An ode to open-air cinemas of Attica: summer at its best!
Photo source: This is Athens-Thomas Gravanis
Summertime all over Athens: the sun is falling and the night breeze smoothly enfolds us. This is when outdoor cinemas open and welcome their guests with arms spread wide. From the city center to the suburbs of Attica and the Saronic Gulf islands, open-air cinemas are a lovely idea for an alternative night out.
Let the irresistible scent of jasmine accompany your memories and enjoy old time classics or the latest blockbusters beneath the stars. Feel like a true cinephile and visit one of the celebrated open-air cinemas of Attica, or opt for those hiding in lush groves or the ones waiting for you by the sea.
Downtown for legendary open-air cinemas
You are wandering around Athens, admiring its countless monuments and tasting local treats. End your urban tour by watching a movie in one of the historic outdoor movie venues of the city. Choose the neighborhood of Plaka and spend your night on a terrace that has been operating for more than a century, overlooking the Sacred Rock of Acropolis. While at Thiseio, gaze the lit-up Parthenon from an open-air cinema that CNN has designated as the “best of the world”. At Petralona, visit one of the oldest open-air cinemas of Athens with a plenty of classics and art-house films, whilst at the bohemian neighborhood of Exarcheia you can choose among three outdoor cinemas. In a wistful mood? Head to the hippest neighborhood of Pagkrati and pay a visit to an outdoor cinema that is like a true time-capsule of the Seventh Art.
Verdant groves for heat-free movie nights
In the midst of well-kept groves, with birdsongs being the perfect response to actors’ lines, open-air movie venues are like a true oasis of serenity. Surrounded by eucalyptuses and acacias, Zappeion Hall hosts the oldest outdoor cinema of Athens. Enjoy your favorite stars at the open-air cinema of Attica Grove or close enough, at Veikou Grove, delve into the magical world of the cinema and the beauty of nature. Go to the grove of Nea Filadelfeia, and at the core of this much-wanted greenery, unwind in the evening’s ample coolness.
Films beneath the stars and by the sea
Summertime in Attica means sea and crystalline waters. Visit Flisvos Park at Palaio Faliro and let the salty breeze join you in a movie night below the starlit sky. Soft grass by the sea: what better than island vibes rocking your summer night at the neighborhood of Alimos. In the port city of Piraeus, wallow in the cinematic universe while listening to the sound of waves, whilst at Kalamos, you can almost feel the water while watching a movie under the moonlight.
Movie nights in the islands of Attica
True gems, ready to welcome their visitors all year round, the islands of Attica are at their peak in summer months. Choose any of them, plan your vacations and don’t skip an outdoor movie experience. Curated by the local Cinema Club, the outdoor cinema of Hydra screens meticulously selected movies as the ideal closing for a night to remember. Two open-air cinemas in Spetses promise unforgettable film viewings beneath the starry sky. The island of Aegina embraces the summer outdoor film-watching culture, with a variety of timeless classics or recent favorites screened in its four open-air venues. Unfolded on a picturesque terrace, the open-air cinema of Poros overlooks the reddish-brown tile roofs of the houses, whilst in Salamina, its small, yet cozy outdoor cinema sets the perfect background for a unique movie experience.
Spread all over Attica, the outdoor movie “temples” have no ceiling, just stars and moonlight. No matter where you have chosen to spend your day, have the perfect closing to your tour by enjoying a film in an open-air cinema. Lay back, chill and get lost in the plot; even after the end credits have rolled!
