The Acropolis Museum has opened to the public the excavation of an ancient Athenian neighborhood that spreads across 4,000 square meters.
The grand opening of the significant 'outdoor wing' was on June 20, coinciding with the Museum's 10th anniversary. Throughout the years, the Acropolis Museum has attracted more than 14,5 million visitors and has hosted hundreds of temporary exhibitions.
The excavation site is located under the museum building and was made accessible to the general public on June 21; allowing visitors to wander the streets of the ancient Athenian neighborhood - that was consecutively inhabited from the Classical period to Byzantine times - and come across a complex of impressive archaeological remains such as residences, tombs, bathhouses, and workshops. From June 21 onwards, museum visitors will have the opportunity to gain valuable insight regarding the daily activities and everyday life of ancient Athenians.
Gradually, the site will be extended with a display of the most significant and representative removable objects of the excavation, approximately 1.300 pieces, that will undoubtedly enhance the visitors' experience.
Guided tours, both in English and Greek, will be available on the weekends.
Open-air movie theaters in Athens open their doors once again and invite us all for a relaxing experience under the enchanting moonlit Athenian sky. Tables and comfortable director’s chairs are set in dedicated areas around the city and surrounded by luscious gardens. With movie programs planned and snack menus prepared, outdoor cinemas in Athens provide an unrivaled cinema experience under the starry summer sky. Open-air cinemas are one of the most characteristic elements of summer in Athens and literally every neighborhood has at least one! Cine Thision undoubtedly holds a special place in our hearts on account of its majestic location, sitting right at the foot of the Acropolis. Vox and Ekran in Exarchia offer a nostalgic setting remind us of ‘the good old days’ of cinema; dating back to 1940, Elektra Cinemax is one of the oldest movie theaters in the city, while charming cinemas like Cinema Riviera on Valtetsiou Street and many others promise to keep us in good company all the way until the end of September!
The 9th Athens Open-Air Film Festival
The Athens Open Air Film Festival returns for its 9th year, transforming some of the most iconic spaces around Athens, such as museums, squares, gardens, and archaeological parks, into outdoor cinemas, and screening some of the greatest movies in film history. This June, the Roman Agora, Avissinias Square, Plato’s Academy, the Anna Synodinou Theater and the French School of Athens are some of the chosen spots where screenings will take place.
Three small themed exhibitions of archaeological interest are presented in the beautiful Gardens of the Byzantine and Christian Museum where visitors can take a fascinating journey through history and art.
The well-cistern, the concept of paradise as perceived by the Byzantine Greeks, and the River Ilissos, relative to its development from antiquity to modern times, are the exhibitions that will be presented among the fruit trees and aromatic herbs in the garden of this exceptional Athenian museum. The well-cistern was used as a local water management unit to supply drinking water and provide irrigation. However, there is no clear indication
as to whether it was connected to other water supply systems in the wider area. The exhibition provides information on the water resources of Attica, on the aqueducts of Athens, as well as on the water supply of the city since 1834.
The museum’s exhibits include a Late Roman Tomb, burials in the vicinity of the Ilissos River, and Byzantine art associated with death and the concept of paradise. The wider Ilissos area functions as an archaeological park, offering an idea of the landscape in the past and how it changed dramatically during the 20th and 21st centuries. The Early Christian Ilissos Basilica, constructed in the 5th or 6th century, can also be found in the area, although only a few remains survive until today.
Athens fully embraces spring with restaurants, bars, and cafes adding outdoor seating areas, changing the city’s vibe. Drenched in sunshine and set along pedestrian streets, on rooftops and balconies, and in outdoor yards, numerous tables, and chairs are ready to welcome patrons. Every May, the capital takes on its summer profile and every street is filled with life! All of the lovely pedestrian streets are full of people of all ages walk leisurely, dancing to music, savoring delicious flavors, and happily conversing and laughing with one another.
An active participant in the city’s summer setting, at the Athenaeum InterContinental Athens, our award-winning Première Restaurant features a magnificent outdoor space under the starlit sky. Premiere Restaurant always harmoniously adapts to the season, as well as of course to the needs and desires of our customers. The menu has been especially designed to embrace summer, with sweet scents and colorful dishes that take you on a fascinating journey of the senses!
