The Alevromoutzouromata, one of the most famous Clean Monday customs, is an excellent reason for a trip to picturesque Galaxidi.
The long weekend ofClean Mondayis ahead of us, and what could be better than a getaway to a picturesque place that combines sea and mountains. Just three hours from Athens, after a wonderful drive between the mountain ranges of Phocis,Galaxidiwelcomes you with scenes of stately beauty, an island atmosphere, and a whiff of a bygone era.
This beautiful seaside town is one of the most popular destinations for Clean Monday, as on that daythe Alevromoutzouroma takes place - a custom that «paints» the town in many colors, offering a spectacle unique across all of Greece.
Alevromoutzouroma in Galaxidi
Clean Monday in Galaxidi means Alevromoutzouroma. A unique and especially fun custom that has lasted for centuries. Locals and visitors head down to the market, where the «smudging» and the «flouring» take place with soot and flour respectively. Tons of flour and soot are flung in every direction and everyone is daubed in the colors of the fun. The town turns into the most colorful «war» zone.
As we read on the website alevromoutzouroma.gr, this custom probably has its roots in the Byzantine era, a period when the hippodrome jesters painted their faces. In the age of sail, from 1840 onwards, this celebration grew to a grand scale. From the start of the Triodion, almost daily, a fire would be lit in the neighborhoods. The crescendo of the carnival revelry was Galaxidi’s Clean Monday koulouma. People gathered in the «agora», at the harbor of Galaxidi, and the flour war, otherwise the alevromoutzouroma, would begin.
To this day, this distinctive custom remains unchanged over time and is a magnet for thousands of visitors from all over Greece, young and old,who every year join in with zest and joy.
Strolls with a sea breeze
The settlement designated as traditional since 1978, with its stone-paved alleys, elegant neoclassical homes and captains’ houses that testify to the area’s glorious maritime past, is gorgeous. Many of Galaxidi’s mansions have been designated as protected historic monuments. Colorful facades, flower-filled pebbled courtyards and balconies adorned with ships’ figureheads create a picturesque island scene on the mainland. Take a stroll to Chirolakas, the second harbor, where the mansions dip into the water and walk to Pera Panta, the pine forest opposite, to enjoy the wonderful view over all of Galaxidi.
Nearby excursions
If you have more time for excursions, you can visit Delphi (30 km from Galaxidi), the seaside Itea, Arachova,as well as Amfissa where on the last Saturday night of Carnival the legend of the «spirit» is revived.
