Waterfalls of Agia Kori

Agia Kori waterfalls. The small chapel of Agia Kori and the waterfalls are located shortly outside of Vrontou, in the northern part of Olympus. Agia Kori (ed.note: Agia Kori means Holy Daughter) lived during the period of Ottoman rule. She was a young girl who fled to Mt. Olympus in order to escape the wrath of Ali Pasha. Although Agia Kori she has not been officially recognized as a saint, she is venerated by the devout and numerous miracles have been attributed to her. A descent of approximately 175 steps leads to the chapel standing before the rivulet. Following the ensuing path, one stands before a beautiful waterfall, calling for exhilarating plunges into these natural ponds with the crystalline waters.

Waterfall “Kokkinos Vrahos” | Orlias

The streams running on the roots of mount Olympus create spectacular falls. In a distance of approximately 3 kilometers from the village of Karitsa, there is a beautiful worth-visiting spot, Agios Vassilios, surrounded by numerous plane trees. At 5kilometers from the village of Dion, the visitor comes across the location Agios Konstantinos from which one can also access the canyon of Ourlias where one can enjoy various mountain activities and take a cool break during the summer months. The location is one hour’s walk away from Dion archaeological area.

Agios Antonios Refuge

The emergency refuge “Agios Antonios” is located on the Agios Antonios summit, at an altitude of 2.817 m with a housing capacity of up to nine persons. Emergency refuges provide shelter during severe weather conditions and are equipped with first aid supplies. The refuge was built in 1961 by the Aristotle University’s School of Physics and Mathematical Sciences in order to conduct meteorological observations related to the climate of Mt. Olympus.

Spilios Agapitos Refuge

The refuge Α΄ of Spilios Agapitos named after its designer, an engineer worshiper of mount Olympus, belongs to the Greek Federation of Mountaineer Associations. Located at 2,100 metres altitude in Balkoni, at a distance of approximately 2.5 hours by foot from Prionia. Founded in 1930, it hosts today 100 beds after various expansions. It is the most organised refuge with the highest number of visitors. Open from May to October.

Prionia

The site Prionia (Saws) (altitude 1100), which took its name from the old woodcutting watersaws, is the main starting point for the ascent to the peaks. In summertime, the wooden shelter hosts a coffee shop and a plain restaurant that serves a very tasty bean soup. The motorway starting from Litochoro also ends at Prionia.

Petrostruga Refuge

Petrostrouga refuge is nestled in the midst of a magnificent forest of beech and centuries-old pine trees at an altitude of 1.925 meters. The path leading to the refuge sets off from Gortsia, which is accessible from Litochoro by road. With a beautiful view of Litochoro, this refuge can accommodate up to 74 persons and is equipped with a fully-organized kitchen, restaurant, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves in every room, while there’s also an emergency heliport nearby. Within a 20-minute distance, one can visit the cave inhabited for a great number of years by the renowned Greek painter Vassilis Ithakisios, who derived his inspiration from the majestic scenery of Mt. Olympus. Moreover, climbing enthusiasts are sure to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences on the nearby ascending excursions.