Wondergreece
Wondergreece
  •  English   ▼
    •  Ελληνικά
    •  English
    • Translate with Google:
  • Choose a region
  • Regarding your needs
  • Follow your interests
  • Plan your trip

Use the map or the alphabet below to find your favorite destination!

Achaea Prefecture

  • Patra
  • Kalavrita

Aegina

Aetoloakarnania Prefecture

  • Messolonghi
  • Nafpaktos
  • Agrinio
  • Vonitsa

Agathonisi

Agistri

Alonissos

Amorgos

Anafi

Andros

Antiparos

Arcadia Prefecture

  • Tripolis
  • Vytina
  • Dimitsana
  • Stemnitsa
  • Leonidio
  • Astros

Argolida Prefecture

  • Nafplio
  • Tolo
  • Porto Heli

Arta Prefecture

  • Arta
  • Melissourgoi

Astypalea

  • Chora (Astypalea)
  • Pera Gialos

Attiki Prefecture

  • Athens
  • Piraeus
  • Lavrio
  • Rafina

Chalki

Chania Prefecture

  • Chania
  • Paleohora
  • Hora Sfakion
  • Gavdos

Chios

  • Chios (Chora)
  • Pyrgi
  • Olympi
  • Mesta
  • Thymiana
  • Vessa

Donoussa

Drama Prefecture

  • Drama

Evia Prefecture

Evritania Prefecture

  • Karpenisi
  • Koryschades
  • Mikro Chorio
  • Megalo Chorio
  • Agrafa
  • Krikelo

Evros Prefecture

  • Alexandroupolis
  • Soufli
  • Didymoticho

Florina Prefecture

  • Florina
  • Nymfaio
  • Agios Germanos

Fokida Prefecture

  • Galaxidi
  • Polydroso
  • Eptalofos (Agoriani)

Folegandros

  • Chora - Kastro

Fourni

Fthiotida Prefecture

  • Amfiklia
  • Kamena Vourla
  • Lamia
  • Stylida
  • Pavliani
  • Ypati
  • Tithorea
  • Agios (St.) Konstantinos

Grevena Prefecture

  • Samarina
  • Grevena
  • Dotsiko

Halkidiki Prefecture

  • Poligiros
  • Kassandria
  • Nea Potidea
  • Arnea
  • Ouranoupoli
  • Ammouliani

Heraklion Prefecture

  • Heraklion
  • Archanes
  • Matala

Hydra

Ikaria

Ilia Prefecture

  • Pyrgos
  • Katakolo
  • Andritsena
  • Olympia

Imathia Prefecture

  • Naousa
  • Veroia
  • Kato Vermio

Ioannina Prefecture

  • Ioannina
  • Mikro & Megalo Papingo
  • Aristi
  • Dilofo
  • Metsovo
  • Syrrako
  • Tsepelovo

Ios

  • Chora
  • Magganari
  • Mylopotas

Irakleia

Ithaki (Ithaca)

  • Vathy
  • Kioni

Kalymnos

  • Pothia
  • Eborios
  • Telendos
  • Pserimos

Karditsa Prefecture

Karpathos

  • Karpathos (Pigadia)
  • Olympos
  • Arkasa
  • Menetes

Kasos

Kastelorizo

Kastoria Prefecture

  • Kastoria
  • Kleisoura

Kavala Prefecture

Kea (Tzia)

  • Vourkari
  • Ioulida (Ioulis)
  • Makronisos

Kefalonia

Kerkyra (Corfu)

  • Kerkyra (Corfu)
  • Benitses
  • Paleokastritsa
  • Agios Gordios
  • Afiona

Kilkis Prefecture

Kimolos

  • Chorio (Kimolos)
  • Psathi
  • Goupa

Korinthia Prefecture

  • Korinthos
  • Xylokastro
  • Trikala
  • Loutraki

Kos

  • Kos
  • Kardamaina
  • Kefalos

Koufonisi (Ano & Kato)

Kozani Prefecture

  • Kozani
  • Velventos
  • Siatista
  • Ptolemaida

Kythira - Antikythira

  • Chora
  • Kapsali
  • Avlemonas
  • Antikythera

Kythnos

  • Hora
  • Loutra (baths)
  • Merichas

Lakonia Prefecture

  • Sparti
  • Monemvasia
  • Gytheio
  • Areopoli
  • Gerolimenas
  • Elafonisos
  • Limeni

Larisa Prefecture

  • Larisa
  • Rapsani
  • Agia
  • Metaxochori Agias

Lasithi Prefecture

  • Agios Nikolaos
  • Ierapetra
  • Sitia
  • Elounda

Lefkada

  • Lefkada
  • Vasiliki
  • Nydri
  • Agios Nikitas

Leros

Lesvos

  • Plomari
  • Molyvos (Mithymna)
  • Mytilene
  • Skala Kallonis
  • Sigri

Limnos

  • Myrina
  • Moudros
  • Kontias

Lipsi

Magnesia Prefecture

  • Volos
  • Portaria
  • Makrinitsa
  • Tsagarada

Messinia Prefecture

  • Kalamata
  • Koroni
  • Pylos
  • Ano & Kato Kardamili

Milos

  • Adamadas (Diamond)
  • Pollonia
  • Plaka
  • Klima
  • Firopotamos

Mykonos

  • Hora (Mykonos)
  • Platis Gialos & Psarou
  • Agios Stefanos

Naxos

  • Agia Anna
  • Apiranthos (Aperanthos)
  • Chalkio
  • Chora (Naxos)
  • Filoti

Nisyros

  • Mandraki
  • Emporio
  • Nikia

Paros

  • Parikia
  • Naoussa
  • Lefkes
  • Prodromos
  • Marpissa
  • Piso Livadi (Back Meadow)

Patmos

  • Skala
  • Patmos (Chora)
  • Grikos

Paxi - Antipaxi

  • Gaios
  • Lakka
  • Longos

Pella Prefecture

  • Edessa
  • Agios Athanasios
  • Gianitsa
  • Aridea

Pieria Prefecture

  • Katerini
  • Elatochori
  • Platamonas
  • Leptokarya
  • Litochoro

Poros

Preveza Prefecture

  • Parga
  • Preveza

Psara

Rethymno Prefecture

  • Anogia
  • Rethymno
  • Agia Galini
  • Argyroupolis
  • Panormos

Rhodes

  • Rhodes
  • Archangelos
  • Lindos
  • Ialysos

Rodopi Prefecture

  • Komotini

Samos

  • Vathi or Samos
  • Karlovasi
  • Pythagorio
  • Manolates
  • Vourliotes

Samothrace

  • Kamariotissa
  • Chora (Samothrace)
  • Therma

Santorini

  • Fira
  • Imerovigli
  • Oia (Ia)
  • Pyrgos
  • Emporio or Niborios
  • Thirasia

Schinoussa

Serifos

  • Chora
  • Livadi
  • Megalo Livadi

Serres Prefecture

Sifnos

  • Apollonia
  • Artemonas
  • Kastro

Sikinos

  • Alopronia
  • Kastro (Castle) & Chorio

Skiathos

Skopelos

Skyros

  • Chora (Skyros)
  • Magazia
  • Atsitsa

Spetses

Symi

Syros

  • Ermoupoli
  • Ano Syros

Thassos

  • Thassos (Limenas)
  • Theologos
  • Skala Potamias

Thesprotia Prefecture

  • Igoumenitsa
  • Sivota
  • Plataria

Thessaloniki Prefecture

Tilos

Tinos

  • Tinos - Chora
  • Pyrgos
  • Panormos
  • Volax (Volakas)
  • Ormos Isternion
  • Falatados
  • Dio Horia

Trikala Prefecture

  • Trikala
  • Elati & Pertouli
  • Kalabaka
  • Kastraki

Viotia Prefecture

  • Arachova
  • Livadia
  • Antikyra

Xanthi Prefecture

  • Xanthi
  • Porto Lagos

Zakynthos

Achaea Prefecture

  • Patra
  • Kalavrita

Aegina

Aetoloakarnania Prefecture

  • Messolonghi
  • Nafpaktos
  • Agrinio
  • Vonitsa

Agathonisi

Agistri

Alonissos

Amorgos

Anafi

Andros

Antiparos

Arcadia Prefecture

  • Tripolis
  • Vytina
  • Dimitsana
  • Stemnitsa
  • Leonidio
  • Astros

Argolida Prefecture

  • Nafplio
  • Tolo
  • Porto Heli

Arta Prefecture

  • Arta
  • Melissourgoi

Astypalea

  • Chora (Astypalea)
  • Pera Gialos

Attiki Prefecture

  • Athens
  • Piraeus
  • Lavrio
  • Rafina

Chalki

Chania Prefecture

  • Chania
  • Paleohora
  • Hora Sfakion
  • Gavdos

Chios

  • Chios (Chora)
  • Pyrgi
  • Olympi
  • Mesta
  • Thymiana
  • Vessa

Donoussa

Drama Prefecture

  • Drama

Evia Prefecture

Evritania Prefecture

  • Karpenisi
  • Koryschades
  • Mikro Chorio
  • Megalo Chorio
  • Agrafa
  • Krikelo

Evros Prefecture

  • Alexandroupolis
  • Soufli
  • Didymoticho

Florina Prefecture

  • Florina
  • Nymfaio
  • Agios Germanos

Fokida Prefecture

  • Galaxidi
  • Polydroso
  • Eptalofos (Agoriani)

Folegandros

  • Chora - Kastro

Fourni

Fthiotida Prefecture

  • Amfiklia
  • Kamena Vourla
  • Lamia
  • Stylida
  • Pavliani
  • Ypati
  • Tithorea
  • Agios (St.) Konstantinos

Grevena Prefecture

  • Samarina
  • Grevena
  • Dotsiko

Halkidiki Prefecture

  • Poligiros
  • Kassandria
  • Nea Potidea
  • Arnea
  • Ouranoupoli
  • Ammouliani

Heraklion Prefecture

  • Heraklion
  • Archanes
  • Matala

Hydra

Ikaria

Ilia Prefecture

  • Pyrgos
  • Katakolo
  • Andritsena
  • Olympia

Imathia Prefecture

  • Naousa
  • Veroia
  • Kato Vermio

Ioannina Prefecture

  • Ioannina
  • Mikro & Megalo Papingo
  • Aristi
  • Dilofo
  • Metsovo
  • Syrrako
  • Tsepelovo

Ios

  • Chora
  • Magganari
  • Mylopotas

Irakleia

Ithaki (Ithaca)

  • Vathy
  • Kioni

Kalymnos

  • Pothia
  • Eborios
  • Telendos
  • Pserimos

Karditsa Prefecture

Karpathos

  • Karpathos (Pigadia)
  • Olympos
  • Arkasa
  • Menetes

Kasos

Kastelorizo

Kastoria Prefecture

  • Kastoria
  • Kleisoura

Kavala Prefecture

Kea (Tzia)

  • Vourkari
  • Ioulida (Ioulis)
  • Makronisos

Kefalonia

Kerkyra (Corfu)

  • Kerkyra (Corfu)
  • Benitses
  • Paleokastritsa
  • Agios Gordios
  • Afiona

Kilkis Prefecture

Kimolos

  • Chorio (Kimolos)
  • Psathi
  • Goupa

Korinthia Prefecture

  • Korinthos
  • Xylokastro
  • Trikala
  • Loutraki

Kos

  • Kos
  • Kardamaina
  • Kefalos

Koufonisi (Ano & Kato)

Kozani Prefecture

  • Kozani
  • Velventos
  • Siatista
  • Ptolemaida

Kythira - Antikythira

  • Chora
  • Kapsali
  • Avlemonas
  • Antikythera

Kythnos

  • Hora
  • Loutra (baths)
  • Merichas

Lakonia Prefecture

  • Sparti
  • Monemvasia
  • Gytheio
  • Areopoli
  • Gerolimenas
  • Elafonisos
  • Limeni

Larisa Prefecture

  • Larisa
  • Rapsani
  • Agia
  • Metaxochori Agias

Lasithi Prefecture

  • Agios Nikolaos
  • Ierapetra
  • Sitia
  • Elounda

Lefkada

  • Lefkada
  • Vasiliki
  • Nydri
  • Agios Nikitas

Leros

Lesvos

  • Plomari
  • Molyvos (Mithymna)
  • Mytilene
  • Skala Kallonis
  • Sigri

Limnos

  • Myrina
  • Moudros
  • Kontias

Lipsi

Magnesia Prefecture

  • Volos
  • Portaria
  • Makrinitsa
  • Tsagarada

Messinia Prefecture

  • Kalamata
  • Koroni
  • Pylos
  • Ano & Kato Kardamili

Milos

  • Adamadas (Diamond)
  • Pollonia
  • Plaka
  • Klima
  • Firopotamos

Mykonos

  • Hora (Mykonos)
  • Platis Gialos & Psarou
  • Agios Stefanos

Naxos

  • Agia Anna
  • Apiranthos (Aperanthos)
  • Chalkio
  • Chora (Naxos)
  • Filoti

Nisyros

  • Mandraki
  • Emporio
  • Nikia

Paros

  • Parikia
  • Naoussa
  • Lefkes
  • Prodromos
  • Marpissa
  • Piso Livadi (Back Meadow)

Patmos

  • Skala
  • Patmos (Chora)
  • Grikos

Paxi - Antipaxi

  • Gaios
  • Lakka
  • Longos

Pella Prefecture

  • Edessa
  • Agios Athanasios
  • Gianitsa
  • Aridea

Pieria Prefecture

  • Katerini
  • Elatochori
  • Platamonas
  • Leptokarya
  • Litochoro

Poros

Preveza Prefecture

  • Parga
  • Preveza

Psara

Rethymno Prefecture

  • Anogia
  • Rethymno
  • Agia Galini
  • Argyroupolis
  • Panormos

Rhodes

  • Rhodes
  • Archangelos
  • Lindos
  • Ialysos

Rodopi Prefecture

  • Komotini

Samos

  • Vathi or Samos
  • Karlovasi
  • Pythagorio
  • Manolates
  • Vourliotes

Samothrace

  • Kamariotissa
  • Chora (Samothrace)
  • Therma

Santorini

  • Fira
  • Imerovigli
  • Oia (Ia)
  • Pyrgos
  • Emporio or Niborios
  • Thirasia

Schinoussa

Serifos

  • Chora
  • Livadi
  • Megalo Livadi

Serres Prefecture

Sifnos

  • Apollonia
  • Artemonas
  • Kastro

Sikinos

  • Alopronia
  • Kastro (Castle) & Chorio

Skiathos

Skopelos

Skyros

  • Chora (Skyros)
  • Magazia
  • Atsitsa

Spetses

Symi

Syros

  • Ermoupoli
  • Ano Syros

Thassos

  • Thassos (Limenas)
  • Theologos
  • Skala Potamias

Thesprotia Prefecture

  • Igoumenitsa
  • Sivota
  • Plataria

Thessaloniki Prefecture

Tilos

Tinos

  • Tinos - Chora
  • Pyrgos
  • Panormos
  • Volax (Volakas)
  • Ormos Isternion
  • Falatados
  • Dio Horia

Trikala Prefecture

  • Trikala
  • Elati & Pertouli
  • Kalabaka
  • Kastraki

Viotia Prefecture

  • Arachova
  • Livadia
  • Antikyra

Xanthi Prefecture

  • Xanthi
  • Porto Lagos

Zakynthos

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 

Choose your destination and the needs you wish to cover

Accommodation
 
 
Restaurants
Shop
Rentals

You may also like

Avragonio, Papingo
Guesthouse Primoula, Zagorohoria
Villa Amanti
Alice Inn Athens
Winter vacations at Heraklion in Crete
 

Would you like to combine skiing in the morning and then go swimming in the afternoon, all in one region? Click to choose your interests and see in which part of Greece you enjoy them. Combinations are endless!

Nature
Interests
Activities
 
 

You may also like

Lake Doxa
Monemvasia
Vasilitsa Ski Center
Plastira Lake
Katogi Averoff Winery
 

Easy steps to plan your trip

A. Wander around WonderGreece and choose whatever appeals to you.

We’ve got everything covered! Browsing around the website you will find descriptions and details for main sights, events, restaurants, hotels, bars, shops, activities and other useful addresses recommended by locals.

B. Plan and personalize your trip down to tiniest detail!

Click the button next to activities, needs and likes to add them to your travel plan. Organize your calendar by drag and dropping from one day to the other, creating a custom travel plan that suits you fine!

C. Download and Print. 100% Free

Access your saved itineraries anywhere. Download your personalized PDF travel guide, print it or save it to your mobile phone. Share it now with your friends! Spread the news!
View the steps in detail

Create a plan!

Start Here
 
  • Articles/
  • Events & Festivals/

Carnival on Skyros

Share Tweet Pin it Email
Wondergreece    February 11 , 2014   
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr
Carnival on Skyros, Articles, wondergreece.gr

"Old Man", the "Girl", and the "Frank". . . it’s Carnival season on Skyros, and the custom has endured for centuries, with enthusiastic participants of all ages. It is the main event of the island, and known throughout Greece. Its origins are lost to history, however the first written reference to this unique custom appears circa 1900, by J.C. Lawson, and 1901, in the book The island of Skyros by Michael Konstantinidis.
 
The legend surrounding this ‘thunderous’ tradition is that a shepherd, having lost his sheep, girded himself with their bells and went wandering in search of them. The sound of a lone shepherd’s bells is one thing; the sound of dozens of bell-bearing “shepherds” is quite another!
 Thus, the first custom you will encounter in the Skyros Carnival is that of the bell-wearers, a triad comprising the several traditional roles of the Old Man, the Girl, and the Frank. The main character of the triad is the Old Man, draped with dozens of large copper bells. He sways his midsection rhythmically, evoking an inimitable sound from his bells. The rest of his outfit, weighing in total close to 50 kg, consists of a black shepherd’s mantle, white woolen breeches, woven stockings with black garters, and of course the traditional sheepskin trochadia sandals typical of the island. As a mask to conceal his face, he wears the fleece of a newborn goat, in which a couple of holes have been made for his eyes. He takes up his staff, adorned with wildflowers, and begins his ambling tour of the region’s back-alleys. Accompanying him are the Girl, dressed in traditional Skyrian costume, and the Frank, who is dressed in European-style clothing and also wears a bell about his midriff.
 Stopping every so often to make a characteristic gesture with his whole body, the Old man’s rhythmic pace and the gyration of his hips cause his bells to produce a terrific racket that will stay with you for some days to come. The Skyrians, honoring the tradition and caring for its preservation, teach the custom to their children from a young age; the youngsters donning a smaller version of the bells, or sometimes even old tin cans, to learn the correct execution of the traditional dance.
 The Skyrian Carnival continues: following the Dionysiac ecstasy of the bells, the Skyros Carnival continues on Saturday afternoon with the Trata. In this we see elements of Carnival dress familiar throughout much of Greece, with the addition that the participants engage in the recitation of satirical verses. Skyrian and international, political and social developments all take their turn getting skewered for all to see.
 We come to Clean Monday. (A point in the Orthodox Lenten season that does not have a direct equivalent in the Western liturgical calendar. It is somewhat analogous to Ash Wednesday, but observed a bit differently). The Skyrians, arrayed in traditional costume, sit about the tables that have been spread throughout the market district, enjoying certain ceremonial treats ahead of the long Lenten fasting period. These tables, the tsibousia, abounding with fresh seafood, traditional pies, delicate orchid bulbs, crispy lagana wafers, and of course, the freely flowing tsipouro liqueur (enjoy in moderation, and consider yourself warned!) are instrumental in recovering from the revelry of the past days.
 Carnival on Skyros is sure to give you  many images to describe, will remind you always of the beauty of this island paradise, end every time you hear the name Skyros, you will be inundated with sweet nostalgia.
 


  Skyros, Carnival
Categories
  • All
  • Events & Festivals
  • Activities
  • Tradition
  • Αrchitecture
  • Traditional products
  • Videos
  • Gastronomy
Tags
  • Attiki Prefecture
  • Athens
  • Ioannina Prefecture
  • Chania Prefecture
  • Thessaloniki Prefecture
  • Aitoloakarnania Prefecture
  • Fokida Prefecture
  • Magnesia Prefecture
  • Rethymno Prefecture
  • Korinthia Prefecture
  • Achaea Prefecture
  • Heraklion Prefecture
  • Christmas
  • Xanthi Prefecture
  • Trikala Prefecture
  • Syros
  • Evritania Prefecture
  • Chios
  • Santorini (Thira)
  • Events & Festivals
  • Tinos
  • Astypalea
  • Drama Prefecture
  • Lasithi Prefecture
  • Serres Prefecture
  • Cycling
  • Skyros
  • Naxos
  • Paros
  • Thessaloniki
Suscribe to the newsletter
Wondergreece
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Join us
Useful info
  • Transportation
  • Before you travel
  • General info
  • Climate-Weather
  • National days & Holidays
Activities
  • Hiking
  • Horse back riding
  • Rafting
  • Climbing
Top destinations
  • Arachova
  • Nymfaio
  • Agios Athanasios
  • Elati & Pertouli
  • Metsovo
Suggested plans
  • Naturally romantic
  • Active days
  • Culturemania
  • Exploration
Plan your trip
  • How to
Follow us

Back to top

© 2013 Wondergreece, Inc. · Terms

Mini Travel Box

Click here to login or register!
My Regions
My Needs
My Interests
Click here to create a new plan!

Create a new plan

Easy and free! It's about time to start planning your next trip...

days
from: to:

Nice! You have created a new plan  

To add places and interests, accomodation and more, wander around Wondergreece and click the button

Everything is added to the Mini Travel box, located at the right bottom of the page. To edit your plan in a greater detail, click its name.

Discover... WonderGreece

Login

Enter your email and password

or login with another account:

Facebook

Google

LinkedIn

Forgot password?

Or register for a free account...

Not a member? Enter the following details to register

By signing up you agree to our Terms & conditions