Greece in May Events, weather, and travel tips May just may be the most glorious month of the year to visit Greece. The weather is beautiful, prices are low, and crowds are light.

Related Resources

• Events and Folklore

 Elsewhere on the Web • The Anastenaria in Aghia Eleni
• Battle of Crete Museum
• ExploreCrete: Preveli Project
• Yannis Samatas' Battle of Crete Events 2001 Schedule
 
May starts with May Day, a national labor holiday with parades and other festivities. In a year already marked with protests, the May Day celebration may be a particularly vigorous one. It also marks the Feast of the Flowers, a springtime appreciation of flowers which is a celebration with very ancient "roots" in festivals of the goddess Demeter. Later in the month, ancient customs continue in the Anastenaria, an observance which includes fire walking - really dancing - over pits filled with coals, primarily celebrated in Aghia Eleni near Serres and Langada outside of Thessaloniki.

On Crete, the Battle of Crete is commemorated in many places throughout the month, with a major observance in Heraklion on May 20th. This year marks the 60th anniversary, and many World War II veterans are attending from all over the world. The resistance to Adolf Hitler's paratrooper invasion of the island was so intense that the Fuhrer declared that he would never again launch a similar attack. Many families still light candles to loved ones lost six decades ago in what was a very dark passage in the history of the island. See the links above for details on the battle, the vigorous resistance, and its ultimate effect on Crete. And check out Yannis Samatas' detailed schedule of the planned parachute drops, battle re-enactments and other events.

Quick Look at May:

Mainland Weather: Warm, sometimes even hot.
Island/Coastal Weather: Terrific - pleasantly warm, light breezes.
Prices: Low/moderate
Events: Local festivals; Easter can occur in May, and does in 2002 (May 5th).
Facilities: Island hotels and restaurants all open. Boat schedules, air schedules increase.
Budget/Independent travelers: Great time to go!

Graphic by deTraci Regula. Text Copyright 2001 by deTraci Regula and About.com. All rights reserved.

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