Holidays in Greece

Greek holidays

Greece is a holiday country of infinite variety, where the sun can be guaranteed to shine all summer and getting there from other European countries is not an expensive and tiring long haul. For the first group, taking a holiday in Greece can be a 'culture fest'. All over Greece, on the mainland and on the islands, there are many wonderful historical sites to see that any visitor would have to keep returning and returning to before they could see them all. There are volcanoes, hot springs, waterfalls, mountains, gorges and caves, there are unique species of sea turtles like the Kareta Kareta and the monk seal monachus monachus, butterflies, cicadas, birds of prey, wild boar, wild cats, seals, dolphins. For the botanist, there are cacti, bougainvillea, orchids, jacaranda, fig trees, eucalyptus ,olive trees ,oaks and more. The food and drink can be familiar if you prefer or strangely different like prickly pears, sea urchins, stuffed kalamari or stuffed courgette flowers all washed down with resinated wine or ouzo. And the language is certainly different to most other European languages. The alphabet is not the familiar Roman and the spoken language is certainly challenging for the learner.

The second group will also find all their needs met by spending their holidays in Greece. All of the activities identified above can be easily found all over the country plus many more. But, what's this....skiing? Yes, Greece can also be an alternative winter holiday destination. The mountains in Epirus, Sterea Ellas or Macedonia and  northern Greece as well as the Peloponnese have ski centers with a variety of downhill and cross-country runs and mountain refuges. At the foot of the mountainous regions you will find fast flowing rivers with rapids where you can do white-water rafting. A brief search on the internet will provide the active holidaymaker with endless choices. Greece also offers excellent holiday facilities for people with physical or mental disabilities and, again, an internet search will provide many options.

The third category of tourist will easily find what they are looking for in Greece. Package holidays deals can be found in most travel agents for many of the larger islands and parts of the mainland. The beaches will be stunning, the weather glorious, the booze cheap and the nightlife lively. However, away from these areas is where the final type of holiday maker will find their Nirvana. All over Greece, whether on the mainland or on the islands there are places where the visitor can be away from other tourists. The smaller islands often don't have airports or, if they do, receive only one plane a day from Athens. Here you won't find huge hotels and acres of beachside restaurants and bars. Accommodation can easily be found in small family-run pensions or studios where the owner will show the hospitality that is so natural to the Greeks, looking after their guest as if they are a member of their own family. Many Greek islands and smaller holiday resorts in mainland of Greece are the best places for family holidays. There you have the chance to get to know better the locals and let the children enjoy the sea.

The local people will enjoy the chance to practice their English - many have at least a smattering of this language, although for the older generation who are not employed in taverns or kafeneia this may not be the case. Nevertheless, you will be surprised how easy it is to understand the basics of a language that you don't know, when the person you are conversing with is happy to spend time, elaborating on their meaning with hand movements and gestures, until you get it and, if you don't, they and you will have enjoyed the trying! If you really want to get away from it all, Greece offers many spiritual retreat holidays either by private individuals or companies or in one of the hundreds of monasteries that can be found everywhere in Greece. If it isn't a spiritual peace that you are looking for but just a desire for tranquillity and solitariness you can find it anywhere in Greece. In a holiday country with around 14,000 kilometres of coastline there is always a secluded beach close by. The countryside is beautiful wherever you look, and all your senses come alive as the smell of wild thyme and pine trees waft down from the hills, the air is filled by the tinkling of the bells that hang from the neck of the goats and sheep, the sea is never far away and the salty tang of it lingers on your tongue as you breathe and all around you is the silky caress of a warm breeze. Many Greek islands have become popular holiday destinations worldwide to mention a few Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu, Skiathos, Crete, Kos and Rhodes, that every summer millions of holiday makers are visiting to enjoy the sun and the wonderful beaches.

National Holidays in Greece

Although there are a few national holidays in Greece where the whole country takes a break, you should know that each island, village and city has their own holidays as well. They usually have to do with the patron saint.

The holidays are not always on the same date every year, so below is a list of public holidays

.