What’s coming up in Athens: From Van Gogh to the Marathon
The weather may be cooling in Athens, but that doesn’t mean the city is slowing down.
In fact, Athens takes on a different kind of energy as the summer crowds disappear — one of creativity, flavor, and inspiration. The Greek capital offers a year-round mix of entertainment, cultural events, and sporting highlights that attract both locals and visitors from around the world.
A notable shift in the city’s lively social calendar this year is the growing number of food festivals. New events are emerging that showcase not only the evolving face of Greek cuisine but also new global culinary trends. Fans of Asian flavors, in particular, are in for a treat with the first-ever Athens Asian Food Festival taking place in the multicultural neighborhood of Kypseli.
Art lovers will be busy with an interesting exhibition at the Benaki museum tracing the roots of Greek creativity, while an immersive tech exhibition focusing on Dutch painter Van Gogh will also be in town for the next few months.
Those feeling more active can reach for their running shoes, while live jazz, legendary concerts, and even stargazing nights are also on the agenda. Athens offers something for every taste and mood.
What is coming up in Athens:
Juvenilia — The Early Sparks of Greek Modern Art | October 2, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Where: Benaki Museum, Pireos 138
At the Benaki Museum on Pireos Street, Juvenilia invites visitors to rediscover the beginnings of eleven key Greek artists — from Yannis Tsarouchis and Yannis Moralis to Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, Dimitris Mytaras, and Chryssa Romanos. Early sketches, studies, and experimental works are placed side by side with the masterpieces that defined their mature style. The result is a glimpse into artistic evolution — where instinct meets refinement, and early explorations reveal the seeds of greatness. Accompanied by critical essays from art historians, this is a rare chance to trace the roots of modern Greek creativity.
La Gioconda — Verdi in Full Bloom | October–November 2025
Where: Greek National Opera, Stavros Niarchos Hall
The Greek National Opera presents Verdi’s La Gioconda at the magnificent Stavros Niarchos Hall — a sweeping tale of passion, jealousy, and sacrifice. With its powerful arias and lush orchestration, this new production captures the grandeur and emotional depth of Italian opera, reaffirming Athens as a vibrant center of world-class performance.
GastrosoΦy Fest: A Celebration of Greek Gastronomy | October 19, 2025
Where – Stone Warehouse, Piraeus Port Authority
The world festival will be held in Greece for the first time, combining gastronomy, culture, and wine in one event. The GastrosoΦy Fest will highlight the richness of Greek culinary tradition through talks, presentations, and taste experiences. The topics to be covered include: traditional techniques making a comeback in modern cuisine, seafood cuisine of the future and gastronomic identities based on local products.
At the same time, it showcases the latest global culinary trends, becoming a landmark event for lovers of taste, creativity, and innovation. Renowned and beloved Greek and international top chefs will share their inspired creations, explore the concept of nutrition, and reveal their secrets.
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience — Step Inside the Canvas | October 22 – December 20
Where: Olympic Center of Goudi
After having attracted over 12 million visitors worldwide, this exhibition comes to Athens to present the work of the great Dutch painter using cutting-edge technology. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience opens October 22 at the Olympic Center of Goudi. The exhibition transforms more than 3,000 of the artist’s works — from sketches to iconic paintings — into a 360° world of light, color, and emotion.
Visitors walk straight into Van Gogh’s imagination: stroll through the rooms where he lived and painted, take part in hands-on workshops, and step into the Virtual Reality Room for a multisensory journey through his art. It’s a vivid, poetic encounter with genius — one that engages sight, sound, and spirit. Visits last about 60–75 minutes, with tickets available online.
Jazz at the Museum – Myrtò Papatanasiu | October 24
Where: Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation
After five successful years, the B&E Goulandris Foundation’s much-loved Jazz at the Museum series returns — and expands. Under the title “Her Voice”, this season opens up to new sounds, from classical and lyrical music to other expressive forms that celebrate the enduring power of song. The first concert, on Friday, October 24, features acclaimed soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu with pianist Dimitris Yakas, performing Italian and French songs and arias in a timeless play between light and shadow, silence and sound, breath and sight. Myrtò Papatanasiu has appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious theatres and concert halls and has collaborated with many leading conductors and orchestras.
Athens Asian Food Festival — A Taste of the East in the Heart of the City | October 25-26
Where: Kypseli Municipal Market
Taste buds are being spiced up this October with the first Athens Asian Food Festival, setting up shop at the Kypseli Municipal Market. The two-day festival will feature restaurants and chefs representing different countries and cuisines of Asia – from street food and ramen to more creative approaches with modern culinary elements. There will also be bars with a focus on Asian drinks, including sake, soju, cocktails with exotic ingredients, and distinctive infusions.
Doors open from 12:00 noon through to 11:00 p.m., and admission will be free.
Brian Jackson Live — The Soul of a Revolution | October 31
Where: Gazarte Ground Stage
Legendary musician Brian Jackson performs in Greece for the first time on October 31, live at Gazarte’s Ground Stage. Known for his groundbreaking work with Gil Scott-Heron on timeless albums like Winter in America and The Bottle, Jackson is a pioneer of jazz-funk and socially conscious soul.
The evening opens with an all-female Afro-pop act, Jacaranda, before Jackson takes the stage for what promises to be a spellbinding set — half groove, half history lesson. With over five decades of musical activism and recent releases like Of Corners and Bridges and Now More Than Ever, his sound remains as vital as ever. A portion of proceeds supports Ikaria State of Mind, celebrating the slow-living values of Ikarian culture.
Cats – The Musical | November 5-9
Where: Christmas Theater
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s multi-award-winning and world-loving musical CATS returns to Athens, specifically at the Christmas Theater, for a limited number of performances. Adapted from TS Eliot’s‘ Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’, this “groundbreaking musical” (Daily Express) comes together in a sparkling fusion of music, dance and verse.
On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life. With ” timeless music, spectacular sets and a superb cast” (Daily Mirror), breathtaking choreography and of course the unforgettable ‘Memory’, CATS is a magical musical like no other.
42nd Athens Marathon The Authentic | November 9, 2025
Where: Marathon
Drawing more than 70,000 runners from over 150 countries, this marathon is one of the city’s most anticipated events. Inspired by the legendary Greek messenger Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens to proclaim Greece’s victory over the Persians in 490 BC, the race carries a spirit of endurance and triumph over the years. Today, it stands as one of Greece’s premier sporting celebrations, welcoming both professional athletes and amateur runners alike — and even featuring a special route for children.
Race Schedule:
Saturday, November 8, 2025: 5km Road Race COSMOTE: Begins at 5:00 PM from Vas. Amalias Avenue (at the level of Bodossaki Hall) and concludes at the historic Panathenaic Stadium; 5km Universities Night Run OPAP: Starts at 7:15 PM from the same location, finishing at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Sunday, November 9, 2025: Marathon Race: Starts at 9:00 AM from the town of Marathon, tracing the legendary route to the Panathenaic Stadium; 10km Road Race OPAP: Starts at 8:15 AM from Vas. Amalias Avenue (at the level of Bodossaki Hall) and ends at the Panathenaic Stadium; Kids Race 1.2km COSMOTE: Begins at 10:30 AM from Vas. Sofias Avenue (at the level of the Parliament – Flower Market) and finishes at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Night tour at the National Observatory of Athens | October & November
Where: Thisio Visitor Center
Look to the stars and be inspired! Enjoy one of the English-language night tours at the National Observatory of Athens in Thisio, central Athens. In a 70-minute tour, visitors will be shown the Museum of Geoastrophysics. Afterwards, they will have the opportunity to look up and observe the stars with the help of portable telescopes, weather permitting. Tickets are available online.
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