Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026

Greece's best Greek holidays winter and spring

Experience the most iconic Greek public holidays and festive traditions from January to May 2026, including Carnival parades, Clean Monday picnics, Orthodox Easter and Protomagiá flower celebrations.

Greece in winter and spring is a season of contrasts: snow-dusted mountain villages, sunlit islands awakening, and streets alive with centuries-old traditions. From the hope and optimism of New Year’s Day to the flamboyant mischief of Carnival and the spiritual intensity of Easter, the first months of 2026 offer travellers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the country at its most vibrant. 

Whether you are drawn to religious processions, colourful parades, or centuries-old village rituals, these public holidays and major festivals are the perfect way to immerse yourself in Greek life.

New Year’s Day in Greece 

Thursday, 1 January 2026

The Greek New Year is a delicate balance of tradition, hope, and intimate celebration. Central to the day is the Vasilopita, a sweet bread baked with a hidden coin, whose finder is believed to enjoy good fortune throughout the year. Children sing carols, families gather around tables laden with festive dishes, and pomegranates are broken at doorsteps to invite abundance. The day is intimate, warm, and symbolic, a reflection of the Greek emphasis on family and tradition.

As night falls, cities like Athens and Thessaloniki come alive with fireworks, bars, and bustling squares where locals and visitors celebrate together. Just after New Year’s day, Kastoria hosts the Ragoutsaria festival from January 6 to 8, where masquerades, music, and Dionysian revelry bring energy and colour to the start of the year, making it a unique alternative for travellers seeking something extraordinary.

Where to experience it:

Athens: Join locals in city squares to watch fireworks and share in the festive atmosphere of bars and restaurants.

Thessaloniki: Enjoy lively celebrations in central squares and traditional tavernas with music and communal joy.

Kastoria (6–8 January): Witness the Ragoutsaria festival, a pre-Christian masquerade with elaborate costumes, parades, and Dionysian music filling the streets.

Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026
Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026

Epiphany – Theofania 

Tuesday, 6 January 2026

Epiphany, or Theofania, is one of Greece’s most visually striking Orthodox holidays. Across the country, priests bless rivers, lakes, and the sea by throwing crosses into the water, while young men dive in to retrieve them, earning blessings for the year ahead. The day blends solemn religious devotion with spectacle, as communities gather to witness the rituals, accompanied by hymns, processions, and communal meals.

Coastal towns and islands provide particularly stunning settings for the celebration and beyond the religious ceremony, the day is filled with community gatherings, festive meals, and family participation, offering a deeply immersive cultural experience for travellers.

Where to experience it:

Piraeus: Witness grand sea blessings and local processions in the main port of Athens.

Thessaloniki: Join the crowds for large-scale ceremonies along the waterfront.

Hydra and Chania: Experience smaller, intimate island processions with strong local involvement.

Kalymnos: Watch the legendary diving tradition, where young men plunge into the sea to retrieve the cross.

Carnival – Apokries

Sunday, 1 February to Monday, 23 February 2026
Tsiknopempti (Smoky Thursday) – Thursday, 12 February 2026

Apokries is a three-week pre-Lenten festival combining ancient Dionysian rituals with playful modern celebrations. Streets are alive with costumes, masks, and parades, while families feast on meat-heavy dishes before the fasting period begins. Tsiknopempti is the highlight, filling streets and tavernas with the aroma of barbecues, music, and communal cheer, with everyone consuming as much meat as they can before lent begins. The festival is theatrical, lively, and deeply cultural, reflecting centuries of Greek tradition in a vibrant way. 

Across Greece, regions bring their own character to Carnival. Patras dazzles with elaborate floats and citywide parties, while Rethymno on Crete delights with Venetian-inspired family-friendly parades and Skyros preserves ancient customs, including men wearing goat bells and dancing through town. The festival is playful, immersive, and unforgettable.

Where to experience it:

Patras: The largest and most spectacular Carnival in Greece, with grand floats, citywide parties, and costume balls.

Rethymno (Crete): A colourful, family-focused Carnival with street parades, music, and mask-making.

Skyros: Experience centuries-old rituals, including bell-wearing dancers and traditional dances through the streets.

Naousa: Northern Greek communities celebrate with traditional dance, music, bonfires and lively neighbourhood gatherings.

Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026
Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026

Clean Monday – Kathara Deftera

Monday, 23 February 2026

Clean Monday marks the start of Lent, a day of purification, renewal, and light-hearted celebration. Families gather for outdoor picnics featuring vegan foods, fresh legumes, vegetables, and shellfish dishes. Kite-flying symbolises spiritual elevation, while playful flour-throwing in some villages adds a whimsical touch. It is a day where reflection, fun, and connection with nature intersect.

The holiday provides an authentic glimpse into Greek traditions and seasonal rhythms, as communities take to hillsides, beaches, or open spaces, enjoying food, music, and spring air. Clean Monday is as much about local identity and community spirit as it is about personal renewal.

Where to experience it:

Filopappou Hill, Athens: Fly kites against the backdrop of the Acropolis and enjoy citywide gatherings.

Galaxidi: Participate in the famous flour-throwing festival, Alevromoutzouroma, for playful fun.

Pelion villages: Offer scenic locations for picnics amidst blossoming nature and tranquil landscapes.

Greek Independence Day & Annunciation

Wednesday, 25 March 2026

March 25 combines patriotic pride with religious reverence, marking Greece’s independence from Ottoman rule and celebrating the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Streets fill with military parades, ceremonial school processions, and folk costumes, while families enjoy traditional meals such as fried cod with skordalia. The day blends civic pride with spiritual reflection, creating one of Greece’s most meaningful celebrations.

Small towns and villages offer intimate experiences where locals pass down songs, rituals, and storytelling. Athens’ Syntagma Square hosts the main parade, while Nafplio, Kalavryta, and Messolonghi provide poignant, local commemorations, giving travellers insight into Greece’s history and enduring national identity.

Where to experience it:

Syntagma Square, Athens: Witness the main military parade and ceremonial events.

Nafplio: Historic first capital of modern Greece with vibrant local commemorations.

Kalavryta and Messolonghi: Experience regional ceremonies filled with folk music and history.

Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026
Insights Greece - Greece’s Best Holidays and Celebrations for Winter and Spring 2026

Greek Orthodox Easter – Pascha

Sunday, 12 April 2026
Holy Week: 6–11 April 2026

Easter is Greece’s most significant holiday, celebrated with a combination of solemnity and exuberance. Holy Week begins with candlelit processions, leading to the midnight Resurrection Service on Holy Saturday. The chant “Christos Anesti” signals the arrival of joy, accompanied by fireworks and the passing of candlelight from hand to hand. Easter Sunday is celebrated with family gatherings, music, and feasting, including lamb and tsoureki. Red-dyed eggs are cracked in the traditional game of tsougrisma, symbolising new life and good fortune.

Regional customs provide unique experiences, as Corfu explodes with colour as clay pots are smashed on Holy Saturday, Hydra floats the Epitaphios on the sea during Good Friday, creating a magical and solemn spectacle, while Meteora’s monasteries offer a breathtaking spiritual and visual backdrop. Easter engages all the senses and offers an unforgettable insight into Greek faith and communal celebration.

Where to experience it:

Corfu: Clay-pot smashing on Holy Saturday, a vibrant local tradition.

Hydra: Good Friday sea processions with candlelit boats.

Meteora: Holy Week services at cliffside monasteries for a spiritual and scenic experience.

Labour Day & Spring Celebration – Protomagia 

Friday, 1 May 2026

Labour Day blends International Workers’ Day with a traditional spring festival, making it a celebration of both civic pride and the season’s renewal. Villages and islands embrace open-air festivities, where locals gather wildflowers to craft intricate wreaths for doors and weave delicate red and white bracelets for children and visitors. These symbols of life, fertility, and protection are central to the day’s rituals, offering travellers a hands-on way to connect with Greek folk traditions. Cities host parades and demonstrations, while the countryside bursts with nature, song, and community spirit.

Travellers can immerse themselves in the festival by participating in the wreath-making and bracelet-weaving traditions, enjoying picnics, and joining folk dances. Syntagma Square in Athens features urban parades and celebrations, while islands such as Tinos and Skyros and regions like Arcadia provide workshops for crafting floral wreaths and bracelets. Coastal towns offer relaxed, scenic outdoor celebrations, perfect for soaking up spring and enjoying the communal atmosphere.

Where to experience it:

Syntagma Square, Athens: Civic parades and public demonstrations.

Tinos: Hands-on folk traditions, wreath-making, and weaving red and white bracelets.

Skyros and Arcadia: Village festivals, seasonal crafts, and outdoor picnics with wildflowers.

Seaside towns: Relaxed springtime celebrations with scenic surroundings and local flower-themed rituals.

Main image by @tzo_tsio

Qatar Begins Direct Flights from Doha to Santorini 

Qatar Airways has launched its new direct service from Doha to Santorini, and the resumption of flights to Mykonos island. 

As the holiday season gets underway, Qatar Airways is making it easier for travellers to visit the Greek islands with the launch of its new service to Santorini (JTR), and the resumption of flights to Mykonos (JMK).

The first flight from Doha to Santorini took place on Tuesday 7 June and was operated by an A320 aircraft and was welcomed by Senior Executives from Fraport Greece as the aircraft landed at Santorini International Airport for the first time.

The airline marked the occasion by creating a bespoke in-flight food menu, designed to embrace traditional Greek cuisine, with specially decorated cutlery bands for all passengers, and an illustrated menu card for Business Class customers. Passengers were also gifted celebratory cupcakes to mark the occasion.

The island destination joins Athens and Mykonos to become the third Greek gateway to be served by the national carrier of the State of Qatar.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The Greek Isles are a leading tourist destination and an important market for Qatar Airways. There is high interest from across our network for flights to Santorini, specifically in the leisure segment. We are committed to offering our passengers as many seamless one-stop connection choices as possible. I am sure visitors from the Middle East, Asia, Australia and the Americas will be pleased to have Santorini served by our airline.”

Seasonal flights to Mykonos resumed on the 3rd of June, with four weekly flights, and flights to Athens have increased to a double daily service, offering greater choice for business and leisure passengers alike. 

Greece Approves New Tourism Projects Worth 320 Million Euros

Greece’s Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced the Greek government’s approval of new tourism projects and investments budgeted at 320 million euros, to be funded by the European Union’s Greece 2.0 Recovery and Resilience Plan.

With a focus on winter and mountain tourism, wellness and health, gastronomy and agritourism- the Tourism Ministry plans on showing the world there is more to Greece than summer, sun and Santorini!

The Greek government included travel sector projects in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (worth 3.35 billion euros in total) following their approval by Alternate Finance Minister Theodoros Skylakakis.

According to Minister Kikilias, the new funding will “mark the beginning of a new cycle of development in the tourism sector, with benefits for everyone. The pandemic has shown that we live in a beautiful country that we must protect for ourselves, our children, and future generations. This is for Greeks and for people worldwide who dream of experiencing Greece’s magic every year.”

The government aims to promote Greece as an all-year-round destination with the government utilising 320 million euros worth of resources from the Greece 2.0 Fund, as well as additional private funding in a bid to “change the model and to achieve the maximum possible result.”

So far, the government has approved projects including upgrades to tourist ports, development of winter and mountain tourism, development of wellness and health tourism, training programs for tourism employees, agri-food and gastronomy tourism, diving and underwater tourism as well as making beaches more accessible to those with disabilities. 

The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays

December is the month of the year in which we count down the days. Why is that? Because it’s the month of Christmas celebrations of course, which peaks on New Year’s Eve in anticipation of the turn of the year.

Christmas in Greece, for the most part, equates with family reunions, exchanging presents and wishes, catching up (especially in urban areas) or even introducing for the first time new members to the rest of the family, such as newborn babies! All this jolly reunion culminates around the Christmas and New Year’s Day table.

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Planning your Christmas table

Planning the Christmas table usually starts about a week to ten days beforehand. The number of guests will determine the size of the turkey to be picked out, as well as the quantities and variety of ingredients for the appetizers, side plates, desserts and beverages. The main characteristic of planning is abundance. Here, wasted food and the carbon footprint of the Christmas feast are never a consideration. Running out of anything that is served on the table equates to embarrassment for the host.

So let’s take a look at a Christmas menu and Greek wine list that features traditional festive season recipes.

Usually, at the Christmas table, the meat of choice in Greece for the past few decades has been turkey. If the turkey is to be considered the queen of the Christmas table then of course wine should be the king. That is why the choice of wine is not to be treated lightly. Great care should be taken so that the wine chosen would not overrun the turkey’s taste, nor its flavor neutralized by it and that of the turkey’s filling. Each turkey matches a different wine, depending on the way we will prepare it and the filling we will use. 

The classic grilled turkey can easily stand next to a fruity and light wine from the Nemean variety of Agiorgitiko or rosé of Agiorgitiko. If you are a friend of white wines then a barrel-fermented chardonnay will match wonderfully with the roasted turkey and will reward your taste glands.

An Agiorgitiko wine with a strong aroma of red fruits, nuts, and sweet spices is the Driopi Classic of Tselepos Estate. A very tasty wine!

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Traditional turkey dinner

If a rosé wine would be our choice to accompany our roasted turkey, this could not be anything other than the Vissinokipos of The Palyvos Estate. “Vissinokipos” translates to the garden of sour cherries and this is clearly depicted in the intense aromas of sour cherry, cherry, and strawberry. It fills the mouth with a nice sense of acidity and tannins which lasts.

For lovers of white wines, the Chardonnay of Gerovassiliou Estate will reward them generously. With the dominant aromas of cedar and butter as well as those of citrus peel, peach, pineapple, melon and white flowers filling the background, the Chardonnay of Gerovassiliou Estate poses as an excellent choice of white wine for special occasions.

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Chardonnay of Geravassiliou

If our turkey’s filling consists of dry fruits and chestnuts, then white and rosé wine should probably be excluded from our choices and we should then opt for a “soft” but at the same time rich red wine. The first that comes to mind is Merlot from Nikolou Winery. A very expressive and charming wine that offers aromas of red fruits, a discreet presence of its barrel and a sense of plenitude in the mouth.

Finally, if the turkey’s filling features minced meat inside, then we should definitely combine our bird with red wine. We would stick to the Peloponnese and specifically in Nemea; to try a very special wine from the local variety of Agiorgitiko. The “Old Vines from Papaioannou Estate” is a wine with a rich structure, it’s plentiful in aromas and taste but at the same time remains very elegant.

Alternatively, if we choose to skip over the traditional turkey for a beef fillet, then a good and safe choice would be the wines from the French variety Syrah with the characteristic aromas of sweet spices and red fruits. Greece has a variety of quality Syrah wines. An ideal wine for this occasion is the “Holy Time” of the Avantis Estate. A blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, based on the philosophy of the famous Rhone wines. It has a complex aromatic bouquet while in the mouth it is full and elegant. It would be everything you need for the Christmas fillet.

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Pork roast for New Year’s Eve

For the New Year’s table, there are more meat options for the main course. Greek tradition favours pork, which ideally matches with a rich Agiorgitiko or Cabernet Sauvignon or a dry Mavrodaphne. In the latter case, we would prefer the dry Mavrodaphne of Parparousis Estate under the label of “TAOS”. It features a unique aroma of herbs and sweet fruits that is imprinted permanently on the nose, while its excellent taste makes it a superb wine.

For those who will opt for the wild version of pork, namely wild boar, then they should look for an intense wine to accompany it with an aged Xinomavro from the area of Naoussa and more specifically, “Diaporos” of the Kir Yianni Estate. A Blend of 87% Xinomavro and 13% Syrah. A rich wine with an excellent structure where red fruits dominate while 13% Syrah offers it a spicy character.

A sweet epilogue…

Sweetness in life arises from various sources. Often so, from things that we cannot touch or even explain. A good thought, a smile, an intimate smell, a pair of eyes and a hug take us to another sweet dimension.

During the holidays, the need and the mood for sweetness become even greater and is expressed through emotions or through flavours and tastes. Setting aside the emotional aspect of sweetness, during the Christmas holidays there will usually be quite a few different kinds of desserts that will satisfy our taste receptors. Nevertheless, the classical stars of Christmas desserts in Greece and of all Greek communities that keep up with their national traditions are “melomakarona” and “kourabiedes”.

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Traditional Kourabiedes

Μelomakarona are biscuits soaked in honey syrup which gives them a distinct chestnut brown colour, sprinkled with walnut crumbs and their taste resembles that of a cookie soaked in thin honey.

Kourabiedes on the other hand are a kind of butter biscuits with a more crunchy, crumbly texture on the tongue which is sprinkled with icing sugar all over.

Both melomakarona and kourabiedes appear in a modest look but if successfully prepared, they feature a more sweet taste than meets the eye.

A good combination with melomakarona would be a sweet Malagouzia and specifically the “Sweet Wishes” from the Pieria Erateini Estate, with aromas of dried fruits and honey. Kourabiedes would require a more elegant sweet wine. Samos Moschato gives away such elegant expressions and we should go for the Samos “Nectar” of the Samos Cooperative.

Insights Greece - The Perfect Food and Wine Pairing Guide for the Holidays
Akakies Sparkling Rose

On New Year’s Eve the Vasilopita cake, a plain traditional cake on steroids of butter, dominates the options for a dessert, leading to a semi-sweet semi-sparkling label. The “Akakies Sparkling Rose” of Kir Yianni Estate with aromas of butter, caramel and cherry will be beautifully combined with the Vasilopita.

Finally, one of the most important Greek sweet wines was awarded multiple times with worldwide recognition and acceptance. The Vinsanto 12 y.o. of Argyros Estate with an impressive look of a dark bronze hue with considerable complexity in its aromas and flavour. The aromas that stand out are those of dried plum and raisins, chocolate, coffee and roasted nuts. It has a rich velvety texture that remains persistent all over the mouth. Its acidity impresses the taster and balances the intensity of the sweetness. It is an elegant, complex and lovely wine. It will match with syrupy sweets, chocolates or chocolate tart, nuts, or even a cigar on New Year’s Eve. Those who desire a more holistic experience, ought to combine it with a plate of intense cheeses.

I hope your holiday table is full of special flavours, love, warmth and memorable wines! 

For more wonderful wine explorations, follow George on Instagram @george.winestories

Greece Confirms it Will Be Open to Travellers for Summer 2021

Greece has announced the country will be welcoming tourists for summer 2021, as it plans to reopen to fully vaccinated international visitors as of mid-May. 

During an interview with CNN on Wednesday March 17, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed that Greece has “all the necessary protocols in place to ensure that they will get the full Greek experience without any real compromises. If we did it last year, we will certainly do it much better this year as we have additional tools at our disposal,” Mitsotakis said. 

Referring to the European Commission’s official proposal on establishing a “Digital Green Certificate” to facilitate travel in Europe, the Greek PM added that the safety of tourists is of top priority and only tourists who have proof they have been vaccinated, have antibodies, or test negative for COVID-19 will be admitted.

Last week Greece’s Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said its official welcome date was May 14 and to help prepare the country for visitors, employees in the tourism industry would be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccines after the country’s vulnerable populations. 

“People who are vaccinated, have tested negative or recovered from the disease, and have antibodies are welcome to Greece and we will welcome them irrespective of any agreements,” Theoharis told Reuters.

In 2019, Greece recorded around 31.3 million international visitors to the country and officials are now looking ahead to summer, hoping to have half the tourists they did before the pandemic hit.