The movies? They’re not just a way to fill a rainy evening anymore. In fact, thanks to the world’s abundance of some seriously scenic outdoor cinemas, going to see a film at a stunning alfresco screen has fast-become a go-to summer activity.
just named Westpac OpenAir in Sydney as the planet’s most beautiful outdoor cinema, but our recently refreshed list contains a whole load of spots to check out in Europe, too, and the first of these is Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona.
‘Okay, it’s not the most comfortable, and you’ll find better sound systems elsewhere, but few open-air cinemas can compete with the Mies Pavilion’s film screenings. This architectural gem was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich as the German pavilion for Barcelona’s International Exhibition in 1929.’ writes María José Gómez, director of Barcelona, ‘It was demolished a year later, but in 1986 it was rebuilt in Montjuïc, its original location. And for the past few years it has hosted Pantalla Pavelló: runs of films related to architecture that are projected on its travertine marble wall and watched by the audiences dotted around the pond. Magic.’
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But Spain clearly knows what it’s doing, as Amante in Ibiza, Sala Montjuïc also in Barcelona, and Cinema Lliure a la Platja in Catalonia all also claimed a spot on our roundup.
The second entry for Europe was Cinéma de la Plage in Cannes which ‘has been welcoming locals, film industry types, night owls, and the odd seagull to its nocturnal screenings since 2001’, and the third was Rathausplatz in Vienna, which offers free screenings of ‘Offenbach operas and Rolling Stones gigs in the shadow of the gothic town hall’.
The most beautiful outdoor cinemas in Europe
- Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, Barcelona
- Cinéma de la Plage, Cannes
- Rathausplatz, Vienna
- Arene de Pula, Croatia
- Cine Thisio, Athens
- Amante, Ibiza
- Piazza Grande, Locarno
- Fortress Cinema, Kosovo
- Adventure Cinema at Lowther Castle, Cumbria
- Rooftop Film Club, London
- Sala Montjuïc, Barcelona
- Cinema Lliure a la Platja, Catalonia
- West Beach (Film) Festival, Amsterdam
- Open Air Cinema Kamari, Santorini
- Gare aux Docs, Paris
- Kreuzberg Open-Air Cinema, Berlin
- Cine Manto, Mykonos
- Cinemoving San Polo, Venice
- Moonflicks, Chester, UK
Check out our full roundup of the most beautiful outdoor cinemas in the world.
Oh, and here are the most beautiful (indoor) cinemas on the planet, as well as 100 places we think all movie lovers should visit.
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