Kolentes
Christmas Eve in Kastoria can be summed up in one fiery word: Kolentes. When night falls—formerly at the first toll of the church bell—large bonfires are lit in every neighborhood ‘to warm the newborn Christ’. Entire districts glow with flames, and the kolentes compete to see which one will rise the highest. Children run around the fires, singing and laughing, while locals and visitors exchange wishes and sweets. If you find yourself here during the winter holidays, you will share in a piece of this magic.
When: Christmas Eve, December 24
