We’ve all dreamed at least once in our lives of spending Christmas in the sun, lounging on the beach with our toes in the sand! In 2021, we finally took the plunge and chose Greece, specifically the southern part of the country: the area around Corinth, about an hour’s drive west of Athens.
Why choose Greece for the holidays? There are several reasons! First of all, Athens is one of the cities in Europe with the mildest climate in December. What could be better than enjoying temperatures in the high 60s (°F) and beautiful sunshine to escape the usual gloom we’re used to back home in France? Secondly, we wanted to experience a different side of Christmas celebrations through Orthodox traditions, which are quite distinct from the Catholic ones in Western Europe. Finally, Greece felt like the perfect compromise between warm hospitality, travel time from France, flight prices, the sheer variety of things to do, and of course… the myths and legends that make this time of year feel so magical and timeless for so many of us!
This article explores all the reasons that led us to spend Christmas in southern Greece and shares our impressions. Our trip took place from December 15th to the 29th, 2021, and we rented a house for two weeks, which allowed us to host family on December 24th and 25th, the actual Christmas days.
It’s worth noting that finding affordable accommodation in Greece can be tricky, even in the middle of winter. However, many community groups on social media can help with your search. For a large two-bedroom house located just two kilometers from the sea, albeit without a pool, we spent 350 euros all-inclusive.
Christmas in Greece for a pleasant climate
The climate in southern Greece, especially in the coastal regions, is still very pleasant in December! Most of the time, temperatures are still in the high 50s or low 60s (°F), and the sun casts a beautiful autumnal glow over the country. After spending two weeks there, we can confirm that the weather is particularly mild at this time of year. We were able to have lunch outside several times wearing just a light jacket, and on December 25th, we even hosted our holiday meal on the large garden terrace of our rental!
As for the water temperature, it starts to cool down quite a bit by this time after months of intense heat, it’s hard for us to imagine, as some of our neighbors told us, that the thermometer reached nearly 104°F just three months earlier, in mid-September, in this same region of mainland Greece!
In any case, for the brave, it is still possible to swim in Greece during the Christmas season. Around Corinth, the water temperature is around 63°F, which is enough for a quick dip! Proof of this: after a short walk along the famous Corinth Canal, we enjoyed the Kalamaki beaches and went for a swim without complaining, though, I won't lie, it does take a bit of motivation. Another option, since we are situated between two bodies of water, is the Gulf of Corinth! The area around the village of Loutraki is particularly lovely, and the water temperature is generally half a degree warmer than in the Ionian Sea.
The Peloponnese: varied excursion possibilities, even in winter!
The beautiful weather allowed us to explore remarkable ancient sites without the usual hordes of tourists that these places typically attract. The ancient city of Corinth is a must-see if you’re planning a vacation in the region! The ruins of the ancient city and the Temple of Apollo are immense, and the visit offers a great insight into the lifestyles of that era. Overlooking this ancient merchant city, at the top of the mountain that dominates the landscape, stands Acrocorinth, or the Acropolis of Ancient Corinth. This crenelated fortress served as a defensive rampart but also as a religious center for the population, as it housed the Temple of Aphrodite.
As we had anticipated, we did have a few rainy days during our stay. But don't panic, it’s still possible to organize a great program of historical and cultural visits in the Peloponnese or around Athens, sheltered from the bad weather! We took the opportunity to visit nearby museums, including the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae, with its impressive collections of ancient artifacts. A little further away, the capital, Athens, boasts over thirty different museums, so you’ll be spoiled for choice! As a bonus, museum prices in Greece during winter are much cheaper than in high season, with tickets often sold at half price!
If the unpredictable weather really worries you, don’t hesitate to choose an even more southerly destination, such as the Greek islands of the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, Rhodes (near Turkey), or even the southern Peloponnese around Kalamata, to ensure beautiful sunshine throughout your winter stay in Greece!
An avalanche of flavors for the holiday season
December in Greece has many flavors in store for you! For the Christmas holidays, many savory and sweet specialties will brighten up your table.
On the pastry side, we tested melomakarona, a honey-soaked cake with citrus and walnuts, and kourampiedes, a type of almond shortbread dusted with powdered sugar. Delicious! The best thing to do is to order these desserts in advance from a bakery, they are everywhere in Greece, on every street corner, to make sure you have them on the table for the big day! As for the main course, pork is the star of the Greek Christmas menu. We personally stuck to poultry, but we heard wonderful things about the traditional pork dishes consumed during this time across the country, from the north all the way to the Cyclades islands. Traditionally, at Christmas in Greece, you will enjoy stuffed vegetables with pork, sausages, salt pork, or pork in a lemon-celery sauce. Originally, slaughtering the pig before Christmas was a highly anticipated ritual, as families raised the animal all year long in preparation for the holidays. The occasion was therefore celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Because of the very mild temperatures the country experiences at this time, winter fruits and vegetables are both plentiful and varied! For fruit, you only have to look up in the streets of Corinth or Athens to help yourself to tasty oranges, mandarins, and clementines. Winter is also the season for pomegranates. Olives and avocados also ripen during this period. More classic items, apples, pears, chestnuts, leeks, and root vegetables, naturally fill the shelves of all the shops and can fuel your Christmas recipes!
Christmas traditions and legends in Greece: a magical atmosphere
Finally, we chose Greece for Christmas to discover how Byzantine influences and the Orthodox religion shape the way Greeks view the holiday season compared to Western European countries.
The first thing we noticed was, of course, the many similarities between a Greek Christmas and the one we’re used to in France! From the beginning of December, the streets are decorated and fairy lights are installed to illuminate the cities. When we were there in mid-December, it was easy to spot well-decorated Christmas trees or large stockings hung on walls through the lit-up windows of houses. However, be aware that tradition often prefers not a tree, but a wooden boat illuminated by the fireplace to celebrate the return of sailors home. Greece is, after all, a traditional land of fishermen!
Just like in France, many events are organized by local communities to liven up December: ice rinks, theater performances, and Christmas markets. Unfortunately, due to the health crisis and the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, many were canceled in 2021, and festivities were scaled back, even in Athens. However, one Greek specialty resisted the gloomy mood: many street choirs and outdoor performances of Christmas carols, the Kalanta, were maintained.
Here, the population is Orthodox, which implies a few differences in how the Greek people celebrate Christmas. Firstly, because in the Orthodox religion, the birth of Christ is considered to have taken place on December 25th of the Julian calendar, which corresponds to January 7th on our current (Gregorian) calendar. The influence of Western customs means that Christmas is still widely celebrated on December 25th in Greece today. However, traditionally, the Greek Santa Claus, Saint Vassilis, only distributes gifts to children on the evening of December 31st!
Generally speaking, we noticed that the Christmas period is still very religiously significant in Greece. The icon of the Nativity, rather than the manger scene, is displayed in certain places near churches. Inside places of worship, people don’t hesitate to come and pray and kiss the icons, even while masked, due to COVID! The most devout Greeks also observe a 40-day fasting period before Christmas, known as the Christmas Lent. On Christmas Eve, the elders bake christopsomo, or "Christ's bread," a type of large anise-flavored brioche, often decorated with one or more Orthodox crosses, which is used to break the fast.
To conclude, Greece is home to many tales and folk beliefs that bring the Christmas season to life. The most famous legend is that of the Kallikantzaroi, small evil goblins who live at the center of the Earth and are said to return to populate our world during the winter solstice for two weeks. While the Kallikantzaroi spend the rest of the year sawing away at the tree that lives at the center of the Earth to make it fall, they take advantage of the Christmas season to come back up and play tricks on the living. This is why many Greeks, in reference to this tale, decorate their homes with candles or hang a colander on their front door, which has the power to ward off evil spirits! Finally, when the sun resumes its cycle in the sky, the goblins return to saw the Earth's tree, only to find that it has regenerated in their absence: it is an endless story!
As you can see, we highly recommend Greece as a destination if you want to spend Christmas in the sun. The climate and local customs will offer a change of scenery and a break from your own traditions. Furthermore, the welcome extended to foreigners is always pleasant in Greece! The country, emptied of its usual tourist hordes, is much more peaceful to visit, and you will undoubtedly leave a little richer in Hellenic history and culture!
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