Tip of the day – Athens on Christmas mood!

• December 1, 2022

Christmas is almost here, and  on Friday, November 21, the Municipality of Athens welcomed the Christmas tree from Chrysovitsi, Arcadia, with the permission of the Vytina Forestry Office. On Thursday, November 27 2025, at 17.00 in Syntagma Square, the official start of the festive events will be announced with the lighting of the Christmas tree and a large open celebration for everyone.

The celebration at Syntagma Square

The evening begins at 5 p.m. with favorite Christmas melodies performed by the Athens Municipality Big Band. The Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a festive “parade” from the Ermou fountain at 6 p.m. to Syntagma Square, inviting people to follow the music and be part of the big Christmas gathering. Panos Mouzourakis will present an impressive Christmas live show from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., specially designed for the festive evening.  The event will be accompanied by simultaneous interpretation in Greek Sign Language by interpreter Polybios Kosmatos, so that the festive experience is truly participatory and accessible to all.

Festive decorations in the city center and neighborhoods

Main streets such as Panepistimiou, Stadiou, Ermou, and Vasilissis Sofias Avenue have already been “dressed up” with light tubes, Christmas trees, and other decorations. By November 27, the day of the lighting of Syntagma Square, the decoration of the entire city will be complete, creating a dazzling scene.

The Christmas tree in Athens is a lush 19-meter-high fir tree from an arboricultural farm, which took its place in the center of Syntagma Square. Red and gold baubles, impressive decorations made of illuminated plexiglass in various designs, and 3,000 meters of bright lights highlight the warm, joyful atmosphere of the season. A total of 21,000 meters of garlands, or 168,000 lights, will be placed in Syntagma Square and on the fir tree. After the holidays, the tree will be given to the Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA) to be used as raw material for wood carving art projects by its students.

The wreaths on the columns and the hanging light stars on the trees from last year’s decorations in the square will be kept again this year, while a floor-mounted illuminated Santa Claus will be a point of interaction with visitors, visually connecting with Ermou Street. The illuminated gate with nutcrackers will also be there again this year. The entire pedestrian walkway will be enriched with new garlands and hanging stars, as a continuation of the Syntagma tree. At the same time, a Christmas nativity scene will be set up in Mitropoleos Square.

From December 15, the fountain in Omonia Square will present water shows synchronized with music.

The festive lighting uses low-energy LED technology and is spread throughout the city. It includes a total of 78,000 meters of tree garlands, 2,113 decorative columns, 1,325 aerial decorations, 11,933 meters of light tubes, and 47 ground structures.

A celebration for everyone

The detailed program for “Christmas in Athens” will be announced in the coming days. It includes festive activities for families and children, festive surprises in the city’s neighborhoods, such as the Christmas Market in Kotzia Square, musical and theatrical performances, concerts, parties for the longest night of the year, as well as the traditional events for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.