Historic open-air cinemas in Athens you’ll want to visit this summer
Cine Paris, Aigli, and Zephyros are the first open-air cinemas in Athens to kick off the 2025 summer movie season.
- 19/05/2025
There’s something almost magical that happens the moment we step through the gates of an open-air cinema in Athens. A courtyard or rooftop, the scent of jasmine, cascading bougainvillea, and a large screen make up the setting.
These cinemas are not just places where we go to watch a film for a couple of hours and leave. They are an experience – the chilled soft drink in one hand, the buttery popcorn in the other, the small round table between the chairs, the starry sky, and the relaxed atmosphere that no indoor theater, no matter how comfortable the seat, can rival.
Cine Paris, Plaka
The historic Cine Paris, which reopened last year under the curation of the streaming platform Cinobo, welcomed moviegoers back on May 1 2025.
Located in the heart of Plaka, on a Mediterranean rooftop garden with a stunning view of the Acropolis, Cine Paris carries 100 years of history. It was back in 1920 when the street of Kidathineon became home to this cinema. Its name was inspired by the Greek hairdresser who envisioned it, having spent many years in Paris. Originally housed indoors, it was moved in the 1960s to number 22, where it still stands today.
In 1986, after a period of closure, the cinema projectors lit up again under new ownership and it began operating exclusively as an open-air cinema. When it closed again in 2020, it left many of its loyal patrons saddened – those who had spent countless summer nights there with friends, or gone on their very first dates. All of them held sweet memories, so the news that Cine Paris would reopen brought smiles to their faces.
Aigli Cinema, Zappeion
The open-air cinema nestled in the blooming gardens of Zappeion is once again lighting up and welcoming guests for another season. It’s one of the most iconic cinemas in Athens, with more than a century of history.
The screen of Aigli first lit up in the early 1920s, and since then, it has retained its charm while keeping up with the latest in technology to offer an unforgettable experience.
The tables and chairs at Aigli Cinema are set one behind the other, while the trees lining both sides create a natural frame, encasing both the screen and the sky.
Zephyros, Petralona
One of the city’s most beloved cinemas, rich in artistic history, is Zephyros in Ano Petralona. Its distinctive burgundy-red walkway and screen frame blend into the urban backdrop of surrounding apartment buildings, contrasting beautifully with the blue of the seats. Shoes crunching on gravel and the warmth in the air make summer feel ever closer in the neighborhood of Petralona.
Zephyros has been in operation since 1932, originally serving as a venue for variety shows and shadow theater. Over the years, it transformed into a cinema. It shut down during the 1970s, but made a comeback in 1988, dedicated to screening classic films.