Festivals & Holidays
Greece has a full festival calendar. Besides the official holidays, there are regional festivals (Panigiria), often celebrated for days in villages — with live music, dancing, and mountains of food.
| Date | Holiday | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Protochronia | New Year + Feast of Saint Vassilios (Gifts!) |
| January 6 | Theophania | Epiphany — Priests throw a cross into the sea, brave ones dive after it |
| February/March | Apokries | Carnival — particularly wild in Patras (largest carnival in Greece) |
| Kathara Deftera | Clean Monday | Start of Lent, kite flying, seafood feast |
| March 25 | National Holiday | Start of the War of Independence 1821 + Annunciation |
| April/May | Easter (Pascha) | THE most important festival (see separate chapter) |
| May 1 | Protomagia | May Day — flower wreaths on doorways |
| August 15 | Koimisis tis Theotokou | Assumption of Mary — second most important festival, pilgrimage to Tinos |
| October 28 | Ochi Day | "No!" to Mussolini 1940, military parades |
| December 25/26 | Christougenna | Christmas — less important than Easter, but growing |
On August 15, Athens literally empties — the whole country heads to the countryside or the islands. Ferries are booked out, roads are full, accommodations are scarce. At the same time, it is a fantastic time to experience village festivals.