Throughout the year, Athenian citizens have a variety of festive dates, offering you the perfect chance to enjoy their cultural traditions 🙂 Whether it’s the Panathenaic Festival or Christmas there is always something to celebrate in Athens. We like to share 3 of these unique festive moments with you. So, if you’re planning a trip to Athens, make sure to check the cities festive dates and celebrate together with the Greek.
1. Greek Independence Day – March
Greek Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated every year on March 25th. It’s all about marking the beginning of the War of Greek Independence back in 1821. To celebrate, towns and villages across Greece host school flag parades, where kids dress up in traditional Greek outfits and wave Greek flags. Plus, there are armed forces parades, with the biggest happening in Athens! If you want a good spot to check it out, make sure to get to Syntagma Square by 10:00am.
2. May Day – May
1 May in Greece is a mix of Labour Day and a spring flower festival. Politically, it often comes with demonstrations; seasonally, it is all about wreaths of wildflowers hung on doors and balconies. For visitors, it is a slightly unusual day, half protest, half picnic.
In central squares, especially Syntagma and Omonia, you may see organised marches and rallies. At the same time, many Athenians leave the city for a day trip, so streets can be surprisingly quiet elsewhere.
3. Athens Authentic Marathon – early November
The Athens Authentic Marathon follows the legendary route from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in the city centre. Even when not running, the city is full with visitors in running gear, creating an excited atmosphere. It is brilliant for sporty readers or anyone who enjoys big city events.
Marathon weekend brings road closures and big crowds around the Panathenaic Stadium and city centre.
