What are holiday traditions like in Greece in 2026?

Orthodox Easter is the emotional peak: services, red eggs, magiritsa and late family tables. Christmas and New Year bring sweets and quieter public services. Clean Monday opens Lent with outdoor picnics when weather allows. 15 August closes many small businesses and fills ferries toward islands and Crete. Carnival and local saint-day panigiria add regional colour: Festival culture.

Name-day greetings and visits run year-round beside birthdays: Name-day culture. Food sits at the centre: Café dining culture.

Book ferries early around Easter and mid-August. Expect reduced municipal desks on major feast days. Accept invitations even if you are not Orthodox; showing up matters: Making friends and Social life. Retirees feel the calendar strongly in smaller towns: Retiring in Greece.