Christmas in Greece! In this magical time of the year, everything is absolutely perfect. Snowflakes are falling, the buildings get illuminated every night and stores get brighter. Christmas mood fills the air, colorful window displays and gift wraps. Above anything else, in Greece housewives and pastry chefs start creating their culinary wonders. And there are …
In Greece, Christmas is celebrated in all its glory. Every part of the country boasts a plethora of traditions and special customs that have survived over the centuries. If you want to be part of this long-lasting celebration, check out the most popular Greek Christmas traditions and customs. And then choose where you are going …
The Ecomuseum of Folegandros is located at Ano Meria and launched in 1988. It is the representation of a typical traditional household. Even though some parts have been rebuilt, as a whole the museum holds a wealth of knowledge. So the guest is able to gather valuable information about life on the island. A Glimpse …
Mount Koziakas is an imposing mountain. In fact, it reaches 1900 meters in altitude. It is located in Trikala on the southern part of Pindos. The mountain is part of European NATURA 2000 project, attracting nature enthusiasts from Greece and the world. Have you wondered what it feels like to touch the sky? Are you …
Traditionally, on the second weekend of September the locals on the island of Spetses celebrate a magnificent event. This is what is going to happen in Spetses Armata 2017! One of the emblematic victories of the Greek army and navy is praised in all its glory. And the spectacle will blow your mind, should you …
Why Ifestia Festival 2017? Well, because Santorini has been forged by fire and water over the years. Around 1600 BC, a huge volcanic eruption has led to catastrophic consequences for the island. There are records of a tsunami hitting hard and devastating everything, reaching even Crete. The brutal force of fire and water eventually gave …
Greek Easter hymns are among the most beloved, spiritual and esoteric hymns of the Orthodox Church Liturgies. To the Greek Orthodox Christians the Holy Week centers on the hymns and the Church. The hymns from the Eastern Orthodox Church were most written during the height of the Byzantine Empire, originally composed in Koine Greek. About …
Each day during Holy Week has a special meaning, and understanding what each day represents can help making attending all those church services a lot more meaningful! It is really worthwhile to go to the church and watch the services being able to feel the unique spiritual atmosphere Greek Orthodox Church offers. Here is an …
The religious significance of lamb began in the Old Testament, particularly in Genesis, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. Abraham obediently obeyed God and made his preparations for his sacrifice. When Isaac saw what his father was doing he asked, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the …
The celebration of Easter in Patmos is certainly a unique life experience. Mainly because of the Holy Monastery of Saint John the theologian in Chora (a UNESCO world heritage site), which is a reference point for the whole Greece and Orthodox Christianity. The island is often called the «Jerusalem of the Mediterranean», due to the …
At least 95 percent of all Greeks claim membership in the Greek Orthodox Church, part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, as the official state of Greece dictates. Until 1054, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches were one body. Theological, political, and cultural differences split the church in two, and those differences were never completely …
Easter is the most important religious holiday of the Orthodox Church marking the resurrection of Christ and the chance of rebirth for mankind. Falling always on a different date, Easter signals the end of the cold days of winter and the beginning of the sunny and warm days of summer. Easter celebrations hold also a …
The “burning of Judas” is a unique tradition which revives in areas of Greece every Easter, attracting crowds of people who want to admire the “punishment” of the avarice traitor. Nowadays, this tradition can express a strong need for shaking off any kind of betrayal. The “Judas Iscariot” who betrayed Jesus for “thirty pieces of …
A unique, unpolluted environment, the absence of factories and a strong farming tradition have provided ideal conditions for the growth of organic farming and livestock breeding in Monemvasia. Local organic producers of high quality products, cultivated with respect for environmental protection, include extra virgin olive oil, table olives, wine, citrus fruits, vegetables, honey, dairy products …
When it comes to food in Monemvasia, there are two main attractions – first of all the traditional regional recipes and secondly the excellent products from Laconia’s farms and the surrounding seas. Throughout the municipality are restaurants and taverns offering typical Peloponnesian dishes of a high standard and at reasonable prices. Don’t miss the saitia …
There are three museums in the Municipality of Monemvasia, the most important being the Monemvasia Archaeological Collection in the Monemvasia fortress, showing the town’s historical development from the early Christian era until the Turkish occupation. A quite different aspect is presented in the two folklore museums at Riechia and Velies, where the exhibits relate the …
Every year in Rethymno, for almost a whole month, the city plays host to a succession of fun-filled celebrations, bringing together locals and visitors who participate in this carnival because they love to enjoy every moment of their lives. You will see groups of people sitting together in traditional cafés (kafeneia) drinking “tsikoudiá” (raki), tasting …
Walking through fields of white earth and old small houses, one reaches the traditional village, where the “Epitafios walk” is covered in true spiritual ambiance. The road is decorated with tined lamps forming a river of fire that trembles accompanied by chanting and the smell of spring flowers. At the monastery of Prophet Elias, at the …
On of the most amazing spectacles one can see during Easter in the region of Arcasia, is that which takes place on the night of the Resurrection! The locals contruct hundrends of hot-air balloons out of straw and paper which are set free into the sky the moment of the Resurrection, at the same time …
Greece plays host to religious festivals with deeply rooted customs and centuries-old traditions all year round. One of the greatest celebrations of Christianity is Easter. The faithful Christians all over Greece follow the Holy Week ritual devoutly, giving themselves body and soul into the culmination of the Passion of Christ and finally rejoicing in His …
