| r festivals in the Mediterranean are fun and exciting | | | | Mediterranean holiday will take on a very festive feel |
| to attend. The Festo de Sao Joao in Portugal is a | | | | if you are in Avenida dos Aliadas for the festival. |
| grand celebration, while the ancient Ayia Elleni rituals in | | | | Another great area to go to celebrate the festival is |
| Greece are intriguing and interesting to watch. | | | | the Duoro riverfront and the Praca da Ribeira area. |
| Attending a festival can give your luxury | | | | The party in this area takes on a distinctly local feel, |
| Mediterranean holiday an interesting twist. | | | | adding a flavour of history and culture to your luxury |
| Festo de Sao Joao | | | | holiday in the Mediterranean. With live music, bars, |
| Midsummer festivals in the Mediterranean are | | | | restaurants and a grand firework display to top it all |
| momentous occasions. One of the most entertaining | | | | off, this is a great way to celebrate Sao Joao. For |
| is the Festo de Sao Joao in Porto, Portugal. If you | | | | the wild side of the party, head to Foz do Douro, |
| incorporate this festival into your Mediterranean | | | | where a giant beach party awaits you, in the true |
| holiday, you are sure to experience the Portugese | | | | partying style of a Mediterranean holiday. |
| culture and enjoy yourself. Celebrated in midsummer | | | | Ayia Elleni |
| to remember Sao Joao (Saint John), the patron saint | | | | One of the most interesting festivals to attend when |
| of Porto, this entertaining festival involves a giant | | | | on a summer Mediterranean holiday is the Ayia Elleni |
| street party. A night of eating, drinking, dancing and | | | | which takes place in north-east Greece, near the |
| general festivities is what you will be in for if your | | | | Greek Macedonian town of Serres. This celebration |
| holiday in the Mediterranean takes you to Porto for | | | | occurs in a small village called Ayia Elleni, where the |
| the summer solstice. | | | | villagers dance across a bed of piping hot coals. This |
| The worship of Sao Joao is essentially a Christian | | | | dance is an ancient, probably pagan ritual called |
| festival, but it is thought that the festival is pagan in | | | | Anasternaria, and is to behold. This will certainly add |
| origin, being an adaptation of pagan summer solstice | | | | something different to your average luxury |
| rituals. The churches are decorated and candles are lit | | | | Mediterranean holiday. |
| all around, and people take to the streets on the | | | | The festival occurs at the end of May, and a bonfire |
| longest day of the year. A summer Mediterranean | | | | is lit during the day, being left to burn down to the |
| holiday would be ideal during this time, with the long | | | | embers. In the evening, the local women dance over |
| days allowing for even more time to be spent on the | | | | the smouldering embers barefoot, without burning |
| beach. | | | | their feet. While you will not be allowed to participate, |
| There are three main areas in Porto where grand | | | | it is intriguing to behold this ancient ritual. |
| celebrations take place. At Avenida dos Aliadas you | | | | There are a number of exciting festivals to attend |
| can wander through the stalls set up in the roads, | | | | throughout summer, where you can combine days |
| where the whole area becomes a traffic-free zone. | | | | spent on the beach with the local culture when on a |
| Stages are erected for live music, and your | | | | Mediterranean holiday. |