This is Athens City Festival

From the Great to Modern Greece - Part B: The Refugees
2025-05-21 12:30 - 13:30 (Europe/Athens) | National Historical Museum, Stadiou 13, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

A guided tour of the second part of the exhibition “From Great Greece to Modern Greece”, which traces the completion of the country’s formation in terms of borders and population. The first part, presented in 2022, describes the events that led to the stabilization of borders after the end of World War I, focusing on the Asia Minor Campaign and the collective trauma of the destruction of Smyrna. The second part, subtitled “The Refugees”, focuses on the demographic shaping of Greece through population movements over the course of a century. The exhibition is made possible by the exclusive sponsorship of Piraeus Bank.

This event is aimed at adults.

Fitness Sessions
2025-05-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Eleftherias Park, Eleftherias Park, Athens, Athens, 115 21, Greece
A chance to get moving in the lush green setting of Eleftherias Park, where expert trainers and their teams lead sessions focused on health and wellbeing.

At the Fitness Sessions, exercise is all about fun—not competition. Yoga, Pilates and aerobic workouts are adapted to suit all levels, aiming to inspire a lifestyle of movement and balance.

Bring your own mat!

Fairy Tales in the Park: Georgina Konsta - Giannis Psariotis
2025-05-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Pangrati Grove, Pangrati Grove, Athens, Athens, 116 35, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

This beautiful text evokes a magical, springtime atmosphere, weaving the themes of fairy tales with the blossoming life of nature. In English, we could adapt it like this: “Springtime wonders… with fairy tale patches! A red thread tied within the forest awaits, ready to meet a blue one, to begin a fairy tale. The May flowers weave lovely songs, and everything feels like music, just like a wonderful life. Fairy tales and spring together, it’s truly a celebration. Spring and fairy tales always tell the truth, Everything around us is blooming and the myrtle scents the air. Every word is beautiful with a lovely company. Come sit beside us, and fall in love with stories! Come join us for tales under the blue Attic sky, where the light and the scents of spring fill the air and reach everywhere!”.

Narration: Georgina Kosta
Music: Giannis Psariotis

Moving Objects - Seeking Ideas
2025-05-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Elytis’ House – Museum, Polygnotou 7, Athens, Athens, 105 55, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

Poet Ioulita Iliopoulou and the President of the Hellenic Foundation for Books and Culture (ELIVIP), Nikios Bakounakis, will discuss the creation of the Elytis House Museum.

Listening to the Young - Iris Groch
2025-05-21 20:00 - 21:00 | Athens Univercity Museum, Tholou 5, Athens, Athens, 105 56, Greece
The innovative program “Listening to the Young” is a comprehensive initiative supporting emerging classical musicians through concerts, recordings, and festivals, with the goal of introducing young artists to their future audiences. It also aims to host classical music performances in unconventional venues such as ancient theatres and cultural monuments.

This program is made possible through a collaboration between the Kalogeropoulio Foundation, the Diazoma Association, the Athens Concert Hall, and Third Programme, and works alongside major cultural institutions in Greece, such as the State Orchestras of Athens and Thessaloniki, the Underground Youth Orchestra, and the This is Athens City Festival. It is supported by Kapetan Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, Vinci/Olympia Odos, Athens International Airport, and the Peloponnese Region.

Iris Groch, an award-winning violinist in the Listening to the Young 2025 competition, will perform alongside distinguished musicians Eleni Chatziargyrou and Popi Malapani on piano and Asterios Pouftis on cello. The program will feature works by Kreisler, Ravel, and Piazzolla.

3rd Accessible Stand-Up Comedy Festival
2025-05-21 20:00 - 23:00 | Technopolis City of Athens, Pireos 100, Athens, Athens, 118 54, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.
The Cool Crips return to Technopolis with a double bill of stand-up comedy designed for truly inclusive laughs. Accessible Comedy Nights is not a “special” show—it’s just stand-up as we know it, only this time, no one is left out due to lack of accessibility.
On 20 & 21 May 2025, some of Greece’s sharpest comics—Katerina Vrana, Aristotelis Rigas, Melina Kollia, Aristeidis Psylliakos, Kostas Kryos and Alexandros Titkov—take the stage alongside two emerging disabled performers debuting their acts.
The venue is wheelchair accessible and the shows will feature live interpretation in Greek Sign Language, live Greek surtitles, and an adapted format that’s friendly to blind audiences. Because comedy belongs to everyone.

Lycabettus Sunset Live Cayetano
2025-05-21 20:30 - 22:30 | Church of Saint George of Lycabettus, Lycabettus Hill, Athens, Athens, 114 71, Greece
Countless concerts—sometimes solo, sometimes with full bands—legendary DJ sets, soundtracks for films and theatre, and collaborations with greats like Bonobo, Parov Stelar and DJ Krush. That’s just a glimpse of what the name Cayetano stands for: a global music jet setter with an unmistakable sound.

Now Cayetano and his band take to the courtyard of Agios Georgios Lycabettus for a once-in-a-lifetime sunset performance.

Algerian Cultural Days
2025-05-22 08:30 - 23:00 | Klafthmonos Square, Klaftmonos Square, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
The Algerian Embassy in Greece, in collaboration with the Municipality of Athens, is organizing the Algerian Cultural Days on May 21 and 22, 2025, in Klafthomnos Square, at the centre of Athens.
The event includes the following activities :

Exhibition of Algerian local products.
Exhibition of Algerian artisanal crafts.
Exhibition of Algerian traditional costumes and jewelry.
Exhibition of Algerian gastronomy: traditional delicacies and dishes.
Traditional dances and songs (screening).
Stand dedicated to the “Study in Algeria” platform, launched by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Opening ceremony: May 21, 2025, at 11:00 AM

CONQUISTADORS
2025-05-22 10:00 - 18:00, 2025-05-23 10:00 - 18:00 | Macart’s Cultural Space, Lenorman 244, Athens, Athens, 104 43, Greece
Nikos Kyriakopoulos and his conquistadors disembark on Lenorman Street.

Dragons and wild beasts, locals and conquistadors—and even Death himself—battle deep in untrodden jungles.

The thirty-six works in this exhibition are not intended to serve History or the historical genre of painting. Instead, the artist draws his material from the mythos surrounding the Age of Discovery, crafting images that move beyond naturalism, both in form and content. Created using monotype, a technique dating back to the 16th century, the works gain added resonance when paired with the fantastical stories they depict. The adventures of the characters serve as a point of departure—not only for the adventures of line and colour, but also for reflection on themes such as desire, fear, conflict and illusion.

Opening: Thursday 8 May 2025, 19:30–23:00

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00–18:00 Saturday: 11:00–15:00 Closed on Sunday

Giorgos Gyzis: Clippings: Athens
2025-05-22 11:00 - 20:30, 2025-05-23 11:00 - 20:30 | Ikastikos Kyklos, Akadimias 6, Athens, Athens, 106 71, Greece
Clippings: Athens presents the third series of paintings inspired by clippings sourced from old newspapers. Photographs, drawings, and articles about Athens emerge from the archives, transformed into visual artworks that evoke emotion. The works on display offer a brief journey through the evolving form of Athens, beginning with the distinctive sketches by 19th-century British travellers in Attica and culminating in the height of modernism during the 1950s and 60s.

Exhibition Opening: Saturday 10 May 2025, 12:00–17:00 Opening Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00–14:30 / 17:30–20:30

Wednesday, Saturday: 11:00–16:00

Closed Sunday and Monday

Vassilis Papageorgiou - Painting and Sculpture: Lignea Creatura Stans
2025-05-22 11:30 - 20:30, 2025-05-23 11:30 - 20:30 | Gallery Ersi, Kleomenous 4, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
The worlds of plants, animals and humans—along with legend, myth, imagination and dream—form the basis of Vassilis Papageorgiou’s new artistic exploration. His paradoxical heroes and hand-crafted wooden creatures inhabit both two- and three-dimensional space in a state of perpetual whirling. Through an aesthetic lens, Papageorgiou reflects on the consequences of humanity’s destructive impact on the natural world. From this meditation, he generates new values—drawn from the cultural references of nature and tradition—that define the conditions for coexistence.

Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 11:30–14:30 & 17:30–20:30 Saturday: 11:30–15:00

TAKIMI II – Reconnections Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition
2025-05-22 12:00 - 20:00, 2025-05-23 12:00 - 15:00 | Pottery Museum, Melidoni 4-6, Athens, Athens, 105 53, Greece
The Museum of Modern Greek Ceramics, in collaboration with the French Institute of Greece, presents the exhibition TAKIMI II – Reconnections, featuring works by emerging ceramic artists Olga Vlassi and Auréline Caltagirone. The exhibition showcases pieces created during their 2024 artist residency at the French Lodging in Rhodes, organised by the French Institute of Greece. Their creations engage in a dialogue with the museum’s permanent collections, reflecting the myths and ceramic heritage of Rhodes through a contemporary lens. Through their work, the artists share impressions and personal narratives inspired by their time on the island—reconnecting modern expression with tradition and the historical context that shaped it.

Curated by: Thalassini Bratsou

Opening: Sunday 18 May 2025, 20:30

Opening hours: Monday: 12:00–15:00 Tuesday–Thursday: 12:00–20:00 Friday: 12:00–15:00 Saturday: 11:00–14:00

How to Fit Inside the City
2025-05-22 12:00 - 20:00, 2025-05-23 12:00 - 20:00 | Athens Gallery7, Solonos 20, Athens, Athens, 106 73, Greece
The work of Haris Baskozos is compelling not only for its final forms but also for the sources of inspiration behind them. The artist studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens and fine arts at the Athens School of Fine Arts. When drawing from his background in architecture, his work leans toward a rectilinear style that echoes urban planning and evokes a kind of “emotional Mondrian.” In these compositions, consciousness seems to take the lead. In contrast, when his fine arts training prevails, his work shifts towards a freer, more instinctive expression, dominated by human-like forms and influenced by art brut, where the unconscious plays the central role. In both cases, the final result is not a strict monologue of either approach, but rather a dialogue—one side mostly leading, the other echoing through. In this way, Baskozos offers a fascinating visual argument: the idea of collectivity (the city) tends to be shaped through a more conscious process, while reflections on individuality (the human being) emerge through the unconscious.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 12:00–20:00 Wednesday & Saturday: 12:00–16:00

Vassilis Karakatsanis: Urban Tools
2025-05-22 12:00 - 21:00, 2025-05-23 12:00 - 21:00 | Genesis Gallery, Ippokratous 121, Athens, Athens, 114 72, Greece
Vassilis Karakatsanis invites us on a journey through the spectrum of contemporary existence—a complex, ever-evolving interplay of memories, collective narratives and social dynamics. His exhibition Urban Tools unfolds as a compelling dialogue between past and present, the personal and the monumental. Seven large-scale paintings, accompanied by numerous smaller works—created using acrylic, oil and gouache on canvas—invite a deep exploration of life in all its textures and tones. At the heart of Karakatsanis’ practice lies a transcendent inner process shaped by memory and materiality. The exhibition title hints at the hidden mechanisms that define a place’s essence: the subtle, often invisible tools that help us navigate, define and interpret the environments we inhabit—as well as those that shape and compose our very being. The urban landscape is not only his subject matter; it becomes his medium. Each brushstroke reveals the layered relationship between its singularity and the stories it holds. Symbols of personal and collective identity, ideology and emotion are interwoven into the fabric of daily life.

Opening night: Thursday 8 May 2025, 20:00

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 12:00–21:00 Saturday: 12:00–15:00 Closed on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday

For303 X Butterfly
2025-05-22 17:00 - 23:00 | Omonia Square, Omonia Square, Athens, Athens, 104 31, Greece
Some of Athens’ hottest DJs take over one of the city centre’s most historic spots with back-to-back sets from 17:00 to 23:00. Atsou, Korrila, Fotinos, Dexx and Amelia from For 303 and Butterfly keep the May groove madness of This is Athens going strong.

Fairy Tales in the Square: Susurades
2025-05-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Agios Sostis Square, Agios Sostis Square, Athens, Athens, 117 45, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

Fairy Tales in Primo – Secondo. A narrative performance of fairy tale duets.

Duets that sprout wings and fly, that weave stories from threads of dreams, that lull us to sleep with a sugar-sweet slumber on a pillow of silk.

A red thread ties distant places together and weaves two voices, telling stories both together and one after the other—stories told, dreamed, and sung by the people of the world. These stories are told in conversation, whispered, sung, and even with the gestures of hands, reminding us that a deep wish to fly can move both heaven and earth.

EMST Rooftop Party
2025-05-22 19:00 - 23:00 | National Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art Αthens (ΕΜΣΤ), Athens, Athens, 117 43, Greece
Step into the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) as it opens its doors for you to explore. From morning until late afternoon, discover the collection of permanent and temporary exhibitions that spark the imagination. As the day draws to a close, make your way to the museum’s stunning rooftop for a cocktail party, where you can raise a glass to the city’s beauty while enjoying a panoramic 360° view of Athens and moving to the stunning music choices that the Italian maestro of electronic sounds Glass Coffee has picked for you. They will both leave you speechless.

Papazo Live with Voice Radio
2025-05-22 19:30 - 23:00 | Dexameni Square, Dexameni Square, Athens, Athens, 106 73, Greece
Papazó (Vasilis Papazotos) is a singer-songwriter, music producer, and doctor. For the past year, every Sunday, he has been sharing videos of his renditions of beloved songs from his balcony. Alongside him, renowned artists join in on a series that quickly went viral through his TikTok channel.

On May 22, Papazó returns for an anniversary concert at Dexamenes Square, bringing along fresh, beloved artists and presenting unique covers. Penny Baltatzi, Mirella Pahou, Nina Mazani, Billie Kark, Katerina Lazaridou, Ody Icons, and Giannis Margaris promise an unforgettable night of music.

Midnight Express: Purple Rain
2025-05-22 19:30 - 23:00 | National Observatory of Athens, Lofos Nymphon, Athens, Athens, 118 10, Greece
Midnight Express is the brainchild of film critic Akis Kapranos, born from a deep nostalgia for the magical midnight screenings once held at historic cinemas like Alphaville and Cine Dexameni. His mission? To revive that shared passion for pure cinematic joy—so older generations can reminisce, younger ones can discover, and everyone can experience the thrill together.

This time, Midnight Express steps out of the theatre and into the open air. In the garden of the Athens Observatory, it screens Purple Rain—an iconic gem of 1980s pop culture.

Booking required.

Martha Mavroidi: Cheilanthe
2025-05-22 20:00 - 21:30 | Mitropoleos Square, Mitropoleos Square, Athens, Athens, 105 63, Greece
A Celebration of the Voice – 90 Singers in One Performance

Composer, performer, and multi-instrumentalist Martha Mavroidi presents an evening dedicated entirely to the human voice. Joined by Anna Linardou, Tasos Poulios, Alkmene Basakarou, Giorgos Nikopoulos, the Polyphonic Workshop of Rodia, and vocal ensemble CHÓRES, she unveils a series of new a cappella works inspired by global musical traditions.

These compositions explore the voice as a musical instrument in its own right—organic, resonant, and profoundly expressive.

Featuring Angelos Polychronou on percussion.

Photo: Panos Iliopoulos

Discovering Athens Through the Work of Spyros Vassiliou
2025-05-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Hellenic Children’s Museum, Vas. Georgiou Β΄ 19, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.
Paintings from the archive of Spyros Vasiliou “converse” with exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Athens, creating an environment that takes us on a journey through early 20th-century Athens.

Families with children aged 6-12 are invited to explore the artist’s work, focusing on the transformations of the urban landscape.

Three-Star Architectural Crown: The Neoclassical Trilogy of Athens
2025-05-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Athens Trilogy, Panepistimiou 39, Athens, Athens, 105 64, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

Archaeologist and guide Michalis Giohalas leads a tour of the Athenian Trilogy, in collaboration with the This is Athens City Festival. The University, the Academy and the Library—an opus magnum by brothers Hans Christian and Theophil Hansen—form Athens’ famed neoclassical trilogy. Described by Alexandros Philadelpheus as “the architectural triple crown of our city,” these buildings remain an enduring and iconic landmark. In the heart of the urban fabric, visual and literary references to ancient history and mythology intertwine with the dominant ideologies of the time. In these structures, the recent past confronts antiquity—mirroring the spirit, aspirations and ideals of a bygone era.

Fairy Tales in the Park: Sussurades
2025-05-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Prompona Park, Eratonos 2, Athens, Athens, 111 43, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

Fairy tales in primo – secondo. A narrative performance of fairy tale duets. Duets that spread wings and fly, that weave tales from threads of dreams, lulling us into a sugary sleep on a pillow full of wonder. A red thread binds different places together, weaving two voices that tell stories—sometimes together, sometimes one after the other—that have been told, dreamed, and sung by the people of the world. Stories shared through conversation, whispers, songs, and even gestures, all coming to remind us that a deep wish to fly can move both heaven and earth.
