No visit in Athens can be considered complete unless you witness its contemporary creativity! The National Theatre of Greece, a country’s leading cultural organization, invites you to check in for the ultimate artistic experience in Athens! For the Season 2019/20, the National Theatre has prepared more than 20 productions that satisfy all audiences: classical and contemporary plays, performances for young audiences, family seasonal shows, musicals, etc. Attend one or more of the following English-surtitled performances:

THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, based on Victor Hugo’s magnificent novel.

The original Joker and his struggle for survival. Dark but charming, this adaptation combines music and theatre in the most interesting way!
Ends 10/11/2029

The NEW HOUSE by Carlo Goldoni

An insightful depiction of a life in debt. Rings a bell to anyone? Grandeur, lies, fake loves, greediness, opportunism, and so much more can be found in this timeless comedy.
From: 22/11/2019
Ends: 9/2/2020

Paper Moon by Michalis Reppas and Thanasis Papathanasiou

We wanted to add a new Greek comedy in our repertory and we opted for the best! We commissioned the duo Michalis Reppas and Thanasis Papathanasiou with it so that we don’t need to elaborate!
From 20/02/2020
Ends 31/5/2020

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XpatAthens is proud to be a Media Sponsor of The National Theatre of Greece

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Amidst the travel chaos that has been caused throughout the world by the Covid-19 outbreak, Air Canada is the first airline to announce it will resume flights to Athens from Toronto and Montreal.

 

The easing of travel restrictions on Canadian citizens led to Air Canada’s decision to resume its service— something US airlines s still can’t do.

 

Incoming flights from Toronto are scheduled for every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday and from Montreal every Thursday and Sunday. Since the lockdown in mid-March, these will be the first non-stop flights from North America to Greece.

To read this article in full, please visit: pappaspost.com

When you think about Greek music, there are probably many names that pop into your head: Dalaras, Mouskouri, Theodorakis, and of course also… Manos Hatzidakis.

Manos Hatzidakis was a composer and has written hundreds of popular Greek songs. He was also one of the first composers, together with Mikis Theodorakis, who introduced the “Entechno music” in the Greek music landscape. One of Hatzidakis’ songs already became internationally known in 1959, when Nana Mouskouri participated in the first Greek Song Festival and won the first prize performing his song ‘Κάπου υπάρχει η αγάπη μου’ (My love must be somewhere out there). The song was also performed by the well-known singer Georges Moustaki.

The love for Greek music is a reason why many adults start learning Greek. It is a great way to learn the lyrics and sing along during concerts. Not only do you learn more about the Greek language, but also about the Greek culture and passion that is described in many songs.

Childhood & youth

Manos H. was born on 23-10-1925 in Xanthi, North Greece. From his childhood, Manos started reading music and playing the piano and the violin. In 1932, he moved to Athens with his family. In 1938 his father was killed in a plane crash. This tragic accident and the outbreak of World War II ruined the family financially.

Work

In 1946 he finished his first project in the film industry, whereas his cooperation with the “Art Theatre“ of K. Koun started in 1954 and would last 15 years. In 1960, Manos Hatzidakis was awarded an Oscar for the song “The children of Piraeus” from J. Dassin’s film “Never on Sunday”. He became the first Greek composer to make a Greek song popular in the rest of the world. Manos Hatzidakis died in Athens on 15-06-1994.

Rebetiko & Entechno

His whole life, Manos Hatzidakis was dedicated to and strongly related to the traditional Greek song. In 1949, in a lecture about “ Rebetico” songs, he supported this genre which was, at that time, either unknown or despised. Later, he created, together with Mikis Theodorakis, the “Entechno”, a very important music stream, in which music has very close ties with Greek poetry. Along with his interest in Greek songs, Manos Hatzidakis was also a composer with personal inspiration. He managed to create a wonderful composition, combining the world of folk music with his new musical horizons.

If you are interested to learn more about Greek entechno music by Chatzidakis, click here: omilo.com

Omilo Greek Language and Culture inspires people from all over the world to learn Greek, while exploring Greece. They offer 1- and 2-week courses for adults that combine beautiful course locations, experienced teachers, and a balanced combination of Greek classes with cultural activities. All these make Omilo a place where people enjoy learning modern Greek and have fun.

Besides the courses, Omilo also creates online publications to help adults expand their language skills through Language Books and eBooks for different language levels.

The "ELPIDA Association of Friends of Children with Cancer" was founded in 1990 by a group of dynamic women, with Mrs. Marianna Vardinoyiannis as its President. 

From its founding unitl today, "ELPIDA" has actualised a comprehensive framework of treatment and support for children suffering from cancer and for their families, raising the awarness of the Greek people. who emrabrace its vision and support its work.

A church bell sounds, the staccato thudding of mallet on plank summons monks to afternoon prayers, and deep voices are raised in communal chant. And high in the great tower of Pantokrator Monastery, a metal library door swings open.

There, deep inside the medieval fortified monastery in the Mount Athos monastic Orthodox Christian community, researchers are for the first time tapping a virtually unknown treasure – thousands of Ottoman-era manuscripts that include the oldest of their kind in the world.

The libraries of the self-governed community, established more than 1,000 years ago on northern Greece’s Athos peninsula, are a repository of rare, centuries-old works in several languages including Greek, Russian and Romanian.

Many have been extensively studied, but not the Ottoman Turkish documents, products of an occupying bureaucracy that ruled northern Greece from the late 14th century – well before the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, fell to the Ottomans in 1453 – until the early 20th when the area became Greek again.

Byzantine scholar Jannis Niehoff-Panagiotidis says it’s impossible to understand Mount Athos’ economy and society under Ottoman rule without consulting these documents, which regulated the monks’ dealings with secular authorities.

“Ottoman was the official language of the state,” he told The Associated Press from the library of the Pantokrator Monastery, one of 20 on the heavily wooded peninsula.

Niehoff-Panagiotidis, a professor at the Free University of Berlin, said the oldest of the roughly 25,000 Ottoman works found in the monastic libraries dates to 1374, or 1371. That’s older than any known in the world, he said, adding that in Istanbul, as the Ottomans renamed Constantinople when they made the city their own capital, the oldest archives only go back to the late 15th century.

And the manuscripts tell a story at odds with the traditional understanding in Greece of Ottoman depredations in the newly-conquered areas, through the confiscation of the Mount Athos monasteries’ rich real estate holdings. Instead, the new rulers took the community under their wing, preserved its autonomy and protected it from external interference.

Nikopoulos said that one of the first actions of Murad II, the Ottoman ruler who conquered Thessaloniki – the closest city to Mount Athos – was to draw up a legal document in 1430 protecting the community.

Another unexpected revelation, Niehoff-Panagiotidis said, was that for roughly the first two centuries of Ottoman rule no effort was made to impose Islamic law on Mount Athos or nearby parts of northern Greece.

To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.com

The iconic Lykavittos open-air theater atop Lycabettus Hill in central Athens, reopens on September 15 with a concert by Greek composer Stavros Xarchakos.

The 3,000-seat Lykavittos Theater opens after major upgrade works carried out by the Municipality of Athens. The theater will make its ‘debut’ with the Xarchakos concert at 9pm officially launching the “new era” for the “Municipal Lykavittos Theater” with this year’s program titled “Celebration for Lykavittos” featuring singers Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Manolis Mitsias, Iro Saia, and Zacharias Karounis.

To read this article in full, visit news.gtp.gr

Greece is renowned for its picturesque islands, with destinations like Santorini and Mykonos drawing millions of visitors each year. However, there are many lesser-known islands that offer a more tranquil and authentic Greek experience.

Here are 5 compelling reasons to visit a less touristy island this summer, along with some hidden gems you should consider.


1. Escape the Crowds


📌 Chora, Folegandros

One of the main benefits of visiting a less touristy island is the ability to escape the throngs of tourists that flock to popular destinations. You’ll have the chance to enjoy serene beaches, quiet streets, and peaceful sunsets without the hustle and bustle.

Recommended Islands

This December, the Maria Callas Museum brings the magic of the season to life through a rich program of music, storytelling, creativity, and family activities across Athens. From heartfelt performances for children at the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital to winter listening sessions, hands-on art workshops, imaginative theatre, guided tours, and festive educational experiences for all ages, the Museum invites audiences to celebrate Christmas through culture, imagination, and community.

Friday, December 19 | “The Nutcracker’s Dream” at the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital by the Maria Callas Museum

The Maria Callas Museum of the City of Athens, in collaboration with composer Markella Skourti, brings a new Christmas music-theatre experience to the “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital for children who are hospitalized or hosted there.

Following the successful cycle of music-education workshops in spring 2025, the Museum presents the immersive storytelling performance “The Nutcracker’s Dream”, a festive experiential journey inspired by the book “The Orchestra Tells the Story – The Nutcracker” (Katy Flint, Patakis Publishers). With piano accompaniment, theatrical narration and the children’s active participation, the world of the Nutcracker comes alive, offering moments of imagination, joy, and Christmas spirit within the hospital setting.

Learn more here.

Sunday, December 21 | Listening Club: Songs for Winter / Christmas in Athens

After the warm reception of last year’s Christmas Listening Club, radio producer of ERT’s Third Programme and Kosmos 93.6, Giorgos Florakis, returns to the Maria Callas Museum for a second year. This time, he invites us on a winter musical journey titled “Songs for Winter.” 

Free admission with complimentary entry ticket – Learn more here.

December 28–30, 2025 & January 2, 2026 | Stencil Art in the City: Create the Most Inspired Christmas Postcards! / Christmas in Athens

The Maria Callas Museum and the Industrial Gas Museum invite children and adults to a unique creative experience at Kotzia Square during the Christmas season! The two museums join forces to offer the most festive artistic event filled with color, light, and imagination. Children aged 3+ and adults will use stencil techniques to create their own Christmas postcards, inspired by the brilliance of Maria Callas and the magic of industrial architecture.

Free participation – Learn more here.

Tuesday, December 30 | Children’s Performance: Zacharias the Wolf’s Christmas / Christmas in Athens

The Maria Callas Museum hosts the children’s theatre performance “Zacharias the Wolf’s Christmas” for ages 4–8 by the theatre group “Anemomyloi.”

Wolf Zacharias does not like Christmas at all! He wanders around grumpy, looking for someone to play snowball with. But everyone is busy with holiday preparations—decorating trees, cooking festive treats, writing letters to Santa… Luckily, his friends help him get into the holiday spirit. And, of course, a wonderful surprise awaits him in the end!

Free admission with complimentary entry ticket – Learn more here.

GUIDED TOURS

Saturday, December 20, 12:00 & 13:30 | Adult & Family Tours

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Sunday, December 14 | MCM KIDS | Opera Becomes Play

A hands-on music-education journey into the magical world of opera and sound awaits children and their caregivers at the Maria Callas Museum, accompanied by a piano! Inspired by the voice and personality of the great diva, children will explore set-like rooms from three iconic operas—Norma, Tosca, La Traviata—play with rhythm, move with imagination, and finally discover Orff instruments and create their own group composition with piano accompaniment.

Opera becomes play—and play becomes expression, collaboration, and creativity!

11:30–12:30

Ages: 5–10
Learn more here.

Sunday, December 14 | MCM BABIES | Museum Goblins, Garlands, and Music

Can goblins really enter a museum? And if they do, do they bring only mischief—or also music? In this festive program, babies and their caregivers meet tiny creatures with pointy hats and playful moods that tangle melodies and twist garlands. Will we manage to untangle them? And if so, which music will guide us? Babies and caregivers will experience the magic of music and Christmas through the goblins’ cheeky antics.

We will sing, explore materials, move, and listen to sounds and melodies that warm the heart.

9:30–10:15

Ages: 8 months – 2.5 years
Learn more here.

Sunday, December 28 | MCM KIDS | Avanti Maestro! Christmas Edition / Christmas in Athens

What could a paintbrush, a piano, and a few Christmas smudges be doing inside a museum? Children and their caregivers will discover the answer through a magical festive music-art game! Guided by the melodies of a live piano and accompanied by brushes and colors, we will explore rhythm and create the most wonderful “musical smudges.” Through these playful creations, festive stories full of shapes and colors will unfold, taking us to bright, imaginary worlds where music becomes painting and the art of opera meets the magic of Christmas.

12:30–13:30

Ages: 3–5
Free participation with complimentary entry ticket
Learn more here.