Athens may not be the first place to come to mind when you think of a winter break, but it is a good place to go if you want to see Athens when it’s quiet. It won’t be hot and you can walk up to the Acropolis without having to negotiate your way through the crowds.
Bargain Hunting in Athens
Take advantage of the sales which start immediately after Christmas and pick up some real bargains from international chains such as Zara and Marks and Spencer’s in Adrianou Street in Syntagma Square, and designer clothes in Kolonaki’s many boutique- style outlets. There are also bargains galore just outside the centre in Vouliagmenis Avenue on the road to Daphne and Ilioupolis.
Eating and Entertainment
You can experience the cozy feel of Athens in winter, with musicians playing the traditional instrument, the bouzouki in Plaka’s restaurants at night. You may get fed up of hearing “Never on Sunday” and “Zorba’s Dance”, and if that is the case perhaps you would like other Greek music such as rembetika. This is Greek ‘underground’ music with songs having political themes, or drug taking, or just alternative themes to the romantic stuff you get as tourist fare, especially in the summer.
If you fancy a night of rembetika then the best places to go are Bouzoukia, of which there are several kinds. Some feature popular artistes and others have rembetika. The best of the latter is Stoa Athanaton in Sofokleos Street, in the central meat market, in my opinion, but you have to book in advance. It’s good to go in a group, to enjoy the bouzoukia experience, but you will find people very friendly, in such places.
You can eat there and it’s best to order bottles of whatever you want to drink as the waiters are usually very busy.
You can only have this experience in winter as come April the musicians disappear to perform on the islands and are out of Athens.
The Little People of the Twelve Days of Christmas
The Kalikatzaroi are goblins or small demons that are let loose from the underworld on Christmas Eve, only to be banished on Epiphany, on January 6th each year. For a whole year they try to chop down the “Tree of Life” that holds up the world that we exist in and they almost complete this task every year, and just as they are about to cut right through the tree and destroy the world we live in, they are released and rush to the surface to make mischief in our world.
Some people dip crucifixes into holy water laced with basil and sprinkle this around their homes to prevent these evil creatures entering. They are supposed to come down chimneys and scratch walls, or scatter walnuts on the floors. They are not truly malignant, just mischievous.
Blessing of the Waters on Epiphany
Every year on January 6th there are the ceremonies of blessing rivers, streams and of course the sea all over Greece. These are carried out by priests and the Kalikatzaroi are banished to the underworld for another year, afraid of the holy blessings. By the time they return to their world the Tree of Life has replenished itself and so their work begins again.
One of the most famous ceremonies is held at the port of Piraeus. A priest blesses the sea and throws a large crucifix into it. Young men then jump into the freezing cold water to retrieve the cross. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter as there is a chain attached to the crucifix so that it isn’t permanently lost. If you are in Athens on the 6th of January, you should try to see this ceremony, but wrap up warm.
Air fares are cheap if you go during the twelve days of Christmas and return after the 6th January, as by then young students have to return to their universities in the rest of Europe. The weather might not be good for the whole of your stay and it might rain, but you can visit the museums, although check the times as they are different in winter, and see and do things that you can’t in spring and summer.
Lynne Evans - I have a BA(hons) in English and American Lit, and a MEd in TEFL and multicultural education.I have been a consultant in the fields of ...
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