A lot of people associate visiting Greece with summertime or at least spring. Greece, however, can be a lot of fun in winter, especially if you manage to go during the period of Christmas.
Visiting Greece at Christmas comes with a lot of perks.
Fewer tourists. First of all, you can avoid the frenzy of the summer months when Greece welcomes millions of people from all over the world. Of course there are still tourists in winter which keeps shops, museums and places of interest even in smaller towns and islands open, but it is a lot more manageable than in summer. Visiting Greece in winter can give you the chance to do things that you would not think of doing in summer, like visiting the excellent Planetarium of Athens of Thessaloniki and catching one of the amazing shows that are on display especially during Christmas.
Great weather. Sure a lot of people visit Greece in the summer and they love the warm weather if they are on a beautiful beach. But if you are visiting to experience Greek history, culture, visit museums and ancient sites the summer weather can be a nightmare since it might be too hot for many of you. If you spend Christmas in Greece, though, you most likely won’t see a white Christmas, unless you find a snowed-in village on some mountain. The weather in Greece in December is usually lovely and mild and Christmas day is often one of the sunniest days in winter. This will give you the chance to enjoy walks, drinks, food, and cultural visits in lovely weather.
Nightlife. Regardless of taste, nightlife in Greece in winter is just so much better than summer. There are more bars, restaurants, even theaters you can choose from. Everything is a lot less touristic and much more … authentically Greek. And if you love Greek bouzoukia, the night clubs with live Greek music, you will simply find some of the best choices during winter even on Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Year’s even and New Year’s day. They just never close!
Amazing ski resorts. Yes fine Greece is known for its summer and the majestic summer destinations that it has to offer. However, the beauty of this country does not stop at its islands. There are amazing winter destinations that can offer you some of your most memorable Christmas holidays ever. Just to give you an idea, Greece has over 17 ski resorts around the country, a huge number for a country this size! You can read more about your winter destination options in Greece here.
Greek family. The greatest advantage, though, of visiting Greece for Christmas is if you are visiting friends and family here. Family is always important for Greeks but during Christmas it just gets even more so. Family gatherings, huge tables with endless Greek food made with love by your favorite Greek yiayia. It just does not get better than this.