Carnival of Kozani, Velvedo

Should you decide to visit Velvedo during its three-day carnival celebration, you will have the opportunity to take part in the Fanos, an old custom in which wood fires are lit around the village as locals dance to the sound of brass instruments while singing satirical carnival songs. The Fanos is a festive event with feasting, wine drinking, singing, dancing and endless frolicking. It echoes ancient customs, probably Dionysian in origin, with a ritualistic, magical character that has managed to survive through the ages.

The Lenten foods you can try during the carnival include oil-free vegetable burgers, small potato pies, sweet truffles with marmalade, ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts, and the sweet ipovrihio. The kourabie is superb, but the Kozani saliaria is not to be missed either!