Be a Part of History: Witness the Magnificence of the Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium

This April, you are all cordially invited to be part of Olympic History. Join us in witnessing the magnificence of the Olympic Flame Handover at the Panathenaic Stadium on April 26!

Amidst the historic backdrop of the Kallimarmaro Stadium, where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896, the Olympic Flame will conclude its eleven-day journey in Greece, before it departs for Paris for the 2024 Olympics in July. The Handover Ceremony, presented by superstar Greek-French entertainer Nikos Aliagas, will take place on April 26. Entry is free to the public and allowed until 6pm (but we strongly recommend you get there well before then). The ceremony will begin shortly after, with global pop icon Nana Mouskouri performing two renditions of the French and Greek national anthems, conducted by acclaimed composer Dimitris Papadimitriou. The programme will continue with the arrival of the Flame at the stadium, the lighting of the stadium torch by the High Priestess and the Flame Handover.

The Handover Ceremony marks the end of the Olympic Torch Relay on Greek soil before it sets off on its journey from Piraeus to Marseille, aboard the historic three-masted sailing ship Belem, and to finally finds its way to Paris for the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26. To honour the cordial friendship of the two countries, which was forged during the years of the Greek War of Independence, the relay will include stops at Missolonghi and Pylos, offering tributes to Eugène Delacroix's Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi and the invaluable aid provided by the French navy at the Battle of Navarino.

The Olympic Torch Relay begins 11 days prior to the Kallimarmaro event. On April 16, at the site of Ancient Olympia, the sun will ignite the Olympic Flame. During the 11 days of the relay, more than 600 torchbearers will embark on a symbolic pilgrimage, covering more than 5,000 kilometres and illuminating 43 communities across the country. Much more than an ordinary relay, the Olympic Torch Relay is an immersive exploration of Greece’s profound heritage and cultural legacy. From the sun-kissed shores of Crete to the windswept landscapes of Alexandroupolis, the storied sites of Corfu, the venerable Acropolis, the grandeur of Meteora and the remote allure of Kastelorizo, every step will resonate with the spirit of the ancient Games.

Let the games begin!