Winter in Greece is never boring, and for those who thought that Greece is only a summer country, you couldn’t be more wrong :-).
Due to its varied nature and culture, Greece has to offer something in any season!
In general, we had a a sunny and warm end of the year, but we expect any moment the winter to start…
Better be prepared, and get your warm cloths ready…or start planning your winter trip to Greece!
The Greek Traditional Christmas Boat is very popular again since the last decade.
Do you prefer a Christmas tree or a Christmas boat?
(Greek text below)
The decoration of the Christmas tree is not a Greek habit. It is said that the first Christmas tree in Greece was introduced and decorated by the Bavarian king Otto in 1833. In Greece, according to tradition, we decorate a boat, mainly on the islands. The boat symbolizes the maritime identity of the country. Greeks, a seafaring nation, of course, combined the celebration of Christmas with the sea. The decoration of the ship was also a kind of honor and welcome to the sailors returning home to celebrate Christmas with their families.
Did you ever celebrate Greek Christmas and New Year in Greece? Apart from other Christmas traditions, you will hear typical Greek carols all over the country: the “kalanta”. Greece is rich in music and depending on the geographical regions, there are different Christmas and New Year songs, using different instruments and rhythms.
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A visit to Athens is never complete without a visit to the Acropolis Museum, which first opened its doors in 2009. For all those years, it has been one of the major cultural sightseeing spots of the Greek capital.
The Greek “Happy Fools’ Day” on April 1st is traditionally established as the day that we fool the others or tell jokes. On April 1st, you can also use the Greek wish “Καλή Πρωταπριλιά !” (Kali protaprilia) = Happy Fools’ Day!
The only difference is that in Greek you actually say “Happy First of April”!
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The town of Nafplion is a beautiful Venetian town with ancient Greek roots and a lot of history.
It is located in the Peloponnese, at 2 hours driving from Athens.
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On January 6th, the Greek people celebrate “Ta phota” or “Theofania” or “Epiphania”, which stands for the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan River. It is a very important Greek celebration and it is the last one of the 12-day celebration period, which starts on Christmas.
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Playing Tavli or Backgammon is a very popular Greek habit. Almost every Greek has enjoyed a sunny morning with cold coffee (preferably a frappe) and a round of “Portes” or a summer afternoon with a glass of ouzo accompanied by a “meze” and a round of “Plakoto”.
Το τάβλι είναι μία ιδιαίτερα δημοφιλής συνήθεια των Ελλήνων. Σχεδόν όλοι έχουν απολαύσει ένα ηλιόλουστο πρωινό με έναν κρύο καφέ (κατά προτίμηση φραπέ) και μία παρτίδα «πόρτες» ή ένα καλοκαιρινό απόγευμα με ουζάκι συνοδευόμενο με μεζέ και ένα γύρο «πλακωτό».
Ώρα για χορό! Ανυπομονούμε να ξαναδούμε από κοντά τους μαθητές μας και να χορέψουμε όλοι μαζί ελληνικούς παραδοσιακούς χορούς! Παρακάτω θα διαβάσετε για έναν αγαπημένο μας χορό από την Θράκη (βόρειο-ανατολική Ελλάδα), τον Ζωναράδικο.
Είναι γνωστό ότι στους Έλληνες αρέσει πολύ να χορεύουν και έχουν μεγάλη ποικιλία παραδοσιακών χορών, ανάλογα με την περιοχή. Οι νησιώτικοι χοροί είναι συνήθως ρυθμικοί και χαρούμενοι σαν να ακολουθούν την κίνηση της θάλασσας. Οι χοροί από την Κρήτη είναι γρήγοροι και δύσκολοι. Οι χοροί από τα βουνά της Ελλάδας είναι αργοί με βαρύ ρυθμό. Μία ιδιαίτερη ποικιλία χορών είναι οι χοροί από τη Θράκη. Ένα καλό παράδειγμα είναι ο ζωναράδικος. Lees meer
It is nearly Christmas and preparations have begun. We decorate our house, and we buy or make sweets. During the Christmas Holiday Season, there are two kinds of cookies you can buy or taste all over Greece: melomakarona and kourabiedes. Maybe you would like to bake those delicious cookies yourself, and get into a Greek Christmas mood?
Below you will find our recipe for baking “kourabiedes”.
