Kolentes
Christmas Eve in many of Kastoria’s villages can be summed up in one fiery word: Kolentes. As night falls —traditionally at the first toll of the church bell —large bonfires are lit in every neighbourhood ‘to warm the newborn Christ’. Entire villages glow in the light of the flames, with each bonfire competing to rise higher than the others. Children run around the fires, singing and laughing, while locals and visitors exchange wishes and sweets. If you happen to spend your winter holidays here, you will have the chance to share the warmth and magic of a cherished local custom.