The first tree leaves may be falling and the weather may be getting colder – but Athens’ cultural scene is on fire! The first week of October finds the capital with plenty of great events taking place and we’ve rounded them all up for you.
Book as Art
Exciting news for art lovers in Athens! The Gramma Epsilon Gallery is hosting the Books as Art exhibition, curated by Paolo Cortese and supported by the Italian Institute of Culture. Featuring works by over 30 international artists, this group exhibition challenges our perception of what a “book” can be. Don’t miss the chance to see works dating back to the 1960s alongside contemporary pieces- from conceptual to fibre art, the three-dimensional pieces on display explore the diverse possibilities of books as a means of artistic expression.
Entry: Free
Date & Time: 1-20 October, Thursday-Saturday
Αddress: Gramma Epsilon Gallery, 6 Agathonos, Monastiraki
Oedipus in Search of Colonus
This radical VR installation by Loukia Alavanou, who represented Greece at the 59th Venice Art Biennale, will be shown for the first time at Onassis Stegi. A 15-minute film, shot with 360° VR technology and members of the Roma community from Nea Zoi in Aspropyrgos of Western Attica, in the roles of a cast of actors who follow in the traces of Oedipus. As the creator underlines, this installation aims to evoke questions around the themes of aging and death, human dignity and universal freedom, immigration, displacement, minorities, racism, and human rights.
Entry: 8 €
Date & Time: 11-30 October 2023, Wednesday-Sunday 6 pm-11 pm
Address: Onassis Stegi, 107-109 Syggrou Avenue, Neos Kosmos
Website: Onassis.org
Tickets: ticket.onassis.org
Pytheas Travels
“Pytheas Travels” is a staged audiovisual simulation highlighting the experience of being on a passenger ship, travelling from the Mediterranean to the seas of Scandinavia. It is a maritime story, a fictional journey and a critical look at the mass tourism industry and its effects on environmental, cultural and social structures. Accompanied by music from pioneering Norwegian composer and performer Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, it’s inspired by the historical journey of Pytheas, who in 325 BC sailed north from Marseilles to a place he called Ultima Thule, the mythical island, to reach the “frozen seas.”
Entry: 5-24 €
Date & Time: 13-15 October 2023, Friday-Sunday 8.30 pm
Address: Onassis Stegi, 107-109 Syggrou Avenue, Neos Kosmos
Website: Onassis.org
Tickets: ticket.onassis.org
I Puritani
This year’s 100th anniversary of the birth of the greatest Greek soprano of all time is just one more reason to fill Athens with dedicated events in her honour. At the Olympia Municipal Theater- where Maria Callas started her career back in 1944 – the famous opera “I Puritani”, a performance that marked her rise to stardom will be performed this week. The special event is presented by the City of Athens Choir, the Athens State Orchestra, and the stunning soprano Christina Poulitsi and American tenor John Osborn are found in the leading roles.
Entry: 5-40 €
Date & Time: 14 October, 8 pm
Tickets: ticketservices.gr
Αddress: Olympia Municipal Music Theater Maria Callas, 59 Akadimias Historic Center
Meet Market
If you love searching for special items to decorate your home, or love accessories for yourself or as special gifts – we’ve found a great place for you to visit during your stay in Athens. The Meet Market is a nomadic spot filled with innovation and creativity- featuring locally made clothes, jewelry, accessories, care & wellness products, art & decor, baby items, delicious treats, vintage collectibles, street food – plus a bunch of interactive games, DJ sets & good vibes.
Entry: Free
Date & Time: 14-15 October 2023, 12 am to 12 pm
Address: Peiraios 100, Athens, cultural venue of “Technopolis”
Website: themeetmarket.gr
Athens Cocktails Party
If you would like to taste some of the finest cocktails – created by Athens’ leading mixologists from some of the best bars in the Greek capital – head to Kypseli Municipal Market this weekend. The cool event is the brainchild of George Apergis, founder of local electronic music collective Modular Expansion, so you can rest assured there will be plenty of great tunes to listen to as you sip on your favourite drink.
Tickets: Free admission
Date: 14 October 2023
Time: 3 pm – 11.30 pm
Address: Kypseli Municipal Market, 42 Fokionos Negri, Kypseli
