There are tons of unique ways to spend your Christmas holiday in Greece, from visiting the small hillside villages to island hopping those sleepier-than-usual tourist spots. Christmas in Greece is a beautiful experience.
But what if you are looking for something a bit more traditional? Whether you want to indulge in an old Greek Christmas tradition or a new one, there really is something for everyone in Greece during the holiday season! Let’s check out five of the coolest Christmas traditions in Greece!
1. We start off our tour of Greece in Athens, where in case you missed it, thousands of Santa’s flood the street for the Santa Marathon each year. All participants donated €10 and all profits go towards the Association of Pediatric Trauma and the Welcome Center and to help the needy via the City of Athens charity.
2. Now let’s take a trip to the Greek town of Volos where every year thousands of people gather together to release “fanaria” lanterns up into the night sky which represent their Christmas wishes. This illuminating show is simply magical!
3. Another cool experience is waiting for you in Parga, Greece. This town is a popular surfing destination in Epirus during the summer months but also has some unique holiday happenings during Christmas — like this Santa surfing display! Who knows if it will become a long-standing tradition? It sure is amusing to watch!
4. Every year townspeople in Florina gather to set dozens of large fires ablaze around their villages. This is an ancient tradition that was once done to worship the sun god, although with times changing, nowadays it is thought that the fires help guide the Three Wise Men on their journey during this holy season. There are still celebrations that take place around the enormous blazing trees that are quite the sight to see!
5. The Christmas Village in the northern Greek city of Drama is straight out of a fairytale! Literally the event is named “city of dreams” or “oniroúpoli” and there are a ton of events as well as a beautifully lit-up Christmas park to enjoy!
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