What’s New in Athens in September
September in Athens is a month of two modes. Still hot enough to enjoy summertime pursuits, it’s also the time when the locals dive back into the swing of urban life. This September, Athens is the stage for a raft of epicurean events and arts festivals, catering to all tastes. Here are some highlights worth checking out if you’re visiting Athens this month:
Art Athina 2019 (14-16 September) is one of the best places to explore the capital’s smoking art scene. This annual contemporary art extravaganza brings together the capital’s most influential galleries with international curators, artists, collectors and gallerists under one roof. For the first time, Art Athina will take place at historic Zappeion Hall, a neoclassical work of art in its own right. Channel your inner artist at free workshops, where you can try your hand at painting, doodle art, collage, mosaic and engraving. In another first, visitors can also attend an open-air screening of video works by Greek and global artists at Zappeion’s famous Aigli cinema. For event times and ticket details, read our What’s On listing.
Zappeion will also be ground zero for foodies later this month (19-22 September), when Taste of Athens dishes out a second helping of its food and drink festival. It brings the best restaurants, food and drink brands in Athens together and invites guests to discover them through special menus, street food stalls, cooking and cocktail classes. Book your ticket to sample signature dishes and off-menu specials from the city’s hottest chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants at prices that won’t max out your holiday budget.
Prefer a liquid diet? The Athens Hilton plays host to the Athens Rum & Whiskey Festival (21-22 September) where you can enjoy rare and premium labels around the hotel's still summery pool terrace. The weekend is backed by Baba Au Rum (one of the “World’s 50 Best Bars”) and the Greek team of cocktail bible, Difford’s Guide, so it’s bound to be a corker.
Winding up the month is the Athens International Film Festival (18-29 September). At various locations around the capital, you can catch premieres of hot indie flicks from all over the world, as well as seeing the most buzzed-about movies of the forthcoming season. Opening this year’s programme is South Korean black comedy thriller Parasite. Closing the curtain is Adults in the Room, Costa-Gavras’ film based on Yanis Varoufakis’ book about the 2015 Greek bailout. The 2019 line-up also features a run of queer films and the feverishly awaited director’s cut of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. For the full line-up, visit here (after September 11).