Dimitra Siaterli: Cohesive Networks
2026-05-23 11:00 - 19:00, 2026-05-24 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Athens) | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
This solo exhibition by Dimitra Siaterli is presented as a fascinating journey connecting the artist’s past and present. Spanning from the 1980s and 90s right through to her brand-new productions, the exhibition unfolds in three sections that feel like acts in a play. Visitors will wander through a world of strange minerals, fossils, and mythical creatures, eventually arriving at an “anatomy” of the human form through striking sculptures, meshes, and engravings. Tiny human figures seem to leap out from labyrinths and processions, creating a playful tension between myth and reality. This is an experiential journey that reminds us of the vital human need for connection and our place as a precious part of a vast, collective network. It is a study of coexistence, delivered in a visual language that speaks to the heart about the time and space we all share

Nikolas Klironomos: A Retrospective (1985–2025)
2026-05-23 11:00 - 19:00, 2026-05-24 10:00 - 16:00 | 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.

Biscuits at the Museum!
2026-05-23 11:30 - 12:30 | Hellenic Children’s Museum, Vas. Georgiou Β΄ 19, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
The Hellenic Children’s Museum is opening up its most delicious exhibit for a hands-on kitchen takeover. If you’re looking for a brilliant way to keep the kids entertained (and well-fed) this May, “Kitchen: Discovering the World of the Biscuit” is exactly where you need to be.

In this “Biscuits at the Museum!” workshop, our younger festival-goers get to swap the sketchbook for a rolling pin. It’s not just a baking lesson; it’s a magical journey into the world of pastry through the eyes of a museum.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Constantine Xenakis – Dimitris Chiotopoulos: Writing and Trace Two Journeys into the Labyrinth
2026-05-23 11:30 - 15:00, 2026-05-25 11:30 - 14:30, 2026-05-25 17:30 - 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.

Guided Tour at the National Historical Museum
2026-05-23 12:00 - 13:00 | National Historical Museum, Stadiou 13, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
Step inside the grand, stately building with the bronze statue of Kolokotronis on horseback out front. It’s nothing less than the Old Parliament House, the very heart of Greece’s early political acts, and it is throwing open its doors for the This is Athens City Festival.

This isn’t just a wander through a dusty museum; it’s a guided journey through the National Historical Museum. You’ll be stepping into the original debating chamber where the big decisions that shaped modern Greece were hammered out. It’s an atmospheric spot that keeps history grounded in the centre of the city. Our guide will lead you through a stunning collection that charts the Greek story from the fall of Constantinople through to the 20th century. You’ll see personal heirlooms and everyday objects from the Greek Revolution, intricate traditional costumes that are basically 19th-century high fashion, historic weaponry, and archival treasures that tell the story of a nation finding its feet.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Pictures of an Exhibition
2026-05-23 12:00 - 13:30 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
Music and painting meet in a unique collaboration titled “Pictures of an Exhibition.” Composer and pianist Christos Papageorgiou, inspired by the work of Nikolas Klironomos, creates and performs a series of compositions that “translate” the visual arts into sound.

For 70 minutes, the audience is immersed in an atmospheric experience where each musical phrase acts as a commentary on the artist’s visual world. With an international career and profound musical education, Papageorgiou establishes a living dialogue between the arts, where different artistic languages unite into a single, multisensory experience.

Giorgos Louloudis: The Path of Light – The Innate
2026-05-23 12:00 - 15:00 | Genesis Gallery, Ippokratous 121, Athens, Athens, 114 72, Greece
In his new solo exhibition at Gallery Genesis, Giorgos Louloudis places light centre stage, moving beyond its role as a mere physical phenomenon.The artist turns his focus toward the small Greek chapels and their unique relationship with the landscape, transforming them into potent symbols of hope, silence, and internal quest. These works function as quiet stations of contemplation, where physical space and psychological experience are inextricably linked.

Through a powerful expressionist style, Louloudis’s painted surfaces gain emotional intensity and depth. Light becomes an inner necessity, a force that guides the viewer toward a deeply personal reading of the work. This exhibition speaks to the universal need for solace and the enduring power of hope, asserting art’s ability to serve as a point of renewal and reflection in demanding times.

Dr. Yiannis N. Tzortzis: Greenland
2026-05-23 12:00 - 16:00 | a.antonopoulou.art Gallery, 20 Aristofanous, Athens, 105 54, Greece
The gallery a.antonopoulou.art hosts the solo photography exhibition “Greenland” by Dr. Yiannis N. Tzortzis, a body of work that seamlessly merges artistic sensitivity with a sharp environmental consciousness. Through his lens, the frozen landscapes of the North are revealed in all their rare beauty and profound fragility, opening an essential dialogue on the climate crisis and the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. Here, the image transcends simple documentation; it becomes a catalyst for reflection.

The exhibition carries significant weight as it highlights the delicate balance between natural heritage, the geopolitical importance of resources, and our collective responsibility toward the environment. Viewers are invited to perceive Greenland not merely as a site of immense aesthetic power, but as one of the most critical frontiers for contemplating the planet’s present and future. This is a multi-layered experience with a clear ecological and contemporary footprint.

Marilia Fotopoulou: Iconostases
2026-05-23 12:00 - 16:00 | Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre, 48 Armatolon-Klefton, Athens, 114 71, Greece
The Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre presents “Iconostases”, a solo exhibition by Marilia Fotopoulou. This visual proposition turns its gaze toward a subject that is deeply familiar yet often bypassed in our daily lives: the roadside shrines encountered across the Greek landscape. The artist approaches these small, metallic markers of memory and faith not merely as elements of the scenery, but as vessels for personal histories, collective sensitivity, and profound cultural continuity.

Using the language of contemporary fine-art photography, the exhibition illuminates the relationship between the individual and the road, exploring themes of loss, memory, and the urban environment. Fotopoulou’s works do not simply document a characteristic Greek sight; they transform it into a field of observation and reflection. This is a show that invites us to look again at what we pass by every day, discovering within these shrines a unique weight of emotion, tradition, and silent witness. The exhibition works well the Eugenia Grigoraki’s exhibition, also on view at the gallery, giving you a broader perspective on this distinctive symbol of the Greek landscape.

Evgenia Grigoraki: Roadside Shrines
2026-05-23 12:00 - 16:00 | Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre, 48 Armatolon-Klefton, Athens, 114 71, Greece
The Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre presents a solo exhibition by Evgenia Grigoraki titled “Roadside Shrines”, a photographic series focusing on a familiar yet often overlooked element of the Greek landscape. Through a personal and direct lens, the artist approaches these shrines not merely as markers of memory and faith, but as small, paradoxical presences that persist in inhabiting public spaces—alongside roads, around bends, and throughout our daily commutes.

The strength of the exhibition lies in this experiential, almost tender observation. Under Grigoraki’s gaze, these shrines are transformed into objects of artistic exploration, highlighting their enduring stability and the specific meaning they continue to hold within Greek society. It is an exhibition that bridges the everyday gaze with folk tradition, inviting us to pause once more before one of the most characteristic and poignant sights of the Greek roadside. Presented alongside Marilia Fotopoulou’s exhibition, the show will offer you the chance to explore two different yet complementary photographic interpretations of the same subject.

Alexandros Georgiou
2026-05-23 12:00 - 16:00 | Rebecca Camhi Gallery, 9 Leonidou, Metaxourgio, 104 37, Greece
The Rebecca Camhi Gallery presents a solo exhibition by Alexandros Georgiou. Spanning over three decades of work from 1993 to 2026, the exhibition offers a profound, multi-layered look at the artist’s trajectory through oils and works on paper that reveal the evolution of his technique, themes, and internal search.

Georgiou introduces us to a personal, introspective world where memory, travel, and the metaphysical coexist with potent symbolism and a characteristic fluidity of line. His enigmatic figures and landscapes appear to hover outside of time, inviting the viewer on a quiet yet deep internal journey. This is a rare opportunity to engage with the work of an artist who moves with great sensitivity between the human and the transcendent.

Inna Orlik: The Permanent Collection
2026-05-23 12:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-24 12:00 - 18:00, 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.

Guided Tour: Dimitra Siaterli’s "Cohesive Networks"
2026-05-23 13:00 - 14:00 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
We invite you to a special guided tour of Dimitra Siaterli’s solo exhibition, a journey that peels back the deeper layers of a visual world spanning four decades. As we move among intricate meshes, perforated sculptures, and engravings, a whole “labyrinth” of tiny human figures is gradually revealed.

This is a universe that speaks to our fundamental need to connect, to belong, and to communicate. It is a profound, experiential tour that brings the audience closer to the artist’s work, illuminating the importance of the “cohesive networks” that unite us in a shared present.

This activity is only available in Greek.

First Cemetery of Athens: An Open-Air Sculpture Gallery II
2026-05-23 17:00 - 19:00 | First Cemetery of Athens, Logginou 3, Athens, Athens, 116 36, Greece
While Halepas’s “Sleeping Maiden” is undoubtedly the most iconic sculpture in Athens’ First Cemetery, the beauty of this open-air museum goes far beyond its famous headline acts.

As part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026, archaeologist and guide Michalis Giohalas invites us to step off the main path. We’ll be heading up the winding, uphill trails to discover a lesser-known but equally breathtaking side of Modern Greek sculpture. Far from the usual tourist spots, you’ll encounter imposing mausoleums and monuments where a grand passion for legacy meets a crushing, powerful silence.

In this unique space, the mortal world seems to hold a quiet conversation with the immortal. This tour shines a light on hidden masterpieces and the moving human stories behind them, offering a deeply personal look at the artistic and historical heritage of Athens.

Meeting Point: Main Entrance of the First Cemetery of Athens (at the end of Anapafseos Street).

This activity is only available in Greek.

Yoga Sessions
2026-05-23 18:30 - 20:30 | Rizari Park, Rizari 5, Athens, Athens, 106 76, Greece
Rizari Park is transforming into the quietest, yet most radiant, spot in the city. Think of it as a lush green sanctuary right in the heart of Athens, where time seems to slow down and the city’s daily hum just fades away behind the trees.

As part of the This is Athens City Festival, our Yoga Sessions are back, inviting you to roll out your mat on the grass and get in sync with your body and breath. Practising under the shade of the trees with the open sky above is a total game-changer, it’s a chance to reconnect with yourself and the city in a whole new way.

We’ve got some fantastic instructors on hand to guide everyone from total beginners to seasoned yogis through a harmonious flow focused on balance, focus, and finding that inner alignment. Every inhale brings a fresh burst of energy, and every exhale lets go of the day’s tension.

It’s that lovely moment when Athens reveals its serene side—a gentle reminder that wellbeing isn’t a luxury, it’s a rhythm we can all find together.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Fitness Sessions
2026-05-23 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.

Canvas Bag Meets Vintage Flair
2026-05-24 11:00 - 13:30 | National Historical Museum, Stadiou 13, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
How were traditional costumes made, and what secrets are hidden within their vibrant colours, intricate patterns, and fine details?

The National Historical Museum invites the younger friends of the This is Athens City Festival 2026 to an interactive session that brings folk tradition to life creatively and delightfully. The journey begins with a guided exploration of the Museum’s Folk Collection, where children will get up close to the richness of Greek attire, discovering the materials, techniques, and sheer craftsmanship that went into every handmade piece. But the experience doesn’t end with looking. Transitioning from observation to creation, and under the expert guidance of the museum curators, children will try their hand at the traditional block printing technique to decorate their very own canvas tote bag. By the end of the session, folk art is no longer just a museum exhibit, but their personal masterpiece to carry home. This is a brilliant opportunity for children to connect history with imagination and discover the past through their own hands.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Butterfly Words
2026-05-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Elytis’ House – Museum, Polygnotou 7, Athens, Athens, 105 55, Greece
Our young friends aged 6 to 12 are invited on a magical journey into the world of Greek Nobel Laureate Odysseas Elytis through the educational programme “Butterfly Words”. As part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026, children will have the chance to get to know the work of one of the most significant poets in a fun and creative way, using his very own words as building blocks.

Symbols, images, and concepts from his earliest poems are transformed into an original linguistic game. Participants will deconstruct famous verses and experiment with their own original creations, letting their imagination “fly” free.

This activity is only available in Greek.

A Walk through Rizokastro & Anafiotika
2026-05-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Acropolis Metro Station, Makrygianni 9, Athens, Athens, 117 42, Greece
Rizokastro and Anafiotika, two of the most enchanting and singular corners of Athens, become the backdrop for a journey that weaves together history, memory, and the inexhaustible charm of Plaka. Archaeologist and guide Michalis Giohalas invites us on a route that goes far beyond a typical tour; it is a quest for Athenian identity where the layers of time remain vividly visible.

Guided by surviving monuments, the ghosts of lost buildings, and the hidden details we usually overlook, this walk attempts to reconstruct a different Athens, but certainly not a lost one. Even those who believe they know Plaka inside out will have the chance to see it through a fresh lens where myth, legend, and topography collide. It is an experience that bridges academic insight with the evocative, nostalgic power of our capital’s most authentic neighbourhood.

Meeting Point: Acropolis Metro Station, Makriyianni exit.

This activity is only available in Greek.

NO MOTTO
2026-05-24 18:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-25 18:00 - 21:00 | Mosaico Fine Art Studio, Kesarias 18-20, Athens, Athens, 115 27, Greece
As part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026, contemporary art finds its voice in “NO MOTTO”, featuring the work of Markos Ntemkas and curated by Dr. Eva Kekou. This presentation of conceptual works invites the public on an aesthetic and philosophical journey exploring the boundaries of imagery, meaning, and artistic identity. Eschewing easy definitions or predetermined conclusions, the exhibition carves out a space for observation and personal interpretation.

The central axis here is self-reflexivity: the way in which art can turn inward to examine its own nature, function, and presence. In “NO MOTTO”, form and content exist in a constant dialogue, creating a field of contemplation that offers no ready-made answers, but instead proposes a more substantial way of seeing. This is an exhibition for those who appreciate a contemporary visual language that challenges, questions, and leaves room for a second thought.

Tilda Swinton: Ongoing
2026-05-24 18:00 - 23:00 | Onassis Ready, 2 Strati Tsirka, Ag. Ioannis Rentis, 182 33, Greece
Marking its fifth year with a great collaboration with Onassis Stegi, we offer an encounter with one of the season’s most keenly discussed artistic propositions. At its centre is Tilda Swinton, a figure who has long moved with deliberate, almost defiant ease between cinema, fashion, and the visual arts, each appearance less a performance than a considered cultural gesture.

The exhibition Ongoing, presented at the recently inaugurated Onassis Ready, resists the tidy framing of a retrospective. Instead, it unfolds as an active, evolving dialogue between Swinton and a close circle of collaborators. Among them Pedro Almodóvar, Luca Guadagnino, Jim Jarmusch, Joanna Hogg, Tim Walker, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Olivier Saillard, and Derek Jarman. Through short films, installations, and photographic works, the exhibition gently dismantles and reassembles the layers of her artistic identity, moving between the dreamlike and the intimately personal. The result is a multi-stranded exhibition that illuminates her rich creative journey and her profound connection to contemporary art.

Street Outdoors 2026
2026-05-24 19:00 - 23:00 | Eleftherias Park, Eleftherias Park, Athens, Athens, 115 21, Greece
The Street Outdoors crew, the team behind some of the most influential open-air parties of the last decade, reclaim Eleftherias Park as the ultimate meeting point for the city’s vibrant, extroverted soul. Stripping away the “closed club” mentality, the music here breathes freely under the trees, in a setting that perfectly fuses raw urban energy with wide-open spaces.

With a sound that balances the latest electronic trends with the classic spirit of a true block party, Street Outdoors crafts an experience that starts laid-back and gradually surges into a massive celebration. Dance, connection, and a shared sense of “togetherness” are at the heart of the night, an afternoon and evening that proves how naturally the city can transform through rhythm. It’s more proof that Athens beats strongest when it steps outside.

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.
