A nationwide spree.

Carnival and joy…

Imaginative costumes, carnivals, masks and confetti! Everywhere laughter, funny banter and dancing. Donkeys are set up in the squares, carnival floats parade through the streets spreading joy and fun everywhere. The season of the Carnivalists has arrived. A time of release and crazy revelry. From Xanthi, Patras to Rethymno, the carnivals promise wild fun throughout the carnival, culminating in the big parade on the last Sunday and the burning of the Carnival King, which marks the end of the celebrations.

Xanthi. The epitome of the Thracian carnival is organized every year in Xanthi. The Xanthiotiko Carnival with 54 years of history is the largest in Northern Greece. This year, it is filled with “Dreams, Colours, Smells and Aromas” and invites carnivalists everywhere to have fun in the cobbled streets of the old town. Its highlight is the big carnival parade on the last Sunday of Carnival, which fills the city centre with colour and rhythm. The events conclude with the “Burning of the Tzaros” next to the river Kosynthos, located at the entrance of the old town of Xanthi.

Patras. With over 150 years of history, the Patras Carnival continues to fascinate and attract crowds. With the central square of the city as a backdrop, the tangle of frenetic revelry unravels from the opening ceremony on 18 January until its end on 1 March, with the theme “pro, per, per, I circle in joy”. Numerous events accompany the more than 40 days of the carnival, which culminate in the last week with the parade of floats, the night parade, the parade of children and of course the big parade. A special event with a long tradition is the “Bourboulias”, dances where women cover their faces with masks and, while maintaining their anonymity, flirt with men dressed in formal attire.

Rethymno. A century and a half has passed since the first carnival in Rethymno and the fun continues. Various events take place every year, with the traditional “Treasure Hunt” in the picturesque neighborhoods of the city and the sounds of traditional Cretan serenades. The big parade on the last Sunday of Carnival ends at the beach of the city where the King Carnavalos is engulfed in flames and marks the end of this year’s Carnival.