The Olympus Festival, an annual international cultural festival held at the foot of Mount Olympus in Greece, runs through the summer at open-air heritage venues across Pieria. Its most famous stage, the medieval Castle of Platamon, stands on the hill directly above Platamonas.Cronwell Platamon Resortsits on the beach about ten minutes below it, making it a natural family base for the festival. Spend the day on the sand and at the Splash Park, then take a short drive up to a performance above the sea. Check festivalolympou.gr for this year’s programme and book direct.

What is the Olympus Festival, and when does it run?

The Olympus Festival is the biggest annual cultural event in this part of Greece. The organisers, Festival Olympou (OR.FE.O), describe it as “The leading summer festival of Pieria, Macedonia and Thessaly, with a reach across the whole country”. It runs each summer in July and August, staging music, theatre and dance in the open air. The festival has a colourful history. It grew out of the Feasts of the Muses in 1972 and has since hosted a long line of major Greek and international names, among them Nana Mouskouri, Giorgos Dalaras, Maria Farantouri, Haris Alexiou, Goran Bregović and Cesária Évora. 2027 marks the 56th year since Feasts of the Muses began.

The programme changes every year and is usually announced in late spring. If you are planning a 2027 trip around a particular performer or night, the official festival site is the one source that is always up to date on dates, line-up, and tickets, ensure that you check details before you commit to travel.

How close is Platamon Castle to the resort?

The castle is close enough to see from your sunbed! The Castle of Platamon stands on a hill at the south-eastern foot of Mount Olympus, directly above Platamonas, and from Cronwell Platamon Resort it is a short eight-to-ten-minute drive by car, which is why this stretch of coast makes such sense for the festival. You avoid a long evening drive into the mountains and a longer one back in the dark. You go up for the performance and are back beside the sea within minutes, which matters, especially if you have children with you.

What is a night at Platamon Castle like?

Built by Lombard crusaders, from around 1204 and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Greece. Performances happen in the open air inside the walls, so the setting is impressive even before anyone takes the stage.

Arrive before dusk. The light turning pink over the Thermaikos Gulf, warming the old stone walls in the last sun, and the sky opening overhead as the performance takes place is what people remember. It is worth being early for the view and snagging a good spot.

Come prepared for an open-air summer evening at Platamon Castle. Bring a light layer for when temperatures drop and the sea breeze picks up after dark, water, and flat shoes for a wander over uneven ground. Seating, entry times, and parking vary by performance, so check your ticket and the programme for details.

Where else does the festival perform?

The castle is the headline act, but the festival also uses some of the most atmospheric heritage sites in Pieria. If your evening falls at any of the other venues, the resort still works perfectly as a base, and most are easily accessible with drive across the plain and back.

Venue list reflects the festival’s regular stages; confirm which venues host the 2027 programme on the official site.

Dion is worth the trip in its own right. The archaeological park was the great sanctuary of Zeus for the ancient Macedonians, and watching a performance in its ancient theatre makes it a very different kind of evening from one at the castle. It’s flatter, older, out on the plain under Olympus itself.

How do I get tickets and plan the evening?

Tickets are sold through the festival’s official channels. The programme is typically published in late spring for the summer ahead. Buy through the official site to be safe and book early, as the best-known performers sell out very quickly.

Summer performances tend to start in the evening once the daytime heat has dropped. Allow time to drive to the castle, park, and settle before the start. From the resort, the drive is short, but get there with plenty of time to spare, the venue will be busy.

Is the Olympus Festival good for families?

Yes, the resort is built for families. It has the largest kids’ Splash Park in Northern Greece (three pools and more than forty water attractions, overseen by lifeguards), a private sandy beach, a Kids Club, and all-inclusive dining.

An open-air castle programme can run late, which suits older children better than toddlers. Many families split the evening: everyone attends an earlier performance, or the younger ones stay back for the Kids Club and mini disco while parents have a grown-up night above the sea.

What else can we do around a festival night?

One performance at the castle is worth a multi-night stay because the area around the resort is spectacular. Imagine a sea and splash park by day for the kids, a heritage or vineyard outing in the afternoon, the performance in the evening, and the beach again the next morning.

The mix of adventure and family time is the whole point for staying here rather than driving in for a single night. The festival is the reason to come, and the coast is the reason to stay.

Where should I stay for the Olympus Festival?

Cronwell Platamon Resort is a beachfront, five-star all-inclusive family resort minutes below the castle, with 180 rooms, suites and villas across a range of sizes. Perfect for a couple, a family of four or three generations together.

Everything is all-inclusive. Buffet meals at the Herbarium restaurant, snacks and ice cream during the day, selected drinks, and five o’clock tea with local pastries. Booking direct usually offers the best rate.