Reading and books feature this Christmas in the heart of Athens, Greece, where the first public lending library has opened its doors at the Syntagma metro station.

The library, a joint initiative of Athens’ Urban Rail Transport (STASY) and the Hellenic Foundation for Book and Culture (HFBC), is part of Athens’ holiday festivities and aims to promote reading. All books were donated by STASY employees, whose response was so enthusiastic that surplus titles will be distributed to schools and cultural associations in the Region of Western Macedonia.

A large Christmas tree decorated with books greets passengers on Level 1 of the Athens metro station.

Beyond the lending library, the festive program includes theatrical performances, puppet shows, storytelling sessions, Christmas carol concerts, and bookbinding workshops, all offered free of charge on the weekends of December 13-14 and 20-21.

Commuters are encouraged to borrow books and return them once finished, as organizers hope to expand the pilot project to other Athens metro stations.

Demonstrating the initiative’s significance, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis attended the library’s official opening on Monday.

You can find the full program of events (in Greek) here. All activities run from noon to 7 p.m. and are free of charge.