At a glance
Late November – 7 January
About 40 days. Last year: 28 November 2025 – 7 January 2026.
6 minutes
On foot from Ioulianou 50 to the edge of the park, 430 metres.
16:30 – 22:00
On weekdays. Weekends from 10:00 to 22:00 (2025–26 hours).
Free
Entry and concerts. The ice rink and the rides are paid.
What you will find in the village
- An ice rink under a big tent, the best-known spot of the village. It stays open in light drizzle.
- A carousel with little horses and hundreds of lights.
- 40 wooden huts with handmade crafts, gifts, ornaments, sweets, hot drinks and street food.
- Three stages: one main stage for concerts and two smaller ones for children’s theatre, dance and festive music.
- The «Protergia Magic Lights» light show, designed by lighting designer G. Tellos, with lasers, illuminated paths, a tunnel of stars and water curtains.
- For children: educational games, face painting, workshops, a snowman and a nativity scene.
On weekend evenings the central avenue fills up. The trees are covered in thousands of fairy lights and the huts stand in a row.
It works in light drizzle too, thanks to the canopy. Parents watch from the railing.
The trunks and branches are wrapped in fairy lights. Before dark the path is almost empty.
A row of metal stars with lights that you walk through. A good photo spot, especially after rain.
Water falls from pergolas lit from below. Keep children away from the wet paving.
A classic carousel with horses and hundreds of fairy lights. Ask on site for the price of a ride.
A rope trampoline and stalls with toys. On weekend mornings the waiting time is shorter.
Sweets, street food and hot drinks, with high tables in front of the stalls.
One of the photo spots, in front of the lit bushes.
A wooden stable with the figures of the Nativity and straw on the ground.
The trees and the path fill with purple and blue light. The effect looks better on video.
The Christmas Village in Pedion tou Areos, in previous seasons.
The light and laser show
As soon as it gets dark, the park paths fill with purple and blue light and laser dots moving over the trees. The effect looks better on video than in a photo:
Magic Lights: lasers on the trees
The light show in Pedion tou Areos · Chris TV on YouTube
A walk through the Christmas Park
Christmas 2025 in Pedion tou Areos · A.S.Photos & Entertainment on YouTube
Hours, entry and prices
| Last year (2025–26) | |
|---|---|
| Duration | Friday 28 November 2025 – Wednesday 7 January 2026 |
| Weekdays | 16:30 – 22:00 |
| Weekends | 10:00 – 22:00 |
| Entry | Free for everyone |
| Official programme | xmasvillageattica.gr |
Entry to the village and the concerts was free. The Region did not publish an official price for the ice rink or the carousel. In the organisers’ replies to visitors last year, 15€ was mentioned for the ice rink, with no booking and first come, first served, and 4–5€ for the rides. These figures are not from an official announcement, so ask at the entrance.
Last season's programme
The main stage usually had concerts at 19:30 and, at weekends, midday shows for children. Some events changed time or were moved because of rain. The 2026 programme will be different, along the same lines.
| Day (2025–26) | What happened |
|---|---|
| Friday 28/11 | Lighting at 19:00, concert by Thodoris Ferris and Onemanshow at 19:30. |
| Saturday 29/11 | Locomondo. |
| Friday 5/12 | Gadjo Dilo. |
| Friday 19/12 | Giannis Kotsiras. |
| Saturday 20/12, 13:00 | Children’s opera “Aspro Mavro”. |
| Friday 26/12 | “Christmas House Party” with Junior Papa. |
| Wednesday 31/12, 23:00 | New Year’s Eve party with Eleni Foureira, ZAF and DJ Bobito. |
| Saturday 3/1 | Nikos Portokaloglou. |
| Sunday 4/1 | Panos Mouzourakis (moved from 24/12 because of rain). |
| Tuesday 6/1, 13:00 | Hellenic Air Force Band for Epiphany. |
The village in high resolution
A general walk around the whole Christmas Village · Sk kaja vlogs on YouTube
How to get there from Ioulianou 50
The park is at the end of Ioulianou, 430 metres from the apartment entrance. You need neither the metro nor a taxi.
- Ioulianou: leave the apartment and walk along Ioulianou towards the park, about 340 metres.
- Patission: cross the avenue at the level of Ioulianou.
- After Patission: carry on along Ioulianou for about 85 metres, to the edge of Pedion tou Areos.
- Inside the park: the village is not at the gate. Follow the lit paths and the crowd.
🎄 From Ioulianou 50 to the Christmas Village
430 metres, a 6-minute walk. Tap the park to open the route in Google Maps.
What to watch for
- Parking: there is no public car park. The organisers suggest Victoria or Ambelokipi metro stations.
- Toilets: the park's permanent ones and portable ones near the fountain and the «Kipos tis Gardenias» kiosk.
- Pushchairs and wheelchairs: the area has obstacles such as cables and uneven drain covers. They get through, usually with help.
- Rain: concerts are cancelled or rescheduled, and the announcement often comes late.
- After 22:00: the village closes and the park empties quickly. Leave with the crowd towards Patission Street.
The best time: just before dark, around 17:00. You see the village in daylight and, half an hour later, the lights come on. On weekend mornings, from 10:00, there are the fewest people for small children and the shortest queues at the ice rink. On Friday and Saturday evenings the main alley fills up.
For the city's other festive events, the Syntagma tree, Kotzia Square, Technopolis and the SNFCC, see the guide Christmas in Athens.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Christmas Village open?
It has not been announced yet. Last year it opened on Friday 28 November, so this year it is expected on Friday 27 November 2026.
Until when is it open?
Until 7 January, the day after Epiphany.
Do I pay to get in?
No. Entry and concerts are free. You pay for the ice rink, the rides and whatever you buy at the huts.
How far is it from Ioulianou 50?
430 metres, about a 6-minute walk, at the end of Ioulianou Street.
What time does it open?
Last year 16:30–22:00 on weekdays and 10:00–22:00 at weekends.
Is it open at Christmas and New Year?
Yes. Last year there was a party from 23:00 on New Year's Eve and a concert at 13:00 on Epiphany.
— Kathy
