Just 125 kilometers from Athens, Ancient Epidaurus is an ideal weekend getaway while you wait for your summer holiday. The Athens Epidaurus Festival offers numerous reasons to attend, including performances at the Ancient Theater and events at the Little Theater within the settlement.

At the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, this year’s standout productions include Aeschylus’ “Oresteia,” directed by Theodoros Terzopoulos, Aristophanes’ “Plutus,” directed by Yiannis Kakleas, and Aristophanes’ “The Birds,” directed by Aris Biniaris. This year, for a small fee, children aged 5 to 10 can participate in an educational theater program during the performances. A team of experienced theater educators and instructors in music-movement and aesthetic education guide them through the creative process of studying each work.

At the Little Theater, jazz musician Dimitris Kalantzis will perform adaptations of works by Greek composers such as Manos Hadjidakis and Vassilis Tsitsanis, while Eleonora Zouganeli will sing folk songs from Greece and the Mediterranean. The Little Theater also hosts contemporary music events and composer tributes.

For information and tickets, visit aefestival.gr.

Swimming and Excursions

There are various beaches around Ancient Epidaurus that are ideal for a swim before the performance, including Vayionia, Kalamaki, where the trees extend all the way to the sea, and Polemarcha, which has a backdrop of pine forests. If you want to do some more exploring, it takes less than 40 minutes to get to Nafplio and Tolo and approximately an hour to get to Porto Heli.

Where to Eat

Enjoy wonderful homemade delicacies like chicken with noodles, beef with eggplants, and grilled meats at the restaurant Kalogérikon (Ancient Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 27530.420.90), which is set in a picturesque courtyard with orange trees and flowers. We recommend the handmade stuffed vine leaves and the refreshing cucumber salad with yogurt. Bolbos (Ancient Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 27530.414.71) is famous for its well-cooked meat dishes, which include everything from steak, burgers, and lamb chops to kokoretsi and kontosouvli (spit-roasted BBQ pork). At Perivoli tis Gogo (Ancient Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 27530.415.00), in a shaded courtyard, you can savor lemony lamb, meatballs, roasted pork knuckle, zucchini fritters, and many more meze and main dishes, including grilled meats. On your way back, stop at Kavos 1964 (Tel. (+30) 27410.379.06), just before Isthmia, for fresh fish and delicious seafood pasta by the sea.

Coffee and Drinks

At the Stork café (48th km Isthmus-Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 27530.419.07), enjoy waffles, snacks, and sweets with your coffee while admiring the view of Ancient Epidaurus and the sea. At Mouria (Ancient Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 27530.412.18), a traditional haunt of theater enthusiasts since the 1950s, you can enjoy a coffee or a bite to eat while taking a dip.

In the evening, all roads lead to the legendary Kapaki disco (N. Pittidi 10, Yialasi, Old Epidaurus, Tel. (+30) 694.668.4493), which has remained untouched by time. The large dance floor at its center starts to fill up in the early hours, and the fun and dancing continue until late.