Another significant long weekend is approaching, providing a boost to tourist activity well before the official start of the tourism season. The events organized for the celebration of Carnival and Clean Monday serve as a magnet for many destinations, with some, however, consistently remaining top choices for years, such as Patras.

Popular destinations for the Clean Monday weekend include Xanthi, Naoussa, Skyros, Rethymno, Tyrnavos, Kozani, as well as Kastoria, Syros, Ioannina, Thebes, and Galaxidi, as mentioned by Lysandros Tsilidis, President of the Federation of Greek Tourist and Travel Agencies, speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

“During this period, we generally see activity in Thessaly, Pelion, Trikala, and Kastoria. However, due to the Carnival events, people will head to destinations that have events during the long weekend, and the traffic is expected to be similar to last year’s levels. Regarding foreign travel, the preferred destinations for trips during this time are Brazil and Venice, where the Carnival is traditionally held,” Tsilidis notes.

Since Christmas, demand for the Carnival events in Patras has been high, and as every year, thousands of visitors are expected in the city, according to Dimitris Diamantopoulos, President of the Association of Hoteliers of Achaia. Accommodations are filling up, not only in the city but also in the surrounding areas, with many visitors flocking to the region.

Hotels in Thrace (Komotini, Alexandroupolis, and Xanthi) are also operating at very high occupancy rates due to the Xanthi Carnival and its major parade and events held every year, as noted by Apostolos Palakidis, President of the Association of Hoteliers of Thrace. Alexandroupolis remains a steady attraction for Turkish tourists, and the number of visitors from Turkey is expected to rise due to the long weekend. There is also an increase in visitors from Bulgaria to the area.

This year, Naoussa is experiencing high demand, with visitors staying throughout the region, reaching as far as Edessa and Katerini, as noted by Naoussa’s mayor, Nikos Koutsogiannis. “We have bookings from last year for this long weekend,” says the mayor, explaining that Naoussa’s Carnival and the well-known custom of the “Genitsaroi and Boulas” have a significant appeal, while the favorable weather for skiing has contributed to tourism in general this winter.

Rethymno remains a popular destination for the Clean Monday long weekend, especially for locals from Crete. Every year, the events attract visitors from nearby areas, Athens, and other parts of Greece, as well as some loyal international visitors from the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, according to Manolis Tsakalakis, President of the Rethymno Hoteliers’ Association. In fact, until the opening of the season, expected in early April, there are approximately 2,000 available beds in the city’s hotels.