Event Details
Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026 – Greece's Premier Cultural Event
The Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026 runs from 20 June to 29 August 2026 and stands as one of the most prestigious performing arts festivals in Europe. At its heart is the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus on the Peloponnese peninsula, one of the best-preserved ancient theatres in the world with extraordinary acoustics and a capacity of 10,000 spectators. The 2026 programme spans ancient tragedy and comedy, contemporary theatre, dance, opera and music, with performances by leading Greek and international artists. For anyone combining a summer trip to Greece with world-class cultural experiences, this festival is unmissable.
Venues
The festival operates across several venues in 2026. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus (main stage, Peloponnese) hosts the major theatrical productions on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout July and August. The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus presents more experimental and intimate international productions from late June to early August. Peiraios 260 in Athens celebrates its 20th anniversary as a festival venue in 2026 and hosts an extensive programme of theatre, dance and contemporary performance. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the southern slopes of the Acropolis is undergoing renovation works during 2026, making Peiraios 260 the principal Athens venue this season.
2026 Programme – Highlights
The 2026 festival is led by Artistic Director Michael Marmarinos. A major highlight of the season is the return of opera to Epidaurus for the first time in the 21st century. The Greek National Opera opens the festival on 20 June 2026 with a monumental revival of Luigi Cherubini's Medea, echoing the legendary 1961 production starring Maria Callas.
- 20 June 2026 – Greek National Opera: Medea by Luigi Cherubini (Opening night)
- 3–4 July 2026 – Christos Theodoridis: The Persians by Aeschylus
- 10–11 July 2026 – Ivan Vazov National Theatre / Javor Gardev: The Bacchae by Euripides with The Tiger Lillies
- 17–18 July 2026 – National Theatre of Greece / Dimitris Karantzas: Alcestis by Euripides
- 24–25 July 2026 – Nikos Karathanos: Eirene (Peace), a revisit to Aristophanes
- 31 July – 1 August 2026 – National Theatre of Greece / Eleni Efthymiou: The Trojan Women by Euripides
- 7–8 August 2026 – Alan Lucien Øyen: Antigone, inspired by Sophocles
- 21–22 August 2026 – National Theatre of Northern Greece / Asterios Peltekis: Lysistrata by Aristophanes
- 28–29 August 2026 – Cyprus Theatre Organisation / Thomas Moschopoulos: Ion by Euripides (Closing night)
Alongside the main stage at Epidaurus, the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus opens on 26–27 June 2026 with international productions and premieres. The Peiraios 260 venue in Athens hosts a rich parallel programme from the very start of the festival season.
Tickets
Tickets are available through the official festival website at aefestival.gr and via the authorised partner more.com. Purchasing directly from Athens Epidaurus Festival box offices (main box office at Syntagma Square, or at the venues themselves) incurs no additional service fee; online purchases carry a booking fee. Prices vary significantly by production and seating zone. Early booking is strongly recommended, particularly for the opera opening night and major classical productions, which regularly sell out weeks in advance.
Getting to Epidaurus
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is located on the Peloponnese, approximately 150 km southwest of Athens, roughly a two-hour drive. The most flexible option is to hire a car in Athens, which also allows a daytime visit to the archaeological site before the evening performance. Many Athens-based tour operators offer day trips with return transfer and guided tours. Travellers using public transport can reach Epidaurus via Nafplio with the KTEL bus network.
Visitor Tips
- Performances typically begin around 9:00 PM; late entry is not permitted once a performance has started.
- No heeled footwear is allowed at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus or at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus; flat shoes are essential.
- Evenings in July and August can remain warm, but a light layer is useful later in the night at the open-air theatres.
- Purchasing tickets at the festival box office at Syntagma Square avoids the online service fee.
- Accommodation in Athens and around Nafplio books up quickly during peak summer; reserve several months in advance.
- For evening performances in Epidaurus, consider an overnight stay in Nafplio rather than driving back to Athens late at night.
