Open-air cinemas in Thessaloniki and queer films for summer nights

If you type “summer cinemas Thessaloniki” into your phone on an August night, you’ll find that the city keeps alive one of the loveliest Greek summer traditions: a movie under the stars, with a breeze, folding chairs, and a cold drink in hand. Here you’ll find how to plan a night at a summer cinema, what to bring with you, and ten queer films that are perfect for a summer night.

Summer cinema is one of the reasons we love the city in the summer. For more, see our guide Queer Thessaloniki: 10 reasons to love it.

Summer cinemas Thessaloniki: how they work

The city’s summer cinemas are mostly in neighborhoods, often in courtyards and gardens with jasmine and bougainvillea, and they usually open from late spring until early autumn. The rule is simple:

• Two screenings a night: usually one early in the evening, as soon as it gets dark, and one later on.
• The schedule changes often, often every week. Check each cinema’s channels before you go.
• Tickets are available at the box office and, in many cinemas, online too. On weekends, go a little earlier.
• The snack bar is part of the experience: a soft drink, beer, or something sweet for the movie.

Summer cinema is a very Greek habit and has something democratic about it: you sit next to strangers, laugh at the same moments, and share the same cool evening air. It’s one of the few outings that works just as well for a solo night, a date, or a big group of friends. If you have accessibility needs, ask the cinema in advance about entrance and seating.

What to bring to the summer cinema

• Insect repellent: gardens and courtyards have mosquitoes. You’ll thank us.
• A light jacket: even in August, the second screening can feel cool.
• A silent phone: a bright screen in the dark is as distracting as a flash. Turn it off.
• Patience for neighborhood noise: a balcony conversation or a passing scooter is part of the charm.

After the movie

The second screening usually ends around or after midnight, which means it’s the perfect time to keep the night going. Enola, at 19 Valaoritou, opens every day from 23:30. From a summer cinema in the center, you’re on the dance floor in just a few minutes, with the movie still in your head.

10 queer films for summer nights

Summer cinemas don’t always show queer films. If the movie you want isn’t on the schedule, set up your own summer cinema on a balcony or rooftop with a small projector. Here are ten ideas:

1. Call Me by Your Name (2017, Luca Guadagnino): a summer in the Italian countryside, love, peaches, and sunshine.
2. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019, Céline Sciamma): two women on an island in Brittany and a look you won’t forget.
3. Moonlight (2016, Barry Jenkins): three stages of a life in Miami. It won the Oscar for Best Picture.
4. Pride (2014, Matthew Warchus): the true story of an alliance between activists and striking coal miners in 1980s Britain. Laughter and emotion.
5. Carol (2015, Todd Haynes): love in 1950s New York, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel.
6. Fire Island (2022, Andrew Ahn): a group of friends on summer vacation. Perfect for a night with close friends.
7. Weekend (2011, Andrew Haigh): two men, one weekend, a meeting that changes things.
8. Στρέλλα (2009, Πάνος Κούτρας): Greek queer cinema with heart, set in Athens.
9. Happy Together (1997, Wong Kar-wai): a couple in Buenos Aires, tension, color, and melancholy.
10. Paris Is Burning (1990, Jennie Livingston): the documentary about New York’s ballroom scene. A must for every drag fan.

Set up your own summer cinema

A white sheet or an empty wall, a small projector, a speaker, and a few cushions are enough. Put on the movie as soon as it gets dark, keep a bowl of watermelon or popcorn nearby, and leave the phones in another room. For a bigger group, ask each person to vote for one film from the list. Whatever wins, plays.

Want more ideas? Check out our list of 10 lesbian films for date night and the piece about the queer film 100 Nights of Hero with Nicholas Galitzine.

Summer cinema for a date or with friends

Summer cinema is one of the most relaxed first dates: you don’t need to talk the whole time, you have something to discuss afterward, and the atmosphere does half the work. For friends, choose the later screening and continue with drinks in the center. If the date is from an app, keep the basic safety rules from our guide to queer dating and date safety.

And after summer: the Film Festival

When the summer cinemas close, the city doesn’t go without movies. The 67th Thessaloniki Film Festival takes place on 5–15 November 2026, around Aristotelous Square. The queer program hasn’t been announced yet, so keep an eye on the news at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and our guide to queer films at the Festival and where to go afterward.

Until then, Thessaloniki’s summer cinemas are waiting: a chair, a movie, a sky full of stars, and, if you want, a night that continues on the dance floor.