ATHENS, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Athens International Airport (AIA) welcomed travelers on Friday with a colorful presentation of local Easter traditions.
A group of residents of South Kynouria, a municipality in western Peloponnese peninsula in the south, introduced Greeks and foreigners to unique local products, delicacies, dances and customs, inviting them to visit their land.
"As the festive season of Easter comes close and we have a unique tradition, our Easter hot air balloon, we came here to show it to people and give them an opportunity to get to know it, and invite them this way to visit Leonidio," Evgenia Roussali, Leonidio community head, told Xinhua.
The town of Leonidio, located 120 kilometers southwest of Athens, with 4,000 residents, is the seat of the municipality.
Dancers from Leonidio dressed in traditional costumes on Friday danced a labyrinthine shaped traditional dance, inviting travelers to follow in their footsteps, while other locals brought travelers into the art of the loom and treated them to local tastes, such as the Tsakonian eggplant, their olive oil, cookies and herbs.
"Our land is very rich, and we would like to welcome visitors from Greece and abroad to visit and wish them Happy Easter," Roussali said.
Greek Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on April 28 this year. During the night of the Resurrection, on Saturday night on April 27 this year, Leonidio offers a unique spectacle with hundreds of hot air balloons, crafted by locals, which are released in the night sky.
The tradition started in the early 20th century and it is assumed to be brought by Greek sailors from Asia.
