museum, which bejewels the street, even at night. From there visitors can look through the glass of its top floor at the beautifully illuminated Parthenon Marbles that remained in Greece after Lord Elgin removed the rest in the early 1800s and transported them to Britain while glimpsing at the Acropolis casting its subtle light over the night sky.
Just a short ride away from the center of Athens, Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon offer a fascinating nighttime escape from the hustle and bustle of the Greek capital. Perched above the sea at a height of almost sixty meters (200 feet), the arrestingly beautiful structure was built on the ruins of an earlier temple dating back to the Archaic period. It overlooks the Aegean Sea and is surrounded by small, quiet bays where visitors can gaze at the night sky undisturbed from the city lights.
Then there’s Meteora, Greece’s stalagmite-like hanging rocks that reach into the sky amid a backdrop of craggy mountains and red-roofed monasteries, which has become the second most popular destination in mainland Greece. Meteora’s immense, solid rocks, split by earthquakes, weathered by water and wind over millions of years, are nature’s authentic masterpiece and a perfect spot for stargazing.
With Greece’s landscape adorned with ancient ruins, natural habitats and thousands of kilometers of coastline, the options for nocturnal travelers are endless. And perhaps, nothing could surpass a night time experience in Greece than a sleep under the stars coupled with the soothing song of the waves or a picnic on a remote, sandy beach gazing at the Milky Way on a clear sunny night and counting the beaming stars shining on the Greek sky.
