Celebrate Clean Monday by the Sea at Karavolas

• Clean Monday festivities hosted by the City of Heraklion
• Takes place at Karavolas, next to the sea
• Starts at 11 AM, open to all ages
• Traditional dishes, live music, and dancing guaranteed
• Features local musicians with lyra, lute, and guitar
• Perfect way to kick off Lent in style

“Koulouma,” the iconic Clean Monday celebration, is all about mixing a bit of religion with a lot of fun. Across Greece, families grab picnic baskets filled with Lenten staples and head outdoors. Churches may play a role, but honestly, this is mostly about eating like a saint and partying like a sinner. You’ll find bustling city squares and parks hosting free feasts and live entertainment, all sponsored by local municipalities. Think musical acts, activities, and—naturally—complimentary sarakostiana goodies. Who says Lent has to be dreary?

Clean Monday in Heraklion has one mission: to remind everyone why we love good company, food, and music. This year’s event will take place where it belongs—at Karavolas, right by the sea. Starting at 11 AM, kids and adults are invited to create one giant, happy crew ready to eat, and dance.

And, of course, there’s the kite flying—a seemingly innocent tradition that’s really just thinly veiled competition. Prepare to see dads turn into engineers as they launch kites sky-high in an effort to prove that theirs reigns supreme. Fun fact? The highest-flying kite doesn’t win you anything… except maybe the silent admiration of strangers.

Music and Good Vibes

The celebration wouldn’t be complete without top-notch local musicians to fire up the mood. This year’s roster features Giorgos Zacharioudakis on lyra and vocals, Manolis Christakis on lute, and Dimitris Albantakis on guitar. Not into dancing? No problem—pretend you’re tapping your foot for rhythm while taking your third plate of food. Feeling bold? Hit the dance floor and pretend you just invented Cretan music moves.

The Mandatory Food Line-Up

For Koulouma, no table is complete without the MVPs of Lent. Here’s what’s typically scarfed down:

• Lagana bread: Nothing says “festive” like a dry, sesame-coated flatbread.
• Taramosalata: Fancy fish roe dip, because why not remind yourself you can’t have meat?
• Halva: A sweet consolation prize for sinners repenting for dessert sins.
• Olives & pickles: The salty siblings nobody wants but always ends up eating, anyway.
• Seafood galore: Squid, octopus, shrimp, and mussels—a pescatarian’s dream, if not overly chewy.
• Dolmadakia: Stuffed vine leaves that pretend to be filling but aren’t.
• Oil-free bean soup: Because regular fasolada is apparently too indulgent.

Why Show Up?

Why not? It’s free, it’s tasty, and it’s way better than arguing over who’s cleaning the house. Plus, Clean Monday marks the start of Lent, and what better way to ease into fasting than by overindulging first? Whether you’re here for the food, the music, or just the excuse to stay out longer, Heraklion’s Kolouma is hands down the place to be.

So pack your appetite and maybe some face wipes—you’ll need them. Heraklion’s annual Clean Monday celebration at Karavolas is the perfect excuse to skip chores and enjoy the kind of fun that comes with zero guilt. Start your Lent right: full, happy, and with way too many photos of you dancing awkwardly by the sea.

Κούλουμα στον Καράβολα από τον Δήμο Ηρακλείου