Traditions of Europe
Carnival, Midsummer, Christmas markets, Easter, the village fête and the long Sunday lunch. 714 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
Countries
🇦🇱 Albania 27🇦🇩 Andorra 4🇦🇹 Austria 50🇧🇾 Belarus 30🇧🇪 Belgium 40🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 16🇧🇬 Bulgaria 49🇭🇷 Croatia 33🇨🇿 Czechia 20🇩🇰 Denmark 26🇪🇪 Estonia 18🇫🇮 Finland 34🇫🇷 France 91🇩🇪 Germany 115🇬🇷 Greece 69🇭🇺 Hungary 22🇮🇸 Iceland 20🇮🇪 Ireland 77🇮🇹 Italy 114🇽🇰 Kosovo 20🇱🇻 Latvia 18🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 2🇱🇹 Lithuania 22🇱🇺 Luxembourg 14🇲🇹 Malta 15🇲🇩 Moldova 11🇲🇨 Monaco 1🇲🇪 Montenegro 13🇳🇱 Netherlands 29🇲🇰 North Macedonia 26🇳🇴 Norway 38🇵🇱 Poland 70🇵🇹 Portugal 27🇷🇴 Romania 39🇷🇺 Russia 102🇸🇲 San Marino 1🇷🇸 Serbia 44🇸🇰 Slovakia 19🇸🇮 Slovenia 25🇪🇸 Spain 96🇸🇪 Sweden 45🇨🇭 Switzerland 34🇺🇦 Ukraine 47🇬🇧 United Kingdom 201🇻🇦 Vatican City 3
Cities and towns
Rome 30London 26Moscow 18Dublin 17Vienna 16Athens 14Venice 14Paris 13Seville 12Kraków 11Riga 11Valencia 11
On the calendar
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 moreConclave
Cardinals sealed in the Sistine Chapel, voting until two thirds agree on a new popeSpiritual
🇬🇧 South Queensferry, United KingdomThe Burryman
A man clad in burdock burrs walks a Scottish town for a day, bringing luck as he goesFolklore
🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreHandshake
A brief clasp of hands to greet, part or seal a deal, with local rules on how it is doneEtiquette
🇵🇱 Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland and 1 moreMarch of the LivingMarsz Żywych (Polish) · מצעד החיים (Hebrew)
An annual two-week journey to Poland ending in a silent walk from Auschwitz to BirkenauCeremony
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomChelsea Flower Show
A five-day May horticultural festival held in London by the Royal Horticultural SocietyFestival
🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreCaffè sospeso
An anonymous gift of a paid cup of coffee for a stranger in needTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreBeating Retreat
A military ceremony of music and drill held at sunset to mark the end of a day or a festival.Ceremony
🇬🇧 Pilton, United KingdomGlastonbury Festival
A five-day summer performing arts festival held on Somerset farmlandFestival
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomLord Mayor's Show
An annual civic parade in London marking the inauguration of the Lord Mayor with a procession and pageantry.Ceremony
🇪🇪 EstoniaJaanipäev
An Estonian midsummer festival marking the shortest night with bonfires, songs and independence memories.Festival
🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica
The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony
🇬🇷 GreeceXeniaξενία (xenia)
An ancient Greek code of hospitality and guest-friendship rooted in reciprocity and divine duty.Etiquette
🇬🇷 Olympia, Greece and 1 moreOlympic torch relay
The ceremonial journey of the flame from Olympia to each host city of the Olympic GamesCeremony
🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreArbor Day
An annual secular observance dedicated to planting and caring for trees around the worldCeremony
🇳🇴 Bergen, NorwayBuekorps
Youth marching groups of Bergen's neighbourhoods, with drums, banners and a May paradeCeremony
🇫🇷 Paris, France and 5 moreBastille DayFête nationale française
France's national day marking the storming of the Bastille and the unity of the people on 14 July.Ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreBoxing Day
A public holiday on 26 December in Commonwealth nations, marked by charity, family time, and shopping sales.Festival
🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia and 5 moreDefender of the Fatherland DayДень защитника Отечества
A national holiday honouring military service and male relatives, observed across several post-Soviet states.Festival
🇳🇱 Amsterdam, NetherlandsKing's DayKoningsdag
A Dutch national holiday celebrating the monarch's birthday with street markets and orange attire.Festival
🇳🇴 Oslo, Norway and 3 moreConstitution DaySyttende mai
A national public holiday in Norway marked by children's parades, flags, and traditional food.Festival · Tea-time and snacking customs
🇸🇪 Stockholm, SwedenNational Day of SwedenSveriges nationaldag
A public holiday on 6 June marking the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523.Ceremony
🇬🇷 Athens, Greece and 1 moreOhi DayΕπέτειος του Όχι
A Greek national holiday on October 28 that marks the refusal of an Italian ultimatum in 1940.Ceremony
🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreMichaelmas
A Christian festival honouring the archangels, marked by autumn harvest foods and legal terms in the British Isles.Festival · Dinner
🇫🇮 Helsinki, FinlandIndependence Day of FinlandSuomen itsenäisyyspäivä
Finland's national day on 6 December, marked with window candles and a presidential ballCeremony
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomTrooping the Colour
The annual British military parade marking the official birthday of the monarch.Ceremony
🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyFesta della Repubblica
Italy's national day marking the 1946 public vote to establish a democratic republicCeremony
🇭🇷 Sinj, CroatiaSinjska Alka
An annual jousting tournament in Sinj where galloping riders strike a hanging ringGame
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik, Croatia and 1 moreFestivity of Saint BlaiseFesta Svetog Vlaha
An annual patron saint festival in Dubrovnik with processions, relics and dovesFestival
🇪🇸 Valencia, SpainWater Tribunal of the plain of ValenciaTribunal de les Aigües de la Vega de València
A weekly outdoor gathering of Valencian farmers settling irrigation disputes by word of mouthCeremony
🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United Kingdom and 2 moreRoyal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
An annual military music and performance show held on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in August.Performance
🇸🇮 Slovenia and 1 morePrešeren DayPrešernov dan
A national celebration of arts and literature observed across Slovenia on 8 FebruaryCeremony
🇪🇸 Barcelona, SpainLa Mercè
Barcelona’s main annual city festival, honoring the Virgin of Mercy each September.Festival
🇬🇷 Athens, Greece and 1 moreCelebration of the Greek RevolutionΕορτασμός της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης του 1821
An annual civic holiday of parades and church services marking Greek independenceCeremony
🇬🇧 United KingdomSwan Upping
An annual five-day royal census and health check of swans along the River ThamesCeremony
🇧🇪 Brussels, BelgiumMeyboomMaâbuum
An annual Brussels parade and ceremonial tree planting held every AugustFestival
🇫🇷 Bayonne, FranceFêtes de BayonneBaionako Jaiak
A five-day summer feria in Bayonne featuring parades, dances and white-and-red dressFestival
🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia and 4 moreLatvian Song and Dance FestivalVispārējie latviešu Dziesmu un Deju svētki
A grand gathering of choirs, dancers and folk artists held every five years in LatviaPerformance
🇨🇭 Basel, Switzerland and 4 moreSwiss National DaySchweizer Bundesfeiertag
Switzerland's annual national holiday, celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, and lanternsCeremony
🇧🇪 Antwerp, Belgium and 2 moreOmmegangommegang (Dutch)
Medieval town processions of the Low Countries, with giants, guilds and horsesCeremony
🇮🇹 Foligno, ItalyGiostra della Quintana
A June and September joust in Foligno, where ten knights spear ringsFestival
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomRoyal Maundy
A Church of England service where the monarch gives silver Maundy coins to older peopleSpiritual
🇫🇮 Helsinki, FinlandKalevala DayKalevalan päivä
A Finnish national flag day celebrating the country's epic poetry and living artsCeremony
🇬🇧 Lewes, United KingdomLewes Bonfire
A Sussex town marks 5 November with torchlit processions, burning crosses and bonfiresFestival
🇱🇮 Vaduz, LiechtensteinLiechtenstein National DayStaatsfeiertag Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein's national holiday celebrated with castle speeches, bonfires and fireworksCeremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreBank holiday
Official days of rest and financial closure across the British IslesCeremony
🇳🇴 NorwayBunad
Norway's festive dress, tied to a home district and worn from weddings to 17 MayDress
🇬🇧 London, United KingdomRemembrance Sunday
A day of solemn remembrance for military and civilian service members in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.Ceremony
🇮🇹 Florence, ItalyScoppio del Carro
An Easter Sunday fireworks display ignited by a flying dove in FlorenceFestival
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bastille Day: Chief Petty Officer Michael McNabb, Public domain, source
- Boxing Day: Sigismund von Dobschütz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- King's Day: Carmelrmd, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Defender of the Fatherland Day: И. Мартынов, Public domain, source
- National Day of Sweden: Bengt Nyman, CC BY 2.0, source
- Michaelmas: Julian P Guffogg, CC BY 2.0, source
- Festa della Repubblica: Anthony Majanlahti, CC BY 2.0, source
- Trooping the Colour: Carfax2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Water Tribunal of the plain of Valencia: José Jordan, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo, source
- Prešeren Day: Franz von Kurz zum Thurn und Goldenstein, Public domain, source
- March of the Living: No machine-readable author provided. Efka de~commonswiki assumed (base, CC BY 2.5, source
- Olympic torch relay: DieselCat, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Celebration of the Greek Revolution: Stefanos Kofopoulos, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ohi Day: Tigroinikos, CC BY 2.5, source
- The Burryman: Oliver Benton, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Liechtenstein National Day: Förkle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Buekorps: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Kalevala Day: Vladimir Menkov, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Swiss National Day: Vincent de Groot, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Latvian Song and Dance Festival: Laima Gūtmane (simka), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fêtes de Bayonne: Belarra64, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Meyboom: Henxter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Handshake: Rufino, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Conclave: User Maus-Trauden on de.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Remembrance Sunday: Philip Stevens, Public domain, source
- Glastonbury Festival: Czampal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pontifical Swiss Guard: The White House, Public domain, source
- Caffè sospeso: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chelsea Flower Show: Nzfauna, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Arbor Day: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Beating Retreat: Beating Retreat, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lord Mayor's Show: Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Xenia: Workshop of Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, source
- Bunad: Wolfmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Giostra della Quintana: Alb.Maur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lewes Bonfire: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ommegang: Zorro2212, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Royal Maundy: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Sinjska Alka: L. Carević, CC0, source
- Swan Upping: Philip Allfrey, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Festivity of Saint Blaise: August Dominus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Independence Day of Finland: Wikimedia Commons: LPfi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Constitution Day: evelinagustafsson@live.se, Public domain, source
- La Mercè: larry&flo, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo: xlibber, CC BY 2.0, source