Christmas in Athens: Syntagma Tree, Markets, Shop Hours and Customs
When the lights go on, where the city sets up its festive events, how shop hours change in December and the Greek customs you will notice on your street.
The Christmas season in Athens begins when the City of Athens lights the large tree in Syntagma Square, usually on a weekday evening in late November or the first days of December. Festive events, markets and decorated streets then run until Epiphany on 6 January. On 25 and 26 December, both public holidays, most shops and offices close.
The City of Athens publishes each year’s programme a few weeks before the lighting, and dates and venues change from year to year. As of mid-November 2026 the full 2026 programme had not been confirmed, so treat the details below as the usual pattern and check the City of Athens website for this year’s dates.
When is the Syntagma Square tree lit?
In recent years the lighting has taken place on a Thursday evening at the end of November, with a free concert and a countdown in the square in front of Parliament. It draws large crowds, and roads around Syntagma close for the evening. The tree stays lit every night until early January.
Syntagma metro station, served by Lines 2 and 3, is the easiest way to get there. Expect packed trains from about an hour before the start time.
Where are the Christmas markets and festive events?
Athens does not have a single central Christmas market on the scale of Vienna or Prague. The city’s programme is spread across several places, typically including:
- Syntagma Square: the tree, decorations, small stalls and weekend concerts and children’s activities.
- Neighbourhood squares: the municipality runs events and decorations in local squares across its districts, not only in the centre.
- Technopolis in Gazi: the former gasworks often hosts a large family Christmas event run by a corporate sponsor, usually from early December to early January, with free or low-cost entry.
- Kotzia Square and the City Hall area: the starting point for some city events, such as the annual Santa Run in December.
Shopping centres and the stretch around Ermou Street also set up their own decorations. For events across the wider region, the city’s tourism site This is Athens lists seasonal programmes.
What are shop hours on Ermou Street in December?
Shops in central Athens move to extended festive hours from mid-December. In past years the holiday schedule has included:
- longer opening on weekdays and Saturdays, often until about 21:00 for shops in the centre;
- shops open on the two Sundays before Christmas, usually from about 11:00 to 18:00;
- early closing on 24 and 31 December, often around 18:00;
- closed on 25 and 26 December and on 1 January.
The exact festive schedule is announced each year by the commerce associations of Athens and Piraeus, usually in late November. Supermarkets follow a similar pattern but with their own times. Our guide to shop opening hours in Athens covers the rules for the rest of the year.
What is open on 24, 25 and 26 December?
| Date (2026) | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 24 December | Working day | Shops and supermarkets open with early closing; banks open with normal hours unless announced otherwise |
| Friday 25 December | Public holiday | Shops, banks and offices closed; many restaurants open with set menus; pharmacies on the duty rota only |
| Saturday 26 December | Public holiday (Synaxis of the Theotokos) | Shops closed; cafes, restaurants and cinemas open |
Archaeological sites, including the Acropolis, are closed on 25 and 26 December. Public transport runs on holiday timetables. Pharmacies open on holidays only by rota, and our page on finding a pharmacy on duty in Athens explains how to find one.
Which Greek Christmas customs will you notice?
Kalanta (carols). On the morning of 24 December, children go door to door and into shops singing kalanta, usually with a small metal triangle. People give them coins or small notes. The same happens on 31 December and again on 5 January with different songs.
The Christmas boat. Many Greeks decorate a model boat (karavaki) as well as, or instead of, a tree. It is an older custom linked to Greece’s seafaring life, and the city often places a lit boat in a central square.
Melomakarona and kourabiedes. Bakeries fill with melomakarona, honey and walnut biscuits soaked in syrup, and kourabiedes, butter and almond biscuits covered in powdered sugar. They appear from November.
Christmas Day lunch. Families gather for a large meal, often roast pork or turkey. Fasting for 40 days before Christmas is still kept by some families, which is why some tavernas offer fasting dishes in December.
Kallikantzaroi. Folklore says mischievous goblins appear in the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany. You will see them in children’s books and decorations rather than in daily life.
What should you check for this year’s programme?
- The City of Athens website and social media for the tree lighting date and the full events calendar.
- STASY and OASA announcements for changed hours on the lighting evening and over the holidays.
- The commerce associations’ festive shop hours, usually published in late November.
- Venue sites for ticketed events such as concerts at the Megaron or the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
Bottom line
Go to Syntagma on a weekday evening after the lighting night if you want to see the decorations without the crowds. Do your food shopping by the morning of 24 December, because queues build in the afternoon and shops close early.
FAQ
Is 24 December a public holiday in Greece?
No. Christmas Eve is a normal working day, though many offices let staff leave early and shops close earlier than usual.
Are restaurants open on Christmas Day in Athens?
Many are, especially in the centre and in hotels, often with a set holiday menu. Book ahead, because Greek families also eat out on the holidays.
Do Greeks give presents on Christmas or on New Year’s Day?
Traditionally, presents came on 1 January with Agios Vasilis (St Basil). Many families now exchange gifts at Christmas too.
When are decorations taken down?
Most public decorations stay up until after Epiphany on 6 January.
