| Daffy for Dafni | |
Have a few hours to spare during your time in Athens? Get over to Dafni, where its dramatic monastery will introduce you to the best of 11th-century Byzantine art and architecture. Never mind that it's named after a favored nymph, this time one of Apollo's, not Zeus's, and that it's built over and of the ruins of a major temple for Apollo. After a brief flourishing, the monastery was abandoned for several centuries and fell into ruins itself, until the first years of the 11th century, when an unknown benefactor restored it and endowed it with its amazing mosaics.
The somewhat grim mosaic of Christ Pantokrator forms the central roundel of the dome, flanked by images of the sixteen prophets. Mary is also represented in several places in the monastery, most dramatically in a mosaic depicting her Nativity, and one showing her Presentation.
The monastery is open from 8:30am to 2:45 pm daily; as with most attractions in Greece, these hours may vary slightly in reality.
In September and October, Dafni has in the past celebrated wine with a nighttime festival from 8pm to midnight. For a small fee visitors can taste as many wines as they like. Don't expect to try everything - there's usually at least a hundred Greek wines to choose from, and as Greek vinters are continuously improving in quality, the temptations are growing as well. This festival is very popular with Greek families, and many make an annual trip or two to the festival to introduce their children to a bit of traditional Greek culture. As Greeks leave the question of "old-enough-to-drink" to the parents, many youngsters also sample the wines.
Music and entertainment fill the evening air, which can get quite cool in the later hours. Bring a jacket and at least some of your sense of self-control. However, while not final, the latest word is that this festival may be discontinued.
More Resources:
Greek Wine Tastings.
Greece Through the Year
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Events Calendar
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