Get ready for a magical evening run designed especially for children aged 12 and under! The Olympia Night Run – Kids Run offers a unique opportunity for our youngest runners to experience the thrill of a safe, fun, and exciting race under the enchanting glow of the August full moon.

The race will begin and end at the historic Ancient Olympia Town Hall, where children will embark on a carefully planned 800-meter route. This course is designed with safety and enjoyment in mind, ensuring every child can run with confidence and joy, surrounded by the lively atmosphere and cheers of family and friends.

This is a wonderful chance to introduce young ones to the joy of running, promote healthy habits, and create unforgettable memories in the beautiful setting of Ancient Olympia.

So, lace up those running shoes, bring your brightest smile, and join in for an unforgettable night run beneath the sparkling stars and the light of the full moon!

A week-long celebration of the location-independent lifestyle: inspiring talks, expert panels, workshops, networking, and cultural experiences in the heart of Athens.

Meet global remote workers, entrepreneurs, online freelancers, and creatives exploring the future of work and life—from AI and tax optimization to health, co-living, and community.

Whether you’re a seasoned nomad or simply curious about the remote work movement, join us to connect, learn, and celebrate together.

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Planning to join the festival? Use the code "xpatathens" at checkout and enjoy 10% off your ticket purchase!
For more information, please CLICK HERE!

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Get ready: on 12 & 13 September, Athens transforms into a vibrant festival village as Plisskën Festival welcomes music lovers for two unforgettable nights of boundary-pushing sounds.

From gritty electronic beats and darkwave atmospheres to bold synth-pop and punk-fuelled anthems, each stage carries its own energy—and this year, expect plenty of unexpected collaborations and non-stop party vibes.

Leading the lineup:

• King Krule (South London punk poet) with his signature raw intensity

• Brutalismus 3000 (Berlin duo) bringing industrial club chaos

• Confidence Man with their 90s-inspired dance-pop hits

• KI/KI delivering high-octane Dutch underground techno

Also on deck: genre-defying acts like TOMM¥ €A$H, John Maus, Getdown Services, Jersey, and Athens’ own Selofan—plus more surprises to come.

And the nighttime decks are stacked: Héctor Oaks, John Talabot, Daria Kolosova, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Paula Tape, Chloé Robinson, Toccororo, and more will keep the beats flowing till late.

Join the 11th Serifos Sunset Race, featuring 5 km & 10 km running races, swimming races (750m, 1.5 km, 3 km), kids’ races, and many surprises!

Saturday 13/9: Running races starting at Vagia Beach and passing Vagia, Ganema, and Koutalas beaches, against a stunning Cycladic sunset.
Sunday 14/9: Swimming races at Livadi Bay — choose from 750m, 1.5 km, or 3 km.

The event is plastic-free and supports the SeaChange Greek Islands program by the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation. Join beach clean-ups, educational activities, and help protect the marine environment.

The documentary Takis. by director Michalis Roubis and creative producers Eleni Alafouzos and Anna Podara opens the new season of CineDoc, following the film’s premiere at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival and the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The film will be presented as part of the CineDoc Festival, which hosts a series of Athenian premieres, special screenings and parallel events from September 2025 to April 2026. The full list of films can be found here.

The film's premiere in Athens will take place on September 18 at the open-air cinema “Anesis” in the presence of the film's crew. Additional screenings will follow at Danaos Cinema on September 19, 20, 21, and 22. The film is nominated for the Audience Award and viewers will be able to vote by scanning the QR code they will be given on the days of the screenings. Additional screenings will also take place on October 4 and 11 in Volos and Rethymno, respectively.

Regarding the film's premiere on September 18 at the open-air cinema “Anesis”, the CineDoc team invites the audience to attend the screening with their dogs, as they will be offered a special ice cream treat, courtesy of Maraboo Ice Cream.

The screenings are being held in collaboration with Zero Stray Pawject, the Ilioupoli Animal Welfare Union, Cat Cafe Athens, the Attica Rescue Team, the Nea Anchialos Animal Welfare Association SYNYPARCHO, and the Volos Animal Welfare Association KOSMOS & FYSI, with Q&A sessions following the screenings. 

In the documentary, Takis Proestakis, founder of the famous Takis Shelter in Crete, narrates his story: After selling his nightclub in Ierapetra, he finds a few abandoned dogs in a local dumpsite and decides to take action. Gradually, he takes care of more and more stray animals, while trying to raise awareness on the local community. Although he faces challenges every day, Takis' vision becomes a symbol of hope for animal lovers around the world. Having earned their trust and support, he has now managed to create a model animal shelter, which is visited daily by people from all over the world. To date, approximately 2,500 neglected dogs have been rescued and 1,500 have been adopted, mainly abroad. For more information about the shelter and how you can support it, please visit: https://takisshelter.org/ 

SCREENINGS SCHEDULE

• ATHENS – Thursday, September 18, 2025 | ANESIS open cinema

Address: 14 Kifissias Avenue, Athens 

Doors open at 7:15 pm and the screening starts at 8:00 pm.

TICKETS

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session with the film's crew will follow. 

• ATHENS – Friday, September 19 2025 | DANAOS cinema

Address: 109 Kifissias Avenue, Athens 

Start time: 7:00 pm

TICKETS

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session will follow with Stamatina Stamatakou, Director of the Academy of Zero Stray Pawject (Zero Stray Academy). 

• ATHENS – Saturday, September 20, 2025 | DANAOS Cinema

Address: 109 Kifissias Avenue, Athens 

Start time: 7:00 pm

TICKETS

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session will follow with Spyros Chrysanthopoulos, President of the Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica. 

• ATHENS – Sunday, September 21, 2025 | DANAOS Cinema

Address: 109 Kifissias Avenue, Athens 

Start time: 7:00 pm

TICKETS 

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session will follow with Marilena Papagiannopoulou, president of the Ilioupolis Animal Welfare Union, Iris Roussi, member of the Ilioupolis Animal Welfare Union team and Natalie Sellenidou, founder of Cat Cafe Athens.

• ATHENS – Monday, September 22, 2025 | DANAOS Cinema

Address: 109 Kifissias Avenue, Athens 

Start time: 7:00 p.m.

TICKETS 

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session will follow with Antoine Raymond-Stefas, Dog Psychologist.

• VOLOS – Saturday, October 4, 2025 | ACHILLION 

Address: Koumoundourou and Iasonos, Volos 38221

Start time: 8:00 p.m.

          Tickets: ENTEKA – Digital Printing 

          Information: https://www.facebook.com/CineDocVolos  

The film will be screened with Greek and English subtitles. A Q&A session will follow with representatives of the Nea Anchialos Animal Welfare Association SYNYPARCHO and the Volos Animal Welfare Association KOSMOS & FYSI. 

• RETHYMNO – Saturday, October 11, 2025 | "Simeio" Cultural Center

Address: 17 Patriarchou Athinagora, Rethymno

          Tickets available at "Simeio" Cultural Center

Information: https://www.facebook.com/yannisbleproductions

To watch the trailer, please CLICK HERE!

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The first meeting of the fall season for the WHEN Book Club #StoRafi is here! Join us in person at the WHEN Hub to discuss the books we read over the summer, exchange ideas, and share experiences.

This season, we will explore 4 thought-provoking titles:

• Who’s Afraid of Gender? – Judith Butler

• Hosafi – Glykéria Patramani

• The Xenofeminist Manifesto: A Politics for Alienation – Laboria Cuboniks

• To Makri Taxidi tis Mias Mesa stin Alli – Amanda Michalopoulou

Special guests include the authors Glykéria Patramani and Amanda Michalopoulou, along with academic Katerina Vlantoni, to discuss themes of identity, sexuality, gender, personal narrative, motherhood, and social change. As always, copies of the books will be raffled among attendees.

In our book club, we read books that explore the potential and experiences of women, addressing topics such as gender equality, professional growth, and societal transformation. At the start of each month, we propose a book to our members. By the end of the month, we meet—either in person or online—to:

• Exchange opinions about what we’ve read

• Discuss the social, cultural, or political issues explored in the book

• Talk with authors or experts related to the book’s themes

• Discover more books and foster a supportive community

You are welcome to join #StoRafi whether you are an avid reader, passionate about gender issues, or simply curious to explore new perspectives.

Sonia Sieff’s early work (Les Françaises, 2017) was defined by her exploration of femininity through her muses. Her most recent collection (Rendez-vous!, Rizzoli, 2024) turns her lens to the male form, creating a striking counterpoint.

On September 20, these two perspectives meet for the very first time at Mona, offering a rare dialogue between her representations of men and women—an interplay of intimacy, playfulness, and Sieff’s masterful use of light.

Join us for this special evening in the presence of the artist, accompanied by Trinity natural wines and the warm vinyl soundscape of Leonidas Danezos.

RSVP: events@mona-athens.com 

The Athens English Comedy Club is excited to welcome American comedian Charlie Mac to Greece for the first time! 

Join us on Tuesday September 23rd and enjoy Charlie Mac’s solo show ‘F*CK Them Kids’ as part of his 2025 European tour!

🔥Opening act: Stamatis Athanasakis

🧙‍♀️ Featuring an appearance by Hypno-Goddess

✨ Charlie Mac is a rising star in the comedy scene, known for his sharp wit, infectious energy, and unforgettable storytelling. A Golden Ticket winner on Kill Tony, Charlie's fearless stage presence and off-the-cuff brilliance have quickly made him one to watch in the stand-up world.

🎭 Hailing from Chicago and currently touring nationwide, Charlie has shared stages with comedy legends like Eddie Griffin and Omar Gooding. He has lit up iconic venues including The Laugh Factory, The Comedy Store, and the world-famous Apollo Theater - earning big laughs and loyal fans wherever he goes.

😱 Charlie has a gift for turning real-life chaos into laugh-out-loud moments. Whether he's unpacking the wild side of adulting, the struggles of single fatherhood, or the petty politics of modern relationships, his comedy is always raw, unapologetic, and deeply relatable.

With a growing fanbase, multiple projects in the works, and an undeniable presence on stage and screen, Charlie Mac is a name you won't forget - and a voice comedy needs right now.

Find Charlie online!

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

TikTok

Facebook

Founded in 2019, the Athens English Comedy Club is the first, and only, purely English comedy club in Greece - bringing you local and international comedians, right in the heart of Athens.

In the last 6 years, the AECC has hosted lineup shows, open mics, solo shows, online competitions, and comedy workshops, with more than 130 comedians from *29 countries*.

Two great sacred musical traditions meet on 27 September 2025 at the Archaeological Site of Eleusis, against the backdrop of the ecstatic whirling of the Mevlevi Dervishes.
The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul and the Byzantine Choir of the Association of the Constantinopolitan Friends of Music in Athens, following their sold-out performance at the Philharmonie de Paris, bring together their voices and movement in an evening of spiritual convergence, marking the culmination of the 3rd New Eleusis Symposion – “Re-enchanting the World”. 

 

This exceptional event also features Sokratis Sinopoulos, master of the lyra, and acclaimed director Michail Marmarinos as narrator.

 

A rare meeting between sacred traditions: one Christian, dating back to the 4th century Byzantine Empire; the other, shaped by the mystical Mevlevi order, founded in the 12th century by the great teacher Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rûmî.

 

In the land of the ancient Mysteries, this encounter becomes ritual—a spiritual journey that evokes timeless questions of the soul, the sacred, and our shared human paths. Through the dervishes’ whirling and the deep harmonies of Byzantine chant, Sacred Paths offers a moving exploration of sound and silence, presence and memory—a celebration of the enduring spiritual heritage that continues to connect East and West, past and future.

Archaeological Site of Eleusis – 27 September 2025, 20:00

BOOK HERE!

Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall (Christos Lambrakis Hall) – 29 September2025, 20:30

BOOK HERE!

Contributors to the Performance

The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul
Ensemble Director: Mete Edman
Musicians: Mete Edman (oud & vocals), Emre Isik (ney), Mustafa Dedeoglu (qanun)
Kaan Sezerler (kemence), Rifat Caliskan (bendir)

Dancers: Pinar Yatarkalkmaz, Deniz Evren Gügüs, Gökhan Denkel, Erdinç Mustafa Kızılöz, Gökhan Demir

Artistic Director: Kenan Öztürk
Production Manager: Ekim Öztürk
Management: CaféTurc Music & Arts

Choir of the Association of the Constantinopolitan Friends of Music in Athens
Choir Director: Kallistratos Kofopoulos
Chanting Ensemble: Stamatios-Nikolaos Kissas, Evangelos Kissas, Nikolaos Tyrovolis, Efstathios Anats, Spyridon Papakostopoulos, Charalambos Stefanidis, Christos Kontakinos, Dimitrios Lagouros, Christos Piperos, Loukas Prokopiou, Efstratios Lagoumidis, and others.

Lyra: Sokratis Sinopoulos
Narration: Michail Marmarinos
Artistic Advisory: Jochen Sandig

About the Performers

The Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul

The music and dance ensemble Derviches Tourneurs d’Istanbul wasfounded in 2006 and has since performed at some of the most iconic venues worldwide, including the Philharmonie de Paris, the Fez Festival of Sacred Music in Morocco, the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, and the Ancient Theatre of Halicarnassus in Turkey.

Led by Mete Edman, the ensemble comprises both men and women who have embraced Turkish Sufism as a spiritual path. They accompany the Whirling Dervishes in an authentic ceremony, set to the hymns of great Sufi composers.

The Whirling Dervishes, members of the Mevlevi Order founded by disciples of Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rûmî in the 12th century, embody a mystical tradition rooted in medieval Islam. Their philosophy, influenced by Rûmî and his master, Shams al-Dîn Tabrîzî —a heterodox Ismaili spiritual guide—advocates the quest for the Absolute through music and art.

A danced ritual, the sema unites the dancer with the sacred in a mystical ecstasy. The ney(flute) —a symbol of the soul seeking the Beloved— accompanies the ceremony along with other traditional instruments, creating a captivating and spiritual atmosphere. The ceremony’s name itself means “spiritual listening” and symbolises cosmic motion. With the right hand turned to the sky and the left to the earth, the dervish becomes the intermediary of divine grace. His attire is rich in symbolism: the sikke (hat) symbolises the tombstone of the ego, the white robe (tennure) the shroud, and the black cloak the grave. Before beginning to whirl, the dervish crosses his arms over his chest—a gesture evoking divine unity.

Association of the Constantinopolitan Friends of Music in Athens

The Association of the Constantinopolitan Friends of Music in Athens was founded in 1985 by members of the Byzantine Choir of Constantinopolitans, which had been active in Athens since 1975. It brings together experienced chanters and talented young musicians. The Association aims to continue the legacy of the historic Musical Friends’ Society of Pera, itself the successor of the renowned Musical Society of the Phanar, which flourished from the 19th century until the Asia Minor Catastrophe. Since 2023, the Choir has been under the direction of Kallistratos Kofopoulos.

The Association has made several visits to Istanbul for ecclesiastical events and has also given concerts in Paris, Bulgaria, London, Cardiff, and Cyprus. In 2016, it participated as a choir at the Holy and Great Council of Crete, by official invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. In November 2021, it took part in the Jubilee of the Ecumenical Patriarch, held at the Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall.

To date, the Association has released around 30 cassette tapes and CDs, all distinguished by their fidelity to the Constantinopolitan chanting tradition.

Sokratis Sinopoulos

Sokratis Sinopoulos was born in Athens. He studied classical guitar with Maria Galani and Vassilis Gratsounas, music theory with Michalis Adamis, and Byzantine music and folk song with Yannis Tsiamoulis. In 1988, he began studying Constantinopolitan lyra and laouto with Ross Daly, and one year later, became a member of Daly’s ensemble Labyrinth.

Since then, he has collaborated with musicians from Greece and abroad across a wide range of ensembles, participating in recordings and performances around the world. He has recorded for Blue Note with Charles Lloyd, Harmonia Mundi with Jean-Guihen Queyras, ECM Records with Eleni Karaindrou, and Fuga Libera with the early music group L’Achéron.

In 1999, he was awarded the State Prize for Young Artists: Melina Mercouri, by the Greek Ministry of Culture.

In 2010, he founded the Sokratis Sinopoulos Quartet. Their debut album, Eight Winds, was produced by Manfred Eicher and released by ECM Records in 2015, receiving international acclaim. In 2018, his album Under the Rose Tree –Tunes from the Greek Musical Traditionswas released by Saphrane Records, and was selected among the best CDs of the year by the German Music Critics’ Association. In 2019, the Quartet released its second album, Metamodal.

Sokratis Sinopoulos is currently a Professor at the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia.

Michail Marmarinos

Michail Marmarinos was born in Athens and studied neurobiology, theatre, and theatre directing. In 1983–84, he founded the theatre group "Diploos Eros, Theatre Company", which was later renamed Theseum Ensemble. His productions have been staged in Greece (National Theatre, National Theatre of Northern Greece, Onassis Stegi, Athens and Epidaurus Festival, among others) and have travelled to festivals internationally (in Austria, Belgium, Venezuela, France, Germany, Georgia, Switzerland, Japan, Spain, Italy, China, Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Serbia).

He has participated in international co-productions with artists such as Albrecht Hirche, Heiner Goebbels, Daniel Wetzel and Helgard Haug (Rimini Protokoll), VeenFabriek and Paul Koek, the NOH theatre and Gensho Umewaka. As an actor, he has also appeared in numerous theatre productions and films by renowned Greek directors.

He served as General Artistic Director of 2023 Eleusis – European Capital of Culture and is now the new Artistic Director of the Athens Epidaurus Festival.

He is a member of the International Heiner Müller Society and the International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis. From 2006 to 2009, he served as President of the Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute. He has taught at the universities of Patras, Nafplio, and Thessaloniki—where, from 2006, he held the position of full professor.

He has received the Mikhail Tumanishvili Award in Tbilisi, Georgia, and has been named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by the French Ministry of Culture.

Jochen Sandig

Jochen Sandig was born in Esslingen, Germany. In 1990 he moved to Berlin to study psychology and philosophy. Following the founding of the Tacheles Art Centre in 1990, in 1993, together with Sasha Waltz, he founded Sasha Waltz & Guests. 

In 1996 he cofounded Sophiensæle, an independent venue for dance and theatre productions in Berlin Mitte, which he directed until 1999. From 2000 to 2004 Jochen was a member of the artistic direction at the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz. Since 2004 he is the director of the independent Sasha Waltz & Guests GmbH. In 2006, together with Folkert Uhde, he founded the Radialsystem in Berlin. 

In 2010 he was awarded the French cultural order “Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”. In February 2012, he debuted as director with “Human Requiem”, a staging of Johannes Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem” in cooperation with the Rundfunkchor in Berlin and Simon Halsey. Since its premiere the production travelled to Hamburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Granada, Rotterdam, Athens, Hong-Kong, Adelaide and New York. The production was awarded with the “Classical Next Innovation Award 2016”. 

As a social and political activist he became one of the three co-founders of the World Human Forum in Delphi, Greece. From 2019 to 2024, Jochen Sandig was artistic and executive director of the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele / Internationale Festspiele Baden-Württemberg. In the year 2022 Jochen Sandig was awarded the Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.