Enjoy it - travel bookings are starting to pick up for next year, part of the effect of the Olympics, and next fall may not be so crowd-free. The weather in many places looks like it will stay quite warm this month, as a trend to warmer Octobers continues.
In any year, Greece offers some good events and holidays in October. The national holiday of Ochi Day is celebrated throughout Greece on October 28th, commemorating Mextaxa's bold and unexpected refusal to allow Axis troops to cross into Greece during World War II.
OCTOBER
Holidays, Festivals, and Name Days
October - Demetria Festival in Thessaloniki
October - Larissia - Eleftheria Festival
October - third Sunday - Elos-Kissamos Chestnut Feast -
October 1st - St. Romanos the Melodist
October 1st - Gythio - Fisherman's Festival
October 3rd - St. Dionysios the Areopagite
October 6th - St. Thomas the Apostle
October 7th - Name Day for Sergios
October 8th - Lesvos - Kaloni - St. Iganatios at Limonas Monastery
October 8th - Name Day for Pelagia
October 10th - Name Day for Evlambios
October 15th - Name Day for Loukianos
October 18th - St. Luke the Evangelist; Name Day for Luke
October 20th - Name Day for Artemios; Gerassimios
October 21st - Name day for Socrates
October 23rd - St. James, the Brother of the Lord; Name Day for Jacob
October 26th - St. Demetrios the Myrrh-flowing; Name Day for Dimitrios
October 27th - St Nestor the Martyr; Name Day for Nestor
October 28th - Ochi Day - widely observed date of Metaxa's refusal to let German troops into the country.
October 30th - Name Day for Zinovia, Zenobia
Quick Look at Greece in October:
Mainland Weather: Pleasant to cool (In 2004, it's again running a little warm so far)
Island/Coastal Weather: Pleasant to cool with increasing winds.
Prices: Moderate to low
Events: Local events; watch for the parades of Ochi Day on October 28th to snarl traffic and many businesses and other facilities will close for the day.
Facilities: Some island hotels and restaurants close. Transportation schedules are cut back. Higher winds may start to make boat travel between islands difficult.
