Guided Tour: Nikolas Klironomos Retrospective "1985–2025"
2026-05-30 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Athens) | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
We invite you to a series of guided tours of the Nikolas Klironomos retrospective, a tour covering forty years of continuous artistic creation. The tour highlights the creator’s dual nature as both painter and set designer, revealing how he “”stages”” his canvas to transform images of the city and its people into poetic narratives.

As we navigate through his works, we will discover how everyday life meets the dream and how the changing seasons are captured through bold colours and special materials that provide movement and vitality. This is an opportunity to delve into the unseen aspects of time and human existence, understanding how Klironomos manages to give a monumental character to the small, fragmentary moments of our lives. An experiential tour that speaks straight to the heart and memory, offering a comprehensive look at the work of one of the most versatile creators on the contemporary Greek scene.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Guided Tour: Nikolas Klironomos Retrospective "1985–2025"
2026-05-30 13:00 - 14:30 | The City of Athens Gallery, Municipal Gallery of Athens, Athens, Athens, 104 36, Greece
We invite you to a series of guided tours of the Nikolas Klironomos retrospective, a tour covering forty years of continuous artistic creation. The tour highlights the creator’s dual nature as both painter and set designer, revealing how he “stages” his canvas to transform images of the city and its people into poetic narratives.

As we navigate through his works, we will discover how everyday life meets the dream and how the changing seasons are captured through bold colours and special materials that provide movement and vitality. This is an opportunity to delve into the unseen aspects of time and human existence, understanding how Klironomos manages to give a monumental character to the small, fragmentary moments of our lives. An experiential tour that speaks straight to the heart and memory, offering a comprehensive look at the work of one of the most versatile creators on the contemporary Greek scene.

This activity is only available in Greek.

SEDS Lifestyle x TiACF pres. Radio Slave
2026-05-30 17:00 - 23:00 | Klafthmonos Square, Klaftmonos Square, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
SEDS Lifestyle joins forces with the This Is Athens City Festival and Needless, taking over one of Athens’ most historic squares for a major open-air event in the city centre. From late afternoon until late at night, Klafthmonos Square transforms into an open-air dancefloor beneath the Athenian sky, headlined by one of the leading figures of contemporary electronic music.
Radio Slave (aka Matt Edwards) is considered one of the most influential artists in the global house and techno scene. Through his productions and DJ sets, he has shaped a distinctive and timeless sound, while as the founder of Rekids, one of the most important electronic music labels since 2006, he has played a defining role in shaping modern dance culture. With releases on labels such as Running Back and R&S, and performances at some of the world’s most renowned clubs and festivals, he remains a constant reference point for DJs and clubbers worldwide.

The evening opens with a special back-to-back set by Man With The Speaker and Chevy.

NCSU Jazz Band: The North Carolina "Wolfpack"
2026-05-30 18:00 - 19:30 | National Garden, Vas. Amalias 1, Athens, Athens, 105 57, Greece
This year, the festival welcomes 25 electrifying musicians from North Carolina State University, bringing the smoky, high-octane pulse of America’s great jazz clubs straight to the heart of Athens. Trading their campus in Raleigh for the Athenian stage, the “Wolfpack” arrives with an authentic Big Band sound: roaring brass sections, inexhaustible swing, and the kind of sharp improvisations that keep an audience on the edge of their seats.

Their repertoire is a masterclass in jazz history, paying homage to the legendary greats while pushing into contemporary interpretations that prove the genre is more alive than ever. From Duke Ellington and Count Basie, to Duke Pearson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mark Taylor, Alan Baylock, and everything in between, the NC State Jazz Orchestra will make every effort possible to please a wide variety of musical tastes. It’s a live set where youthful exuberance meets world-class musical pedigree, creating an infectious, celebratory atmosphere. Get ready to find your rhythm because when swing is this authentic, staying still isn’t an option.

Pepper Summer Party
2026-05-30 18:00 - 23:00 | Ipitou Str., Ipitou Str., Athens, 105 57, Greece
Pepper 96.6 Summer Party brings the sound of the Athenian summer to one of the city’s most charming pedestrian streets. On Saturday 30 May, from 18:00 onwards, Ipitou Street will host a lively open-air celebration, welcoming Athenians and visitors alike for an evening of music, cocktails and free entertainment.
At the centre of the event will be Pepper’s iconic van, transformed into a live DJ booth broadcasting directly from the street. Throughout the evening, the area’s much-loved bars will be serving refreshing drinks and signature cocktails, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Under the Athenian sky, a carefully selected line-up of DJs will set the tone for a memorable summer night in the heart of the city.

18:00: Eleni Kolokotroni
19:00: Dj Spector
20:30: Matina Sous Peau
21:30: Lil Dim

Krama Brass Band: Tradition Reimagined
2026-05-30 19:00 - 20:30 | National Historical Museum, Stadiou 13, Athens, Athens, 105 61, Greece
Coming all the way from Cyprus, the Krama Brass Band arrives at the This is Athens City Festival 2026 with a fresh, subversive musical take that completely redefines tradition. Founded in 2023 by musicians Andreas Theocharous and Nikolas Georgiou, this eight-piece powerhouse, featuring six brass instruments, guitar, and percussion, joins forces to create an explosive, contemporary sound.

For 70 minutes, the audience will journey through original compositions and imaginative arrangements of traditional Cypriot songs. It’s a space where the familiar sounds of the Mediterranean meet the freedom of jazz and the structure of classical music.

With a multicultural identity that honours its roots while looking firmly toward the future, the Krama Brass Band showcases Cypriot musical heritage as a vibrant and constantly evolving artistic language. They invite us to a celebration full of rhythm and emotion, right in the heart of Athens.

Athens Cocktails x Athens Photo World
2026-05-30 19:00 - 23:00 | Megaro Arsakeiou, 42-46 Stadiou, Athens, 105 59, Greece
Athens Photo World celebrates the opening of its 2026 summer exhibitions with an open party organised in collaboration with Athens Cocktails and the This is Athens City Festival at Stoa Culture, an iconic cultural venue in the heart of Athens.
The evening will feature digital projections of Athens Photo World’s outdoor exhibitions at the National Garden and the Athens Concert Hall, dance music by DJs Tolis Q, Chairman and Marthe, and signature cocktails by A for Athens Bar, marking the reopening of one of the city centre’s most distinctive cultural spaces.
On the occasion of this year’s FIFA World Cup, Athens Photo World transforms the fencing of the National Garden into a spectacular open-air gallery from 29 May to 31 July, dedicated to football. The exhibition presents 50 iconic photographs from the archive of the Associated Press international news agency, capturing historic moments from the world’s most celebrated football tournament—images engraved in the collective memory of football fans around the globe.
Along Vasilissis Sofias and Amalias Avenues, powerful photographs capture emotion, intensity and unforgettable moments that made history, offering viewers a journey through time while creating an open cultural and sporting experience for all.
At the same time, Athens Photo World returns for its seventh consecutive year to the fencing of the Athens Concert Hall, from 29 May to 31 August 2026, presenting the photographic exhibition Mitos, the Thread of Greece by Michalis Pappas. Through 13 selected images, Greek tradition is reinterpreted as traditional costumes are brought to life through contemporary figures, highlighting the timelessness and ongoing evolution of cultural heritage. The result is a poetic outdoor narrative connecting past and present within the urban landscape of Athens.
The long-standing collaboration between Athens Photo World and the City of Athens continues to grow stronger each year. This year introduces an even more interactive experience, inviting audiences to enjoy projections of selected photographs accompanied by DJ sets from the This is Athens City Festival, right in the heart of the city.

26 Years Athens DeeJay 95.2
2026-05-30 19:00 - 23:00 | Agion Asomaton Square, Agion Asomaton Square, Athens, Athens, 105 53, Greece
Athens DeeJay 95.2 and its creator, Michalis Tsaousopoulos, are celebrating a unique milestone: 26 years of continuous airwaves. These are 26 years packed with music, countless hits, thousands of happy listeners, and some of the wildest parties the city has ever seen.

At the helm is the most recognisable voice in Greek radio, Michalis Tsaousopoulos. Ever-active, tireless, and always bursting with fresh ideas, he joins the Festival for the fourth consecutive year with one of his signature high-impact appearances. The date is set at the pedestrian junction of Ermou and Asomaton, where the heart of Athens will beat to the freshest rhythms on the decks. Get ready for an explosive DJ set that fuses decades of experience with the latest global hits, transforming Thissio into a massive open-air celebration.

Guided tour of the War Museum for Adults
2026-05-30 20:00 - 21:00 | War Museum, Rizari 2-4, Athens, Athens, 106 75, Greece
As part of the This is Athens City Festival, the War Museum opens its collections and invites us on a journey through Greece’s military history and cultural heritage. Through specially designed thematic tours, visitors will have the opportunity to discover iconic exhibits and lesser-known narratives that shed light on the Greek past.

The activity is intended for adults and for families with children aged 12 and above.

This activity is only available in Greek.

Athens Photo World: The FIFA World Cup 1930 – 2026 by the Associated Press
2026-05-31 06:00 - 23:30 | National Garden, Vas. Amalias 1, Athens, Athens, 105 57, Greece
Athens Photo World is transforming the fence running around the National Garden into a stunning open-air gallery dedicated to the “king of sports.” This exhibition presents 50 iconic photographs from the historic archives of the Associated Press, offering a fascinating journey through the evolution of the World Cup, from the very first whistle in Uruguay in 1930 to the modern moments of glory currently unfolding on the pitches of the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.

It is a true walk through sporting history along Vasilissis Sofias and Amalias Avenue, where passers-by can pause before high-aesthetic images that capture the intensity, passion, and historic upsets that have shaken the planet for nearly a century. This visual timeline spans nearly 100 years of global football, showcasing the work of world-leading photojournalists who were right there on the touchline. Set against one of the most beautiful walks in the city in the heart of springtime Athens, it is a unique opportunity for photography enthusiasts and football fans alike to discover global sporting history through the eyes of the masters.

Exhibition duration: 29 May – 31 July

Athens Photo World: Michalis Pappas – Mitos, The Thread of Greece
2026-05-31 06:00 - 23:30 | The Athens Concert Hall – Megaron, Vas. Sofias & Kokkali, Athens, 115 21, Greece
For the seventh consecutive year, Athens Photo World returns to the perimeter of the Megaron Athens Concert Hall transforming it into a street gallery, showing a different and deeply personal perspective on Greek identity. As part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026, this year’s exhibition features 13 selected photographs from the broader work of Michalis Pappas, titled “Mitos: The Thread of Greece”.

Moving away from the usual landmarks, Pappas’s lens focuses instead on traditional costumes worn by contemporary figures, proving that tradition is not a fossilised relic of the past, but a living, evolving process that breathes within our daily lives. It is an evocative connection between yesterday and today, inviting passers-by to discover the “thread” that links us to our roots right in the heart of the urban fabric.

Exhibition duration: 29 May – 31 August

Interactive Experiences at the Museum of Philhellenism
2026-05-31 10:00 - 17:30 | Philhellenism Museum, 12 Zisimopoulou, Athens, 115 24, Greece
The Museum of Philhellenism, a unique landmark of its kind worldwide, opens its doors to the audience of the This is Athens City Festival for two special Sundays with free admission. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the history of the philhellenic movement through a comprehensive experience that combines cinema with a classic guided tour.
The programme includes:

Screening: “PHILHELLENES” (30’):A journey through the philhellenic movement, from its origins in the Renaissance to the liberation of Greece (in Greek with English subtitles).
Guided tour of the Permanent Collection:A tour across the Museum’s four floors, featuring more than 450 artefacts. Among the exhibits, visitors will admire rare personal belongings of Lord Byron, paintings and sculptures, intricate philhellenic clocks and porcelains, as well as period weaponry and historical documents that narrate the remarkable contribution of the Philhellenes to the rebirth of Greece.

Duration: 90 minutes

10:00–11:30
12:00–13:30
14:00–15:30
16:00–17:30

Free admission with advance booking required. Limited availability. To register, please send your full name, affiliation, mobile contact number, and email to info@phmus.org.
This activity is only available in Greek.

Theatre Battles in Ancient Athens
2026-05-31 11:00 - 12:30 | Epigraphic Museum, Tositsa 1, Athens, Athens, 106 82, Greece
The This is Athens City Festival invites explorers of all ages to an educational adventure that reimagines ancient Athens through the eyes of two real-life legends. Auteas and Philoxenides, two “choregoi” (the visionary sponsors of the time) from Aexone, today’s Glyfada, are making a symbolic comeback 2,300 years later to guide us through the thrilling world of theatrical competitions.

What exactly was the role of a sponsor back then? How were the city’s massive festivals organised? And why was theatre so much more than just a night out? Taking its cue from a rare honorary decree from 313/2 BC housed in the Epigraphical Museum, this session is specially designed for families with children aged 7 to 10. Through storytelling, discovery, and a hands-on creative workshop, kids will dive into ancient drama and the city’s public life in a way that’s interactive, fast-paced, and fun. It’s a chance to pull the past into the present with imagination, play, and a real connection to Athens’ cultural soul.

This activity is only available in Greek.

First Cemetery of Athens: An Open-Air Gallery 2
2026-05-31 17:00 - 19:00 | First Cemetery of Athens, Logginou 3, Athens, Athens, 116 36, Greece
Yannoulis Chalepas’ “Sleeping Maiden” is, without a doubt, the most iconic sculpture of the First Cemetery of Athens, but the beauty of this open-air museum goes far beyond its famous resident.
As part of the City of Athens Festival 2026, archaeologist and certified guide Michalis Giohalas invites us to step off the main path and follow an alternative route through the climbing alleys of the cemetery. Beyond the well-trodden spots, we will discover a lesser-known yet equally staggering side of Modern Greek sculpture. Here, imposing mausoleums and monuments stand where the grand passion for legacy meets a crushing silence—a space where the mortal seems to converse with the immortal. This guided tour illuminates unknown masterpieces and human stories, offering a deeply immersive look into the artistic and historical heritage of Athens.

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

This activity is only available in Greek.

Athens Disco: TiACF 2026 Closing Party
2026-05-31 17:30 - 23:00 | Athinas Str., Athinas Street, Athens, Athens, 105 52, Greece
We never go out with a low-key applause. For this year’s grand finale, we are transforming the iconic Athinas Street into a vast, glowing dancefloor. One of Athens’ most historic thoroughfares will shed its everyday, bustling face, surging with music, lights, and crowds for a closing that will be truly unforgettable.

The evening is a tribute to the timeless magic of disco, the sound that never stopped commanding us to the floor and continues to fuel the fire of today’s electronic music. Top Greek DJs will take to the decks, ready to drop the beat for a non-stop dance marathon packed with glamour, raw energy, and a nostalgic spirit that looks firmly toward the future.

With a massive sound system, a cinematic light show, and thousands of festival-goers merging into one giant crew, Athinas Street becomes the ultimate stage for the most joyful and explosive “farewell” of the year. One last great celebration in the heart of the city, until we meet again.

Tilda Swinton: Ongoing
2026-05-31 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.

20 invitations are available from the Onassis Stegi for 22, 24, 29, and 31 May – 5 invitations per day.

Bookings open one week before each event at 12:00 noon and are made via this page.
