Hookahs in Greece

Hookahs are usually called “nargiles” in Greece and were originally presented during the Ottoman rule. The use of hookahs to smoke tobacco and other products with has been in practice and Greek culture ever since the Ottoman rule. Hookahs play a major role in the Rembetiko music scene which was originated in Greece during the start of the twentieth century.

History

At first hookah was smoked by Greeks who wanted to separate their life from those in the normal Greek society. Various cities in Greece like Piraeus had many hookah bars and hash dens established and both played a dominant factor in business in Greece. While hookahs were used for many centuries they didn’t get the major boost in popularity until the twentieth century and at this point a large amount of hookah shops have opened up.

The popularity of hookahs in recent years has once again increased severely due to the younger generation gaining interest in hookahs. Hookah bars are now open in most decent sized cities in Greece and usually attract a good crowd. When visiting a hookah café during certain hours the place may already be full of hookah smokers and you may have trouble finding a place to sit. Some hookah cafes require you to make a reservation before showing up due to so many customers regularly showing up.