Spending Easter in Chania?

 Whether you're here for the festivities, the spring weather, or just a relaxing getaway, Easter in Crete offers a unique atmosphere. From solemn traditions to scenic escapes and great food, here’s a detailed guide on what you need to know.
✔️ Important Dates & Weather
✔️ Cultural & Religious Traditions
✔️ Activities & a 3-Day Plan
✔️ Food During Easter
✔️ The Religious Calendar of Holy Week

While Easter is a deeply religious occasion, it is also a wonderful opportunity to experience Chania's beauty and traditions. The city's Venetian Harbor, with its iconic lighthouse and charming waterfront cafés, is a must-visit. Strolling through the Old Town’s narrow alleys, lined with historic buildings and vibrant shops, offers a glimpse into the city's rich past. April, being a shoulder season, provides mild weather and fewer crowds, making it one of the best times to explore Chania at a relaxed pace.

The Easter Calendar

In 2025, Orthodox Easter falls at the end of April, with Easter Sunday on April 20.
Great Week begins on Monday 14st April (Great Monday), leading up to the most significant celebration in the Orthodox Christian calendar.

Spring Weather in Chania
Late April in Chania brings mild and pleasant spring weather, with an average temperature of 16°C, ranging from lows of 11°C to highs of 20°C. Rainfall becomes increasingly rare, while sunset at 8:02 PM provides a generous 14-hour daylight window for exploration.

With these inviting conditions, would you dare to take a refreshing dip in the sea?

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Easter Traditions & Customs in Chania

Βάια

Incense burner

Palm Crosses and Bay Leaves – Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, churches distribute palm crosses or bay leaves, symbolizing Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. These blessed leaves are often kept at home and can be spotted in local houses, decorating icons or doorways as a sign of protection.
-->Keep an eye out for them as you stroll past open doors in the Old Town! Photo credit

Superstition of Nails, Hammers, and Needles – Great Thursday
According to tradition, on Great Thursday, using a nail, hammer, or needle to fix or sew anything is considered a sin, as it recalls Christ’s Crucifixion. This belief is particularly strong among blacksmiths and related trades, who close their workshops out of reverence for the solemn occasion.
-->Make sure to sew your shirts before packing!
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Incensing at Remote Churches – Great Friday
On Great Friday, elderly women visit remote chapels  in the countryside to incense them, preserving an ancient tradition of mourning and respect.
-->You can follow this tradition too by lighting a candle and burning incense, a blend of resins and aromatic herbs, at a chapel of your choice. The fragrant smoke symbolizes prayers rising to heaven.

​Epitaphios Procession – Great Friday
One of the most visually striking Holy Week customs is the Epitaphios procession. Young women decorate the Epitaphios (Christ’s tomb) with fresh seasonal flowers. By evening, it is carried through the streets, accompanied by candles, solemn hymns like "I Zoi en Tafo", and a deeply reverent atmosphere. When available, soldiers traditionally carry the bier, adding to the solemnity. Upon returning to the church, the faithful pass underneath the Epitaphios, a gesture believed to bring blessings and protection.
-->Tip: Gather lemon blossoms during your walks and make your own fragrant wreath!

Judas Burning – Great Saturday
One of the most anticipated Greek Easter traditions, especially in Crete, is the burning of Judas on Great Saturday. The effigy of Judas, made of straw, is placed atop a large bonfire near the church. At midnight, following the Resurrection Mass, the effigy is set ablaze, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. As "Χριστός Ανέστη!" - Christos Anesti- ("Christ is Risen!") is proclaimed, the Holy Light is shared among the faithful, while fireworks and firecrackers illuminate the night sky, marking the joyous arrival of Easter.
 Isn't this the custom you were looking forward to?

3-Day Easter Holiday in Chania: A Guide to Local Traditions & Activities

Platanakia - Agios Ionnis Prodromos

Good Friday – The Epitaphios Procession 
Daytime:
The atmosphere in Chania on Good Friday is a blend of anticipation and solemnity. This is an excellent day for an outdoor excursion, in line with the tradition of incensing remote chapels and gathering flowers for the Epitaphios.

Suggested Activities:
🌿 Nature & Villages: Walk along the Koiliaris River, starting from St. John Chapel (Agios Ionnis Prodromos), and perhaps visit the village of Stylos. Alternatively, head to the coastal Kyani Akti Beach and Kalyves, where the river meets the sea.

🏛️ Historical Sites: Explore the ancient city of Aptera and the nearby Agios Ioannis Theologos Monastery, both offering fascinating insights into Crete’s past.

🚶 Archaeological Walks: Explore Ancient Lissos, a remote site on Crete’s southern coast, and admire the Saint Kirikos Church frescoes.

Evening:
The most significant event of Good Friday is the Epitaphios Procession, held at 8 PM in various locations. This solemn event commemorates Christ’s burial, with candles, incense, and Byzantine hymns filling the streets.
📍 Recommended Processions*:

• The Cathedral of Chania (Trimartiri) – A grand, central procession.
• Agios Nikolaos Church (Splantzia Square) – A more intimate and atmospheric setting.
• Agios Konstantinos – A smaller, less crowded experience.
  *These are the most important ones close to the hotel. 

Tip: You can create your own small bouquet with flowers, or simply use rose and lemon leaves, to place on the Epitaphios, just as locals do. Visitors are welcome to observe or take part in this meaningful and respectful tradition.

Exploring in Gouverneto

Holy Saturday – Anticipation & Midnight Celebration

Daytime:
Holy Saturday is a mix of quiet reflection and final preparations before the midnight Resurrection Service. With a long night ahead, balancing activities and rest is key. Museums remain open until 15:00, offering a peaceful day for cultural exploration.

Suggested Activities:
🕍 Akrotiri Peninsula: Visit historic monasteries such as Gouverneto Monastery and Agia Triada Monastery. For those who enjoy hiking, trails around these monasteries lead to stunning viewpoints. Nearby Beaches Stavros and Marathi are great family-friendly choices with calm waters and plenty of dining options nearby.

🌿 Varypetro Region: Visit Agia Kyriaki Monastery, a serene retreat surrounded by nature, and Metamorfosi Monastery, a historic site with walkways, caves, and scenic landscapes.

Evening:
At 11 PM, the Resurrection Service marks the transition from mourning to joy. The Holy Light is spread among the faithful, followed by fireworks, firecrackers, and the burning of Judas.
🔹 Tradition: Locals bring the Holy Light home, marking crosses above their doorways for blessings and protection.
🔹Midnight Feast: After the service, families gather for a festive meal, traditionally featuring "magiritsa", a lamb-based soup that breaks the 40-day Easter fast!
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Punishment and burning of Judas

Theriso gorge

Easter Sunday – A Day of Celebration & Feasting

Daytime:
Easter Sunday is all about family gatherings, feasting, and outdoor celebrations. Locals roast lamb on a spit, crack red eggs, and enjoy traditional Easter treats like koulourakia (cookies), kalitsounia (cheese pie), tsoureki (brioche bread), and kreatotourta (meat pie).

Suggested Activities:
🌿Theriso or Armenoi Village: Celebrate the day in mainland villages for a more authentic and grounded experience. Explore the area and, by all means, enjoy the local tavernas.
🌿 Botanical Gardens of Crete (near Omalos): Enjoy a peaceful nature walk, explore Mediterranean flora, and dine at the garden’s restaurant.
 🏖️ Many locals take their first swim of the year on Easter Sunday, so don’t be surprised if the beaches fill up in the late afternoon!

A Memorable Easter in Chania
From solemn processions to joyful feasts, Chania’s Easter traditions offer a truly immersive experience. Whether you choose to participate in religious customs, explore nature, or indulge in festive meals, you’re sure to create unforgettable Easter memories in Crete!

Bakaliaros - Skordalia

Halva

All about easter food!

Easter Food Traditions: From Fasting to Feasting
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Easter Fasting –
The Journey of Lent Food traditions play an equally important role in Orthodox Easter, marking both fasting and feasting. The Easter fasting period (Great Lent) lasts from Clean Monday to Easter Sunday, during which people refrain from meat, dairy, and animal products. On certain days, even oil and wine are restricted. Many restaurants offer fasting-friendly dishes (νηστίσιμα | nististima), and families prepare traditional Lenten recipes, ensuring that meals remain flavorful despite the restrictions. Some well-known nistisima, include halva, various shrimp and seafood dishes, as well as gemista (stuffed vegetables) and dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs). Halva photo credit 

Bakaliaros Skordalia – Palm Sunday Feast
While most of Holy Week follows a strict fast, Palm Sunday is an exception, allowing fish. The custom is to serve bakaliaros (cod) with skordalia (garlic dip), a dish deeply rooted in Greek tradition. This meal provides a moment of indulgence before the stricter fasting of Great Week. Photo credit and recipe 

Red Eggs, Tsoureki & Easter Cookies 
Between Great Wednesday and Great Thursday, families dye red eggs, symbolizing Christ’s blood and resurrection. These eggs are placed in baskets and later used in the traditional egg-cracking game on Easter Sunday, where people compete to break each other's eggs while saying "Χριστός Ανέστη! | Christos Anesti". During this time, people also bake κουλουράκια | koulourakia (easter cookies), τσουρέκι | tsoureki (sweet braided brioche bread), and καλιτσούνια | kalitsounia ( cheese pastries) in preparation for the feast.

Magiritsa soup

Magiritsa – Breaking the Fast 
Great Friday is the strictest fasting day, with many consuming only vinegar, boiled greens, or plain bread. After the midnight Resurrection service on Great Saturday, the fast is traditionally broken with "magiritsa",  a hearty soup made with lamb offal, greens, and dill. This dish helps the body transition back to eating meat after a long fasting period. photo credit

Easter Sunday Feast – Roasted Lamb & Kokoretsi
Easter Sunday is a day of grand feasting, featuring the roasting of lamb on a spit, symbolizing Christ as the sacrificial lamb. Alongside the lamb, Greeks prepare kokoretsi (seasoned lamb intestines wrapped around offal and grilled on a spit), meat pies (κρεατότουρτες), and other regional specialties. Families and friends gather for this joyous meal, marking the culmination of Holy Week and the celebration of the Resurrection.

Greek Orthodox Holy Week Customs by day

Easter bread

1. Palm Sunday (Κυριακή των Βαΐων) – April 20 commemorates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, where He was welcomed with palm branches by the crowds.
2. Great Monday (Μεγάλη Δευτέρα) – April 14 is a day of spiritual reflection, recalling Joseph the Patriarch, whose trials and faithfulness prefigure Christ’s suffering. The barren fig tree, cursed by Christ, symbolizes the rejection of those without faith.
3. Great Tuesday (Μεγάλη Τρίτη) – April 15 is dedicated to the parable of the Ten Virgins, a lesson on faith, vigilance, and spiritual readiness. The Hymn of Kassiani is chanted in the evening, a poetic expression of repentance and divine mercy.
4. Great Wednesday (Μεγάλη Τετάρτη) – April 16 commemorates the sinful woman who anointed Christ’s feet with myrrh, an act of humility and redemption. The Sacrament of Holy Unction  is performed, offering spiritual and physical healing.
5. Great Thursday (Μεγάλη Πέμπτη) – April 17 is dedicated to the Mystical Supper, where Christ washed the feet of His disciples and instituted the Holy Eucharist. The day also recalls Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane, Judas’ betrayal, His arrest, and His trial before Caiaphas. During the evening service, the Twelve Gospels recount the Passion, and the procession of the Crucified Christ takes place inside the church. As the priest carries the Cross, the lights dim around 9pm in every church, and under the faint glow of candles, the hymn Σήμερον κρεμᾶται ἐπὶ ξύλου (Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross.) is chanted, marking the solemn reenactment of the Crucifixion. The priest intones: "The King of the Angels is crowned with thorns. He who clothed the heavens in clouds is dressed in false purple. He who freed Adam in the Jordan accepts a slap. The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear." Throughout the night, women remain in the church, chanting lamentations and preparing the Epitaphios for the following day.
   
   
6. Great Friday (Μεγάλη Παρασκευή) – April 18 is a day of mourning, commemorating Christ’s Passion and Crucifixion. During the Vespers of the Descent from the Cross, the priest removes the body of Christ from the Cross, wrapping it in a clean cloth. In the evening, the Epitaphios, an elaborately decorated funeral bier, is carried in a solemn procession through the streets, while the Lamentations  are sung.​

• 7.  Great Saturday (Μεγάλο Σάββατο) – April 19 marks Christ’s burial and His descent into Hades, a moment of both sorrow and anticipation. The First Resurrection is celebrated in the morning with a joyful yet solemn Divine Liturgy. At midday, the Holy Fire is lit at Christ’s tomb in Jerusalem and distributed throughout the Orthodox world. The night service culminates in the Resurrection Ceremony, as the Holy Light is shared among the faithful and the hymn Χριστός Ανέστη! ("Christ is Risen!") is sung.
• 8. Easter Sunday (Κυριακή του Πάσχα) – April 20 is a day of joy and feasting, celebrating Christ’s Resurrection. Families gather to roast lamb, crack red eggs, and share festive meals. The day concludes with the Agape Vespers, during which the Gospel is read in multiple languages, symbolizing that the message of Christ’s triumph is for all nations.

Easter in Chania is an experience that will stay with you long after you've left. The combination of religious devotion, cultural traditions, and natural beauty makes it a truly special time to visit this enchanting Cretan city.

Πρόγραμμα Ἱερῶν Ἀκολουθιῶν
Μεγάλης Ἑβδομάδας καὶ Πάσχα 2025
​Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Γουβερνέτου

Κυριακὴ τῶν Βαΐων
06:00-10:00 Μεσονυκτικό, Ὄρθρος, Θεία Λειτουργία
17:00-18:00 Ἑσπερινός
21:00-23:30 Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Νυμφίου
Μεγάλη Δευτέρα
14:00-16:00 Θ΄ Ὥρα, Ἑσπερινός, Θεία Λειτουργία τῶν Προηγιασμένων Δώρων.
17:00-18:00 Μεγάλο Ἀπόδειπνο
21:00-23:30 Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Νυμφίου
Μεγάλη Τρίτη
14:00-16:00 Θ΄ Ὥρα, Ἑσπερινός, Θεία Λειτουργία τῶν Προηγιασμένων Δώρων
17:00-18:00 Μεγάλο Ἀπόδειπνο
21:00-23:45 Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Νυμφίου
Μεγάλη Τετάρτη
14:00-16:00 Θ΄ Ὥρα, Ἑσπερινός, Ἀρχιερατικὴ Θεία Λειτουργία τῶν Προηγιασμένων Δώρων
18:00-19:30 Ἡ Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Εὐχελαίου, Μικρό Ἀπόδειπνο
21:00-23:30 Ὄρθρος Μ. Πέμπτης
Μεγάλη Πέμπτη
11:00-14:00 Ὧρες, Τυπικά, Ἑσπερινός, Θεία Λειτουργία Μεγάλου Βασιλείου
21:00-02:00 Ἡ Ἀκολουθία τῶν Ἀχράντων Παθῶν
Μεγάλη Παρασκευὴ
09:00-11:30 Ἡ Ἀκολουθία τῶν Μεγάλων Ὡρῶν.
15:00-16:30 Ἑσπερινὸς τῆς Ἀποκαθήλωσης
22:00-02:00 Ἡ Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Ἐπιταφίου
Μεγάλο Σάββατο
11:00-14:30 Ὧρες, Τυπικά, Ἑσπερινός, Θεία Λειτουργία Μεγάλου Βασιλείου
01:00-02:00 Παννυχίδα τοῦ Πάσχα
02:00-05:00 Ἡ Ἀνάσταση τοῦ Κυρίου, Ὄρθρος, Θεία Λειτουργία
Κυριακὴ τοῦ Πάσχα
18:00-20:00 Ἑσπερινός τῆς Ἀγάπης