Athens is ready to welcome the holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 6pm.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas invites all to the celebration which will kickstart this year’s program of holiday festivities titled “Fairy-tale Christmas in Athens”.
Dozens of events, happenings, parties, concerts, screenings, and kids activities will be taking place around the Greek capital. A highlight this year is the dancing Christmas fountain on Omonia Square.
“It’s a Christmas fairy tale in Athens,” said Doukas, adding that the city’s neighborhoods and landmarks will be decorated with ornaments made from recycled materials and lit with colorful LED lights bringing the magic of the holidays to all “with respect for the environment”.
Celebrity hosts Nancy Zabetoglou and Thanasis Anagnostopoulos will join the mayor on Thursday for the official lighting of the Athens Christmas tree to the accompaniment of the Athens Big Band featuring singer Nefely Fasouli in Christmas favorites. Interpretation in Greek Sign Language will be available.
This year’s 20-meter Christmas tree from a nursery in Halkidiki, will go to the Athens School of Fine Arts after the holidays so it can be used as raw material for artistic wood carving projects for its students.
The municipality of Athens will be announcing the full program of events in the coming days. Meanwhile, festivities have already kicked off at the Athens Technopolis and its annual Christmas Factory and Fun Park running through Jan. 6. 2025.
Meanwhile, Athens was ranked 5th this week among the highest in demand destinations in Europe for Christmas.
Photo: Athens Technopolis
The Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Thessaloniki is scheduled to take place on Nov. 30 on Aristotelous Square on the first day of Metro operations.
And lastly, the port of Piraeus will light its own Christmas tree on Dec. 4 at 7.30 p.m. featuring a concert with Katerina Loliou.
