The outdoor cafes put out their giant heaters for the colder days and evenings but in Greece cold is a relative term. The town is very quiet, and unfortunately, many shops and businesses in the centre have closed down. not just this winter because they did not make enough money over the summer. See www.fantasytravelofgreece.com, Services and Agencies Your journey starts from the capital of Greece, Athens, where a welcoming sightseeing will take you to the top sites of this modern metropolis. full and you will be a lot happier than sitting in a cafeneon by yourself drinking raki to keep warm and counting the days till the next ferry comes to take you away from what you hoped would be heaven. of the big resorts are closed because it does not make economic sense to After all, this beautiful Mediterranean country is mostly renowned for its idyllic islands and paradisical beaches. because the restaurants that the locals eat at are the only ones that are Clearly marked and kept up by the municipality some of them tend to get overgrown in the winter but are still quite passable. Regardless of who you travel with though, you are bound to fall in love with Nafplio’s narrow alleyways and cobbled piazzas. However, Karpenisi is so much more than “just another” ski destination. It is often referred to as being the “Switzerland of Greece” on account of its dramatic natural scenery. For bird lovers, you know that the late winter and early spring are the best time to go bird-watching on the island of Lesvos and the marshlands and waterways all over Greece. pretty nice whenever you go, the months of December through March it can The highlight of the region is the quaint stone villages that encompass Karpenisi. Temperatures in Greece in December through February tend to hover between 6 and 14 degrees Celsius, though it’s obviously colder in mountainous areas. The Red Tractor Winter is milder to the south. It is situated in northern Greece, part of West Macedonia. Winter in Greece holiday. a cab and visit places like Nafplio, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidavros and the Skiing has become so popular that there are weekends and even weekdays that you have to make a reservation well in advance to find a room in one of the beautiful ski resorts of Arachova where you can ski all day on Mount Parnassus and then go for an ouzo and meze on the shore of the Corinthian Gulf and on some days even go for a short swim. on red and black sands. weather will be. Vendors set up shop at the side of the roads selling roasted chestnuts and warm salep, while Athenian bars replace their ouzo and fruity summer cocktails with hot toddies and warm home-made rakomelo. Day and night you will see people in colorful costumes and the bars and clubs do a good business but the biggest night for me is Tsichno Pempti when it seems everyone in Greece goes to their favorite taverna for grilled meat and the last big carnivorous binge before tapering down to the lentin foods. Mention visiting Nafplio to any Greek and they will tell you that it is Greece’s quintessential romantic getaway destination. are as good a place as any to celebrate. Life just changes. See Easter in Greece, Perhaps one of the biggest secrets is the skiing in Greece. With the throngs of tourists long gone, the mainland sites are practically deserted, which allows you to explore and experience the sites thoroughly. The country, which has some amazing ski resorts all over the mainland, also excels in hospitality. it worth a trip every year. but the fact is that the popularity of summer tourism has made winter tourism The town offers plenty of activities and adventures for those who prefer a little more action during their winter getaways. for November and they read somewhere that the islands close for the winter. It can also work to your advantage if you have them book your hotel in Athens for the first few days and then book the rest of your holiday when you see how the weather will be during your stay. Peloponessos, Evrytania, Macedonia, and Epirus have ski centers and mountain That was Delphi. of Mykonos and see what happens behind the scenes of endless summer partying. See Fantasy Travel's Winter Colors-Mykonos, A special package for those seeking to discover the eternal beauty of the historic Greece. at the outdoor cafes if the weather is nice, though this usually leads to ouzo and mezedes and for some hearty souls one final night For those spending a few days on Kea a car is not essential but it is very useful for exploring the far away places. Birds and animals are on the move and nature wears new colors as we discover Greece with goddess Artemis by our side, the Hellenic goddess of the hunt and wilderness. of Dionysian celebration before heading home exhausted to begin lent. good possibility of that. The beauty of Zagori is that the region and its wild, rugged landscapes remain relatively undiscovered. and life goes on year round. No If you enjoy this website please share it with your friends on Facebook. for Athens. are closed for the off-season. Thanks in advance! donation through Paypal. They have not seen Greece at it's most beautiful. Symbolically, it remained the same in the modern Greek state, but this became literal over the years and a funny quarrel continues between Athenians and Thessalonikians about which city is the best. They don't. They don't close for the winter. While Loutraki is more commonly known as a seaside destination that is frequented by both Greeks and international tourists during the summer months, it is also a nice place to spend a weekend in the winter. Winter in Greece is waiting for you to experience: Sporting Activities in the Wild Large areas of woodland with snow-capped peaks, forest trails and old pathways, fast-flowing rivers crowned with stone bridges and striking lakes create the ideal setting for having a truly memorable experience during your winter … We flew into Athens and stayed at Central Athens Hotel. Epiphany is on January 6th. Winter in Greece can be a one-of-a-kind experience. www.greecetravel.com/kalavrita The Piatsa is a cozy little restaurant in Ioulida, open year round, and a nice place to warm up while spending a few We’re thinking about renting a car, but do you think it’s better to try to do day trips from Athens or just road trip? And of course I don't need to mention that this is when all the wildflowers are in bloom and Greece becomes an explosion of Kayaking, Horseback Riding, bike and Jeep Tours through the Wilderness One thing is for sure, seascapes remain amazing. One option is to fill out my Create-an-itinerary form and ask the agency to book your hotel in Athens for the beginning and the end of your trip and book the island portion when you are in Athens or close enough to then to know what the Not to suggest that it At this time you won’t meet lively and fun, but somewhat noisy tourists, exchanging impressions on all kinds of languages. tickets to Athens you must be warned that while the weather will be generally Winter is the time for those who highly appreciates the Greek culture. variety of Greek landscapes is attractive all year round. in the winter is to choose one island. Visit the large shopping malls and famous commercial streets and amazing department stores like Attika (photo). It differs from city to city and also can vary drastically depending on if you are traveling to the mainland or among the islands. Christmas in Athens is as festive a time as you will find anywhere with won't be warm enough for that, but you can't count on it being sunny and warm every See Winter City Tour in Athens and Thessaloniki, Athens Shopping City Tour: This package from Fantasy Travel is a great way to take advantage or discounts and sales in Athens' famous shopping areas and includes all the important experiences for the The northern part of the country can be very cold during the winters, even receiving snow in some areas. The advantage of visiting Greece in the winter is the chance to admire its ancient landmarks without a lot of people around. But is is not over yet because on Clean Monday all of Athens is out again to fill the cafes and to fly their kites from the hills around the Acropolis and any open space they can find. Today, the Venetian, Turkish, and Frankish influences contribute to a unique and spectacular architecture that makes Nafplio a photographer’s dream. What makes the area so special is its natural beauty. Venture off the beaten path to places like Karpenisi and Northern Greece however, and you may find that you have places entirely to yourself! Plus they have daily ferry connections to each other which you won't find in the Cyclades or going between island groups. Lesvos, and Crete are like cities anywhere. These trails are marked with numbers so all you have to of history. Frozen lakes, fir trees, and cobbled streets covered in fresh blankets of snow make Ioannina look like something straight out of a storybook. Stroll down their beautiful alleys, smell the saltiness of the sea that encircles them and taste local delicacies. For a slice of culture, be sure to visit the Agia Lavra monastery – a stunning religious structure perched on a cliff’s edge that dates back to 961 AD. That said, temperatures here are mild, even in the winter season – at least as far as European standards go. Continue your journey with a visit to the famous oracle of Delphi. The past few winters have actually seen the city and the Acropolis covered in snow, so opting to travel at this time may enable you to bear witness to this majestic spectacle. Even the road to Arachova (a famous mountain village near Delphi and a jumping off point for a ski resort ) will be open, although again you can't predict freak blizzards! You may even look in amusement Many of the foreigners who live in Mykonos, Skiathos, Rhodes and In Trip Tailors we are in love with Greece, so we present you 5 of our favorite destinations for the cold days of winter (don’t think that you’ll find extreme cold in Greece, it is a country with more than 250 sunny days a year! With the prices so cheap these days due to the crisis you could come to Athens and buy your wardrobe for the year and the money you will save will pay for your airfare. Winter in Greece is still a good time to enjoy most of the activities on Santorini. Fantasy Travel's Ski Package, The Island of Rhodes has the mildest winter climate and the longest tourist season of any of the islands. Apokreas is one of the most exciting times to be in Greece, particularly Athens, Patras, Rethymnon-Crete and the island of Skyros which hold big celebrations. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the waterfront promenade and a coffee among trendy boho locals in Navarino square before touring quaint Ano Poli – the city’s oldest neighbourhood, and enjoying a birds-eye view of the city from the Heptapyrgion fortress. imagine themselves huddled in the bitter cold watching the ferry that won't She writes for numerous high profile travel publications across the globe - including Forbes Travel Guide, Matador Network, The Times of Israel and The Huffington Post. If you love to shop you will love Athens in A little research is required for planning a trip to Tzoumerka, on account of the vast options available and the distinct differences between the villages. Most of the hotels on the islands were built for summer tourism and though most air-conditioning units are also heaters, if a room in a concrete hotel or even a traditional get cold and rainy. Fantasy There are carnival parades and festivities all over Greece, particularly in Patra, Rethymnon Crete, the island of Skyros and the Athens neighborhood of Moschaton. appreciative of all the free information you get on my literally "the co-capital", a reference to its historical status as the Symvasilévousa or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople. In the mountain areas it even begins earlier. The Winter. return for a week sail out of the bay and not a hotel or restaurant in My first impression was that the reason there is so little tourism in Athens over Christmas is because the Greeks are keeping all the fun to themselves. shopping discount coupons, available only to Fantasy Travel's guests. Greece One of the best times to be in Greece is during the last two weeks of Apokreas when people are having as much fun as they can before they have to fast the 40 days before Easter. capital of Greece, a modern metropolis where historic monuments of amazing architecture lie next to contemporary buildings and museums. The 15thcentury church of Agia Paraskevi, with its wood-carved temple, and the local monasteries of Panagia and Agios Nicholas should also make an appearance on your Metsovo agenda. Therefore, whether you are looking for pure nature, extreme winter sports or big celebrations, Greece is a great winter destination and would certainly give you another aspect of this beautiful country. Ioannina, with its cobbled streets and stone houses that are home to traditional tavernas and ouzerias, feels worlds away from modern Athens and Thessaloniki. Next stop, Thessaloniki city. I’m thinking of traveling abroad for the first time in my life to Athens (solo) in November 2020 but afraid it would be too cold. Wander between ancient sense in going to an island during two days of rain when the sun is shining in Nafplion, Delphi, Meteora or Athens. Where many of the Greek Isles partially close down the winter, with harbor-side shops and restaurants shutting down for the season, Athens stays alive. (A fireplace organized before you get there. leads nature tours around the island and he and his wife Marcie serve as your hosts. The beautiful villages of Zagorohoria and the town of Kastoria in Epirus, Pelion villages, Arachova and lake Plastira near Meteora in Thessalia. Winter Destinations in Greece photos courtesy of Jason Blackeye / Unsplash, Alex Antoniadis / Unsplash, Sorin Cicos / Unsplash, George Terezakis / Flickr, Marion Schneider & Christoph Aistleitner / Wikimedia Commons, Steve Petty / Unsplash. Thessaloniki, like Athens, is a Greek travel destination that can be enjoyed all year round. In the port area, be sure to stop by one of the seafood tavernas and enjoy a dish prepared with the day’s latest catches. The most important thing I can tell you about booking a hotel for the off-season is that if you go to an island make sure it has heat. Sometimes I get e-mails from people in a state of panic because they have just booked their tickets to Greece Kastoria encompasses the beautiful Lake Orestiada and a pleasant way to pass the time is to rent bicycles and cycle along the lakefront or watch the local fishermen try their luck early in the mornings. inside and if you are looking to hear live Greek music with your meal you are more likely to find it in the winter in Athens than in the summer. of Syros (photo)which is not dependant upon tourism has a rich atmosphere in the Prices are also significantly cheaper during this period and hotels, tours, and flights can be booked for as much as 60% less than in the summer. See Fantasy's Then you heave your anchors for an island that Trikala sits in the northwestern part of Greece – some 2.5 hours away from Thessaloniki. Discover the secrets of the ancient Greek civilization in Athens, the capital of Greece, a modern metropolis where historic monuments of amazing architecture lie next to contemporary buildings and museums. Great winter destinations to discover. The small commission I make on the bookings enable me to keep working and in most cases you won't find them any cheaper by searching elsewhere. Run by a specialist tour operator Ascend the 900 steps to the Palamidi fortress to enjoy sweeping views of Nafplio and the cerulean waters surrounding it and be sure to make time to visit the Venetian Bourtzi fortress. Help Support Matt's Greece Travel Guides Your reaction to a Greek winter will most likely be "You call this winter?" The hiking trails that twist and turn through the alpine landscapes surrounding Arachova vary in difficulty – from straightforward walks to challenging routes for experienced mountaineers. A place which according to Greek mythology was the center of the ancient world. hours with several glasses of tsipuro and home-style Greek cooking. Weather. Visit ancient monuments that seem to spring from every corner with the most famous of them being the Parthenon and the new Acropolis museum collection. Karpenisi is a stunning mountain village that sits on the slopes of Mount Timfristos in Evritania, Central Greece. www.greecetravel.com/pelion People spend more time indoors, but the restaurants If scenic train rains are your thing, consider purchasing a ticket on the Odontotos – an old railway that takes travellers on a circuit through pristine woodlands and through the Vouraikos Gorge – an area regarded by many as being one of the most scenic in Greece. I’ve been living in Greece for the past three years and would be happy to assist with any queries you may have. almost entirely of mountains is a great skiing destination is kind of surprising, Mykonos during winter is a completely different destination, where night is quite silent and many tourist restaurants and shops are closed, living available a few traditional corners. This underrated city built on the edge of Orestiada Lake (Lake Kastoria) is packed with over 50 Byzantine churches. If you love to eat, drink, meet people and experience Athens at its most fun time, see Apokreas: Carnival Greeks satirize the abundance of ancient Greek ruins by suggesting not to dig too deep or you might unveil a lost monument and find your house taken over by a museum. Some of them it can get pretty quiet and most Athens is a perfect place to travel to in Greece during the winter months. The mention of Greece brings up images of white arcing beaches and sparkling aqua waters under sun-drenched skies. Metsovo is yet another example of a charming mountain village that enables you to escape the chaos of city life during the winter months. Until then, particularly in the coasts, the temperature is mild although the rains are frequent. Join Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guides Group on Facebook for comments, photos and other fun stuff. As its name suggests, the hotel is in the middle of the tourist area — many of the top things to do in Athens were within walking distance. The winter in northern Greece starts in November. refuges that look like Swiss Chalets with ski lifts and a variety of downhill The archaeological sites are closed on the 25th and 26th but there are still restaurants and cafes open and when the weather is nice the Athenians But there are taxis that run back and forth between the port of Korissia and the capital, Ioulida and you can arrange to have one pick you up at the end of your walk if it does not end in either of these places. Greece weather in winter. Kalavryta sits at the foot of Mount Chelmos and is usually teeming with life during the winter on account of all of the Greeks that travel here to make use of the nearby ski resorts. Its nickname is Symprotévousa, Note: This article was written in August 2019. The weather in Greece in winter may be chillier and more unpredictable, but it is never really so harsh and cold that walking around outside is unpleasant. In fact A while ago, WhyGo Greece debated the Top 5 Reasons to Visit Greece during Winter.Now it’s time to discuss a bit more about what to actually do and where to go during the off-season. www.greektravel.com/greekislands/hydra If you can time your trip accordingly, this can save you a fair chunk of your travel costs. that the islands actually close. Wander between ancient creations, temples, statues, theaters that share the landscape with contemporary buildings and museums. For more see Christmas in Athens, Greece. On a clear day, dust off your walking shoes and embark on the scenic 10km hike from Fira to Oia. Lots to see and do as well. Greece – Crete. www.greecetravel.com/edipsoswww.greecetravel.com/peloponessos, Trekking, Rafting, Skiing, Walking, Climbing, And last but not least, visit the picturesque island of Poros. Some of the touristic businesses across the island may be closed for the season, but many of the charming boutiques and restaurants across Fira and Oia remain open all year. While in town, stop by the iconic white tower and the Thessaloniki archaeological museum for an insight into the history of this unique region of Central Macedonia. If you are still not sold on the prospect of spending your winter vacation in Greece, a few highlights of travelling during this time are detailed below. Greece – Kalamata. You can watch it on TV where they show the ceremony from many different harbors, rivers and lakes around Greece Of course these temperatures are rather towards the North and in the mountains. www.greecetravel.com/delphi in your local mall (and some things you will) for prices that would make friend's village or your favorite island to celebrate the death and ressurrection of Christ. According to Greek mythology, once upon a time, the father of gods, Zeus, let loose to eagles in the two edges of the then-known world and they met again at the center of the ancient world. If you have spent summer holidays on the islands you are almost certain to run into someone you know from a restaurant or hotel there who has come to Athens for the holidays. the Famous Taxi Driver to Visit a Greek Island If you want a taste of a real Greek island in the off-season visit the Red Tractor Farms Guesthouse, I love spending Christmas in Greece. flight. Observe Athenians practicing the art of hanging After that there is 40 days of fasting which not everyone does in case you are worried that you won't be able to find souvlaki. New Years there is always something going on in the clubs or live music in the main squares. Athens in Winter: Visit Al Hammam for a traditional hammam experience. Time for Santorini! For instance, the Acropolis and all Athens museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month between November and March. This is a guide of things to do in Athens in winter. keep a 300 room hotel open for the twenty or so tourists who may show up. A mystic oracle where a priestess named Pythia used to offer her prophecies inspired by god Apollo. Artemis Winter Program, This package is ideal for those who are not only beach people but also admire or would like to witness the Greek islands experience. which are very close to are open in the winter, have a lot fewer tourists and are much more beautiful than they are in the summer. Crete, Rhodes, Syros, This package proves that the The Hotel Attalos is a cozy, warm and friendly as you can get and the winter rates are pretty good so there are always fellow winter travelers See Fantasy Travel's Winter Programs. Across Greece, the average temperatures in December can reach highs of 57 Fahrenheit (14 Celsius) and lows of 43 F (6 C). 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