Easter in the Ionian Islands is a real explosion of sounds and colours. Did you know that on the morning of Holy Saturday the bells ring for the "First Resurrection" and red terracotta pots are thrown from the balconies, filled with water to make them even noisier?

The Easter holidays are an excellent opportunity to introduce your children to Greek traditions. Candles to decorate, eggs to dye red, biscuits to bake together, palm leaves to weave... There are so many activities to do as a family to get to know your next holiday destination better!

Have you ever wondered why kites fly on Clean Monday? And what does Kyra Sarakosti, a typical Orthodox Lent biscuit, represent?

With the Καθαρά Δευτέρα the Carnival ends and a long period of fasting begins. This path of preparation to Easter Sunday is rich in meaning and deeply felt, an opportunity for reflection and change.

Kathari Deftera, or "Clean Monday", is one of the most important holidays in the Greek liturgical calendar and certainly one of our favourites. Growing up in a Catholic country and accustomed to a definitely gloomier and more introspective beginning of Lent, we could not be anything but (pleasantly) surprised by a celebration of reconciliation, regeneration and raising of the spirit characterised instead by outdoor excursions, flights of kites and good shared food.