Tip of the day – The 100 greatest cinemas in the world right now / Time Out

• March 16, 2026

There’s never been a better – or more important – time to celebrate cinemas. They’re the places we go to dream, focal points of our communities, and an all-round great escape. Yet movie theatres are faced with challenges that even lovelty popcorn holders can’t help with.

But they’ve survived the advent of TV, Hollywood strikes, a couple of pandemics, and so far, they’re holding firm against streaming and surging costs – and there’s reasons for optimism, too: younger, Letterboxd-savvy audiences are embracing the big-screen experience like never before, and filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Christopher Nolan and Chloé Zhao are championing it at every opportunity. Just try booking an IMAX ticket for The Odyssey.

With that in mind, Time Out’s local experts have collaborated on a celebration of the best cinemas from across the globe. From cult Tokyo cinemas and grand Parisian film temples to beloved Sydney picturehouses and LA film dream palaces, from a Berlin kino with its own nuclear bunker to a Canadian cinema with only 12 seats, we’ve pointed the spotlight on a hundred magnificent movie palaces that all movie lovers should know about – and visit.

Greatest cinemas at a glance:
🍿 The greatest cinema in the world: TCL Chinese Theatre, LA
🌔 The world’s best outdoor cinema: Cine Paris, Athens
📽️ The coolest cult cinema in the world: The New Beverly, LA

100. The Park Theatre, Manitoba
99. Aribau Cinema, Barcelona
98. The Kinema in the Woods, Lincoln
97. Shankweiler’s drive-in, Pennsylvania
96. Sun Pictures, Broome
95. Cromarty Community Cinema, Scotland
94. The Bellevue Theatre, New Jersey
93. Cinema dei Piccolo, Rome
92. The Byrd Theatre, Virginia
91. The Nickel Cinema, London
90. Cinema Jack & Betty, Yokohama

89. Cine Kamari, Santorini

Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular islands, and Cine Kamari definitely adds to its charm. Operating since 1987, this open-air cinema has been offering locals and visitors memorable nights under the stars for decades. Located in Kamari, on the island’s quieter side, it sits within a lush tropical garden and is open from May to October. Alongside classic cinema snacks and refreshments, guests can also enjoy local beers or cocktails. Since 2018, Cine Kamari has hosted Santorini Film Festival, screening shorts, feature films, and documentaries across a wide range of genres. Tickets cost €10.

How to support the Cine Kamari: Attend the annual Santorini Film Festival, held at the open-air cinema each summer.

88. Atlas 1948, Istanbul
87. The Roxy, Wellington
86. Bíó Paradís, Reykjavík
85. The Rustic Theatre, California
84. Cines Embajadores, Madrid
83. The Castle Cinema, Hackney
82. Delite Cinema, Delhi
81. Cinema São Jorge, Lisbon
80. The Little Prince Cinema, Ontario
79. Peckhamplex, London
78. Le Colisée, Carcassonne
77. Cameo Picturehouse, Edinburgh
76. Abaton Kino, Hamburg
75. Edison Filmhub, Prague
74. The Labia Theatre, Cape Town
73. Magic Lantern Cinema, Tywyn, Wales
72. The Sun Theatre, Melbourne
71. The Regal Theatre, Adelaide
70. Zumzeig Cinema, Barcelona
69. Giunti Odeon, Florence
68. Bio Skandia, Stockholm
67. Electric Cinema, London
66. Hyde Park Picturehouse, Leeds
65. Babylon, Berlin
64. Lumière Cinemas, Christchurch
63. Kadıköy Sineması, Istanbul
62. Kino Lucerna, Prague
61. The Astor Theatre, Melbourne
60. Close-Up Cinema, London
59. Glasgow Film Theatre, Scotland
58. David Geffen Theater, Los Angeles
57. Everyman Bath, UK
56. Colosseum Kino, Oslo
55. BAM Rose Cinemas, New York
54. The Texas Theatre, Dallas
53. Raj Mandir, Jaipur
52. Shin-Bungeiza, Tokyo
51. Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles
50. Rio Cinema, London
49. Cinéma Studio 28, Paris
48. Cinema Orion, Helsinki
47. Cine Gaumont, Buenos Aires
46. House Samyan, Bangkok
45. Orinda Theatre, California
44. Cinémathèque de Tanger, Tangier
43. Grand Teatret, Copenhagen
42. The Garden Cinema, London
41. Stadtkino, Vienna
40. Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Sydney
39. Angelika Film Center & Cafe, New York
38. Le Louxor, Paris
37. Cinema Troisi, Rome
36. Grand Theatre Cinema, Shanghai
35. Irish Film Institute, Dublin
34. Cineteca Madrid, Madrid
33. Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro, Tokyo
32. The Castro, San Francisco
31. Curzon Soho, London
30. Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Sydney
29. Cine Paris, Athens

The cinema with the greatest house lights in the world, Cine Paris screenings are backdropped by an illuminated Parthenon. Dating back to the 1920s, this open-air screen was originally founded by a Greek hairdresser who’d lived in Paris, moving to its current rooftop location in the 1960s. Now curated by Greek streaming platform Cinobo, you can expect a mix of Greek and international classics and contemporary films.

How to support Cine Paris: picking up snacks and drinks at the venue helps sustain its nightly screenings and long-term survival.

28. Watershed, Bristol
27. Cinemateca Portuguesa, Lisbon
26. Wushang Dream Mall International Cinema, Wuhan
25. Le Champo, Paris
24. Genesis Cinema, London
23. Metrograph, New York
22. Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast
21. Puskin Art Cinema, Budapest
20. Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London
19. Busan Cinema Center, Busan
18. Traumpalast Leonberg, Germany
17. Broadway Cinematheque, Hong Kong
16. Cinema Modernissimo, Bologna
15. Picturehouse Central, London
14. Kino International, Berlin
13. Village East by Angelika, New York
12. Eden Théâtre, La Ciotat
11. Grand Rex, Paris
10. Cineteca Nacional de México, Mexico City
9. Music Box Theatre, Chicago
8. Prince Charles Cinema, London
7. Cine Doré, Madrid
6. Koninklijk Theater Tuschinski, Amsterdam
5. New Beverly Cinema, LA
4. BFI Southbank, London
3. Film Forum, New York
2. The Stella Cinema Rathmines, Dublin
1. TCL Chinese Theatre, LA

Are you also looking forward for the opening of open-air cinemas in Athens  and spend your nights in Athens with some wonderful views watching movies? This is closer than you think! Usually May 1st is the date, but probably would open earlier some of them. Let us know if you already visit one of those cinemas above and if it is worth as a travel inspiration visit.