Greek Orthodox Easter in Cyclades?

Question

I am planning to visit and could be in the cyclades (Naxos,Paros,Sifnos?) for Easter.
Will accomdation be OK to get?
Will I be welcome?
Will some tavernas be open.
and all that kind of thing.

I would love to enjoy this festival but do not want to intrude or to find myself with nowhere to eat/drink/sleep as everthing is closed.

Information and suggestions please

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Will accommodation be OK to get?

Yes it will be easy to find accommodation as the tourist season starts at the very end of April)

Will I be welcome?

Of course you will! Why ever not?

Will some tavernas be open.
and all that kind of thing.

Tavernas will be working normally - however I'm not sure you'll find one open on Easter Sunday.

My suggestions:
Make sure you arrive in the week before Easter (during the Megali week - Holy week) - get friendly with taverna owners etc and slip into the conversation about Easter Sunday (to whomever will listen) 'Will there be a taverna open on Sunday? I was wondering where I will be able to find somewhere to eat ..etc'
Say these enough times and you are bound to come across a person like me who has an open house and says 'Come to us!' We never know how many there are going to be for Easter Sunday ... can be anything from 8 to 22 (22 -that's how many I know we will have for sure on Monday - we cook on 2 days). Others just turn up! More the merrier - specially as it's late in April this yr and most families will be outside cooking their lambs on spits!

Good Friday evening - join the procession - carrying of the Epitaphios to mark the death of Christ. I cry every year!!!

The paragraphs below taken from :
http://www.explorecrete.com/traditions/e…
Good Friday is a day of mourning. The drama of the death of Christ is followed with great devoutness. The icon of Christ is taken off the cross, wrapped in linen and put it in the Bier (Epitafios) symbolizing the tomb of Christ.

Late at night the bier is carried through the town or village. A band or choir playing or singing solemn music precedes the procession; they are followed by the cantors, the clergy, women bearing myrrh, the altar boys carrying the liturgical fans, scouts and guides, and the people of the region, who sing the hymns throughout the procession. All along its route, people scatter flowers and perfumes on the epitaphios (bier), holding lighted candles in their hands.

READ the rest of the article on Greek Easter at the link above

Saturday night at midnight
Resurrection of Christ
Read the artcle again about Crete (same happens all over Greece)
Take a white candle with you (not brown that's for Friday) You can get the candles at the church - put your money in the box or they are available at Church shops and Supermarkets etc.

Then Sunday is the lamb day - looking at the photo of the lamb on the site I gave you - immediate reaction - that's on the spit wrong and where's its head!!!!??? - it will break in the middle! Just shows you how many Sunday EARLY mornings I have had shoving metal rods through lambs!

Have a great time - Greek Easter is the best celebration to experience in Greece!

Answer 2

Despite the negative votes, Asimenia and Cpinatsi are right.
Heed their suggestions.
Having spent quite a few Easters in various parts of Greece, the ones I personally found especially celebratory were the ones in the Roumeli part of Greece rather than the Islands.
Araxwva, Livadia etc.

Answer 3

To live through the Greek Easter experience; Mainland or Islands, is something to remember your life long. You will be welcome of course; on Easter, some facilities might be closed for a couple of hours, but all gets back to normal somewhere mid afternoon..
You will not feel like an intruder and even will be taken up into the event.. enjoy it
Easter is THE time to see the great Greek community for real
I lived through Easter in Athens an Kos,; been on Paros and Naxos last year.. enjoy my Webshots Greek picture albums
http://community.webshots.com/user/gllja…

Answer 4

You should have no problem with accommodation as tourists dont normally head there until May anyway. The Greeks tend to go there more in August, unless they are going to visit family there for Easter. In the weeks before Easter, you will find traditional Tavernas will not be serving meat. They have all sorts of traditional 'plain' foods that they eat then. Many of the usual 'tourist' bars and restaurants may not be open then.

Answer 5

I was at Paros and Naxos last Easter. It was fine, many restaurants open, accomodation was plentiful, as most rooms have air-conditioning thus heating, no problem. Of course, not as many places were open as in the summer, especially on the settlements that are next to the beaches. If you go to Naxos, stay in the main town.
As for Sifnos, I expect it will be the same, although it is a smaller island. But Sifnos is wonderful, people are very friendly and the food is great. Find the rooms you want, and ask if they'll be open. They will give you info on tavernas etc.
As for meat dishes, sure they are served, but as most people tend to fast the week before Easter, it may be best to enjoy vegetarian or seafood and fish delicacies.

Answer 6

You may be able to get some ideas from information found at:
http://livefromgreece.com/Live_Webcams.h…
(Hint: You may find some interesting information in the article entitled "April in Greece" posted on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:13:05)

Source(s):

http://livefromgreece.com/Live_Webcams.h…

Answer 7

Every foreigner is welcome to Greece as long as he/she behaving himself/herself of course.Most tavernas will be open I suggst to start looking NOW for a hotel ccomadation since in that period Cyclades will be too crowded

Answer 8

lI spent Greek Easter In Santorini many years ago.
It was amazing. My son got Easter cakes every time he passed a taverna and was given fire crackers to throw which frightened the life out of me but he had a great time. The village square was one big party with wine and food for everyone even the tourists. Telly Savalas (Kojac) was there and I have the photos to prove it. He was great and signed my sons frisbe. Every thing will be open, the church service goes on all day and people wander in and out all the time. Even if you are not religious it is quite a special thing to be part of. Have a lovely time, you won't be dissapointed.