Santorini Dominates Greek Travel Survey

Oia, Santorini (Courtesy of The Tiny Book).

The Spring tourist season is well underway and a new survey reveals that visitor-favorite Santorini is in as much demand as ever.

Travel firm Trivago has released new research showing that out of visitors’ top ten Greek destinations, five are on the romantic island alone.

Trivago’s data, coupled with internet searches from the first week of March, showed Athens was also in the top ten, with people seeking to spend an average of €109 ($133) in a four-day trip in the Greek capital.

On Santorini, potential tourists also searched for stays in Fira and Oia.

Mykonos – also known as a party destination – was also in the top ten list as was Imerovigli and Rhodes town.

On the mainland, as well as Athens, Thessaloniki was a draw for foreign tourists seeking to stay on average for 4.2 nights at €97 euros.

Among European visitors, Brits, Germans, Italians and French were the most numerous customers.

The data show Greek people continued to favor traditional destinations, spending on average €86 a night.

Among the top choices were Athens, Thessaloniki and Nafplio. Among the islands Corfu remained a popular Easter destination.

Earlier this year, German media reported Greece has been experiencing a tourism boom for successive years, with one record year for tourist arrivals succeeding another.

Suddeutsche Zeitung noted that 24 million tourists visited Greece in the first 10 months of 2016, while the figure for the “small country that is constantly teetering on the brink” in 2018 was forecast to reach 30 million.

Modern Critics Slam ‘Inhumane’ Greek Easter Lamb Feast

Painting by Josefa de Ayala – The Sacrificial Lamb

For Greeks, the roasted lamb, slowly cooking on the spit on Easter Sunday, is not only a mouth-watering delicacy but it also part of a centuries-old tradition.

The event brings together family and friends outdoors, and gives all the opportunity to drink, sing and dance, culminating in the ultimate feast – the classic lamb on the spit, which has much symbolism in the Greek world.

However, in recent years many Greeks have criticized the tradition, claiming that it is barbaric.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of lambs are butchered throughout the country. In many cases and especially in villages the slaughter takes place in the open, often in front of children. Humane procedures are not always followed.

Origins

The origin of eating lamb on Easter comes from the Jewish Passover and is associated with the exodus from Egypt.

Before the Jews set out on the great exodus, God, through Moses, told them to gather in small groups and each family to sacrifice a lamb.

With the animal’s blood they were to paint their doorposts so they were not exterminated by an angel of God, who on that night would bring pestilence to the firstborn of each family who did not mark the entrance to their house with the lamb’s blood.

That night, each family offered as a sacrifice to God a lamb for the salvation of all people. They ate the lamb, without breaking its bones, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. With the lamb’s blood, they stained their doors.

Later, Christians adopted the sacrificial lamb as John the Baptist likened Jesus Christ to the lamb of God who will take the brunt of the sins of the world with his sacrifice.

Criticism

The “barbaric custom” of roasting a lamb on the spit at Easter should stop, famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis has recently said.

Speaking out against animal abuse he wrote: “Easter is coming again. The days of the massacre of innocent animals are approaching for the sake of a barbaric [feast] that ought to have vanished long ago.”

In recent years, animal welfare groups are staging protests in Athens and other Greek cities against the tradition.

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Top Reasons to Visit Greece During Spring

Flowers in Santorini (Source Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons – Maria Michelle).

If you are fortunate enough to visit Greece during Spring, many of the most popular parts of the country such as the islands of the Aegean and the Ionian, the Peloponnese, and even the island of Crete, will be a relaxing oasis of beautiful landscapes with no crowds to spoil your stay.

The main reason to choose Greece for a holiday during Spring is that it is a rather warm period, offering visitors the most idyllic conditions to enjoy sunbathing or even a dive or two.

The landscape during Spring in Greece(Source Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons).

Spring will also be the best season to enjoy a rather exclusive use of some of Greece’s best beaches. It will also be possible to visit different archaeological sites without the burden of the hot midsummer temperatures, museums, and less busy souvenir shopping.

Walking around colorful alleys turns into a pleasant experience thanks to flowers and bushes blooming everywhere. While dining in preferred restaurants will imply no rush and pleasing small talk with locals.

Mainland Greece (Source Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons – Dana Tentis).

Compared to the harsh Summer landscape, the Cycladic islands, as well as the islands of the Dodecanese, turn into a greenish tapestry dotted with herbs and wildflowers. On Crete, hiking season sets in.

Spring is also a good season for those interested in river sports. Several local mountaineering clubs organize kayaking, rafting, and other activities.

Rhodes during SpringLandscape during Spring in Greece (Source Pixabay CC0 Creative Commons).

The best regions on mainland Greece for river sports are Arcadia in the Peloponnese and Zagoria in Epirus. Exploring the unique landscapes of Pelion is also among the most favorite activities of the season.