Staying in Athens over the Easter period instead of escaping to a village or island in Greece or somewhere abroad doesn’t have to equate to having an unexciting Easter.
On the contrary, you’ll be “spared” of having to be involved in all the usual agitation that goes hand in hand with such festivities – from cooking elaborate traditional feasts for hungry friends and relatives (and then cleaning up after them!) to circulating in places packed with tourists. Less busy because of the Easter exodus and with numerous wonderful places to visit, from gardens to churches to music venues and restaurants, Athens is a wonderful place to be at this time of year. Here follow our top suggestions for a relaxing, joyful and enriching Easter in town.
Walks
If you’re staying in Athens for Easter but want to enjoy the beauty of spring, take a walk in the city’s lovely parks. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, with its fragrant Mediterranean garden, is an excellent choice not only for walking but also for cycling. More centrally, the National Garden is a popular spot for a refreshing stroll immersed in greenery, and if you have children, they can see the ducks and swans and the small pond filled with turtles, and play in the playground. The Diomidis Botanical Garden is another excellent place to enjoy a plethora of flowers and plants as you walk.
At this time of year, Pedio tou Areos Park is a great place for walking and jogging, as well as shopping for seasonal gifts. Until 17 April, the park is home to the Easter Village, where you will find “lambades” candles, other Easter-themed décor items, books and much more. Other delightful places to explore and enjoy the spring vibes in are Philopappou and Pnyx Hills, from where you can drink up amazing views of the Acropolis and Lycabettus, as well as the Tatoi Estate, the former summer home of the Greek Royal Family, and in Mt Parnitha, where you can go climbing, mountain biking, hiking and jogging.
Music Events
On Holy Monday, the Athens Concert Hall will present the Easter concert “The Lament’s Myrrh”. Giorgos Kotsinis, along with a group of acclaimed Greek musicians, present the evolution from mournful sighs to women’s laments for the dead, a special concert based on folk tradition. The same venue will also host music performances of works by works by composers Sergei Rachmaninov, Gyorgy Deak-Bardos, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gabriel Faure.
For ballet lovers, on 8 and 10 April the Megaron will host Ballet Preljocaj Swan Lake in a modern version of the classic that transports the story of the princess to contemporary society and focuses on the issues that plague it.
Epitaph Procession & Resurrection Service
The candlelit procession of the epitaph is one of the most solemn and poignant ceremonies of the Holy Week, and in Athens, there are many churches where you can attend an atmospheric and highly religious procession. The one at the Sacred Monastery of Kaisariani stands out, as they hold the epitaph procession at noon and decorate the epitaph on the same morning, so if you have time, go earlier to see the decoration process.
Other equally good options are to be found at Agios Dimitrios Loubardiaris in Thissio, in a lush green environment, Kapnikarea on Ermou Street, the Metochi Panagio Tafou in Plaka, and Agios Nikolaos Rigillis, where the procession passes by the 1st Athens Fire Station with the fire department saluting the epitaph, and by the Presidential Guard (Evzones) on Irodou Attikou Street. Beloved churches are also Agia Eirini on Aiolou Street with its excellent interior decoration and Agios Georgios in Karytsi Square. Note that the Athens Philharmonic usually accompanies the epitaph at the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary on Mitropoleos street..
If you want to attend in the “Anastasi” Resurrection Service on Holy Saturday, Agios Georgios (St. George) on Lycabettus Hill is an ideal choice as it includes a stunning view of Athens (you can reach it with the cable car on Aristippou street), as is Agia Foteini Ilisou near the Temple of Olympian Zeus, where the atmosphere is particularly solemn. Similarly, Agia Aikaterini, an 11th-century church in Plaka, is a great option.
The Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, where a large crowd gathers, is also a good choice, as is Agios Dionysios in Kolonaki and the Petraki Monastery (also in Kolonaki), where the main temple dates back to the 10th century. For a particularly scenic and tranquil experience, go to the Holy Church of Saint Sophia on Dyonissiou Aeropagitou Street, right under the Acropolis.
Sweet Easter with Tsoureki (Easter bread)
Just as we search for the best kourabiedes and melomakarona cookies every Christmas, we go on a quest for the fluffiest and tastiest tsoureki during Easter. Some of the most well-known shops are Asimakopoulos (Charilaou Trikoupi 85), which has been there since 1915. At Baklavas in Syntagma (Nikis 10), among their amazing baklava, you will also find superb tsoureki.
At Sweet Alchemies on (Irodotou 24) in Kolonaki, Stelios Parliaros knows about fluffy tsoureki. At the pastry shop of Dimitris Economides in Neo Psychiko, (Kifissias Ave. 340), tsoureki with mastic stars, as it does at Remoundos in Kypseli (Kypselis 237). At Maxim in Nea Smyrni, (Tsakiroglou 23), the tsoureki is particularly fragrant.
Ouzo or Tsipouro
During Holy Week, a week dominated by solemn church services and fasting can be brightened up with a few sips of ouzo or tsipouro accompanied by a fasting-friendly meze. So gather your friends and grab a table at Triantafyllo tis Nostimias on Lekka Street for superb seafood meze, at Ouzeri tou Laki in Victoria Square for its delicious seafood pasta, at Lesvos on Emmanouil Benaki Street in Exarcheia for island flavours, or in the beautiful garden of Ama Laxei on Kallidromiou Street for modern and creative meze.
Tis Theatrou to Steki, located in Theatrou Square in Psyrri, is perfect for a post-shopping trip at the Varvakeios Market, offering authentic tsipouro meze dishes. In Kolonaki, Dexameni is a popular choice, while Ouzeri by Papaioannou on Valaoritou Street offers good meze in a more cosmopolitan atmosphere.
As for the Easter table, you don’t necessarily have to take care of it yourself; there are many options for dining out with all the appropriate dishes. Expect grilled lamb, kokoretsi, pies, and red eggs. Here are some suggestions:
Where to Eat
The following tavernas offer traditional Easter dishes and an atmosphere for you to enjoy a memorable Easter meal. Make sure to book well in advance.
The Margi Hotel celebrates Easter at its farm in Kalyvia Thorikou, and on Easter Sunday, a buffet awaits you with all the festive treats (Phone: +30 210 967 0924).
Mourozis in Kalyvia (Phone: +30 22990 48371) has been serving traditional home-cooked dishes and meat specialities since 1920.
Kollia, also in Kalyvia (Phone: +30 22990 48242) also has a good reputation for well-cooked meat (and at Easter, especially lamb).
Kakia (Phone: +30 210 241 1734) and Mitro (Phone: +30 210 241 1352) in Charia, near the Karaiskaki coastal avenue serve up delicious traditional fare by the sea.
For a cosy and familial atmosphere and well-prepared Easter dishes go to Vlachika in Vari (Phone: +30 210 895 6141), or visit equally popular Barba-Haralabos (Phone: +30 210 895 2044) nearby.
In verdant Stamata, known for its meat tavernas, book at Pipinios (Phone: +30 210 621 6250).
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