🎭Apokries 2025: Live Carnival in Athens Like a Local!

Greece’s Apokries (Carnival) is a time of celebration, costumes, and lively traditions, leading up to Lent. In 2025, the festivities are in full swing, with Tsiknopempti on February 20 and the Grand Carnival Weekend from March 1-3. If you want to experience Greek Carnival like a true local, here’s everything you need to know!

Tsiknopempti (February 20, 2025): The Ultimate BBQ Day

One of the highlights of Apokries is Tsiknopempti (Τσικνοπέμπτη), also known as "Smoky Thursday". It’s the day when grilled meat dominates every table, and the air is filled with the scent of barbecue from homes, tavernas, and street vendors.

📍 Where to Celebrate?

• Athens: The districts of Psiri, Plaka, and Varvakeios Market are full of live music and grilled meat feasts.

Tip: Want to do it like a local? Gather with friends at a taverna, enjoy a mix of souvlaki, lamb chops, and sausages, pair it with ouzo or tsipouro, and enjoy traditional Greek music!

Patras Carnival (March 1-3, 2025): The Biggest in Greece

The heart of Apokries beats strongest during the last weekend before Clean Monday, when parades, masquerades, and street parties take over Greece.

🎭 The Ultimate Carnival Destination: Patras
If you want the biggest, wildest Carnival experience in Greece, Patras is the place to be! The city hosts Greece’s largest and most extravagant Carnival, featuring:

• Huge parades with colorful floats and thousands of costumed participants.

• Non-stop parties and live music in every square and street.

• The famous "Burning of the Carnival King" at the harbor on Sunday night.

🚍 Getting there from Athens is easy! Buses to Patras run every half an hour during Carnival weekend, and the journey takes just three hours. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic—check out the official program here: Patras Carnival Official Site.

For those staying in Athens,there’s no shortage of festive fun!

🎭 Agios Dimitrios Carnival
This neighborhood hosts one of the biggest Carnival parades in Athens, filled with:

• Colorful floats and costumed dancers.

• Live music, performances, and a festive atmosphere.

• Grand Parade: Sunday, March 2, 2025

🎭 Nikaia Carnival
Nikaia, another lively suburb, is famous for its community-driven celebrations, including:

• Traditional and modern music performances.

• Masquerade parties and street events for kids and adults

• Dancing, food stalls, and a strong local spirit!

🌿 Don’t forget Clean Monday!

One of the most beautiful Greek traditions on Clean Monday is going out into nature to fly a kite. Families gather in parks, mountains, and beaches for picnics and kite-flying, symbolizing a fresh start and spiritual cleansing.

📍 Best Places to Fly a Kite in Athens:

• Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)

• Ellinikon Experience Park

• SEF (Peace & Friendship Stadium) open spaces

• Philopappos Hill (offering stunning views of the Acropolis)

🌿 Traditional Clean Monday Foods:

• Lagana bread (a special flatbread made only on this day)

• Taramasalata (fish roe dip)

• Dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves)

• Seafood like octopus, calamari, and shrimp

• Halva for dessert

Whether you eat souvlaki in tsiknopepmti , join the carvival parades, or a relaxing Clean Monday escape, Athens is full of Carnival magic waiting to be explored! 🎭

Don’t Just Visit, Belong!