The sounds and colors of fairytale villages, ice-skating rinks, carousels and Christmas bazaars have begun to beautify city squares all over the country. Imagination has sparked creativity in the theme parks that have been constructed, promising to enchant your little ones, and to welcome the new year with smiles of optimism. We have located and here present where you can make the biggest lollipops, see impressive acrobatic performances, speak personally with Santa Claus, dance amongst elves and fairies, and perform elegant pirouettes on your ice skates!
Athens
Two of the most spectacular Christmas-theme parks in the country have been set up in Attica, expected to draw young and old alike into the festive atmosphere of Christmas.
Christmas Factory at Technopolis, City of Athens (6 December - 6 January ): A colorful and unique event held this year in the Gazi district. From 6 December, visitors big and small can discover all the "secret" toy workshops and magic paths of this top Christmas event. Free workshops for magic tricks, constructing gingerbread houses, figure-painting, table games, and many more spectacles and surprises are expected to capture the undiminished attention and creativity of children. The beautiful trails will guide you about the ultimate Christmas preparation space, from 10am until 10pm. See more information and the schedule of events on the web at http://thechristmasfactory.gr
Santa Claus Kingdom (30 Nov - 2 January): Covering an enclosed area of 13,000 square meters, it can easily be termed the largest Christmas park in Greece, and has opened on 30 November for the second consecutive year at the city gates of Paiania. Apart from the first indoor ski slope beginners, which is a novelty for Greeks, there are over forty amusements for young and older folk. Carousel, choo-choo train, Mini cars, inflatables, trampoline, giant inflatable toys, Cards, and more as well as creative workshops, children's shows, sports shows, magic tricks, a planetarium, karaoke, face painting, balloon animals… The list is really long! The artistic and educational workshops, musical events, the Christmas market and the mouthwatering delicacies complete the impressive, festive atmosphere. And if that were not enough, on 20 December the Santa Claus Kingdom will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest assembly ever of Santa’s Elves! Daily 10.00 - 22.00
To see what awaits you at the park, and to purchase tickets visit: www.santaclauskingdom.com
Trikala
Erected this year in the beautiful city of Trikala, the “Mill of Elves” is expected to be the event of the year for younger visitors! The magic of Christmas has transformed the old Matsopoulou mill into "Mill of Elves," where young and old participate in the huge factory producing toys, joy, creativity, hope and the fresh local flavors of Christmas. Guests will have the ability to navigate through an environment totally Christmas; romantic, glamorous and colorful, and take part in all the free-of-charge activities of "Mill of Elves". There you will see the main factory of Santa Claus, the biggest fairytale workshop in all of Europe, as well as the giant lollipop that was created just a few days ago. Those who succeed in the "business" of the workshops will be awarded the certificate of "Official Assistant to Santa Claus", and a surprise gift! The workshops that will test the powers of small visitors include Santa’s Mailroom, the Colorful Mill of Face Painting, Magic workshops, the 'recycling' of toys and books, the traditional oven of the mill, the Sugar Lab, the Elf Cinema, the e-laboratory, and many more novel activities. The setting of "Mill of Elves" is filled with skating, playful toy trains, the Magical Market of local Christmas products, and daily concerts, events and happenings by the dozen.
Thessaloniki
“Asterokosmos (Starland)” (7 December to 6 January): With the slogan “make a wish and come,” the Christmas park taking place for 32 days at the Exhibition Center TIF - HELEXPO offers rich sights and activities for a single ticket of €6. Younger guests will have the opportunity to explore "Koutisia", Santa’s frozen land, to walk beside stilt walkers, to take a ride on the happy train, to become familiar with the birth of Christ through the interactive nativity scene, and many more magical moments. For the more energetic, young and old, two skating rinks await, with a total area of 700 square meters.
Arts are not absent, since each day there is a wonderful theatrical performance based on the story "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein; a spectacular acrobatic show "The Thief of Stars", traditional Greek shadow-puppet theater, interactive performances with clowns, mime, street theater, acrobatics, music, magic and dance. Further information on the project’s web page:
www.helexpo.gr/inst/asterocosmos/programme.html
Naturally, you will find imaginative theme parks in the spirit of the holidays in other, smaller cities such as “Dreamland” in Drama, which continues into its tenth year entertaining young and old, the Enchanted Christmas Tree Land in Lamia, “Fairytale Town” on Rhodes, and the Christmas Forest at the Aliakmon River Dam in Veroia. Still other municipalities all over Greece organize Christmas markets, festivities and cultural exhibitions so that all can participate in the Love and Joy of the Christmas season.
