January in Athens unfolds at a more refined pace, with the city’s cultural calendar taking centre stage.
From noteworthy art exhibitions and contemporary cinema to opera performances and electronic music events after dark, our Ultimate January Guide curates what’s on in Athens this month, capturing the city at its most considered, creative and unmistakably current.
360° Pop-Up Bar at SNFCC
Set high above the city at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, the 360° Pop-Up Bar offers one of the most atmospheric January events in Athens. Taking over the top floor of the Lighthouse, this seasonal pop-up pairs panoramic views of the city and the Acropolis with carefully curated DJ sets and a relaxed after-hours energy. As sunset gives way to night, music, conversation and city lights come together, making it a favourite for laid-back evenings and spontaneous meet-ups.
Date: 1 to 7 January 2026
Time: 7.30pm to 10pm
Venue: SNFCC Lighthouse, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, 364 Syngrou Avenue, Kallithea
Entry: Free

Tosca at the Greek National Opera
Puccini’s Tosca arrives in Athens this January in a major production by the Greek National Opera, staged at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. Directed with striking sets and costumes by Nikos S. Petropoulos and conducted by Paolo Carignani, the production blends dramatic storytelling with richly layered music. An exceptional international cast including Aleksandra Kurzak, Cellia Costea, Marcelo Puente, Roberto Alagna, Dimitri Platanias and Tassis Christoyannis performs alongside the GNO Orchestra and Chorus. It is one of the standout opera events in Athens this month.
Date: 4, 7 and 9 January 2026
Time: 7.30pm (Sunday at 6.30pm)
Entry: €15 to €130
Tickets: ticketmaster.gr
Venue: Stavros Niarchos Hall, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, 364 Syngrou Avenue, Kallithea
CineFIX at EMST
January marks the final month of CineFIX at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens, making this the last opportunity to experience one of the city’s most compelling film programmes. Hosted in the Mezzanine Screening Room at EMST, the series brings together artists’ films, documentaries and moving-image works that sit between cinema and contemporary art. As the programme comes to a close, CineFIX offers a thoughtful winter finale within an intimate museum setting.
Date: 1 to 31 January 2026
Time: 8pm
Entry: €4
Tickets: emst.gr
Venue: National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST), Kallirois Avenue and Amvr. Frantzis Street, Koukaki
From Monet to Warhol at the Goulandris Foundation
One of the most significant art exhibitions in Athens this season, From Monet to Warhol is presented by the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in Pangrati. The group exhibition features 83 works by 45 internationally renowned artists, drawn from a major European private collection, and spans more than 130 years of modern art. Works by Monet, Degas, Gauguin, Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky, Magritte, Lichtenstein and Warhol trace the evolution of artistic ideas from Impressionism to Pop Art. Curated by Marie Koutsomallis Moreau and Marina Ferretti, the exhibition unfolds as a considered journey through innovation and creative transformation.
Dates: 1 January to 11 April 2026
Opening hours: Wednesday to Thursday and Saturday to Monday, 10am to 6pm. Friday, 10am to 8pm
Entry: €13 to €16
Tickets: goulandris.gr
Venue: Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation, Eratosthenous Street, Pangrati

VNV Nation Live in Athens
VNV Nation return to Athens in January for a live electronic music performance at Arch Club Live Stage. Fronted by Ronan Harris, the long-running project is known for combining driving EBM rhythms with melodic, cinematic and post-industrial elements. The setlist is expected to include both long-standing favourites and newer material from Noire and Electric Sun. Active on the international scene since the early 1990s, VNV Nation continues to draw a loyal global audience.
Date: 10 January 2026
Time: 9pm
Entry: €30
Tickets: more.com
Venue: Arch Club Live Stage, 1 Kritis and 29 Petrou Ralli, Tavros
Park Your Cinema: Christmas Edition at SNFCC
As the festive season comes to an end, Park Your Cinema returns to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre for its final Christmas Edition screenings. Hosted at the Park Kiosk in Stavros Niarchos Park, the outdoor cinema series presents much-loved films in a relaxed, winter setting. With free admission and a central Athens location, it remains one of the most accessible cultural events of early January.
5 January: Trading Places, John Landis, 1983
6 January: Frozen, Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, 2013
Date: 5 and 6 January 2026
Time: 6pm
Entry: Free
Venue: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, 364 Syngrou Avenue, Kallithea
Website: snfcc.org
Free Museum and Archaeological Site Sundays in Athens
The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports has designated Sunday 4 and Sunday 18 January 2026 as free-entry days for all state-run museums, archaeological sites and monuments in Athens. Visitors can explore some of the city’s most important cultural institutions and historic landmarks without an admission fee, making these Sundays particularly popular with both locals and visitors.



























