The Sunday Getaway - 04 02 2024 - Change of Season

Saturday evening and as I’m ready to file in this week’s instalment, I naturally think of the last few days' dos. A new month has kicked in and despite the somewhat inaccurate weather forecast doom across Greece, the first sunny winter days are finally here.

Legend has it every January (or so), Aeolus, father of Alcyone, calms down the winds and the waves so that Alcyone, in the form of a kingfisher bird, can safely make her nest on the beach and lay her eggs. And so around τηισ time, the weather in Greece is marked by unusually high temperatures, sunny skies and glorious days.

And as I’m walking west in Exarhia to meet a friend for drinks, the sunrays of the late afternoon sun hit my face. Something that reminds me of the summer daze that will surely come sooner than we’d like to think. But you see Greece is not just about summer. Questions from so many travelers and friends come plenty, all of which think that Greece is this exotic place where we live and breathe summer all year long. Thankfully, one can still witness all four seasons of the year with a bit of luck.

Thursday morning and as we touch down in Sifnos, the terrain around Kastro is much different than that during August. The fields on the steep slopes amidst the nearly tucked xerolithies have all turned green in anticipation of spring which is just around the corner. But the wind blows high in a bitter cold setting, marking the first day of February. Luckily, the meet and greet with some locals is warm enough and also includes a hot cup of mountain tea. “Lately, it’s only a couple of months around January and February when tourism inflows almost come to a halt” says an old man and ex mayor who has been holding his spot on the island for the past few decades. He knows a thing or two about who visits Sifnos and it’s a delight to hear travelers make it here even during springtime.

So there you go, you can now start dreaming of catching all this action firsthand by visiting Greece this Easter. The perfect occasion, amidst a myriad others, for witnessing how life unfolds in this Mediterranean outpost we call home.?

Travel On.

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