New Year's in Athens, Greece

New Year's Eve in Athens, Greece 2009

The Municipality of Athens is expected to mark the change of the year with some fun and ceremony this December 31st, New Year's Eve. It may be cut back from 2008, when riots interrupted the festivities and damaged the holiday decorations, but most Athenians expect the traditions to carry on.

Many of the Christmas themes will continue through January 7th, the day after Epiphany, though the child-focused ones will close earlier in the evenings.

Syntagma Square has been the site of a Christmas-themed village for a number of years, and 2009 is likely to once again see the square transformed into a magical winter wonderland.

At the nearby Zappeion Gardens, we might see a return of the ice rink, or the giant snow slide which cheered up another year.

New Year's Concerts

Free concerts are usually scheduled at Syntagma Square, Kotzia Square on Athinas Street where the Athens City Hall is located, and Klafthmonos Square.

Fireworks in Athens

It will be hard to avoid seeing the fireworks, which will go off at midnight at Syntagma Square, Kotzia Square, and Klafthmonos Square, with additional fireworks launched from Lycabettus Hill.

Hotel Events in Athens

Many hotels have parties and special events planned for New Year's Eve, and every rooftop bar with a view to the fireworks will be jammed.

While almost every hotel with the necessary facilties will be offering something, the 5-star hotels dominate this event and many of them have been sold out.

The King George Hotel will probably be offering a New Year's Gala in their ballroom. Other events are likely to be planned at the Divani Caravel, the Athenian Callirhoe, and the Park Hotel.

At the Athenaeum Hotel Intercontinental, there is usually a special New Year's Eve buffet,, and a prix-fixe dinner for 250 Euro per person at the Premiere restaurant located on the roof. This venue will give an excellent view of the fireworks over the Acropolis.

Take a look at previous celebrations for Christmas and New Year's Eve here: Christmas & New Year's Eve in Athens Photo Gallery

Other New Year's Eve Celebrations in Greece

The Kalavrita Ski Resort in the Peloponnese Peninsula offers an annual New Year's Eve party at the Helmos Ski Lodge parking lot. Information in English usually appears in December.

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