Vasilopita – The Greek Cake of Good Fortune
As many friends of Greece know, the holiday season in Greece has many of the same elements of the holiday season elsewhere, just not necessarily in the same order. While many countries have Santa Claus visiting homes on Christmas Eve, in Greece there is Agios Vasilis - Saint Basil. Bearing gifts and good cheer, this
Christmas Greetings from Greece
Wishing you a beautiful Holiday Season! As Christmas and New Year approach, we’d love to share Greek traditions with our friends from around the globe. Holiday Greetings from Greece Greeks love to exchange kind greetings at any opportunity - even wishing one another “Happy Week” on Mondays – Καλή Εβδομάδα (Kali Evdomada). Merry Christmas in
Western Macedonia – History, Nature, Wine, and Rustic Charms
There’s no time like autumn and winter to visit Northern Greece. In the cooler seasons, these mountainous and lush regions are at their very best, with their brilliant golden and red foliage in fall and romantic dusting of snow in winter. The rustic, elegant cuisine - so rich in dishes of wild game, foraged mushrooms,
The Art of Pottery in Ancient Greece
Of the objects of everyday life of Ancient Greece that are the most enduring and the most beautiful, pottery stands out. It combines utility with high art, and with the images and the vessels themselves tell wonderful stories, bringing the ancient world closer to understanding. The Most Important Pottery Workshops – Athens and Corinth It
The Famous Varieties and Creations of Greek Marble
Greece is truly both a geological and an artistic wonder, and those two worlds come together in the wealth of ancient temples and sculpture. Fans of classical architecture and art will have noted that very often the source of the marble that created these wonders is also mentioned - Parian, Tinian, Penteli, Thacian, Naxian. Each
The Dormition of the Virgin – the 15th of August in Greece
The Dormition of the Virgin Mary, a holiday that is observed only by the most devout Christians in much of the western world, holds in Greece a significance on par with that of Easter and Christmas. It is the festive climax of summer, the season’s quintessential peak. If your Greek holiday coincides with the 15th
Tragedy – the Role and Teachings of Ancient Greek Tragedy
The Greek Tragedy is truly one of the foundations of Western culture, an inspiration for centuries of great dramatic works. Specific famous works address and explore the fundamental questions and struggles of human existence, remaining as such as relevant to the contemporary spirit as they were when first performed. Here following are some famous dramatists
Ancient Greek Comedy – the Role and Teachings of Comedy
Of the many fundamental contributions of Ancient Greece to western culture is the birth of theater. Between tragedy and comedy, ancient Greek theater expresses the fullness of the human experience, allowing the audience to vicariously experience emotions of dramatic depth, and also to lighten the soul through merriment. It was a complement to life that
The 25th of March Celebrations in Greece – History, Customs, and Places to Celebrate
Greece is now celebrating just over 200 years as a free and independent modern nation. The date that is commemorated is March 25th, 1821. This is the day that the revolution was officially declared. By popular account, this was at the Monastery of Agios Lavras, near mountainous Kalavryta of the Peloponnese, by metropolitan Germanos of
A Pre-Season Break in Greece – Clean Monday and the Beginning of Spring
What a wonderful season to visit Greece - in early spring, just as the land wakes up from its winter sleep. The landscape is lush and vibrant with fresh green, and the trees in fragrant blossom, also in the city streets. Clean Monday is the day that Greeks start to think that Spring is finally