I remember well all the stories about Santa Claus and the fact that Lapland is the hometown of Santa Claus. I read a lot and wanted to visit Finland one day, but it is still just an unfulfilled wish.My children were lucky enough to see Santa Claus' village in Drama, Greece.Drama is located in northern Greece, a couple of hours away from my city. You can visit this village from December to mid-January, so I took my little ones there a few times when they still believed in Santa Claus.The Greeks are proud of Drama and call it the most beautifully illuminated city (after Athens and Thessaloniki) during the Christmas holidays.
This city is the most popular winter destination. They call it the "city of dreams - Santa's village" when the whole city smells of Christmas cakes, mulled wine, cinnamon, tea...All this takes place in the central park of Agia Varvara, which is considered one of the most beautiful parks in the Balkans. The city park is transformed into a fairy-tale scenic village of Santa Claus, a place where even adults become children before Christmas.
Santa Claus Village was set up like a small town within a town. Wooden houses were lined up in rows, each with its own name.In one, children were writing letters to Santa Claus, in another, they were making decorations, and in the third, souvenirs were being sold. I went into a few houses, watched what people were doing and how the children were patiently waiting their turn.Parents stood on the sidelines, taking pictures and talking.
A small stage was set up in one part of the space. Programs were shown there throughout the day. As I passed, a group of children were performing a short play. Everything was designed so that one could stop, look, and stay as long as they wanted.I continued to the area where Santa Claus was stationed. The line was long, but orderly. Children waited patiently, holding hands or standing next to their parents. I saw Santa Claus talking to everyone, without rushing. There was no rushing in and out. Each encounter lasted as long as needed.
We always spent the night in the city and returned home in the morning. We took a family walk through the city. The city is literally "on the water", with numerous springs and streams that contribute to the greenery,It is located in the valley of the Drames River (Drama), surrounded by the Falakro Mountains to the north and east, while in the south a plain stretches towards the Aegean Sea. Drama is full of uphill or downhill slopes depending on which side of the hills they are on.It's very pleasant in the city and an ideal place for me to relax.
Thanks for reading my post
Dragan
