What to do in Athens in abril

Epiphany on January 6 — the bishop throws a cross into the harbor at Piraeus and young men dive into the freezing sea to retrieve it and earn the year's blessing.

Apokries, the Greek carnival — three weeks of costumes and dancing through Plaka and Psyrri building up to Orthodox Lent.

Independence Day on March 25 — a military parade down Amalias Avenue in front of Parliament, coinciding with the religious feast of the Annunciation.

Protomagia on May 1 — flower wreaths on doors and countryside getaways, mixed with the traditional workers' marches downtown.

Athens Epidaurus Festival in full swing — tragedies and concerts under the stars at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the sacred rock lit up behind.

Open-air cinemas at their peak — screenings under the stars on rooftops and in courtyards, an Athenian institution since the 1950s, the Acropolis as backdrop at Thission.

Full Moon Festival (Avgoustiatiko Fengari) — on the August full-moon night the Acropolis and other sites open free and late with concerts.

Good weather returns without July's heat (~29°C) — the Athens Riviera sea stays warm and the archaeological sites are enjoyable all day long.

Ohi Day on October 28 — student and military parades mark Greece's refusal of Mussolini's 1940 ultimatum.

Athens Authentic Marathon on the second Sunday — the race follows the original route from Marathon to finish inside the marble Panathenaic Stadium.

Christmas Factory at Technopolis (Gazi) — the old gasworks turns into a holiday park with a Ferris wheel, workshops and a market through Epiphany.