Carnival festivities

Greece’s Carnival season, known as “Apokries,” is a period which traditionally begins ten weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter and culminates on the weekend before “Clean Monday,” (Ash Monday) the first day of Lent. It lasts 3 weeks and it starts within February. It is time for fancy dress parties, gatherings and generally a good time before the restraints of lent. Paleochora’s carnival festivities are now an institution that involves the entire town. Years ago, a group of women took the initiative of organizing the scattered groups of friends who wanted to celebrate the carnival, and now almost 30 years later, Paleochora’s activities attract visitors from across Crete, Greece and from abroad. The parties, dancing around the maypole, the Grilled Thursday (day dedicated to eating grilled meat) and the Carnival parade that takes place in the town’s central road, for 4 entire hours give a joyous note amidst the quieter, winter months and is definitely worth your visit.