Wherever you are in the city, you’re never far from one of the best Athenian summer experiences: watching films under the stars! There are open-air movie theaters on rooftop terraces and in pebble-strewn courtyards, school playgrounds and empty lots between apartment blocks. Each one is special in its own way.

The Ciné Paris (22 Kydathineon), for instance, offers views of the Acropolis and the picturesque neoclassical rooftops of Plaka. Locals love to watch movies outdoors in verdant venues tucked away in old Athenian neighborhoods; Oasis (7 Pratinou) in Pangrati, Zefyros (36 Troon) in Ano Petralona or the recently renovated Stella (34 Tenedou) in Kypseli are all popular summer evening destinations.

Each movie theater has its own snack bar offering everything from popcorn to pizza, beer and cold drinks. Smoking is usually permitted. The popular Athens Open Air Film Festival returns this summer, with a rich program of free popup film screenings at parks, archaeological sites, museum forecourts and squares around the city.

At most open-air movie theaters, they hold two screenings a night; one at around 21:00 and one at around 23:00. Films are shown in the original language with Greek subtitles, except for children’s movies, which are often dubbed into Greek.

This text was first published as part of “Beat the Heat”, an article published in Greece Is Athens, Summer 2019 Edition.