If you can’t visit Tilos and taste its traditional kitchen, we have chosen for you its most representative traditional recipes, which guarantee authentic taste. All the recipes use local, fresh products, which have been used for years. So, let’s try to cook the following original recipes and fill your table with its traditional taste, no matter how far from Tilos you are.
St. George Day is celebrated on a different date each year. Small festivals and feasts are held in small churches all around the island.
St. Irene Day is celebrated on the 5th of May each year. A festival with traditional food and dancing is held at the church that is located in Eristos valley near Megalo Horio.
St. Panteleimon Day is celebrated on the 27th of July each year. It takes place at the Monastery of St. Panteleimon. St. Panteleimon is the Patron Saint of Tilos and this is by far the biggest and most celebrated festival for all Tilians, with traditional food, local music and dancing that begins on July 26 and lasts two days.
The Dance of the Grail is celebrated every year, one day after the celebration of St. Panteleimon, which means on the 28th of July in the Plaza of Archangel Michael in Megalo Horio.
On the eve of the 15th of August, all the roads lead to the village of Mikro Horio, where the festival of Virgin Mary Theotokissa is held.
Virgin Mary Nine Days is celebrated on the 23rd of August each year with festivals at the churches of Livadia and Saint Antonios.
Holy Belt Day is celebrated on the 31st of August each year at the church of Mikro Horio. The festival that is held in this abandoned village is an opportunity for the sons and daughters of Mikro Horio to return and celebrate life in the birthplace of their ancestors.
St. John Day is celebrated on the 2nd of September every year with a festival that is held at a small church near Livadia.
Christmas, New Year’s Day, Epiphany, Easter and Virgin Mary’s Day (on the 15th of August every year) are celebrated with communal feasts, traditional island music and dancing.
The reenactment of Lazarus, on Saturday of Lazarus
– The Tilians hold red candles at Easter. The previous day of the Epitaph, the women walk down the roads of villages and collect flowers from every house, in order to adorn the epitaph.
– The reenactment of Lazarus, on Saturday of Lazarus
– The third day after Easter, all the Tilians gather at the goat yards (in the farms), where the farmers give them wine and cheese, and a traditional festival with music and dances takes place
– The Cup Festival takes place the 28th of July. During the past, it was a very important festival, as only on that day the young people of the island, boys and girls, could meet each other. Of course, their parents would always chaperone them. During that day, the young man would show his preference for a young woman, they would dance together and he would leave some money in the Cup of Chearch, in order to have its blessing.
The diversity that it is reflected in the natural characteristics of the island of Tilos, is also observed in its local traditions that are unbreakably connected with every day life. The new generation particularly respects these traditions, continues to preserve the morals and customs and incorporates them into its culture.
The residents of Tilos preserve their traditional morals and customs. Not only the older people who grew up influenced by the local culture, but also the young people who grew up in a broaded-mind society, are simple and their life is really peaceful. They are close to the modern requirements and the tourism that entered their life during the last few years, and they have easily adapted to the years of changes.
The Tilians are hospitable, openhearted and hardworking and they try to offer you the best accommodation. Furthermore, the consistency with which they keep their religious traditions constitutes one of their characteristics. This fact is also proven by the number of churches that are found on the island.
