Santorini festival tours
Santorini tours is the best way to learn all about Santorini island and its culture!
In Santorini, as in many other Aegean islands, the religious feeling is intense – as evidenced by the dozens of churches and chapels that decorate the villages and the countryside. An additional reason specifically for the inhabitants of Santorini was the fact that they lived for centuries in the fear of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and the only refuge for protection was Christ, the Virgin and the Saints.
Santorini festivals preparations
The feast is organized when a Saint is celebrated in the church and in the festive hall. In the past years it was an important event, since people did not have another chance to have fun, they enjoyed the celebration, they were gathered as friends and had a good time. That is why many festivals took place during the year.
The church is prepared one or two days before the feast of the saint. If it is parochial, the village’s women will undertake the preparation, while if they are private, the owners of the village.
After cleaning the church follows the emblem of the pictures of the flowers of the time, before the evening mass, and significant flag decoration, with large and small colorful flags.
In some villages, the road leading to the church is decorated with rosemary branches. When the church, which celebrates is public, money is collected from all the villagers for the expenses of the “festival”, while when it is private, the expenses are borne entirely by the owners.
Nowadays the feast is celebrated on the day of the feast of the saint after the holy mass. In the “fiesta”, which is next to the church, the preparation of the “fair” is made, which is what is offered to the pilgrims.
Men cook in classic cauldrons, beans, capers and serve them in the world. “Panigiris” includes other times cod, Santorini tomato bite, bread, cheese, tomatoes. Necessary is the wine that flows abundantly. During previous years, the instrumentalists went with violins, laughs, jabs and played, while many danced and sang. The feast continued throughout the night.
Santorini major festivals
- In the days of the great religious feasts such as Panagia Myrtidiotissa in Kamari, Panagia Placansi in Oia, the Cross in Perissa, on August 15 in various villages and the monastery of Prophet Elias, there are celebrations with food, music, plenty of wine, local dances.
- One of the biggest festivals on the island is celebrated on the 15th of August in Panagia Episkopi. On the eve begins the process of cooking beans and traditional fava in large cauldrons.
- The feast of St. Matron. Read more in Finikia.
- The Feast of the Savior in Pyrgos: According to the custom, the young people of the village on the eve of the Savior’s Day steal from the courtyards of the girls flower pots with basilicas and decorate with them the dome of the temple.
- The most important feast is that of the Assumption of the Virgin on August 15 in Kera. Feasts are also held on June 24, St. John’s in Manolas, on May 5th of Agia Irini in Riva, on May 21, the patron saint of Chora (Manola) of Agios Konstantinos, on July 20th, Prophet Elijah in Kera, on September 21, Virgin Mary of Giatrisa in the River, on the 21st of November, the Virgin of Ezodi, in Agrilia.
The festive pavilion is an area fully equipped with benches, tables, utensils, etc. In small churches where the festive houses are small, people sit on the patios of the courtyard. After the holy mass, the priest shares the bread and follows the walk around of the image of the saint. Then the feast begins.
Santorini tours booking:
- Santorini full day private tour
- Santorini sightseeing private tour
- Santorini exclusive shore private tour
- Santorini impressive Caldera private tour
- Santorini south part private tour
- Santorini north part private tour
- Santorini sunset private tour
- Santorini history private tour
We also offer you Santorini private transfers!
