Church of Panagia | Pythio

The church of Panagia at Pythio is a three-aisled basilica with a wooden roof, built in 1638. The church used to function as a monastery and is decorated with lovely murals. It is unique in that it has the only cyclical bell tower in Greece.

Church of the Dormition at Kontariotissa

The byzantine church of Theotokos Kontariotissa or Kountouriotissa, overlooking the village named after it, was built in the beginning of the 11th century and is one of the most significant byzantine monuments in Macedonia. Its architecture resembles that of the Agia Sofia church in the city of Thessaloniki; it has a cross-shaped dome surrounded by a gallery and two chapels on the north and on the south side respectively. Inside, there are remainings of murals dating back to the late 15th or early 16th century.
Only a few kilometres away from Panagia Kontariotissa, there is the modern monastery of Agios Efraim one of the most visited monasteries by Greek Christians.

Mytikas peak

The highest summit of Greece, Mytikas or Pantheon. Climbing up to the top of the gods mountain (2,917-m) is not an easy task. In winter, when the mountain is covered with snow, it becomes even difficult for alpinists. The dream of each Olympus mountaineer is to get a photograph near the metallic Greek flag on the top. Mytikas was conquered on
August 2, 1913 by the Swiss Frederic Boissonas and Daniel Baud Bovy and their climbing mate Christos Kakalos, the veteran Olympus guide from Litochoro.

Kokkinopilos

The village Kokkinoplos or Kokkinopilos has become a holiday and relaxation spot, since it is the highest village on Olympus. It has an altitude of 1150m and its stone-built houses hanging from the mountain slopes create an impressive setting. Its name is linked to kokkinochoma (= red soil), which is an important substance for the village. Due to the region’s particular soil consistency, the local people are involved in the production of lime, apart from stock-breeding, wood-cutting and farming.

Valley of Tempi

Even ancient Greek Gods were taken aback by its beauty. Between Mount Olympus and Kissavos, with River Pineios flowing through, the Vale of Tempe, which is 10km long, is an ode to the Mediterranean nature and it is easily accessible by car. Walking down the footbridge you will reach the waters of Pineios, just before the river empties them in the Aegean Sea. Cool off under the shadows of the riverside forest, which is full of plane, elm and willow trees, discover the beautiful flowers growing within the rocks of the canyon and watch rare bird species finding refugee in the dense vegetation. There is, also, the chapel of Agia Paraskevi and the cave with the holly water spring, both of which make Tempe a popular place for religious pilgrimage.

Olympus National Park Information Center

The first introduction to the mountain of gods takes place at the Olympus National Park Information Center, located in Litochoro. Through a plethora of digital images, exhibits, multimedia apps and slideshows, visitors can derive a wealth of useful information regarding paths and routes, data on landscape morphology, fauna, flora, climate, the history of the first ascent, etc. The center also provides, upon request, organized tours with its certified mountain guides.