At a glance
May–September
The first open in late April, most in May.
60+
Open-air cinemas in Athens, in neighbourhoods, courtyards and on rooftops.
~21:00 and ~23:00
Two screenings every evening, as soon as it gets dark.
18 minutes
On foot from Ioulianou 50 to Riviera in Exarchia.
What an open-air cinema is like
A big screen on the wall, chairs or deckchairs in rows, a snack bar with popcorn and cold beer. Screenings start as soon as it's dark: usually the first around 21:00 and the second around 23:00. Foreign films are shown in their original language with Greek subtitles, so English-language films are easy to follow. At the second screening the sound is often a little lower, because there are homes all around.
The screen on the wall, the chairs in rows, plants all around.
In Psyrri, films are even projected onto the walls of apartment blocks.
In summer, city life moves up onto the rooftops.
Photos: Badseed (CC BY-SA 3.0), Jean Housen (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.
The best known
- Cine Thission, on the Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian street: built in 1935 and considered the oldest open-air cinema in Athens. From your seat you see the Acropolis above the screen. It usually opens first.
- Cine Paris, in Plaka (Kydathineon 22): a rooftop with an Acropolis view and a history going back to 1920. It was renovated and reopened in May 2024.
- Riviera, in Exarchia (Valtetsiou 46): open for more than 50 years, and the open-air cinema closest to us.
- Dexameni, in Kolonaki, and Zefyros, in Petralona: two more neighbourhood classics.
For the most popular films, especially at Thission and Paris, buy your ticket early or arrive half an hour before the screening. Prices vary from cinema to cinema; check each one's website.
The entrance on Apostolou Pavlou. Inside, the Acropolis above the screen.
An open-air cinema by the sea, for those who go swimming in Vouliagmeni.
Photos: George E. Koronaios (CC BY-SA 4.0), Vouliagmeni (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.
How to get to Riviera
- Ioulianou 50 → Patision: walk east along Ioulianou for about 300 metres to Patision.
- Patision → Vasileos Irakleiou: right onto Patision for 130 metres and left onto Vasileos Irakleiou, which continues as Deligianni.
- Tsamadou → Exarchia Square: right onto Tsamadou, which brings you out on Exarchia Square.
- Valtetsiou 46: from the square, onto Valtetsiou; Riviera is about 100 metres along.
About 1.4 kilometres in total, 18 minutes. For Thission: Line 1 from Victoria to Thissio with no change and a 5-minute walk. For Paris: Line 1 to Omonia, Line 2 to Syntagma and a 10-minute walk to Plaka.
🍿 From Ioulianou 50 to Riviera
About 1.4 km on foot. Tap Riviera for the route in Google Maps.
Kathy's tip: for your first time, pick the early screening at Thission: you watch the Acropolis light up as darkness falls. Bring a light jacket for the second screening, and mosquito repellent. After the film, Apostolou Pavlou and Thissio have plenty of places to eat.
Frequently asked questions
When do the open-air cinemas open in 2027?
The first ones usually open in late April and most in May. We expect most to be open from 1 May (estimate).
Do the films have subtitles?
Foreign films are shown in their original language with Greek subtitles. Children's animations are often dubbed into Greek; check the programme.
What time are the screenings?
Usually two every evening, around 21:00 and around 23:00, depending on when it gets dark.
Which open-air cinema is closest?
Riviera in Exarchia, an 18-minute walk. For an Acropolis view, Thission, on Line 1 with no change.
Do they close if it rains?
If it rains, the screening is usually cancelled. In an Athens summer that rarely happens.
— Kathy
