The festival of Athens and Epidaurus is a key event in the cultural calendar of the Greek summer. Created in 1955, it is one of the oldest festivals in Europe. Indeed, every year, it welcomes many artists renowned throughout the world, they come from the field of theater, opera, dance and music .
When does the festival of Athens and Epidaurus take place?
If you are in Greece during the summer, you will be able to fully enjoy this festival, as it takes place every year from the beginning of June until the middle of August.
Moreover, this year, the festival will be held from June 1 to August 26, 2023.
THE PROGRAM OF THE FESTIVAL OF ATHENS AND EPIDAURUS 2023
And even more information on the Athens Epidaurus Festival website or with this very complete 107-page program!
Where does this festival take place?
This year, 4 venues will host the dance, theater and music performances of the Athens and Epidaurus festival: 2 in Athens and 2 in Epidaurus.
In Athens
- At theOdeon of Herod Atticus: this ancient theater located at the foot of the Acropolis offers an absolutely magical setting and is also renowned for its excellent acoustics. It has hosted many stars, including Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas, Liza Minnelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Sting…
- In Peiraios 260, in the Tavros district between Athens and Piraeus. These industrial buildings from the 1970s belonged to the Tsaousoglou group, a supplier of office furniture. The former factory was later owned by the National Bank of Greece, which allowed the Athens and Epidaurus Festival to use the premises for the first time in 2006. The Ministry of Culture now manages the site, which hosts several cultural events.
In Epidaurus
- The ancient theater of Epidaurus : a unique place also known for its exceptional acoustics. Built at the end of the 4th century BC. Its ancient theater is also the best preserved in Greece. The plays are performed in Greek, with English supertitles so that non-Hellenic speakers can enjoy them.
- The small ancient theater of Epidaurus: located in the port of ancient Epidaurus, this theater of the 4th century BC was built in honor of the god Dionysus to host religious ceremonies. Nowadays, it mainly hosts emerging Greek and international artists with a more alternative interpretation of ancient Greek drama. Again, English surtitles accompany all performances.
How to go to Epidaurus?
First of all, Epidaurus is located in the Peloponnese, 140 kilometers by road southwest of Athens.
By car from Athens
If you have a vehicle, it takes about two hours to drive from Athens to Epidaurus.
If you want to rent a car to go to Epidaurus, we advise you the site Rental Cars which is very practical because it allows you to compare the offers of the different rental companies in a wink. Moreover, the daily rates are sometimes very interesting (around 30€).
Cab or shuttle
Unfortunately, the partner who proposed shuttles from Athens no longer provides this service this year. You can eventually get in touch with Mireille from Leonidakos agency to see the solutions of private transport.
With a bus
During the season (May to October) there are two daily connections between Athens and Epidaurus, the bus stops at the cafe Propilo, 1.5 km from the site of Epidaurus. In addition, Ktel buses usually offer an extra service during the festival. You can find the schedules and rates on the website KTEL Argolida in English.
Within the framework of the festival, a bus system is set up to connect Athens to Epidaurus. The departure is from Syntagma at 5pm, meeting point at the tomb of the unknown soldier. Then, the return will be done at the same place after the end of the representations. The ticket costs 13 €. Please note that not all the performances are concerned by this service, so you can consult the list of those who benefit from it on the Athens Epidaurus Festival website.
Sleeping on site
If you don’t want to drive at night, you can also opt to sleep on site. Moreover, very close to the site, we found two hotels: the Avaton (1,5km) or Hotel Athena (3km away).
Where to buy tickets for the Athens and Epidaurus Festival?
Buy tickets online
The online ticketing service to reserve your tickets for the Athens and Epidaurus Festival is open. You can already buy your tickets on Viva.gr or directly on the website of the Festival of Athens and Epidaurus-AEF 2023
Purchase at the sales points in Athens and Epidaurus
It is also possible to buy your tickets at physical points of sale. Here is the list of the different points of sale:
- At the new point of sale in Syntagma Square in Athens, at the Info point of the city of Athens, Othonos 5. Open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 20:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00.
- Ticket office located in front of theOdeon Theaterof Herod Atticus (near the Acropolis). Open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00. (opening of the point of sale on May 25, 2023)
- At Peiraios 260: Open from 18:00 to 21:00 on performance nights (purchase from 20:00 onwards for same night performance). Opening of the store on June 7, 2023
- At the box office of theancient theater of Epidaurus. Open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm, from 8:00 pm on the night of the performance. Opening of the store on June 19, 2023
Reservation by phone
You can also book by phone: +30 211 800 8181 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. +30 210 322 5109 on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.
For people with disabilities, from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00 at +30 210 3221 897 or by mail tameia@aefestival.gr
Laure M.
