05.03.2024
Did you know that the Greek celebrations of Carnival are equivalently famous, lively, and entertaining compared to the well-known celebrations in Venice and Brazil?
The Greek Carnival is celebrated three weeks before Clean Monday, also known as Ash Monday, when the long fast of Lent begins. In Greek, the Carnival is called Apokries, meaning to abstain from meat. While after the Carnival period, Christian believers do not eat meat, the celebrations of the Carnival include great amounts of grilled meat. Interestingly, most masquerade parties take place on Tsiknopempti, the last Thursday before Lent, which in the Greek language means the Thursday of "smoke and smell from roasting meat"! Despite being linked to the religious holiday of Easter, the Apokries include several pagan customs. In fact, the Greek carnival traditions resemble the feasts thrown for Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of wine and theatre.
As in other cultures, in the Apokries, the most popular tradition is dressing up and going to parties and parades. The Carnival in Greece, in a nutshell, is masquerades, dancing, and satire. Certainly, there is a great geographical variation of customs, dresses, and special events across Greece and the Greek islands. In many areas, such as in Kastoria and Xanthi, festivities include fires which relate to the burning of evil. In Naousa, the customary dress is the Genitsari, for unmarried young men, and the Boules, who represent female brides.
All in all, the Greek Carnival is and has always been a chance for everyone to have fun, drink wine, and enjoy public gatherings. One of the most well-known nationwide customs is the dance of the gaitanaki, which means donkey. As a tradition, the gaitanaki has been kept unchanged. Thirteen people gather around a tall central pole from the top of which hang 12 long colourful ribbons. The participants dance in circles, weaving the ribbons into beautiful colour combinations and coming steadily close to the pole. The dance is over when the decoration of the pole is completed, evoking the festive spirit.
Nowadays, there are certain cities in Greece whose celebrations attract both domestic and international tourism.
Carnival in Greece is most celebrated in Patras. The Patrino Carnival has a history of over 150 years, and its parades are truly astounding. The floats for the various parades are prepared publicly in workshops and events organized by the Municipality of Patra. Explore the 2023 festivities of Patras here!
The city of Rethymno in Crete is acclaimed for its treasure hunt. Past visitors have described the transformation of the Cretan city into a medieval fair. Another custom of the Cretan Carnival is the serenade: mandolin, lyre, and lute players spread around the streets of the centre and flood the city with traditional festive sounds. If you wish to learn hands-on about Greek culture, the Carnival season in Greece is worth exploring! Make sure you pack some sunscreen and an extra pair of carnival sunglasses because you are in for a day and night-long outdoor celebration!
05.10.2026
Leonard Cohen's poem "Days of Kindness", from 1985, describes Greece as being a good place to read by moonlight on the terrace. He knew this from experience. Hydra was his home for much of the 1960s. He arrived in the spring of 1960, aged 25, and bought a house on the island, where he wrote much of his early work. Many places on Hydra still carry traces of him, even now that Hydra has become far better known.
16.04.2026
Greece is often associated with ancient history, island landscapes, and carefully preserved traditions. Less discussed, however, is another layer of its identity: its place names. Across the mainland and the islands, thousands of villages carry names that can sound unexpectedly funny or strikingly literal to a modern Greek speaker. These are not recent inventions or deliberate attempts at humor. Most date back centuries, shaped by geography, daily life, local dialects, and historical circumstances. What makes them stand out today is the shift in language over time. Words that once served as straightforward descriptions of land, resources, or communities can now feel unusually direct or unexpectedly humorous. Looking at these names more closely offers insight into how earlier generations observed their surroundings and chose to define them.
20.03.2026
Greece has long been more than a travel destination. For centuries, writers have been drawn to its history, natural beauty, and authenticity, finding in Greece not just a setting, but a source of inspiration that shapes narratives, characters, and perspectives.
19.02.2026
02.01.2026
In Greece, the holiday season does not end on New Year’s Day. Instead, it culminates in one of the most symbolic celebrations of the year: Epiphany, known in Greek as Theofania. More than a religious holiday, Epiphany in Greece represents the triumph of light over darkness, a spiritual “new beginning” for individuals and communities. For anyone living in Greece, or dreaming of owning a home here, Epiphany offers one of the most authentic snapshots of local culture. From the blessing of the waters to ancient folk rituals, this day reveals the deep connection between the Greek people, nature, and tradition.
30.12.2025
Crete is stepping into the global spotlight once again. According to Airbnb’s latest travel trend insights based on worldwide search data from Q3 2025, the island — and especially the iconic Samaria Gorge National Park — ranks among the most sought-after nature destinations for 2026. This surge reflects a broader shift in how people choose where to travel, live, and invest. Travellers are no longer looking only for beaches or city breaks. Instead, they are drawn to authentic natural environments, outdoor experiences, and destinations that offer both beauty and balance, qualities that Crete delivers effortlessly.
19.12.2025
Greece is known mostly for its pristine beaches and its endless summers. Also, Greek cuisine, with its unique Mediterranean dishes, is widely sought after. What might feel surprising is the magical beauty during Christmas in Greece. The country has a long festive season that runs from Christmas to Epiphany (the “Φώτα” on 6 January), full of local customs, food traditions, and small village rituals that still matter to people today. Winter destinations are also famous in Greece, as according to the latest Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel report (Wave 23) by the European Travel Commission (ETC), Greece ranks among the top 10 most desired European destinations for travel between October 2025 and March 2026, holding a solid 7th place.
19.12.2025
Spending New Year’s Eve on Greek islands is about much more than fireworks, food and champagne. It’s about little family rituals, centuries-old customs and the warm feeling of being part of a close community. For anyone dreaming of a holiday home or a new life in Greece, New Year's Eve is one of the unique moments to experience the soul of island life, when most tourists aren’t there, and you can experience authentic community moments with locals. As we’ve mentioned in an older blog post, cutting the famous Vasilopita, a special bread to honour the Greek Santa Claus, is the most important custom happening in almost every house in Greece at the turn of the year. A lucky coin is baked into the cake, and whoever finds it will have good luck for the next year or may even take a gift. But let’s explore a bit more of Greece’s rich traditions and local communities, from its enchanting islands to the unique customs celebrated on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
