Athens is fantastic in September. The beautiful capital has the sweet sunshine of summer, combined with the energy and excitement of fall. It’s the ideal time to visit. As the warm weather lingers, the cultural scene is in full swing, with all kinds of exciting exhibitions and events.
A Taste of Athens: A Gastronomic Delight
One of those events is the Taste of Athens festival. For four delicious days – the 19th through the 22nd of September – Athens explores its gastronomic identity. Athens’ best restaurants plus the best brands in food and drink come together for a series of exciting events. The event is a great way to experience what is going on in the Greek gastronomy scene right now, and is an epicure’s delight.
The Highlights of Taste of Athens
In addition to wine tasting, there will be the opportunity to observe world-class chefs in action as they cook in demonstration settings or even as they prepare your meal. The most exciting and prestigious restaurants and chefs of Athens will be taking part, and you will have the opportunity to sample menu items in addition to inspirations they have created especially for this festival. This is a great opportunity to sample cutting edge and gourmet cuisine in a playful setting, like a luxury picnic.
This is also an education experience, offering food for thought as well. Chefs will also be giving taste talks, to get to know their thinking, motivations, and concerns.
Taste of Athens offers plenty of exciting interactive aspects: there will be workshops, cooking classes, and seminars in cocktail making. The festival will inspire you, educate you, and immerse you in the gastronomic culture of Greece.
The roster of participating restaurants is truly exciting. In addition to restaurants focusing on Mediterranean and Greek cuisines, there are also those featuring Global, Contemporary, French, Fusion, and Japanese. The list includes all time classics like Spondi, to exciting experimental newcomers like the fine-dining speakeasy FBK.
A Wonderful Location
The Taste of Athens Festival takes place in the heart of Athens, in a supremely elegant setting. The Zappeion, a grand neoclassical building by noted architect Theophil Hansen, is one of the highlights of a sightseeing tour of the city center. Located in the National Garden, close to the Panathenaic Stadium, was first constructed in conjunction with the creation of the modern Olympic games, and now is a place for ceremonies and festive events, like this one.
An Epicurean Holiday
A Taste of Athens makes a perfect occasion for an epicure to visit Greece’s capital for a city-break. Athens’ reputation as a gastronomic capital is on the rise. Having tasted a sample of what the city has to offer, you’ll be able to explore it more thoroughly over a city break. Sample some of the most elegant restaurants of Athens as the season gets off to a festive start. This is a creative and challenging season for chefs. It’s harvest season, and gorgeous local produce is at its peak, inspiring new creations as they hone the classics as well.
Athens in September: Culture
September is a terrific time to visit Athens for many reasons. The high tourism peak of summer has passed, so the city is still plenty lively but the crowds have thinned out. The heat is sweet, but not overwhelming. It’s the ideal season for strolling and getting to know the city’s hidden corners. It’s also a great time for the highlights.
The great cultural institutions are gearing up for the fall season, and the summer season is also still going on. The Athens and Epidaurus festival continues until the 8th of October. Highlights in September include a performance by world-famous comedian John Cleese, and a concert of the singer Jane Birkin with the Gainsborough Philharmonic, both outdoors at the historic and atmospheric Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theater, with the Parthenon gloriously lit above.
At the Benaki Piraeus Street Annex, you can still catch an exhibition created jointly by the Benaki, DESTE foundation and New York’s New Museum, exploring the evolving artistic landscape of Athens through the works of 32 artists of all ages and nationalities.
At the ever dynamic Museum of Cycladic Art, the show “Picasso and Antiquity: Line and Clay” is still running. Rare drawings and ceramics of the artists inspired by antiquity are set in dialogue with works of the Ancient world.
Athens in September: The Classics
Athens is still full of energy. But with the huge summer crowds gone, this is a better time to immerse yourself in Athens’ generous cultural bounty. Visiting the Parthenon is a cultural pilgrimage, truly a life experience. We can arrange for you to experience it fully, with an expert guide to unfold its mysteries. You can also have a guided experience of the Ancient Agora, to imagine the everyday life of Athens in picturesque detail, and well a brushing up on historical essentials.
The fabulous Acropolis Museum has just celebrated its 10th Anniversary. To see the great findings of the Acropolis with the Acropolis itself just outside is nothing less than magical. The Acropolis museum currently has two exhibits of interest – “Chisel and Memory” – celebrating the excellent work of the contemporary marble craftsmen involved in the restoration of the Acropolis, and “Archaic Colors” – an exploration of the symbolic meaning of color in Ancient Greek statuary as well as the fascinating research and science involved.
Athens in September: Relaxation and Recreation
This is also a great time to enjoy Athens’ summer pleasures before the cool sets in.
The Summer Cinemas – a sweet and simple pleasure and a Greek Summer tradition – are still running. You can see a classic or contemporary film under starry skies, sometimes even with a view.
It’s also an ideal season to taste the pleasures of the Athens Riviera. This engaging, cultured metropolis is also, at its heart, an excellent beach town. Gorgeous beaches unite natural splendor with cosmopolitan luxury for a resort experience. Come for a swim, then relax with an elegant meal or cocktail service while there is sand between your toes and waves lapping the shore beside your table.
A Taste of Athens is the ideal event to center a sophisticated Athens city break around. Have you ever enjoyed Athens in September?
