Around Mt. Olympos - A winter tour of the region’s charming villages

A large section of Mt. Olympos, its tallest peak (2,917 meters) and the greater portion of the National Park belong to the Prefecture of Pieria. To the northwest are the Titaros River and the Pieria Mountains.
So, if you are looking for a winter getaway, the villages in this region offer the ideal solution for those who seeking the coziness that only a mountain village can provide along with an acquaintanceship with the mountain of the gods.
On the slopes of Olympos, just four kilometers from the sea, is Palaios Panteleimonas, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Macedonia. There, tradition coexists in perfect accord with the environment.

This village has existed on this spot for four centuries. It was built by Epirote craftsmen, who went on to work in the villages of Pelion, which explains why Macedonian architecture contains some traditional Epirote features. After World War II, the settlement was gradually abandoned, its inhabitants moving to neighboring Platamonas and Neos (New) Panteleimonas, on the National Road opposite the Platamonas fortress.
The mid-1970s marked the beginning of a return to the village. Many of the old houses changed ownership and underwent restoration. Today, the village has been declared a protected landmark and most of the old houses have been renovated with respect for their traditional architecture.
The best known village in the region is Elatohori, which has the advantage of being only eight kilometers from the Pieria Ski Center. Its reception center is located at 1,410 meters and the lift goes up to 1,750 meters. It has two large courses: Cleo, 1,500 meters long, of medium difficulty: and Erato, 2,600 meters long, which is easy. There is also a 300 meter baby lift called Thaleia, which serves the beginners course. The Elatohori Ski Center offers parking, a medical center, a chalet with a coffee-bar and restaurant, ski schools, and a shop that rents and sells skiwear and equipment. Next to the village is old Elatohori with its few stone houses.
Another choice is Litohoro, the second most populous municipality in the prefecture, located 92 kilometers from Thessaloniki and 65 kilometers from Larissa. It consists of two parts: the main settlement, at an altitude of 300 meters, and, to the east, seaside Litohoro, a tourist resort with numerous hotels and holiday facilities.
Despite its growth in recent decades, Litohoro has retained the characteristic examples of its Macedonian architecture. Today’s village has spread out around the old one, which has preserved its traditional color intact. At its center is the church of Agios Dimitrios, with its famous bell tower. All of Litohoro is filled with small squares with stone fountains, each with its own name.
A stroll through the narrow streets is a little journey into the history of the region. The two-storey Macedonian houses are characteristic, with their arched wooden fanlights over the windows, wooden garden doors, pitched roofs, and large reception rooms. There are also neoclassical buildings, which belonged mostly to residents who were seamen, influenced by what they saw on their European travels.
Horostasi, where Cosmas of Aetolia taught, is also worth a visit for its ancient plane tree and tiny church.
You can stay at traditional guesthouses in every village. You’ll also find traditional restaurants and tavernas. Distinctive local dishes are roast wild boar, wild boar sausage and a variety of stews and casseroles. In Litohoro you can enjoy fresh fish and seafood.

INFORMATION
How to get there
By car, take the National Road towards Katerini and follow the signs to Litohoro and other destinations. The distance from Athens to Katerini is 450 kilometers.
You can also take the KTEL-Pieria coach, which has regular service from Athens and Thessaloniki to Katerini-Litohoro, and then change for the local bus.
By train, from Athens and Thessaloniki to Katirini, and then change for the bus.

Who to ask
Litohoro Town Hall: (+30) 23520 84701
Police Station: 23520 81111
Prefecture Tourist Bureau: 23510 69250
Prefecture of Pieria: 23510 69100
Katerini Hospital: 23510 57200

What to see
• The other villages in the area in amazing locations.
• The Fteri valley, with its beautiful little artificial lake. Fteri is a livestock village built on a slope of Pieria. Continue on the road and you’ll come to Katafygi on a small plateau. From there you can go on to Velvendo.
• Morna or Skoteina, with its lovely valley and large portion of road that never sees sunlight – hence its name Skoteina, meaning dark. Follow the road to Elassona and turn right at the village of Foteino. This beautiful route takes you through a forest of wild chestnut and oak trees. It is on the side of the Titaros River, with the Pieria Mountains to your right.
• The village of Foteino and from there through the Petra Pass and a stunning landscape. The forest road from the lively, hospitable village of Agios Dimitrios will take you nearly to the top of Mt Olympos.