Much like Aristotle professed when proclaiming ‘everything in measure’, Greece does temperance like no other. Greece enjoys all seasons. Some more than others, but make no mistake, Greece isn’t one continuous summer party. Every season has its setting. And because Greece is varied in its geography and territorial morphology, you are as likely to fall in love with a winter lodge cabin in the woods, sipping chai while nestled in front of a fireplace, as you are with the prospect of a secluded beach on a scorching summer day.
So what’s good in the fall? Everything, actually. September and October are mild and still retain some summer-ness. That means that the options available fan out like a peacock’s tail. You can still catch some rays, mainly in Crete. You can also catch some snow up in Kaimaktsalan on the north of Greece. And you can sure as heck enjoy everything in between the latitude and longitude of the country.
The diversity of Greece is jaw-dropping. You’ve got everything. Mountains, ski slopes, massive forests, valleys, gorges, lakes, waterfalls, rivers… And that’s before you even get round to the summer-y activities. Suffice to say that whatever your thing, chances are Greece has you covered.
Nowhere is that truer than in the city of Volos and its neighboring Mt. Pelion. The city of tsipouro is a singular oddity on the Greek gastronomy tour. Its 400 hundred odd tsipouradika offer free awesome food with the drink and not the other way around. Essentially, you could dine out every night and pay sparingly, but we’ll get to that some other time.
Following that, some winter sports can be enjoyed up on the mountain, with scenic walks to go with it. And then, you can go for a dip. That’s right. You can descend the mountain slope on the other side and get to the beach of Horefto-one of Greece’s pristine spots.
One of the great things about living in Greece is that you have a better understanding of food, where it comes from and when it’s in season. So, it comes as no surprise to find that olive harvesting (October and November) is a big thing, and that almost everyone indulges in it. From picking and harvesting to grinding it, the olive is sacred in Greece. Almost every family has their own olive grove, and the ritual is as old as it is heartwarming.
Similarly, the same happens for wine and tsipouro-the Greek grappa infused liquor. The harvest and production begin in the fall and in many regions, particularly Crete, provisions are in place for visitors to partake and help in the process. Several farms and collectives thrive on agro-tourism, and really, isn’t it neat to go out and get your hands dirty? And then drink or eat what you have helped make?
One of the prettiest hamlets in Greece is the Zagorohoria enclave. Comprised of several small villages, and nestled on the slope of a mountain, these villages were made for the autumn, it seems. They are the embodiment of cozy and snug. What with bucolic mansions, and quaint village squares tucked away under a verdant canopy, the Zagorohoria villages are like something straight out of a Hans Christian Andersen tale.
Exploring the Golden Hues of Autumn in Greece
Autumn in Greece means getting connected to nature and your immediate surroundings. It means re discovering the joy in the simpler things in life.
