This is Athens City Festival

Wellness Festival - In your Greenery, I am Reborn
2026-05-25 09:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Athens) | National Garden, Vas. Amalias 1, Athens, Athens, 105 57, Greece
This activity is only available in Greek.

“GREEN ATHENS | National Garden – Metropolitan Green,” in collaboration with the This is Athens City Festival, invites you for the 2nd consecutive year to a unique wellness escape in the capital’s most enchanting ecosystem. Under the guidance of Nicki Petroulaki and a team of acclaimed professionals, the National Garden transforms for two days into an open temple of self-improvement, offering a rare opportunity to renew body and mind beneath the shade of its historic trees.

A holistic journey that combines movement with inner peace: from dynamic Yoga and Pilates classes to deep meditation and talks on self-awareness and personal growth. The experience is completed with soul-stirring musical journeys, creating an atmosphere of true connection with ourselves and nature.

We await you to share the joy of community, free breathing, and well-being, in a comprehensive program open to all, without restrictions and free of charge. Give yourself the pause you need and experience Athens… in its greenest and brightest version!

Programme

Sunday

09:00: Panos Pantios / Assisted Stretch – Core & Mobility Exercises

Imagine being able to move freely, without pain or stiffness holding you back. This is the beauty of personalized assisted stretching. Unlike traditional techniques, assisted stretching involves guidance through a series of stretches tailored to your body’s specific needs and limitations.

Panos Pantios

An expert in athletic performance and rehabilitation with studies in Sports Medicine in Germany and a background as a professional ice hockey player. He designs strategic programs combining strength with a healthy lifestyle.

10:00: Panos Kontis / Handstand Fundamentals – Building a Proper Handstand

A class for all those who love the challenge of being upside down or would like to start. We will explain the basic guide points for finding balance on our hands and focus on strengthening the specific muscle groups necessary for progress. The class concludes with partner exercises toward the handstand.

Panos Kontis

With over ten years in therapy and kinetic evolution, Panos started with Thai massage and Osteopathy. Fascinated by Yoga, he teaches it as therapeutic exercise to help people better perceive their body’s capabilities.

11:00: Adriani Strigou / Total Body Balance – Integrated Program of Strength, Posture, and Flexibility

An integrated program focusing on functional strengthening and restoring correct posture. Combining postural exercises and targeted stretching, the practice aims to restore physical balance and relieve daily tension.

Adriani Strigou

A graduate of TEFAA Athens and a former champion swimmer. Since 2000, she has been active in the fitness industry and owns “Feel Better Kifisia,” focusing on a lifestyle that combines physical well-being with daily vitality.

12:00: Eleftheria Georgiou / Let’s Get Physical Pilates – Dynamic Pilates with an Uplifting Beat

A dynamic version of Pilates combining strength with continuous flow and rhythm. Accompanied by upbeat music, the body works through controlled yet intense exercises designed to challenge endurance and stabilize the core.

Eleftheria Georgiou

A Physical Education Professor specializing in therapeutic swimming. She is the head of training for future Pilates teachers at Base Training, focusing on functional strengthening and improving quality of life through conscious movement.

13:00: Maria Papadopoulou & Evangelos Aik / Yin Within & Bhakti Sounds – Peace, Sound, Heart, Song, Union

A practice dedicated to relief and rest, representing the gentlest form of Yoga. The experience concludes with “song from the heart.” Accompanied by live musical instruments by Evangelos Apostolopoulos, movement gives way to sound, creating an atmosphere of collective connection and inner peace.

Maria Papadopoulou

With 25 years of experience in yoga and meditation, Maria specializes in holistic well-being support. She is the creator of OLON Holistic Studio and a podcaster, providing practical tools for stress management and mindfulness.

14:00 – 15:00 Break

15:00: Katerina Karageorgiou & Stamatia Andrikou / Body and Face Yoga – Releasing Tension from Upper Body and Face!

An integrated practice aiming for the total release of tension. By combining targeted exercises and breathing, we restore inner balance and tone the muscles of the face and body.

Katerina Karageorgiou

A graduate of TEFAA Thessaloniki, she specialized through YogaWorks and founded Sama Yoga in Samos, focusing on creative communication and holistic empowerment.

Stamatia Andrikou

An internationally certified Face Yoga Instructor, her approach combines aesthetic acupuncture with Sculptural Face Lifting for natural rejuvenation and glow.

16:00: Loukia Papa / The Art of Manifestation – Embodying Our Higher Version

A transcendental experience calling us to move beyond linear logic. Through quantum visualization, we explore the possibility of breaking free from limiting beliefs and architects of our reality.

Loukia Papa

Loukia specializes in connecting neuroscience with quantum change practices, guiding individuals toward self-actualization and inner freedom.

17:00: Patty Petropoulou / #ShallWeDance? – 5Rhythms Movement Meditation

A free-movement practice focusing on reconnecting with the body and releasing it from the flow of thoughts. “Meditation in motion” becomes the vehicle for calm and mental clarity. No dance experience is required.

Patty Petropoulou

The only certified 5Rhythms® teacher in Greece (trained in the USA), she has served the practice since 2011, teaching across Europe and connecting conscious movement with personal and professional leadership.

18:00: Stavros Bamakos / Full-Body Circuit – Bodyweight Training

A high-intensity program focusing on holistic training using exclusively body weight. A structured circuit aimed at improving functional strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

Stavros Bamakos

A graduate of TEFAA Athens and owner of Blackbox Training Room. He has served as a Strength & Conditioning Coach for A1 female basketball, focusing on maximizing athletic performance.

19:00: Niki Petroulaki / Heart & Lyra Flow – Union of Heart & Cretan Lyra – Tradition and Core

A unique movement experience uniting the body with the heart and the circle of life. We breathe and move together, creating a living space of connection and collective energy. The experience culminates with a music collaboration: the primal sound of the Cretan Lyra meets the flow of exercise.

Niki Petroulaki

With over 25 years of experience, Niki is a physical education professor dedicated to holistic wellness. Founder of “Power House Project” and “Wellness Rituals,” she organizes high-level retreats and events, combining exercise with personal transformation.

Georgia Benioudaki

Georgia Benioudaki, an Early Childhood Education student in Athens, has been involved in music since the age of six. The guitar, the Cretan lyre, singing, and traditional Cretan dances define her creative identity.
Monday
10:00 – Andreas Polydoros – Wake Up Yoga | Yoga for All
Wake Up Yoga is a gentle yet energising class designed to help the body and mind awaken naturally. Through breathing exercises, soft stretches and flowing movement, the practice activates the body’s energy, improves circulation and creates a sense of clarity and wellbeing for the rest of the day. Suitable for all levels, including beginners.
Andreas Polydoros
Andreas Polydoros discovered yoga through his travels and personal search for experiences around the world — a practice that gradually became a defining part of his life. Over the years, he devoted himself fully to its study and practice, and today he is a certified Yoga Alliance teacher (500 Hours YTT) through the House of Yoga under Savvas Giantsis.
11:00 – Stamatia Andrikou – Face Yoga | Natural Face Lift
Instructor Stamatia Andrikou leads a rejuvenating Face Yoga session, guiding participants into the world of natural anti-ageing and holistic facial care. Through specialised exercises and massage techniques, the class activates facial muscles, stimulates circulation and releases everyday tension. Stamatia creates a calming atmosphere of wellbeing and relaxation, helping participants discover the secrets to brighter, firmer and naturally refreshed skin.
12:00 – Eva Tripolitsioti – Energy Yoga
This variation of Yoga focuses on Energy Yoga, a practice combining gentle movement, conscious breathing and a dynamic flow that fills both body and mind with renewed energy. Through this sequence of exercises, participants are encouraged to release stress, awaken the body and reconnect with their inner balance, beginning the day with vitality and mental clarity.
Eva Tripolitsioti
Eva Tripolitsioti is a certified Yoga teacher specialising in Hatha and Vinyasa Flow, trained in India and at YogaWorks, where she also served as an assistant trainer. Teaching since 2005, she specialises in programmes for children, pregnant women and special population groups. From 2014 to 2022, she founded and directed the Anahata Shuddhi studio, while also collaborating with Holmes Place. Today, she organises holistic wellness retreats and workshops, while also working as an executive for a German health and nutrition company.
13:00 – Tania Saiti – Yin & Yoga Nidra
Tania Saiti invites participants to experience a deeply therapeutic Yin & Yoga Nidra session — a practice of complete relaxation and inner restoration. The class begins with Yin Yoga, using soft, passive postures held for extended periods in order to stretch the deeper connective tissues and release accumulated physical tension. The experience concludes with Yoga Nidra, often referred to as “psychic sleep”, a guided meditative state that fully calms the nervous system and revitalises the mind. It is an ideal refuge for releasing stress and restoring harmony between body and spirit.
Tania Saiti
With a focus on the healing power of stillness, Saiti leads Yoga and Yoga Nidra practices that offer refuge from the intensity of daily life. Through her teaching, she cultivates deep relaxation and inner connection, creating a safe space for awareness and balance. Her aim is to restore harmony and encourage energetic wellbeing in every participant.
14:00–15:00 – Break
15:00 – Sofi Paschali – E-motion | Feel the Beat, Feel Your Emotions
Sofi Paschali invites participants to experience E-motion / Feel the Beat, Feel Your Emotions, a revitalising session that connects movement with the inner emotional world. Through rhythm and flow, the class encourages the release of emotions and the harmonisation of body and spirit, inviting participants to listen to their inner pulse and transform energy into expression. It is an invitation to feel the power of rhythm and surrender to a journey of self-awareness and wellbeing, where emotion becomes movement and movement becomes healing.
Sofi Paschali
One of Greece’s most recognised and experienced Yoga and Pilates instructors, Paschali has maintained a long-standing presence in the fields of fitness and wellness. With studies in physical education and a specialisation in alternative exercise methods, she has dedicated her career to promoting a holistic lifestyle that combines physical empowerment with mental balance.
16:00 – Marietta Filippa – Pilates Body & Mind Flow | Pilates with Flow
A Pilates programme suitable for all levels, combining movement, breath and flow to strengthen the body and promote overall wellbeing. Through core, balance, flexibility and posture-focused exercises, participants improve their physical condition, mobility and connection with their bodies. Rooted in the philosophy of mindful movement, the class offers a holistic exercise experience that encourages everyday wellbeing, body awareness and relaxation.
Marietta Filippa
Marietta Filippa is an experienced and certified instructor dedicated to wellness and holistic movement practices. With a deep passion for Yoga and therapeutic techniques, she guides participants with care and mindfulness, focusing on the connection between body, breath and spirit. Through her classes, she creates a safe and supportive environment where participants can release daily tension, reconnect with themselves and rediscover their inner balance, calmness and natural vitality.
17:00 – Christina Pikoula – MindGamesStop sabotaging yourself and make your mindset your greatest ally.
How many times have you felt that, despite wanting to move forward, something inside keeps holding you back? In this interactive session, participants will explore how thoughts influence decisions and outcomes, identify patterns of self-sabotage and learn how to transform them into personal strength. Through simple exercises and practical “mind games”, the session empowers participants to turn their mindset into a powerful ally for everyday life and personal growth.
Christina Pikoula
Christina Pikoula supports people in overcoming internal obstacles and unlocking their full potential. As the voice behind the Win Win Podcast, and through her talks and sessions, she inspires audiences to take action, push beyond their limits and consciously create the life they envision.
18:00 – Niki Petroulaki – Balance | Finding Balance Through Movement and Flow
Renowned instructor Niki Petroulaki leads Balance, a dynamic session centred on discovering harmony through movement and flow. Through a carefully designed sequence of fluid transitions and postures, this practice both challenges and strengthens the body, while cultivating concentration and inner stability. It is an opportunity to synchronise breath with movement, release stress and reconnect with your centre, leaving the session with a deep sense of harmony, strength and mental clarity.
Niki Petroulaki
With more than 25 years of experience, Petroulaki is a physical education teacher dedicated to holistic wellbeing and physical empowerment. She is the founder of the Power House Project, a pioneering Yoga, Pilates and Functional Fitness studio operating as a community of experiential learning, as well as Wellness Rituals, a platform organising high-level wellness retreats and events in Greece and abroad. Through her ongoing training in global wellness practices, she creates integrated experiences combining exercise, meditation and personal transformation.
19:00 – Thundering Cymbals – Sound Bath Experience
The Sound Bath Experience is a ritual-like journey beyond the boundaries of traditional music — a unique alchemy of sound that resonates directly with the soul. Through the healing vibrations of instruments such as crystal singing bowls and gongs, participants are immersed in a “bath” of pure frequencies designed to calm the nervous system, slow brainwave activity and release emotional blockages.
This deeply meditative and restorative experience offers an ideal refuge for complete physical relaxation, mental clarity and reconnection with inner harmony.
Energy Healings

Within the framework of the festival, you will have the opportunity to experience firsthand energy practices that support relaxation, recovery, and the overall balance of the body.

Pranic Healing

Try a complimentary Pranic Healing session with certified therapists. A non-invasive technique that helps reduce muscle tension, stiffness, and strain, while enhancing recovery and focus. A freer body. Clearer movement. Better recovery.

Orgon PEMF Alignment

A modern approach that combines Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) with energy balancing. It supports:
• reduction of inflammation
• tissue repair and regeneration
• deep relaxation
• enhancement of overall vitality

It activates the body’s natural ability to recharge and find its balance.

Live the Experience

Discover how simple techniques can make an immediate difference in your body and your energy.

Try it at the Festival.

Athens: Urban Frictions
2026-05-25 10:00 - 18:00 | Macart’s Cultural Space, Lenorman 244, Athens, Athens, 104 43, Greece
The Macart Cultural Space, in collaboration with iFocus Gallery, presents “Athens: Urban Frictions”, a collective photographic exploration of the Greek capital. Thirty contemporary Greek and international photographers attempt to capture the city’s identity through diverse and often conflicting lenses, highlighting its inherent contradictions, tensions, and ongoing transformations.

In this exhibition, Athens is not approached as a singular, static image, but as a field of constant negotiation between memory, lived experience, and change. Black-and-white and colour works, analogue shots, and contemporary digital perspectives weave a narrative where the act of wandering becomes a way of “reading” the city. The show explores Athens in the space between noise and silence, the visible and the suggestive, and the weight of history versus a constantly shifting present. It is an invitation to view the capital not as a mere backdrop, but as a living, complex entity.

Exhibition duration: 6 May – 6 June

Opening: 6 May at 19:00.

Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 10:00–18:00; Saturday: 10:00–14:00. Closed on Sunday.

Guided Tour of the National Theatre: Ziller Building
2026-05-25 11:30 - 13:30 | National Theatre of Greece, 22-24 Agiou Konstantinou, Athens, 104 37, Greece
The National Theatre takes part in this year’s This is Athens City Festival, opening the doors of the iconic Ziller Building on Agiou Konstantinou Street for a unique guided tour. Athenians and visitors alike are invited to explore the impressive architectural features that shape the identity of this listed gem. From its origins as the Royal Theatre to its present-day role as the country’s leading theatrical institution, this visit offers a rare opportunity to discover the rich history and hidden sides of one of Athens’ most important landmark buildings.

Photos: Thomas Gerasopoulos

This activity is only available in Greek.

Constantine Xenakis – Dimitris Chiotopoulos: Writing and Trace Two Journeys into the Labyrinth
2026-05-25 11:30 - 20:30 | Gallery Ersi, Kleomenous 4, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
Ersi Gallery hosts a deep and unexpectedly poetic dialogue between two masters of the symbolic: Constantine Xenakis and Dimitris Chiotopoulos.

Writing and Trace explores the moment when a mark, a symbol, or a simple gesture transcends its everyday use to become a language of its own. Dense with meaning and open to endless interpretation. The internationally acclaimed Xenakis employs codes, hieroglyphs, and signals from modern communication to offer a sharp commentary on how meaning is constructed in our digital age. In contrast, Chiotopoulos brings a more interior, tactile search to the gallery, weaving in archetypal shapes and calligraphy elements.

Together, they transform the “Labyrinth” into a space of discovery. This isn’t just an exhibition; it’s an invitation to stroll through a maze of signs and silences, losing yourself in the traces of culture only to find your own way back.

Exhibition duration: 5 May – 6 June

Opening hours: Monday–Friday: 11:30–14:30 & 17:30–20:30; Saturday: 11:30–15:00. Closed on Sunday.

Guided Tour at the City of Athens Museum
2026-05-25 12:00 - 13:00 | The City of Athens Museum, 5-7 loannou Paparrigopoulou, Athens, 105 61, Greece
The City of Athens Museum (Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation) will welcome us for a rather special look at the capital’s modern history. The tour spans two iconic buildings that tell the story of a city finding its feet.
We start at the legendary “Old Palace”, the first residence of King Otto and Queen Amalia. It’s a space deeply intertwined with the very first steps Athens took as a modern European capital. Here, you’ll see the city through the objects and grand rooms that helped define its new, royal identity.

The journey then moves into the second building of the complex, the former home of the Dekozis-Vouros family. This is where things get personal. It offers a much more intimate glimpse into Athenian “high society” life, revealing the aesthetics, the daily habits, and domestic charm of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Through these collections and the stunning architecture itself, you’ll witness the trajectory of a city that was rapidly expanding and shaping its modern self. It’s a tour that beautifully bridges the gap between Athens’ grand political history and its private, everyday heart.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Inna Orlik: The Permanent Collection
2026-05-25 12:00 - 18:00 | Orlik Gallery, 3 Palaiologou Benizelou, Athens, 105 56, Greece
Orlik Gallery invites the This is Athens City Festival audience to a distinctive encounter with the visual universe of Inna Orlik. This exhibition brings to the fore a world where contemporary painting enters into a dialogue with mythology, nature, and the human experience, creating an environment rich in symbolism and layers of interpretation.

Defined by bold colours, complex textures, and a singular painterly language, Orlik’s works move between the visible and the suggestive, the personal and the collective. The artist transforms the canvas into a space for narrative and exploration, inviting the viewer to discover forms, symbols, and underlying connections. It is an exhibition tailored for those seeking not only aesthetic intensity in contemporary art but also a substantial, resonant depth.

Exhibition duration: 1–31 May

Opening hours: Daily: 12:00–18:00.

Discovering Athens Through Water
2026-05-25 16:00 - 17:30 | Metaxourgio Square, Metaxourgio Square, Athens, 104 36, Greece
Cooling Havens, an innovative European project of the City of Athens, invites you to an immersive walk through Metaxourgio Square, in one of Athens’ most vibrant neighbourhoods. Newly created cooling points serve as the starting point for rediscovering our relationship with water, public space, and the urban environment.
Exploring traces of the city’s past, contemporary infrastructure and everyday urban life, the walk highlights the role of water in shaping Athens while opening up a conversation about climate resilience and the city’s future. Blending history, environmental awareness, and urban experience, the route offers a fresh perspective on the Athenian landscape.
Cooling Havens (G.A. EUI02-098) is a European project exploring the role of water in contemporary urban design, highlighting solutions that strengthen cities’ resilience in the face of the climate crisis. Co-funded by the European Union, the project is delivered by a consortium led by the City of Athens, in collaboration with ten implementation partners and three European transfer cities.
Meeting point: Metaxourgio Square

This activity is only available in Greek.

Athens Moves Us: Dance in Public Space
2026-05-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Megaro Arsakeiou, 42-46 Stadiou, Athens, 105 59, Greece
The Greek National School of Dance (KSOT) takes over the renovated Arsakeio Arcade, transforming one of Athens’ most iconic urban spaces into a vibrant stage for contemporary dance. Students and faculty members of the School present a series of choreographies that interact with the architecture and rhythm of the city centre, inviting audiences to experience the city through a new, movement-based perspective.

The event highlights the diversity of contemporary Greek creation, filling the Arsakeio Arcade with energy and poetic expression, while demonstrating how dance can reshape our experience of public space.

Status Quo — Choreography: Nadia Kontou, Lenia Vavylousaki
Wanderers — Choreography: Nikos Kalogerakis
The Fragile Whole — Choreography: Iris-Theodora Dagdeleni
Indifferent Bond of Love with a Hysterical Man (A.D.A.M.E.Y.A.) — Choreography: Despoina Myritzi, Paris Tsafaras
No Man’s Land — Choreography: Plotinos Iliadis
Drifted Like Warriors — Choreography: Athanasia Kanellopoulou
00:13 — Choreography: Paris Tsafaras
System Error — Choreography: Rania Fovou

Dimitris Papadimitriou at the Roman Agora
2026-05-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Roman Agora of Athens, Polygnotou 3, Athens, Athens, 105 55, Greece
The iconic archaeological site of the Roman Agora of Athens opens its gates to welcome acclaimed composer Dimitris Papadimitriou.

In one of his rare appearances in Greece, the composer himself conducts an eleven-member orchestra, presenting timeless works that have earned the love and admiration of audiences over the years. The programme includes beloved songs from the albums Songs for the Months and Beyond the Soul, as well as melodies from successful television series such as Anastasia and The Witches of Smyrna. Excerpts from major works including The Great Heretic and Songs of Attidon Street will also be performed. The evening’s performances will be interpreted by Veronica Davaki, Giorgos Florakis and Panos Papaioannou, alongside special guest friends, in a concert seeking the pure truth of artistic creation beneath the Athenian sky.

“The most beautiful thing is that which must be sought,” as Gaius Petronius once said—a phrase that continues to inspire Dimitris Papadimitriou.

Reservations open one week before the event at 12:00 noon.

Greek Cinema Nights 2026
2026-05-25 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-05-26 20:00 - 23:00 | Eleftherias Park, Eleftherias Park, Athens, Athens, 115 21, Greece
The magic of the big screen comes to the lawns of Eleftherias Park, celebrating some of the finest moments of Greek cinema. For four consecutive nights, the park transforms into a refreshing open-air screening venue, inviting audiences to surrender to the charm of the seventh art.

Beneath the Athenian sky, with screenings beginning daily at 21:00, viewers will have the chance to enjoy stories that reflect both our present and our past through a selection of beloved films. Take your place on the grass and prepare for a unique cinematic journey that reminds us why summer in Athens is inseparably connected with watching a great film under the stars.

Programme:

Monday 25/05: Our Wildest Days, Vasilis Kekatos, 2025
A coming-of-age road movie for an entire generation, following people searching for freedom, connection and a sense of belonging. Through the wandering of a group of friends in contemporary society, themes of poverty, emotional growth and the quiet revolution born through solidarity unfold.

Tuesday 26/05; Isovites, Theodoros Maragos, 2008
A subversive political comedy that satirises the social dysfunctions of Greece. Through Maragos’ distinctive humour, the film follows its characters as they attempt to break free from their own “life sentences,” delivering both laughter and thought-provoking commentary.

Wednesday 27/05: Jack of All Trades, Master of None (Polytechnitis Kai Erimospitis), Alekos Sakellarios, 1963
A classic masterpiece from the golden age of Greek cinema. Thanasis Veggos delivers a legendary performance as a man struggling to survive by constantly changing professions, offering unforgettable moments of pure comedy that remain timeless to this day.

Thursday 28/05: Afterlov, Stergios Paschos, 2016
A post-romantic settling of accounts. A separated couple locks themselves inside a luxurious villa in order to resolve their differences. A fresh, funny and bittersweet story about what happens when love ends but the need for communication remains.

*All films are screened with English subtitles.

Athens’ Hispanic Film Festival (FeCHA) at Ellinis Europa Cinemas
2026-05-25 20:30, 2026-05-26 20:30 | Open Air Cinema “Ellinis”, Leof. Kifissias 29, Athens, Athens, 115 23, Greece
The finest moments of Spanish-language cinema return to the city for their 10th edition, filling an entire week in May with images, passion and emotion. Innovative directors, internationally acclaimed actors and inventive screenwriters come together with an enthusiastic audience, bringing to Athens an authentic atmosphere from Spain, Chile, Argentina, Cuba and other beloved countries of Latin America.

Through screenings that highlight both contemporary filmmaking and the rich cinematic traditions of these countries, Athens is transformed into a vast “cinema” celebrating the diversity and expressive power of Spanish-speaking culture.

Screenings will take place at the open-air cinemas Ellinis Cinemax and Aello Cinemax, as well as at the Instituto Cervantes and the Hellenic American Union.

The anniversary programme includes 23 feature films and 13 short films, offering a comprehensive look at contemporary cinema from Spain and Latin America.

Programme Highlights

Opening Film: The festival officially opens with the highly anticipated satirical comedy Homo Sapiens? (Homo Argentum), Argentina’s biggest commercial success of 2025.

Special Tributes: A tribute to the late director Fabián Bielinsky, alongside the Diversidad section featuring queer short films in collaboration with Athens Pride.

Closing Film: The festival concludes with A Poet (Un Poeta) from Colombia, presented in the presence of lead actor Ubeimar Rios.

International Guests: Distinguished filmmakers including Helena Taberna, Asier Urbieta and Albert Pintó will attend the festival, participating in masterclasses and audience discussions.

Information & Free Events

Masterclass: Saturday 23 May at the Hellenic Open University.

Free Events: 28 May at the Hellenic American Union (docuFeCHA & cortoFeCHA) and 29 May on the rooftop of the Instituto Cervantes.

Online Screenings: Available from 29 to 31 May via www.fecha.gr

Tickets: Advance sales begin on 8 May via more.com and from 14 May at the cinema box offices.

*Due to forecast late-afternoon rainfall on Friday 22 May, Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May, screenings at the open-air Ellinis Cinemax (29 Kifisias Avenue) will be transferred to the indoor theatres of Aello Cinemax (140 Patission Street) on the same dates and at the same times.

All tickets already purchased online or through advance booking, as well as invitations, will remain valid for the new venue without requiring any changes.

For the more adventurous cinephiles, a covered area with a capacity of 100 people will remain available at Ellinis Cinemax, where the films will also be screened for those who choose not to attend the screenings at Aello Cinemax.

*The presentations by the Spanish directors will take place at Aello Cinemax and not at Ellinis Cinemax.

In the event of rain, screenings at the open-air Aello Cinemax will also be transferred to an indoor theatre within the same venue, at the same times.

Athens’ Hispanic Film Festival (FeCHA) at Aello
2026-05-25 20:30, 2026-05-26 20:30 | Open Air Cinema “Aello”, Patission 140, Athens, Athens, 112 57, Greece

Midnight Express: '80s Night Out
2026-05-25 21:00 - 23:00 | Plato’s Academy Park, Monastiriou 138, Athens, Athens, 104 42, Greece
Midnight Express is the brainchild of film critic Akis Kapranos who, inspired by nostalgia for the magical midnight screenings at Alphaville and Cine Dexamenis, set out to revive them. It is a cinematic journey for older audiences to reminisce, for younger ones to share the experience, and for everyone to celebrate a common passion: the pure pleasure of the big screen.
For this edition, Midnight Express steps out of dark theatres and into the open, bringing the magic of cinema to the This is Athens City Festival.
Programme:
11/05: Out of Africa, Sydney Pollack, 198518/05: Labyrinth, Jim Henson, 198625/05: Big Trouble in Little China, John Carpenter, 1986

Fairytales for Adults with Taxiarchis Beligiannis
2026-05-25 21:30 - 23:00 | Rizari Park, Rizari 5, Athens, Athens, 106 76, Greece
Once upon a time, and a long while ago…
Join us on a journey through the neighbourhoods of the world, carried by music and storytelling. Two musicians and a storyteller climb onto their magical carpet and take us from Mexico to China, and from the frozen North to the scorching desert, alongside love-struck princes and humble fishermen.
It is a journey across the world—because the world is one—and songs and stories show us how to come together once again as a shared community.
Guitar, accordion, vocals: Natalia KotsaniPercussion: Stefanos Agiopoulos
This activity is only available in Greek.

Photography Exhibition: Oleksandr Glyadyelov – Look at Ukraine
2026-05-26 06:00 - 23:59, 2026-05-27 06:00 - 23:30 | National Garden, Vas. Amalias 1, Athens, Athens, 105 57, Greece
As part of the 2026 Philosophy Festival / European Dialogues organised by the French Institute of Greece, the public spaces of Athens are transformed into an open platform for historical memory and reflection. The This is Athens City Festival hosts the outdoor photography exhibition Look at Ukraine by Oleksandr Glyadyelov. The artist’s powerful photographs, presented on large-scale display panels, will be installed throughout the duration of the Philosophy Festival around the National Garden.

Based on the retrospective tribute exhibition presented in Kyiv in September 2025, the exhibition offers a deeply sensitive and humanistic reflection on the contemporary history of Ukraine, from its independence in 1991 to the ongoing war. Through his lens, Glyadyelov captures with honesty the mobilisation of citizens, the fragility of everyday life, and the immense challenges faced by Ukrainian families. A significant photographic intervention that invites passers-by and visitors to the city centre to pause and confront history through a profoundly human-centred perspective.

Ecological Translation
2026-05-26 08:00 - 22:00 | Goethe-Institut Athen, 14-16 Omirou, Athens, 106 72, Greece
The Goethe-Institut Athen presents the exhibition Ecological Translation, a bold exploration of our relationship with the natural world.

What if technology allowed us to speak directly with animals and plants?

Drawing on emerging legal frameworks that recognise rights for rivers and ecosystems, the exhibition examines the use of artificial intelligence and remote sensing as a potential “Google Translate” between humans and the environment. Through the work of an international group of artist visitors are invited to reflect on whether we can truly translate the radical otherness of beings such as bats or whales. The exhibition, which opened on 28 April, forms part of a broader interdisciplinary symposium that seeks to highlight both the opportunities and the risks of new scientific approaches reminding us that the complexity of the climate crisis demands a new, shared language of communication with the planet.

Artists:
Kyriaki Goni
Abelardo Gil-Fournier
Nona Inescu
Agata Ingarden
Bill Kouligas
Raffaela Naldi Rossano
Zoë Paul
Jenna Sutela

Concept: Alexander Damianos
Curation: Asya Yaghmurian

Exhibition duration: 28 April – 30 May.

Opening hours: Monday–Thursday: 08:00–22:00, Friday: 08:00–17:00 & Saturday: 08:00–14:30 (23 May: closed).

Nikolas Klironomos: A Retrospective (1985–2025)
2026-05-26 11:00 - 19:00 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
This major retrospective is a brilliant place to start looking into the work of Nikolas Klironomos, an artist who has spent decades masterfully blurring the lines between fine art and set design.

Klironomos doesn’t just paint; he “directs” his canvases. Think of him as a visual filmmaker who takes the raw, chaotic energy of Athens, our streets, our faces, our light, and filters it through a lens of memory and emotion.

In this exhibition, the mundane meets the dreamlike. You’ll see the changing seasons of the city tangled up with those small, quirky moments that make life in Athens so unique. By playing with vibrant palettes and some rather unusual materials, he creates scenes that feel like they’re in constant motion. It’s a bit like catching a glimpse of Athens from a moving Vespa—everything is fluid, poetic, and strangely alive.

This exhibition is designed to speak directly to your heart and your memory. What’s truly clever is how Klironomos takes “the bits and bobs” of life, those fragmented, everyday moments, and gives them a sense of grandeur and importance. It’s a proper journey into the hidden corners of time and what it actually means to be human.

Exhibition duration: 1 May – 14 June

Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 11:00–19:00; Sunday: 10:00–16:00. Closed on Monday.

Panos Charalambous: COLUMBIA
2026-05-26 11:00 - 20:00 | CITRONNE Gallery, 19 Patriarchou Ioakim, Athens, 106 75, Greece
At CITRONNE Gallery, Panos Charalambous invites us to step into a “sonic room” that speaks directly to the memory of the city. The journey begins in 2006, the year the historic Columbia vinyl record factory in Rizoupoli was demolished, symbolically closing a massive chapter of Greek music history. Columbia was a place where the voices, songs, and moments that shaped our collective soundscape were once etched into wax.

Charalambous transforms the gallery into a visceral, immersive installation. Here, you are invited to walk across a “sound floor,” literally treading on the echoes of a memory that refuses to fade. It is a haunting reminder that music doesn’t vanish with the buildings that once housed it; instead, it survives through emotion, shared experience, and our collective imagination.

In a city that is constantly evolving, COLUMBIA is a profound meditation on decay, remembrance, and our deep-seated need to keep our shared history alive.

Exhibition duration: 29 April – 29 June

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00–20:00; Wednesday, Saturday: 11:00–16:00. Closed on Monday & Sunday.

Guided Tours of the Cavafy Archive
2026-05-26 13:30 - 17:30 | Cavafy Archive, 16B Frynichou, Plaka, 105 58, Greece
This year, the This is Athens City Festival marks its fifth anniversary with a truly special collaboration. We’ve teamed up with the Onassis Foundation to invite you on a deeply personal journey through the life of one of the world’s most influential poets. For the first time as part of the festival, we’re stepping inside a stunning 1910 listed building on Phrynichou Street. Since late 2023, this spot in the heart of Plaka has become the new home of the Cavafy Archive, and now, its doors are opening for a series of exclusive guided tours.

It’s a rare chance to get up close and personal with the world of C.P. Cavafy by wandering through five specially curated rooms that recreate the atmosphere of his legendary home in Alexandria. Among the treasures, you will find personal relics such as original furniture, mementos, and even the poet’s death mask, alongside a remarkable collection of 966 surviving volumes in the library. The experience also showcases inspired art, with works ranging from Theodore Ralli and Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika to contemporary artists moved by his poetry. Perhaps most poignantly, the tour reveals the universe of Cavafy’s Athens through personal diaries and glowing letters from literary greats like Angelos Sikelianos, revealing the poet’s deep, timeless connection to this city.

To celebrate this new partnership, the Onassis Foundation is offering 20 free guided tours throughout the month for festival-goers. It’s a wonderful opportunity to dive deep into history, memory, and world-class art.

This activity is only available in Greek.

The Mantinians pres. Moschofilero Walking To The Top at NYN ESTI (EMST)
2026-05-26 15:00 - 19:00 | National Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art Αthens (ΕΜΣΤ), Athens, Athens, 117 43, Greece
The Mantinians return to Athens with an event of elevated wine culture on the top floor of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST). On Tuesday 26 May, from 15:00 to 19:00, the NYN ESTI space hosts a special Walk Around Tasting, where 16 wine producers from Mantinia come together to showcase the multifaceted character of Moschofilero, the historic “Smoky Wine.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the people behind iconic wineries (including Tselepos Estate, Spyropoulos Estate, Skouras Winery, Boutari and others) and discuss the vision of the association, which aims to promote wine tourism and strengthen the international profile of the PDO Mantinia vineyard.

The Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece Opens Up to the City
2026-05-26 16:00 - 20:00 | Historical Archives Of National Bank, Diomidis Mansion, 146 3is Septemvriou, Athens, 112 51, Greece
The Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece opens the doors of the Diomedes Mansion for a rare “behind-the-scenes” guided tour. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore an emblematic listed building of modern eclectic architecture, discovering up close the archival processing rooms and the permanent exhibitions.

The experience is enriched by the temporary exhibition “Lampros Orfanos: Portrait of an Engraver”, which presents the work of the distinguished artist in dialogue with the present. Seven contemporary visual artists, as well as students of the Athens School of Fine Arts, have created new works inspired by Orfanos and the Archive’s rich collections, bridging historical memory with contemporary artistic creation in a space where the past is preserved using the most modern standards.

1st tour: 16:00–18:00
2nd tour: 18:00–20:00

Bookings open one week before each event, at 14:00.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Guided Tour at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST)
2026-05-26 17:00 - 18:30 | National Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art Αthens (ΕΜΣΤ), Athens, Athens, 117 43, Greece
The This is Athens City Festival is serving up a back-to-back cultural double bill at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST). One booking gets you into two consecutive guided tours, exploring the legacies of two Greek artists who put their personal seal on modernist art.

17:00 | Jani Christou: Enantiodromia
Curator Kostis Zouliatis introduces the avant-garde world of Jannis Christou (1926–1970). Conceived as a “living score,” this exhibition unveils the artist’s archive for the first time. Featuring bespoke sound design and rare materials, from scores to philosophical texts, it reveals a “sonic philosopher” who turned ritual and myth into groundbreaking art.

18:00 | Ode to Things: Niki Kanagini (Retrospective)
The journey continues with curator Tina Pandi and a fresh look at the work of Niki Kanagini (1933–2008). Inspired by Pablo Neruda, this retrospective explores the “microcosm” of everyday objects as vessels for memory. From large-scale tapestries to participatory installations, you’ll discover the gendered experience and visual poetry of one of Greece’s most significant post-war women artists.

Meeting Point: Foyer

This activity is only available in Greek.

Demosthenes Agrafiotis: "Xαrtιά" [Crossroads & Junctions] 1975–2025
2026-05-26 17:00 - 21:00 | Art Project Space, 66 Falirou, Athens, 117 41, Greece
At Art Project Space, the exhibition “Xαrtιά” [Crossroads & Junctions] 1975–2025 carries both a retrospective and emotional resonance. Originally conceived by Demosthenes Agrafiotis himself for late 2025, his sudden passing has transformed this presentation into a vital tribute to the expansive work and thought of a true pioneer in Greek experimental art and poetry.

Spanning five decades of creation, the exhibition invites the public to navigate the “crossroads” where Agrafiotis’s writing, imagery, and theoretical enquiries met. It is a rare opportunity to trace the evolution of a mind that saw art as a constant state of transition and experimentation.

Alongside the retrospective, the exhibition presents his final creation: the artist’s book “Synoda” (Accompaniments), released in a limited, numbered edition of just 40 unique copies. This is more than an exhibition; it is a final, precious dialogue with an artist who thought of art as a field for experimentation, deep enquiry, and a state of constant transition.

Exhibition duration: 20–30 May

Opening hours: Tuesday 17:00–21:00, Thursday & Friday 12:00–20:00, Saturday 11:00–15:00. Closed on Sunday, Monday & Wednesday.

Fitness Sessions
2026-05-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Eleftherias Park, Eleftherias Park, Athens, Athens, 115 21, Greece
Parko Eleftherias is being transformed into a sprawling open-air hub of energy and well-being for this year’s This is Athens City Festival. At Fitness Sessions, movement is a celebration; here, exercise isn’t about competition—it’s about self-care, community, and recharging your batteries right in the heart of the city.

Set within one of Athens’ most refreshing green spaces, you’re invited to rediscover the joy of physical activity in a welcoming and supportive environment. Expert instructors and their teams will lead sessions for everyone, ranging from Yoga and Pilates to more high-energy workouts, offering a programme tailored to all fitness levels and needs.

Participation and good vibes are the order of the day, turning this event into a true festival for the body and the city alike. It’s a cracking opportunity to get moving together in one of Athens’ most beautiful outdoor settings.

World Lindy Hop Day: Open-Air Swing Party
2026-05-26 21:00 - 23:00 | 148 Ermou, 148 Ermou, Athens, 105 53, Greece
Ermou Street will come alive with rhythm, colour and vintage style as Athens marks World Lindy Hop Day. On Tuesday 26 May, from 9 pm to 11 pm, Lindy Hop groups and swing enthusiasts from across the city will gather at 148 Ermou Street for a huge open-air celebration, open to all.

Lindy Hop, the best-known social dance of the swing family, first emerged in 1930s Harlem, New York, and remains a vibrant form of cultural expression, improvisation and genuine human connection.

The date has been chosen to honour the birth of the legendary Frankie Manning, whose influence was instrumental in spreading and preserving swing culture around the world.

Among those taking part are some of Athens’ most active swing communities: Hoppers in Athens, Stomping Ground, Jump n Jive, Groove in Athens, Athens Boogie, Steam Rollers, Jazz Antidrastiras, Hob Nob, Swing That Thing, Athens Lindy Hop and Athens Authentic Jazz Dance. Together, they’ll transform Ermou Street into a lively swing dance floor, drawing passers-by and visitors alike into the irresistible rhythm of swing.

Nikos Kalafatis: Primavera
2026-05-27 10:00 - 18:00 | Technohoros Art Gallery, 12 Lempesi, Athens, 117 42, Greece
Nikos Kalafatis presents Primavera, an exhibition curated by Athena Schina, at Technohoros Art Gallery. It is a vibrant, optimistic, and deeply personal tribute to the natural world. For Kalafatis, nature isn’t just a subject; it’s a constant source of daily observation and artistic discovery. Taking the energy of spring as his starting point, the artist creates a world where simple, discarded materials are granted a second life. Driftwood, metals, ropes, feathers, and various objets trouvés are meticulously transformed through painting, sculpture, and engraving into works brimming with poetry, ingenuity, and a subtle touch of wit.
This isn’t just a traditional look at the outdoors; it’s an invitation to adopt a lighter, more observant way of being, one that is open to the “everyday miracles” of the city and beyond. In the heart of the festival, Primavera proves that spring isn’t just a season; it’s a creative state of mind.

Exhibition duration: 8–30 May

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 12:00–20:00; Wednesday, Saturday: 10:00–18:00. Closed on Sunday & Monday.
