Easter in Greece - Advice Needed

Hi Jennifer, don't worry everything will be open, because lot's of people go on vacationing during the Easter holidays. The bank holidays are Easter Sunday and Monday (normal shops will all be closed), but restaurants, hotels etc will be open as usual. Archaelogical sites and museums are usually closed on Easter Sunday. If you go to tourist places (Monemvasia or Olympia) shops will be open even on Sunday although maybe with restricted opening hours. However, Easter is such a wonderful time, and you should ask the locals about the different ceremonies (Long Friday and Saturday evening are the special processions and masses, which are a great experience). Easter Sunday traditionally is lamb barbecue with the family, but many people nowadays prefer to go to a restaurant instead of doing it in a backyard. Peloponnese is a wonderful area to explore. The weather may be great, with sun and green meadows and snow on the mountains, but it may also be rainy and cold, definitely not a time when you go swimming, but usually great for walks, and exploring. It may be a good idea to book ahead during the Easter weekend, it should be busy everywhere. Reply to this

Hi Jennifer,
seems like a good plan, though you may find 4 nights in Santorini too much. While it is a beautiful island it doesn't have a lot to offer during this time of the year, as you won't be able to swim - unless you are planning for an expensive resort with a swimming pool, it is quite early in the season.

Peloponnese has so much that it is difficult to cover it all in a week (which I tried unsuccessfully last year). Nauplion is a very pretty town and it will be lovely during Easter, but very busy, because many Greek people will go there (I predict, obviously, but it is a popular weekend retreat). Around Nauplion you will find the ancient theater of Epdiauros (there is a big archaelogical site too!) and ancient Mycene, both are worth the visit even if you are not particularly interested in ancient Greece.

If you are renting a car you can drive around Peloponnese and I would especially recommend: Monemvasia in the Southeast, a very pretty fortified medieval town, Mistras another medieval town outside Sparta, the villages Dimitsana and Stemnitsa in the central mountain area (you don't believe this is Greece with the forests and mountains and meadows), Olympia archaeological site and museum (Olympic games).

The mountains in the East of Peloponnese, called Parnon, are just beautiful, but makes for quite a difficult drive up (and down) hairpin bends but it is just fantastic we particularly liked the villages of Kosmas and driving between Kastanitsa and Platonas. Very picturesque villages, and impressive scenery. If you decide to do this do plan a relaxed schedule because you want to stop and look at the views and walk around in the villlages.

Although Peloponnese looks quite small you should calculate ample time for driving, because it is mountainous, the roads often go through villages and towns, but that is the charm of it all. There are also some motorways but they are quite boring of course.

I believe you will have a great time.

Inga Reply to this