At a glance
June–August
In 2026: 29 May – 29 August. Epidaurus from 20 June.
Pireos 260
The main venue in Athens, a former factory with several stages and parties until late.
Epidaurus
Ancient drama every Friday and Saturday in July and August.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Closed for restoration after June 2026, for about three years.
When it takes place
The Festival opens at Pireos 260 in late May or early June. Performances at Epidaurus start in late June and end in late August. Each year’s programme is announced in spring and tickets go on sale right after.
| Venue | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Pireos 260 | From 29 May, opening with «Schliemann III» by Heiner Goebbels |
| Odeon of Herodes Atticus | June only, before closing for restoration |
| Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus | 20 June – 29 August, Friday and Saturday |
| Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus | 26 June – 8 August |
| 2027 | From early June (estimate). Dates are released in spring. |
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
The theatre of Epidaurus seats about 14,000 people and is famous for its acoustics: from the top rows you can clearly hear a whisper from the orchestra. Ancient drama is staged here every Friday and Saturday night. In 2026 the programme included Aeschylus’ «The Persians» (2 and 3 July), Aristophanes’ «Peace» (24 and 25 July), «The Trojan Women» with Lydia Fotopoulou (31 July and 1 August), and it closed with «Lysistrata» by the National Theatre of Northern Greece (21 and 22 August). Most performances are in Greek; some have English surtitles.
The 55 rows of the auditorium, cut into the hillside. In the morning it is open as an archaeological site.
The stone holds the heat of the day. Bring a small cushion.
The cheapest seats are high up. The acoustics reach all the way.
People arrive an hour early; seating in the upper sections is unreserved.
After the performance, the exit and the car park take time. Don’t plan anything else that evening.
Shortly after the excavation. The first modern performances took place in the 20th century.
Photos: Giles Laurent, Holger Uwe Schmitt, Zde (CC BY-SA 4.0), Ferengi (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wilhelm von Plüschow (public domain), Wikimedia Commons.
How to get to Epidaurus
The theatre is in the Argolis, about two hours by car from Athens. For some performances the Festival, together with KTEL Argolidas, runs special buses; the details are on each performance’s page. Many visitors prefer to spend a night in Nafplio, half an hour from the theatre, and make the trip from there.
For Epidaurus: bring a cardigan, because it gets windy after sunset, water and a small cushion for the stone. If you drive, leave Athens at least three hours before the start: on Saturday afternoon the way out of the city is busy and the theatre car park fills up early.
Pireos 260
Pireos 260 is a former industrial site on Pireos Street, past Gazi, with several halls. In 2026 it marked twenty years as the Festival’s home in Athens. Contemporary theatre, dance and international productions are staged here, and after the shows the courtyard fills with concerts and parties until late. It is the place to see something different from ancient drama.
The steel beams recall the factory. The venue also hosts other events during the year.
Photo: Εὐθυμένης, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to get from Ioulianou 50 to Pireos 260
- Line 1 (green): from Victoria towards Piraeus, five stops to Tavros, about 15 minutes.
- Tavros → Pireos 260: about 2 km, 25 minutes on foot via Kyprou Street, or 5 minutes by taxi.
In recent years the Festival has had a free bus for ticket holders: from Syntagma (Filellinon and Xenofontos) at 20:00, stopping at Omonia, and back after the performances. Omonia is one metro stop from Victoria. Check each year whether it is running. By taxi from Ioulianou 50 the trip takes about 15 minutes without traffic.
🎭 From Ioulianou 50 to Pireos 260
Line 1 to Tavros and then on foot or by taxi. Tap Pireos 260 for the route in Google Maps.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus: closed until about 2028
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, below the Acropolis, was built in AD 161 and for decades was the heart of the Festival. Maria Callas sang there, and Sinatra, Elton John and the Three Tenors performed there. In June 2026 it hosted one last month of performances and then closed for protection and restoration work expected to take about three years. Until then you can only see it from outside, from Dionysiou Areopagitou Street or from the Acropolis.
The stands full and the Roman arches lit up behind the stage.
Performances began after sunset, with the Acropolis above.
The Greek National Opera staged an opera at the Odeon every summer.
The marble floor of the orchestra lit for a performance.
The stage wall with its arches, as seen from the Acropolis.
While it is closed, this is the best view of it: from the path up to the Propylaea.
Photos: Tomisti, Martin Cígler (CC BY-SA 3.0), Gregor Hagedorn, NikosFF, George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Julian Lupyan (CC0), Wikimedia Commons.
Tickets
Tickets are sold on the Festival’s official website (aefestival.gr) and at the points of sale it lists. At Epidaurus in 2026 prices started at about €15 for the upper sections and went up to about €50 for the central seats, with reductions for students, the unemployed, people with disabilities and children. Epidaurus performances with well-known names sell out weeks ahead.
Kathy’s tip: if you are only in Athens for a few days in June, choose an evening at Pireos 260: it is close, there are performances almost every night and the courtyard stays open afterwards. Epidaurus is worth a whole trip, with a night in Nafplio.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Athens & Epidaurus Festival in 2027?
The dates are announced in spring. Based on recent years, it starts in late May or early June (estimate: Friday 4 June) and runs until late August.
Is the Odeon of Herodes Atticus open?
No. It closed after June 2026 for restoration work expected to take about three years.
Will I understand the performances if I don’t speak Greek?
Most Epidaurus performances are in Greek and some have English surtitles. At Pireos 260 there are also foreign productions. Dance and concerts need no language.
How far is Epidaurus?
About two hours by car from Athens. For some performances there are special KTEL Argolidas buses.
How do I get to Pireos 260?
Line 1 from Victoria to Tavros and then 25 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi. Or the Festival bus from Omonia, if it runs.
— Kathy
