The tradition of giving gifts in mid-winter is an ancient one, but it has grown rapidly since the late 1900s due to its association with the Christian feast of Christmas and an increase in consumer prosperity. In ancient Rome, gift-giving occurred near the winter solstice, which in the northern hemisphere occurs in late December. This […]
Although the modern approach to Christmas is celebrated across Greece, there are also many old traditions that are still followed in many parts of the country. Below are a few of the best-known. Kallikantzaroi According to the Greek version of the universal myth of evil spirits, our world connects to the underworld through a tree. […]
In Greece, although you will see many Christmas trees, both erected by municipalities and in private homes, the more traditional symbol in town centres will be a model of a boat decorated with lights. Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos), other than being directly connected with Christmas worldwide, is also the Greek patron saint of sailors. This […]
The widespread culling of sheep and goats in Greece due to the increasing number of cases of the highly contagious sheep and goat pox has raised fears that it will have a knock-on effect regarding the production of Feta cheese, one of the country’s famous culinary exports. Small Greek Feta manufacturers say they are already […]
Sunday, November 30, 09:00 As the severe weather from the “Adel” storm system finally abates, the destruction caused on Thassos from the torrential rain, especially in the communities of Potamia and Panagia, has become apparent. The last 48 hours were difficult for both residents and the authorities, as the deluge caused extensive damage to ground-floor […]
On Christmas Eve, children, especially boys, go out singing ‘kalanda’ (carols) in the streets. They play drums and triangles as they sing. Sometimes they will also carry model boats decorated with nuts which are painted gold. Boats play an important role in many old customs across the Greek islands. If the children sing well, they […]
Ryanair, the European low-cost airline, has moved to 100% Digital Boarding Passes (DBP) and will no longer accept printed boarding passes. This means all passengers will receive a DBP via the Ryanair App on their mobile device when they check in online*. Online check-in can be completed on Ryanair.com or on the Ryanair App. All […]
The Secretary General of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Andreas Fiorentinos, announced that from 2027, the British low-cost airline Jet2 will be adding flights from the UK to Kavala International Airport (“Alexander the Great”), which also serves the island of Thassos. This development came about after coordinated actions by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the […]
The short-term property rental market in Greece, represented by companies such as Airbnb and Booking.com, is entering a new era, as, from Wednesday, October 1, a new law came into force which establishes strict terms and conditions for property owners who rent in this way. The new law provides for compliance checks by the Ministry […]
Plans to extend the tourist season in Greece until November are being set in motion by TUI, the world’s largest travel company, with the Group’s CEO, Sebastian Ebel, expressing confidence that both climatic conditions and global demand favour keeping the flow of visitors beyond the traditional summer season. Mr Ebel confirmed that the Group is […]
