Greece bank holidays in 2019 and 2020 - Greek public holidays

When travelling to Greece, keep in mind the public holidays, listed below, as during those days the public services, as well as most of the businesses will be closed.

Tourists in the most popular resort areas, however, will be less affected as many private tourist-oriented businesses remain open, even during bank holidays.

Orthodox Easter is one of the most important celebrations in Greece.

Please note that Greek orthodox church follows the Julian calendar and Greek Easter, as well as some other important religious festive days may fall on different days than in the western (Roman-Catholic) church. 

Please note that fixed-date holidays always celebrated on Sunday, such as Easter Day or Whit Sunday are often left out of official lists of bank holidays in Greece where all Sundays are considered bank holidays.

The Ochi Day – National holiday Greece
Celebrated on 28 of October, the Ochi Day (also spelled as Oxi) is by far the most important demonstration of the Greek patriotism. Ochi Day commemorates Greece’s rejection to surrender to the Axis forces during WW II.

On 28 of October 1940, the Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas said firmly “No!” (“Ochi” in Greek) to Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum and refused to allow the Italian troops to march into Greece. The Metaxas was massively supported by the Greek nation, the attitude which many historians believe might have influenced the course of the war.

Find out more about the Ochi Day (Oxi Day) history:

Ochi Day is celebrated with parades and public gatherings throughout the whole Greece, as well as amongst the Greek communities living abroad.

Find useful information on Visit Greece.

Other popular celebrations in Greece (not bank holidays)
Apart from the ones included in the list above, a few other occasions call for public celebration in Greece, although do not have a status of a bank holiday. Those include:

The Feast of the Three Holly Fathers (or Three Holy Hierarchs) – 30 January
On every January 30th, Greece celebrates the life and teachings of Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Crysostom, the influential figures of the early Church (known in Roman Catholicism as Doctors of the Church). The celebrations include dedicated services in churches and get-togethers amongst local communities.

The Restoration of Democracy – 24 July
The Restoration of the Democracy in Greece is the celebration of the events which led to the end of a 7 years old dictatorship of a military junta in 1974 and introducing the democratic constitution in Greece.

Once a glamorous feast, with the gardens of the Presidential Mansion open to public, The Restoration Day has been removed from the list of official public holidays due to the economical crisis. Official ceremonies, on a smaller scale, are still held in Athens and locally across the whole of Greece.

Polytechneio – 17 November
Around the same period another landmark of the Greek history took place: in 1973 a massive demonstration against the junta gathered thousands at the Athens Polytechnic leading to the death of some of the protesters. Known as Athens Polytechnic uprising, or Polytechneio, the event is widely celebrated by the students in Greece, with commemorative ceremonies held across the country’s university campuses and especially at the Athens Polytechnic.

Find cheap car hire Greece - Athens Airport car rental deals