Mount Olympus, Greece
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Mount Olympus, Greece
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Mount Olympus is
Greece's highest mountain and the home to the Gods of
Greek mythology. Mytikas, Olympus' highest peak at
2917 meters was reached in 1913 by Christos Kakalos of
nearby Litohoro and Swiss climbers Frederic Boissonas
and Daniel Baud-Bovy. The mountain is rich in tree and
plant life, supporting over 1700 species, some very
rare. The main village of Litohoro is connected by bus
from Athens and Thessaloniki and by train though the
station is 9 kilometers from the village. There are
numerous places to stay including inexpensive hotels
and campsites along the coast with good facilities.
Lonely Planet recommends Olympios Zeus, Olympus Beach
and Minerva. The least expensive hotel is the
Markesia. The classiest hotel is the Mirto Hotel on
the main square. There are plenty of restaurants and fast food
places to eat due to the promotion of the village as a
resort area. The downside is you will probably need to
book a hotel in advance in July and August. Climbing
Olympus takes two days but you can easily spend longer
if you like. There are a large number of decent trails
and you won't need special equipment or experience.
You can get a map from the EOS office in Litohoro
where English is spoken or the SEO office where it may
not be. It may not matter because the map is in Greek
but with a little bit of effort you can decipher the
alphabet. Anyway you will need it, no matter what
language it is in. Remember that people have died
climbing this mountain so don't take it too lightly.
You will need warm clothes, even in the summer.
Suncreen is also a necessity and decent shoes. You
will be able to stay in refuges overnight.
Visit the
Archeological park and museum at ancient Dion at
the foot of Mount Olympus. Sacred to the ancient
Macedonians, Alexander the great used to make
sacrifices to the Gods here before going off
to conquer the world. During the August Olympus
Festival plays are performed at the restored
ancient theatre. For organized tours of Mainland Greece that include Thessaloniki and Macedonia including Mount Olympus see www.greecetravel.com/tours/mainland |
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