These images from Greece Tourism landed in our inbox, triggering major wanderlust. Can you blame us for falling in love? We began looking up ideas for a winter vacation in Greece. Here’s what we learned:
Greece is a Winter Wonderland
You will discover large areas of woodland with snow-capped peaks, forest trails and striking lakes on your winter holiday in Greece. The biggest ski resorts in the country are on Parnassos, Kalavryta, Kaimaktsalan, Vasilitsa, Tria-Pente Pigadia, Pelion and Mainalo Mountains.
Greece boasts a wide network of signposted trails for hiking and mountaineering. If you love mountain biking, or you use a 4WD vehicle, you will discover many off-road routes that will lead you deep into the heart of Greek nature.
You can practise water sports in lakes such as Orestiada, Ioanninon, Plastira, Kerkini, and Vegoritida. Go bird watching or enjoy a romantic stroll, with views of the snowed landscape reflected in the still waters.
Of course, the greatest holiday season in the winter is Christmas time. Numerous local traditions and customs come alive across the country. Decorated Christmas trees and little boats ornament houses and streets. Bells are ringing and children sing Christmas carols in towns and villages.
Lovely Local Traditions
Traditional practices abound. There’s ‘Momogeroi’ in many parts of Macedonia and Thrace, ‘Ragoutsaria’ in Kastoria town, a custom honouring the Greek god Dionysus, and bonfires in Florina town. On New Year’s Day, locals hang a big onion bulb at the front door or break a pomegranate at the house’s entrance door. These are charming good luck customs.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Cross is thrown by the priest into the waters, while people dive in the water and compete in trying to catch it! This is done to sanctify the waters.
Macedonia, Thrace, Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Western Greece, and well-known islands in the Aegean, the Ionian, and Crete are easily accessible by air, low on crowds and look stunning in winter.
Here are more ideas on what you can see and do:
- Go skiing and snowboarding on Parnassos, Kalavryta, Kaimaktsalan, Vasilitsa, Tria-Pente Pigadia, Pelion and Mainalo Mountains. Hiking, horse riding, mountaineering and mountain biking will lead you deep into the heart of Greek nature.
- Even after Christmas is gone, the festivities continue. You still have time to catch the grand Apokries Carnival that usually happens towards the end of February: a great time to eat, drink and meet the locals.
- Stroll the charming villages of Arachova in Central Greece and Palaios Agios Athanasios. They’re located close to the ski resorts.
- Take your pick of the most amazing National Parks: mountains, impressive caves, deep-shaded gorges, wetland habitats and other remarkable ecosystems abound in them. We suggest Pindus, Parnassos, Vikos, Parnitha, Olympus, Mainalo mountains and the Forest of Dadia, as well as those in Lake Kerkini, Prespes, Vegoritida and Nestos River.
- Catch the nightlife vibe in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras. The country’s three biggest cities.
Information courtesy Visit Greece.
