Athens and Epidaurus Festival
The Greek calendar is full of cultural festivals and events, especially during summer. One of the most prestigious Greek festivals – running for over 60 years and attracting large audiences from Greece and abroad – is the Athens and Epidaurus Festival.
Taking place annually between June and August, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival features a top line-up of Greek and international theatre, drama, opera, music, and dance performances, held at various historic and modern venues across Athens at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese.
The festival is best known for its ancient venues, namely the amphitheater of Epidaurus and Athens’ 2nd century BC Odeon of Herodes Atticus; both open-air. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is located within the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios in the Peloponnese, which is only a 30m drive from picturesque Nafplio and a two hours drive from Athens. In contrast, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus lies beneath the Acropolis Hill dominating the western end of its southern slope.
Since its inception in 1955, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival has staged several performances by internationally acclaimed artists spanning all fields of the performing arts; among them, some of the biggest names in music, theatre, and dance, including – but to name a few – Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, Martha Graham, and Rudolf Nureyev.