Do not miss the opportunity to spend an evening in true summer Athenian style in one of the numerous summer open-air cinemas. Most of them are small gardens in their own right, with jasmin trees and bougainvilleas all around, a real treat for those sultry summer nights. Together with your chosen movie, you can enjoy food, drinks and, of course, cigarettes, making for a completely different cinema experience.
Open air cinemas used to replay winter movies but their new-found popularity during the last few years has resulted in many of them screening new films.
The best open-air cinemas around the centre of Athens, each with its own distinctive character, are:

Cine Psirri D4, Sarri 40-44, Psirri,tel. 210 3212476
A parking lot in the backyard of a theatre and a warehouse during the winter  transform themselves into a lovely cinema, very conveniently located if you just don’t feel like going back to your hotel room after the show. Expect re-mastered copies of old movies and new quality productions.

Cine Dexameni H4, Dexameni Sq, Kolonaki, tel. 210 3623942
A lovely garden in the heart of Kolonaki, but just off the hustle and bustle of ‘The Square’. Mainstream films followed by an ouzo or two at the ouzeri just outside the cinema, to round your evening off combining style and tradition.


Aigli G7, Zappeion Garden, tel. 210 3369370
The poshest of all, plays movies catering to all tastes. A pleasant walk from your hotel through Zappeion garden and back. You can stop over for a drink at one of the other Aigli complex establishments nearby.

Vox G2, Themistokleous 82, Exarchia, tel. 210 3301020
A historic rooftop cinema on Exarchia square, showing films true to the intellectual character of the district. European and every kind of arty cinema is a favourite here.

Cine Paris F6, Kydathineon 22, Plaka, tel. 210 3222071
Walking around Plaka Square, you couldn’t possibly imagine that there is a cinema with a direct Acropolis view atop one of the surrounding buildings. What a wonderful way to continue your evening after you have stuffed yourself with mousaka at the restaurants of the area.

Thission C6, Apostolou Pavlou 7, Thissio, tel. 210 3420864
This cinema has hardly had any facelifts and that’s because it doesn’t need any (except maybe its chairs which are not very comfy). It is the most atmospheric of all, very conveniently located on pedestrianised Apostolou Pavlou street and  directly facing the sacred rock of the Acropolis.