Planning a trip
Hearing music in Greece
Start with the status: the Odeon is closed. After a month of Farewell Celebrations in June 2026, which ran from 5 to 30 June, it shut for a conservation and restoration project. This Is Athens gives 7 August 2026 as the closure date, and other sources describe at least three years of work. No reopening date is confirmed, and the Culture Ministry has said the timeline may be extended. The monument is closed to visitors, so do not plan a trip around it for now.
The room earns its place because it is one of the few theatres of its age, completed in AD 161, still working as a concert hall, with 33 rows of marble seats under open sky. The restoration includes replacing the sound equipment with systems that spare the ancient masonry, so it will sound and be handled differently on its return. Before the closure, performances were festival-only, from May to October.
For the area itself, Athens International Airport is about 20 km east of the centre, linked by Metro line 3 to Syntagma and Monastiraki. The closest station is Akropoli on Line 2, a 10-minute walk along Dionysiou Areopagitou, and bus 230 also serves the site. For open-air music in the meantime, This Is Athens points to the renovated Lycabettus Theatre. When the Odeon does reopen, bring a cushion and flat shoes: heels are prohibited.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the Odeon of Herodes Atticus open?
No. It closed for a multi-year conservation and restoration project after Farewell Celebrations in June 2026. The monument is closed to visitors, and no reopening date is confirmed. Check official sources before planning a visit.
How long will the Odeon of Herodes Atticus stay closed?
Sources describe at least three years of work, with 7 August 2026 given as the start of the closure. No reopening date is confirmed, and the Culture Ministry has said the timeline may be extended.
Where can you hear open-air music in Athens while the Odeon is closed?
This Is Athens recommends the renovated Lycabettus Theatre while the Odeon is shut. The Odeon's closest station is Akropoli on Metro Line 2, but the monument itself is closed to visitors for now.