Firecrackers, music, drinking and dancing in all the streets of the area until night falls and we always end up in the central square where the maypole is installed.
The annual Carnival in the heart of Athens
An ancient Dionysian custom taking place in one of the most beautiful villages of Naxos island, Aperathos. Men are getting dressed in fur and goat skins and hang bells around their waist to send away evil spirits.
An annual pagan custom takes place at the Town of Amfissa. The night of the sprites, takes place on the Saturday just before Ash Monday. A custom that can be combined with flour wars of Galaxidi, taking place on Ash Monday.
A custom related to a very old local legend, regarding a ghost protecting a local fountain, Charmaina. The legend said that there were more ghosts protecting other places and they would fight amongst them many times. The locals would hear the screams and hide in their homes. A quite spectacular event which gets very crowded.
So the next day they found his body below the castle. His face was calm, with a faint smile on his lips, believing that his soul would soon meet up with Lenio, and that they would be together forever.
The phallus is the main subject of the festival. It symbolizes reproduction and fertility.
Kordelati and Foustanelati at the villages.This is the carnival of Naxos island!
God Dionysos with Menades, ancient castles filled with ghosts. This is the carnival of Naxos island!
A Venetian style carnival taking place in Zante. You can experience the Italian influence in the culture of the island
Alevromoutzouromata (flour smudging) is a very old custom in Galaxidi. A custom that was even taking place during the Ottoman occupation of Greece.
A two century old custom still holding on.