laurie_ann

We are considering a trip to Greece in spring 2014. Western Easter and Greek Easter are the same day next year, April 20. What should we expect as far as crowds and prices if we arrive Saturday April 19 and travel the two weeks after that. The first few days we would be in Athens to see the highlights and then on to the Peleponese after that. We did a similar trip to Italy 5 years ago arriving in Venice on Easter Sunday and then traveling the week after and didn't find that anything was too overwhelming for crowds or prices.

Heimdall

Hi Laurie_ann,

Clausar, an Athenian who writes on this forum, will give you a better answer, but here are my thoughts:

It will be a wonderful opportunity to experience some of the festivities of this most important holiday in Greece. Athens won't be busy over the Easter weekend, because many people will be travelling to their home villages and islands to celebrate the holiday. Expect museums and archaeological sites to be closed on Easter Sunday, and most are closed on Mondays throughout the year. The Greek cultural site http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh10.jsp shows both the Acropolis and National Archaeological Museum open on Monday in 2013.

I found this interesting website about Easter in Athens: http://www.true-athens.com/wordpress...ter-in-athens/

Since you are travelling to the Peloponnese after the Easter weekend you will be going against the flow, as people will be returning to Athens after the holiday while you are going the other way. Therefore transport shouldn't be a problem. Hotels in the Peloponnese will still be busy for a few days after Easter, with some people extending their holiday into the following week. After that it will be quiet, since the tourist season proper doesn't begin until May.

clausar

Heimdall gave you excellent advice.

There's not much left to add......

If you want to experience Easter i would suggest to arrive on Friday, and drive straight to the Peloponnese.

Athens during Easter is traditionally an empty city, but the best place to experience the Orthodox Easter is Sterea Ellas ( southern part of Mainland Greece) and the Peloponnese.

Each region of Greece has it's own traditions, but generally speaking easter in Greece is a big celebration unlike in other catholic and protestant countries.

I have a house in the mountains between Delphi and Lamia in Sterea Ellas, and i can assure you that Easter in a smaller village will be unforgettable.

There are plenty of beautiful mountainous villages on the Peloponnese with nice small hotels , not far away from Athens, where you can spend the first 2- 3 days.

Vytina, Andritsaina, Dimitsana, Trikala Korinthias, Kalavrita are some beautiful villages, all easy to reach from Athens.

Booking in advance would be necessary in that case, otherwise if you decide to spend Easter in Athens first, all these villages will be quiet 2-3 days after Easter.

You have plenty of time to explore the Peloponnese which is one of the nicest parts of Greece, full of History, unspoiled nature and beautiful villages .