Mythical village-hopping on the slopes of Mt Olympus

Litochoro

Village life still beats strongly in the small town of Litochoro, the base for so many adventures on Mt Olympus. In the old town, you will find architecture that is unmistakably Macedonian (two-storey houses, with wooden beams and balconies) and there’s a strong maritime tradition in the neoclassical captain’s houses. Likewise, many of the narrow alleys wind back to the main square (as they do in a village). There are modern twists to restaurants and cafes, but there’s still a traditional atmosphere in the tavernas along the Enipeas River and in the centre (drinking tsipouro and eating meze). Mt Olympus appears through its foothills and nearby is Myli, with its watermills and the chapels of Agion Apostolon and Profitis Ilias, where you can pick up the E4 long-distance hiking trail. 

Ano Skotina

You’re surrounded by a forest of fir and beech trees as you enter Ano (Upper) Skotina, around 750m up on the lower slopes of Mt Olympus. Many of the houses here are from the 17th or 18th century and the church of Agios Athanasios (with a wonderful wood-carved iconostasis) dates to the 14th century. There was a time when the residents of Ano Skotina began to relocate. But slowly they have returned, restoring properties and opening guesthouses and tavernas. The heart of the village is the square, with the 19th-century Church of the Dormition (Kimisis Theotokou) and an enormous plane tree. There is a view all the way to the sea and, around the village, are footpaths for hiking, mountain biking or 4x4ing.

Palaios Panteleimonas 

Another centuries-old village whose inhabitants had chosen to relocate to the coast before returning to breathe new life into the red roof-tiled houses and open traditional tavernas and guesthouses. The car-free roads and plane tree-lined main square (with the Church of Agios Panteleimonas) are a joy – especially whilst having a bite with a glass of local wine or a koumara tsipouro (firewater made from the fruit of the wild strawberry tree). Around you are shops selling handmade pasta and sweets and jars of blossom-scented honey. 

Palaioi Poroi 

Palei Pori (as it’s pronounced) is a village that received modern comforts (such as electricity) later than its neighbours. Most of its narrow alleyways, lined with handsome 18th and 19th century buildings, lead to the main square, with a huge plane tree, the Byzantine church of Agios Georgios and views all the way to the Thermaic Gulf. Many of the houses in the village have been converted into traditional guesthouses and above the settlement is a forest, in which you will find two pretty churches (Agion Apostolon and Zoodochou Pigis.)

Dion

Your final stop is another settlement inextricably linked with the region’s history. Dion was the most sacred sanctuary of King Philip II and his son Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and its archaeological site – noted for its greenery and water features – was dedicated to Zeus. Strolling around the park, you’ll find sanctuaries to the leader of the gods and (amongst others) the Egyptian goddess Isis. There’s an on-site museum and the ancient theatre still stages cultural events, as one of the venues of the Olympus Festival each summer. One of the roads out of Dion leads to the little church of Agios Konstantinos, where the Orlias Gorge begins, perfect for a nature walk (or something more active). And don’t forget to finish the day at a taverna serving hearty local dishes.