Carnival Time in Greece

Quick - where is the third largest Carnival celebration in the world, right after big shots like New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro? Do I hear Bahia? Venice? Munich?

Try Patras, a Greek city on the Peloponnese peninsula. Surprised? I was too, and a poster on the Greece for Visitors Forum reminded me that this vigorous celebration is news to a lot of travelers to Greece. It's time that should change.

And while Patras has a well-established carnival scene ideal for tourists and locals alike, it's far from being the only celebration in Greece.

If you've never considered Carnival in Greece, this is a great year to do so. The late Easter pulls Carnival out of February and into mid-March, a great time to visit Greece. Flights are cheap, other prices are low, and you won't work up a sweat climbing the Acropolis.

Too late for you to plan to go this year? Check out these future Carnival season dates, enough to keep the most ardent advance-planner happy.