In 1955, the first Athens festival took place at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in the shadow of the Acropolis. What started as musical performances accompanying reimaginings of ancient Greek plays has evolved into a global cultural celebration. Spanning multiple venues, the Athens Epidaurus Festival is now the focal point of the Greek capital’s cultural calendar across the arts.
This also means that the schedule is dizzying, with seemingly endless options. Your best bet is to see what you find the most interesting and plan your days, as well as your ticket purchases, accordingly. TO BHMA International Edition has prepared a helpful guide to make the Athens Epidaurus Festival less overwhelming for anyone planning to attend this year.
Start planning your trip
Hotel bookings in the city center fill up quickly as the festival inches closer. Since the program has been announced, we recommend you start booking your travel and hotel stay as soon as possible. The three main venues of the Athens Epidaurus Festival are Peiraios 260 and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (or Herodeion) in Athens and, naturally, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.
While the Odeon of Herodes and Peiraios 260 are easily accessible via public transport in the capital, Epidaurus is about two hours away. It is located within the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, in the Argolis prefecture of the northeast Peloponnese.
We recommend you look for hotels in the broader Acropolis area, as well as Monastiraki. For performances at Epidaurus, you can book shuttle bus daytrips to and from Argolis on performance days.
Picking your program
There are two ways one can go about experiencing the Athens Epidaurus Festival: you can plan ahead, or you can check what’s playing on any given day. If you prefer to book all your tickets ahead of time, the official festival website has a handy filter that splits the events by month and category (e.g. music, dance or theatre). John Legend will be bringing the Athens part of this year’s Festival to a close on June 30 at the Herodeion, which will then be closing for at least three years for comprehensive restoration and structural work. The performance, his first in Greece, is one of the most talked about events at this year’s Festival.
Theater lovers will be pleased to know that all three main venues provide supertitles in English for most plays. It is recommended you sit midway up the theatre and not too far forward for easier reading. “Einstein on The Beach” and “Lee Miller in Hitler’s Bathtub” are among the most unique performances. You can also enjoy ancient Greek plays like “Lysistrata” and “Medea”.
Beware of age restrictions on performances
One important thing to take note of while booking your tickets with family: not all performances are suitable for kids. Make sure to check the age restrictions noted on the official Athens Epidaurus Festival ticket portal. If you book a ticket for an adults-only performance and show up as a family, you will be denied entry.
No video recording of performances
This is a general rule of thumb for most plays, and it is strictly enforced during the Athens Epidaurus Festival.
Flat shoes are a must
Especially for the historic venues. It is both a matter of safety, as the floors are quite uneven, and of archeological preservation. This is a non-negotiable rule in both the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and at Epidaurus. Showing up with any heeled shoes will result in you being denied entry or, in some more extreme cases, getting banned from the venue.
Protect yourself against the elements
For outdoor venues, it is important to prepare yourself accordingly. Greece is warm in the summer, but nights tend to be on the chillier side. Bring a jacket with you, so you can enjoy the performances in comfort. As summer ramps up, we also recommend you carry mosquito repellant and an after-bite relief product.
Peiraios 260 is an indoor venue but heavily air-conditioned, so bring a shawl or light cardigan.
Make sure you eat ahead of performances
No form of food or drink is allowed in the venues besides bottled water. Thankfully, Athens is very well known for its excellent food and the city center offers many options close to both the Herodeion and Peiraios 260.
If you’re planning on going to the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, know that it is located in a secluded forest area. There is a small canteen on the path to the theatre, but not many other options close by. Since the travel time from Athens to Epidaurus is about 2 hours, consider snacking on the way.
