15 August Dekapen-davgousto / Apoktimis tis Panaghias
(Assumption or Dormition of the Virgin Mary)

This is the most important religious holiday after Pascha (Easter), and, as at Pascha, Greeks travel to their home towns, villages and islands to celebrate. There are big festivals all over Greece that celebrate this day, there being countless churches and monasteries dedicated to the Panaghia (Virgin Mary).

Large festivals are held on this day on the island of Paros, in the village of Aghiassos on the island of Lesvos/Mytilini, in the mountain village of Olymbos on Karpathos, and in Tinos, there is a mass pilgrimage to the rather kitch church there and its miracle working icon (an event that has spawned the comparison with Lourdes, with pilgrims crawling on hands and knees (happily padded) all the way from the port to the church.

This is when its 'impossible' to travel and reservations for everything are made months in advance.