Travelers to Greece Travelers to Greece

TRAVELERS TO GREECE

Greece is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, ranking in the world's top 20 countries.
Visitors are drawn to the country's beaches and reliable sunny summer weather, its nightlife, historical sites and natural beauty.

The vast majority of visitors arrive during tourism season, which is April through October. Peak season is July through August, and most of the tourists and tourism industry are concentrated in Crete, the Dodecanese ( Rhodes.Kos e.t.c,

Cyclades, and Western Greek Islands, and to a lesser extent: the Peloponnese, and the Chalkidiki peninsula in Makedonia. There are still many rewarding areas in the country free of large-scale tourism.
Many first-time visitors arrive in Greece with specific images in mind and are surprised to discover a country with such regional and architectural diversity. The famous whitewashed homes and charming blue-domed churches only characterize a specific region of the country (the Cyclades Islands - Mykonos,Santorini e.t.c).

Architecture varies greatly from one region to the next depending on the local history. Visitors will find Neoclassical architecture in the cities of Ermoupolis and Nafplion, Ottoman-influenced buildings in Grevená and Kozáni, whitewashed Cycladic homes on the island of Paros, and pastel-colored baroque homes and churches on Corfu. The nation's terrain is just as varied as its architectural heritage: idyllic beaches, towering mountain ranges, wine-producing valleys, vast stretches of olive orchards in the south, and lush forests in the north. Greece's historical sights are just as varied; the country is littered with just as many medieval churches and castles as classical ruins and temples.

Holidays and festivals in Greece. The following are national public holidays:

New Year's Day - 1 Jan Epiphany - 6 Jan Shrove Monday (First day of Lent) - movable (next: 15 Feb 2010) Independence Day and The Annunciation - 25 Mar Good Friday - movable (next 2 Apr 2010) Easter Sunday - movable (next: 4 Apr 2010) Easter Monday - movable (next: 5 Apr 2010) May Day / Labor Day - 1 May Pentecost Whit Sunday - movable (next: 12 June 2011) Pentecost Whit Monday - movable (next: 13 June 2011) Assumption of Our Lady - 15 Aug WWII Day / "OXI Day" - 28 Oct Christmas - 25 Dec Saint Stephen's - 26 Dec

The nation's three most important holidays are Christmas, Easter, and the Assumption. Christmas tends to be a private, family holiday, but lights and decorations adorn city squares across the country. Assumption Day is a major summer festival for many towns and islands. Easter weekend is perhaps the most flamboyant of all holidays; religious processions on Good Friday and the following Saturday evening culminate in exuberant fireworks at midnight, Easter morning.

Note: that the Greek Orthodox Church uses a different method to determine the date of Easter than the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant churches. Therefore, Greek Orthodox Easter and - derived from that - Holy Week and Pentecost usually fall one or two weeks later than their Roman Catholic and Protestant counterparts, but they do sometimes coincide (as will be the case for 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2025).
Contrary to most national holidays in other countries, Independence Day in Greece is a very sober holiday. There is a school flag parade in every town and village and a big armed forces parade in Athens. Although not an official holiday, pre-Lenten carnival -or apókries- is a major celebration in cities throughout the country, with Patras hosting the country's largest and most famous events. Carnival season comes to an extravagent ending the weekend before Lent begins, with costumes, float parades, and various regional traditions.

In addition to nation-wide holidays and celebrations, many towns and regions have their own regional festivals commemorating various historical events, local patron saints, or wine harvests.