A massive 45-meter metal Christmas tree, touted as one of Europe's tallest, was lit up on December 21, 2025, near the entrance to Crete's iconic Samaria Gorge in Omalos. The spectacular lighting ceremony attracted thousands of visitors from across the island, featuring music, food, family activities, and a festive party atmosphere amid the stunning natural backdrop of the Samaria National Park.
Organized by the Lakkoi Development Company (partly owned by the Platanias Municipality), the event aimed to boost winter tourism. Platanias Mayor Yiannis Malandrakis described it as a temporary installation to promote the region, though he acknowledged it looked "incongruous" in the pristine setting. Regional officials estimated 4,000–5,000 attendees, with no reported environmental damage.
However, the structure quickly sparked widespread backlash for clashing with the protected national park environment. Critics deemed the towering metal tree out of place beside the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Authorities from NECCA (the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency) inspected the site and declared the installation unauthorized, noting that its concrete base and lightning rod were built without required permits from the Forestry Service in a forested, safeguarded area.
Organizers maintained that the tree was erected on private land and pledged to dismantle it after the holidays.
The debate highlights tensions between festive tourism initiatives and preserving Crete's fragile natural heritage.
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