MOUNTAIN OLYMPUS REGION
The official sites of the OLYMP Tourism Board provide tips and information on more than 250 holiday destinations in Greek`s most beautiful region for prospective visitors, a region that has sea, montains, vineyards, river valleys, sunny peaks, wide panoramic views, calm forests, revitalising spas, exciting family destinations and a cuisine that is the most elaborate in Greece.
Here, even countryside restaurants have excellent chefs in their kitchen. Still looking for more? Just come to Greek’s most naturel area, meet and you’ll find everything you need to turn your holiday into a special experience.
Mytikas-The summit of Greece
Mytikas is the highest peak of Mount Olympus. The massif has four other low-lying peaks, the Skolio, Stefani, Skala and Profitis Ilias. Mostly they cover clouds, but if you are lucky, once you have a clear view of the peaks, you will see him radiant and enlightening. Perhaps that is why one of the ancient meanings of the word „Olympus“ used to be Homer’s „shining one“.
Climbing in the Kingdom of the Gods
The poet Homer describes the radiant-shining Olympus, „the eternal seat of the gods, never shaken by winds, never drenched by the rain, never covered by snow, but here it is cloudless and the air is clear and a radiant white hovers above it“ (Odyssey, VI, 41). This bright white is what inspires climbers today. With the right equipment and a dose of will, anyone who is reasonably fit can reach the summit of Olympus slowly but surely.
The national park and the unique ecosystem
In the heart of Olympus lies Greece’s most important national park. Here you can communicate with Greece’s „divine“ natural heritage. Troughs and elevations, ravines and plateaus, deep caves and huge rocks make the Olympus a nature experience of superlatives. Discover more than 1500 plant species, some of them native only to home, dozens of species and many rare birds.
Climb the summit
The trail starts at the place Prionia, 1100 meters above sea level. You can drive to the starting point by car. But from then on, it’s your legs off. The E4 hiking route leads up to Litochoro and the Epineas gorge. The hike takes an average of three hours to reach the hut Spilios Agapitos, and another three hours from there to the summit of Mytikas. However, it is not mandatory to walk the entire route in one day.
