06.04.2025
What is Bright Week in Greece? How do the Greeks celebrate? Where can I join the celebrations? Bright Week is the week immediately after Easter in Greece. It is typically a time of celebration, and you will find dancing, traditional food, and a great atmosphere all over Greece.
In ancient times, after Easter, it was a tradition to wear all white for a week after Easter. So, it also used to have the name “White Week.” According to tradition, bright week lasts one week, but it seen as one day - a celebration of Easter until the next Sunday, which is also known as Thomas Sunday. The theme of the week is singing, music, and celebration. Also, for many Orthodox Christian Greeks who have been fasting from certain foods during the Lenten period (40 days before Easter), it is one week when usually a lot of meat is eaten.
Back in the Roman Empire, particularly in Constantinople, Bright Week was a very big celebration where the emperor would call the poor to a rich meal, and many gifts were given out. In some cases, prisoners with small crimes were allowed to go free. Today in Greece, a version of this tradition still happens, with state officials visiting hospitals and military camps.
In many areas of Greece, the Easter celebrations continue to Monday, with more feasting and dancing. In some areas, Greeks visit the graves of dead relatives and leave red eggs on their tombstones. In Northern Greece, some Greeks will ride a swing on this day, symbolizing health and a big harvest. On Bright Monday on Mount Athos, a holy center for Orthodox Greeks, some monasteries carry their icons around the mountain, returning the next day on Tuesday.
In Thassos, an island in Northern Greece, the tradition is to pray for spring rain on this day, following ancient tradition. The tradition is to have folk dances and to cook large pots of rice with meat that are distributed to everyone. On the same day in Ierissos of Halkidiki, you will find an event called "Του μαύρου νιου τ΄ αλώνι" or "The black threshing floor". It is a dance that honors the Greeks killed by Turks in the area in 1821. As the story goes, during the failure of the Greek revolution in Halkidiki in 1821, the men of the village of Ierissos were forced to walk under an arch of Turkish swords, symbolizing their subjection. One man fought back in an act of bravery and was killed on the spot. Today’s dance recognizes his heroic act. In many Orthodox Churches in Greece, Bright Tuesday is a popular day to celebrate Saints’ Days that could not be celebrated leading up to Easter. Celebrations of Saint Patapios happen in Thebes, and in Heraklion in Crete, Saint Menas is celebrated. One of the most famous feasts of Bright Tuesday happens on Lesvos, where the Monastery of Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene becomes a big pilgrimage destination for its festival.
On Bright Thursday, in the town of Drama in Northern Greece (also not far from Kavala), an icon of the Resurrection of Christ is carried around the farming areas of the region to help prevent storms that could affect the spring harvest. Also in Samothraki, a small island in Northern Greece, a special festival is held for the local icon called “Panagia Kamariotissa.”
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.
