February is Carnival time in Crete! These Greek celebrations are not widely known outside the country but it is a great surprise to enjoy these Cretan carnivals! The villa is well placed for some of the best in the island – Kalyves, Rethymnon, Souda. Its one of the traditions anchored in antiquity, but as so often shaped later by the Orthodox Christian faith.
Its believed to be as a worship to Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast. What a great god, and one we should especially celebrate at Panokosmos! Celebrate Dionysus the god of wine, fun and fertility at the end of winter to celebrate the Spring with a new cycle of life in nature.
Carnival, Lent and Easter
In the Orthodox tradition lent lasted for 40 days and was a time of fasting and self discipline leading up to Easter. Apokreas is the preparation for this meaning literally saying “goodbye to meat”. It lasts for 3 weeks, but really gets going at the end, with Tsiknopempti – “Meat Thursday”. This is really something, go to any of the villages or towns around the Apokoronas and you will be enticed by the smell of barbecue.
At every corner, shop or outside apartment blocks neighbours will set up charcoal grillswith sizzling chops, steaks and loukanika. Their spontaneous hospitality is overwhelming, you’ll be invited to eat, and plied with local wine and tsikoudia.
The Carnival parades
Apokreas ends with the Grand Carnival parades, where thousands of locals gather to celebrate. Most are masquerades, dressing up in a huge range of disguises.
The shops have been full of everything from masks, blow up hammers and axes, to full costumes.
In Rethymnon this year there was a cyclist with an axe thru his head!
Some of the Participants!
There are pirates, and soldiers, Mexicans and knights in armour, wild animals?
Old and young participate and the streets are packed with locals enjoying the spectacle.
The parade of floats have everything, so much energy and creativity, not to mention support of local businesses and organisations. Before the parade, many floats are set out in the streets, Rethymnon is the place to see.
In 2020 snow boarders leapt, castles kept watch, electronic cats smirked.
A monk – with a nod to Belgium perhaps – plied ale.
A fearsome judge laid down the law.
Strawberries jay walked!
Learn how to enjoy yourselves – from the Cretans!
Its one of the great aptitudes of the Greeks, and particularly the Cretans, to know how to enjoy themselves.
For so many years, thru the financial crisis and in the hard times afterwards, the Cretans still got out and danced, and sang.
The panayias – the summer festivals – were still crowded and they took every opportunity to enjoy life.
In the Apokoronas there are great carnivals in Souda, Kalyves and Kissamos, as well as the king of Cretan karnivali at Rethymnon.
More about living in Crete
There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites. Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.
The Villa
This Dream Villa And if you would like to live in a place where you can see these, here is just the place. This is a dream villa which we designed and built 10 years ago and now reluctantly are ready to sell and move on. Its in the Apokoronas, in the west of the island, 35min drive from Chania, 50min from the international airport.