Top festivals in the Greek islands

If you are coming to the Greek islands in summer, you will probably find many festivals and religious holidays taking place locally. This is a great chance for visitors to get a deep insight of the Greek culture. Although religious holidays, such as the Easter ceremonies, are very important for every location, in this section we shall present some top festivals in the Greek islands. Festivals in Santorini, Mykonos and Naxos, some of the most famous islands you can access by ferry are featured in this article.

# Ifestia Festival in Santorini

Ifestia Festival, also known as the Volcano Festival, is an impressive celebration on the island of Santorini. It usually takes place on the last weekend of August and is dedicated to the famous volcanic eruption of Thira that took place around 1,500 BC. The festival peaks with a fantastic fireworks show over the caldera.

# Aegina Fistiki Festival

Although Aegina Fistiki Festival is relatively new (first started in 2008), it has grown quickly and has now become one of the top festivals in the Greek islands. This festival is centered around the traditional peanut of Aegina (called fistiki in Greek). It aims to present this product and its connection with the local culture.

Apart from the large trade fair at the port of Aegina Town, with fistiki products from local companies and workshops, there are many parallel events all over the island: from cooking courses using fistiki as a main ingredient to narrations of local myths, musical concerts, theatrical performances, sightseeing tours and more.

# Medieval Rose Festival in Rhodes

The Medieval Rose Festival is a true celebration of the Medieval history of Rhodes. It usually takes place in June and includes events like a Medieval parade in Rhodes Old Town, all dressed with traditional Medieval costumes, narrations of fairytales in old castles and more.

# Naxos Festival

Naxos Festival was founded in 2001 and takes place in Bazeos Tower, in the centre of Naxos island. The main events of the festival usually take place from early July to early September, although some exhibitions may start from as early as May. The festival includes musical concerts, lectures, narrations, theatre performances, art and photo exhibitions and more.

# Syros International Film Festival

Syros International Film Festival was founded in 2013 but has managed to grow quickly. Today it is one of the most important festivals in Cyclades. It takes place every July and hosts international films in many cinemas of Syros island as well as cinema master classes by famous directors and script writers.

There are many available island connections with the ferry to enhance the experience of summer holidays!

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