Greece in April – Your Ideal Destinations For Each Month Of Greece

The month of April in Greece usually brings with it, better weather, sweet-smelling blossoms and the holy time of Easter, the most important Christian holiday in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Approximately forty days before Easter Sunday, the period knowns as Lent begins.

The week leading to Easter Sunday, Holy Week, is also signified by daily church going, sorrowful lamenting hymns and family preparations.

Apart from the duties of the religious, (attending mass, praying and fasting), there are things to be prepared in the kitchen and in the town in general.

Greece in April – Chios Island

Chios is a small island located high in the northern end of the Aegean, peculiarly shaped and known for its masterful shipmen, its luxurious products and the cultivation of mastiha.

Visitors travelling to Chios year around can prepare to be enchanted by its traditionally decorated villages, its refreshing waters and mountainous terrain.

April Events and Things To Do

In April, however, visitors have something more to look forward to. Thousands of local variety wild tulips, spring up and spread their luscious colours on the meadows. The blooms only last for a few days so it is worth keeping a close eye on what the experts say and arriving early so as not to miss them.

Easter Rocket Wars

The main event in the island though occurs during Easter time, when on the night before Easter Sunday, two competing churches in Vrontados village, Agios Markos and Panagia Erithiani, launch hundreds of rockets as soon as the church bells ring.

This one-night event is awaited with anticipation all year around and countless people are involved in the making of the rockets. The origin of this rivalry is a bit unclear, the tradition of launching rockets and fireworks at the midnight hour though is fairly common around Greece.

Even some of the smallest villages and churches prepare a few fireworks to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. In addition to the fireworks, which are not always a favourite, attending the midnight mass can also be a unique opportunity to witness other Greek customs of Easter.

People attending bring bright red coloured hard boiled eggs, which they hit against each other, competing on which one will crack first. The inevitable egg cracking is accompanied by a certain statement/blessing, “Christ has risen”, “Truly, He is risen”.

You might also witness the receiving of the holy light. The priest slowly exits the altar, holding a thick candle bearing the flame, which then is passed down to the members of the congregation, all holding small candles.

After mass has ended, people slowly make their way home, being careful to retain the flame in their candle. Upon reaching their house, the flame is then turned upwards, to the door frame entrance and the sign of a cross is burned at the top with the flame, protecting and blessing the home for the year to come.

You can watch this short video by Benjamin Lin. From preparation to execution, this is an event that draws thousands of spectators every year. Beautiful to watch but equally dangerous.

Average Weather Temperatures in Greece in April

The weather in April has started to get warmer, but light jackets may be needed for those that are used to much warmer temperatures. The days are mostly sunny and there is only an average of 6 days of rainfall throughout the month.