Greek Orthodox Easter in Greece -- Experiences? Recommendations?

Early May is an excellent time to go to Greece but what you really need to do instead of asking non-specific wide-open questions is to start your research with a good Greece guidebook. Once you have some idea of what it is you want to see and where you want to go you can then ask questions that are more in line with the sort of vacation you want. Someone else's idea of the ideal trip might not be the same as yours, and so by doing some research first you can approach your plan from a position of understanding instead of from a hit-or-miss angle. Lonely Planet, Fodor's, Frommers, Rough Guide and Let's Go all have excellent books for Greece in general, and T. Cook's "Greek Island Hopping" is the best source of information for the islands.

Thanks for the advice, and I have been doing that. But this question was specifically about Greek Orthodox Easter, regardless of when it happens. I have read differing general opinions on whether to spend that holiday in a big city or a small town, on an island or on the mainland. I was hoping for some directly relevant experiences from the folks here who have spent Greek Orthodox Easter in Greece. And I really do want to hear whether they thought their experience was wonderful or horrible or ordinary.

Now that I understand more clearly, I recommend you repost on tripadvisor.com, fodors.com and lonelyplanet.com where there are contributors who live in Greece who will give you the specific answers you seek.

I have experienced Easter in Athens twice, and I found them absolutely amazing. I lived in Athens long-term because of my husbands studies, so I was able to spend a lot of time participating and experiencing the different events. During Holy Week you will find many nightly services around town (and you can find descriptions of these online), but my favorite experience was on the Friday before Easter Sunday. At this time each church decorates the bier of Christ with fresh flowers and the Greeks enter and kiss the tapestry with Christ's image. This past Easter my husband and I took a walk starting in Plaka and finished in our neighborhood (Kolonaki) visiting 10 churches along the way. You will know where to find the churches because they will be ringing their bells, so just follow the sound. I had an enjoyable time watching and taking part the festivities. Each church had been decorated differently, and the Greeks were taking photos left and right. I, of course, didn't have my camera with me. Anyway, that night we joined in two parades as the churches take the bier out to walk around the neighborhood symbolizing a funeral procession. Between the elderly locals burning incense from their balconies and the cantor chanting the prayers I think the parade was my ultimate Easter experience. I recommend checking out Moni Petraki (amazing cantors) for the parade. I have spent two Holy Saturdays at the top of Lycabettus for the midnight candle lighting service. Don't forget to purchase your candle along the way as the flame is flown to Athens from Jerusalem. From this vantage point you will be able to see the fireworks and red flares being set off throughout the city. Simply stunning. Following this service the Greeks will begin ending their fasts (I went to bed!). On Sunday we held a lamb roast...perhaps you can find a local to take to theirs! Hope this information helps. Feel free to PM me for any more information.

Thank you so much for your detailed description of Easter in Athens. It is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to get. What you describe also makes it sound like I could find as wonderful an Easter in Athens as I might find in a small village, so that's good information to have, too. Where we spend the holiday is yet TBD and I hope to hear from others about their Greek Orthodox Easters wherever they might have spent them.

I've always enjoyed Easter in Athens, so wouldn't want to disagree with Katie's suggestion. On the other hand it can also be great to be on one of the islands. We had a very memorable Easter week on Symi a few years ago. For a few days before the island echoed with the sound of bangers (a percussive firework - do you have these in the US?) and at the weekend there was a bonfire on the seafront while local school children performed traditional dances. The people from whom we were renting left us traditional biscuits to include us in their celebrations. Syros is good for fireworks. It is also the only place in the world (according to the people of Syros!) where Catholics have dispensation to celebrate Easter on the Orthodox date. There has always been a large Catholic population on Syros and the island capital, Ermopoli, has two hills one topped by an Orthodox and one by a Catholic church. Both have festivities. On both the islands the streets were freshly whitewashed and 'kalo pascha' (Happy Easter) was painted across pathways. Wherever you go I'm sure you'll have a great time. Cheers Alan

One of my favorite places, the Votsala Hotel on the island of Lesvos, has a special program planned for Easter Week this year. You can find details on their website, http://www.votsalahotel.com/. You might also check out the island of Patmos. On this tiny island, where St. John wrote the book of Revelation, they have an extensive holy week:
http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/religion/holy_week_in_patmos I've not been to either at Easter but this might at least get you started.

yasou Lo I recommend the islands although you must plan ahead and arrive early due to the amount of people traveling. It will be busy and crowded with people but you will expeirence greek easter which is the biggest holiday in greece. Free food music and so forth. I am fourtunate that my parents are from the islands and have a home to go too. I go to Astypalia for a month at a time. It is the best so welcomming humble and relaxing. great times every year i go back.

Whichever place you decide upon for the actual Easter weekend, you may wish to find out ahead of time whether there is an Easter feast that you can take part in. (I have friends who went to England for Christmas and spent the loneliest day of their lives because every Brit was off at home popping Xmas Crackers, and there was no party for tourists!). Responders here speak fondly of festivities but reading closely, they have relatives/friends to feast with. Often cafes are closed so the owners can celebrate with their families. However, if u reserve at a small family-run hotel, you can express your wish to participate in "parade" and Easter eve services, and "inquire" if there's a place where you can join in a Sunday celebration/lamb roast my guess is, you'll get an invitation from the hotelier ... or he'll at least point you in the right direction. The key thing is, ask about it beforehand.

I took a group of students and teachers to Greece next year during the Easter holiday week and we had no problems. We weren't there for Easter Sunday but did get to see the processionals outside the Athen churches on the days leading up Sunday. It's a great time to be there.
This year we will probably be in Italy during the Easter holiday.

I wanted to add a word of caution. Be sure to have all your plans and related reservations confirmed well in advance of your arrival. Hotels, Planes, Ferries, Buses and Rental Cars will all be in very high demand then. Depending on where you go accomodations can be very difficult to secure up to 2 months before Easter.