Cold-Weather Adventures
A Living Carnival, Two Ski Centers, and the Quiet of the Old Town
A LIVING TRADITION
The Carnival of the Gennitsaroi & Boules
In the heroic town of Naousa, masked dancers in silver and silk keep a custom whose rules have held for centuries. Palea Poli stands among the historic houses a Genitsaros sets out from — the dance begins at your threshold.
ON THE SLOPES
Two Ski Centers on Mount Vermio
Good things come in pairs, and Naousa has a pair of its own — two ski resorts on its doorstep. Seli — the birthplace of Greek alpine skiing, in operation since 1956 — and 3-5 Pigadia, fully equipped with artificial snow at 2,000 meters. Runs for every level, pine forests under snow, and a fire waiting back at Palea Poli.
FAITH & PILGRIMAGE
Monasteries of Vermio & Holy Week
On the mountain stands Panagia Soumela, the holiest shrine of the Pontic Greeks; nearer the gorge rises the 14th-century monastery of Timios Prodromos, a flourishing center of monastic life. From carnival through Lent to Easter, the old calendar still sets the rhythm of the year.
