Greece Dresses in Blue and White for Independence Day
What a beautiful day to be at Amalia Hotel in Athens today!!! Sunny and not too warm to celebrate a National Holiday! Greek Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on March 25th to commemorate the beginning of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
The 25th of March is a double holiday, a historical and a religious one. The National Holiday coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared in front of the Virgin Mary and informed her that she would bear the son of God. March 25th is exactly nine months before Christmas!
Greece is full of history! While staying at Amalia Hotel Athens, just next to Syntagma Square with wonderful views of the Parliament and the National Garden, our guests today enjoyed the grand military parade. With the colors of Greece and spring, light and shine, Athens shared the message of freedom and democracy.
The city of Nafplio is also a place worth visiting these days! The first Greek state was founded in Nafplio in 1828 under the name “Hellenic State” and consisted of the Peloponnese and part of Central Greece. The first governor of Greece was Ioannis Kapodistrias who cut Greek coins, founded schools and orphanages, and helped in the development of economy and education. Kapodistrias is still greatly honored in Greece today. In addition, the Greek euro coin of 20 cents bears his portrait, as did the 500 drachmas banknote of 1983–2001, before the introduction of the euro.
On such an important day for Greece, it is also a tradition to gather with family and friends and eat fish, as it falls on the “fasting period” before the Easter celebration when most people avoid eating meat. The traditional menu for March 25th, is the so called “bakaliaros skordalia”, fried cod accompanied by a strong garlic sauce. Most restaurants and Greek taverns will include it in today’s menu! A delicious dish worth tasting!
Happy Greek Independence Day!
