in the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany there are many old customs traditionally taking place in Greece. In the most of them masked people dressed with animal skins and bells create a troupe with specific rules for the amateur actors.
In the area of Drama in Macedonia/Greece these traditions are alive and well attended from the local population. They happen from the 5th to the 8th of January every year since centuries.
Our tour to these villages will introduce these traditions to our participants who in many cases will follow the troupes, will take part in their festivities and acts, eat, drink and dance with them and the rest of the villagers. It will be a unique experience of ancient spirituals.
We will stay in the hotel "Marianna" (http://www.marianna-hotel.gr/) in the town of Drama from the 3d to the 9th of January. During our stay will have dance lessons as well as lectures with Kyriakos Moisidis and other locals who studied these traditions.
All our transports will be with a bus hired for our tour (including the ones from Thessaloniki's airport to Drama and back.
Breakfast will be served in the hotel, lunch and dinner will have them either in local tavernas or in the villages during the festivities together with the local people (they prepare food for everyone and we are welcome to join them!) When we will have the "common" food the variety will be limited but there are always other possibilities.
On the 9th of January will travel to Thessaloniki for our last day. We will stay in the hotel "Vergina" (http://www.vergina-hotel.gr/) and for our final night we will visit a tavern with traditional music to eat and dance.
Attached you will find a pdf file with some pictures of the customs and a map of the area.