Skiing in Greece
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When most people think of Greece they imagine islands with small white houses and a background of blue sea and sky. But Greece is a land of mountains, some of them quite high and just like in the Alps, the Rockies, the Poconos and the Catskills, when the winter months come along, the high elevations see snow, sometimes quite a lot of it. Though the ski slopes of Greece are no secret to Greeks and many Europeans, they are unknown to Americans and most other people around the world. It's a shame too because imagine that you can combine a Greek Island cruise or meals of grilled octopus and fried kalamari with a weekend of skiing and even throw in a visit to the Acropolis, the famous nightlife of Athens or a journey to Delphi. |
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There are a
number of ways to approach a Ski Holiday
in Greece. One way is to do a ski package
through
Trekking
Greece. They take care of
all the details and offer different
combinations which can also include
islands, day-trips and of course
Athens.You can also book through another
agent or on your own and do day or
overnight trips to the ski centers by car
rental or by using
George the Famous Taxi driver.
But however you do it, a trip to Greece in the low season, whether you are skiing or hiking the trails or hanging out on the coast watching the fishing boats as life returns to normal after the tourist season, you will find it not only less expensive then high-season travel, but a richer and more rewarding experience. |
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Peloponessos
See also www.greecetravel.com/peloponessos
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Kalavrita
Mount Helmos Kalavryta Ski Centre 1650m-2340m Slopes: 4 Lifts: 7 Open Mon-Sun from 8:30 to 4 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 500 persons, parking, doctor, ski rental Distance: 14km from Kalavryta. 200 kms from Athens (about 2.5 hours from Athens) tel (0692)-22661 fax (0692)-22415 For more on Kalvrita see www.greecetravel.com/kalavrita |
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Mount
Menalo Ostrakina 1600m Slopes: 5 Lifts: 3 Distance: 30km from Tripolis, (about 3 hours from Athens) tel (0796)-22227 |
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Central Greece
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Mountain
Parnassos Kellaria 1750m, Fterolakas 1950m Slopes: 3-easy, 6-medium, 5-difficult, 1-very difficult, 1-cross country Lifts: 13 Open: Mon to Sunday from 8:30 to 3:30 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurants for 500 people(Kellaria) and 300 people(Fterolaka), parking, doctor, babysitting, Distance: 24km from Arachova (about 3 hours from Athens) Tel: (0234)-22694-5 Fax (0234)-22596 This is Greece's most popular ski center since it is only about two hours from Athens and very close to Delphi. For more on Delphi see www.greecetravel.com/delphi |
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Agriolefkes,
Pelion Pelion Mountain, 1500m Slopes: 3 ,One Cross-country Lifts: 4 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 150 persons. Chalet Accommodations for 80 persons, parking, doctor, ski rentals Open Mon-Sun from 9 to 4. Distance: 27kms from Volos (about 4 hours from Athens) Tel (0428) 73719 Fax (0428) 73719 See also www.greecetravel.com/pelion |
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Karpenisi,
Mountain Velouchi Diabolotopos 1800m Slopes: 3 Lifts: 5 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 300 people. Chalet accommodation for 96 people, parking, doctor, ski rental, ski school, bars Distance: 12km from Karpenisi. (about 4 hours from Athens) Tel (0237)-21112 Fax (0237)-23506 |
Thessaly
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Mount
Olympos Vrysopoules 1800m, Slopes: 2 Lifts: 2 Distance:40km from Elassona. Special permission is required for non-Greek citizens as the place is run by the army. Facilities: Chalet accommodations for 50 people, military doctor, military helicopter pad Tel (0493)-23467 |
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Macedonia
See also www.greecetravel.com/macedonia|
Mount
Vermio Seli 1500m Slopes: 8 and 1 cross-country Lifts: 7 Distance: 22km from Veroia.(96kms from Thessaloniki) Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 800 people, chalet accommodations for 600 people, parking, doctor, ski rental Open Mon-Sun 9 to 4 Tel 0332-71234 |
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Tria-pente
Pigadia 1420-2005m Slopes: 5 Lifts: 4 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 400 people, chalet accommodations, parking, doctor, ski rental tel (0332)-44464 Fax (0322)-44985 |
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Mounta
Vasilitsa Vasilitsa 1750m Slopes: 4 Lifts: 3 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 300 people, chalet accommodations for 30 people, parking, doctor, ski rental Open Mon-Sun 9 to 3 Distance 45km from Grevena tel (0462)-26100 Fax (0462)-28001 |
Mount
Kaimaktsalan Vorras 2050-2480m ski slopes:13+ snowboard slopes:1(Snowboard Fun Park) Lifts: 7 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 400 people, accommodations for 46 people, parking, doctor, ski rental, Austrian Ski school, snow bar, snowmobile rental, bus service Open November-May, Mon-Fri from 9 to 4 Distance: 45Km north of Edessa tel:0381-82169 (chalet) tel: 093-780009-994 884141 Fax (0381) 24359 |
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Mount
Verno Verno Vigla Pissoderiou 1650m Slopes: 4 Lifts: 3 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant, accommodations Distance:18km from Florina tel (0385)-22354 fax (0385)-29939 |
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Vitsi,
Katoria Mount Verno, Vitsi 1610-1875m Slopes: 5, 1 cross-country Lifts: 3 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 250 people, parking, doctor, ski rental Open Sat, Sun and Holidays Distance: 18kms from Kastoria Tel (0467)-24884 or 83927 Fax (0467) 24884 |
Orphea
Valley Mount Paggaio 1750m, Slope: 1 (400m) Lift: 1 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 300 people, chalet accommodations for 60 people, parking, pharmacy Distance: 44km from Kavala Tel (051)-223938 Fax (051)-232429 |
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Mount
Falakro Agio Pnevma 1720m Slopes: 3 Lifts: 2 Open weekends and holidays from 10 to 4 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 120 people, chalet accommodations for 70 people, parking, ski rental, scooter rental, ski school Distance: 43 km from Drama. Tel (0521) 23691 Fax (0521) 33484 |
Mount
Vrontous Lailias Serres 1600m, slope: 1 Lifts: 2 Distance: 27km from Serres. Facilities: Chalet accommodations Tel (0321) 53790 Fax (0321) 23724 |
Epirus
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Mount
Pindos, Metsovo Karakoli 1350m slope 1 easy lift: 1 Facilties: Cafeteria and restaurants for 100 people, parking, doctor, ski rental Distance:2Km from Metsovo, 90 kms from Trikala Open Mon-Sun from 9:30 to 3:45 tel (0656)-41211 Fax (0656)-41876 |
Profiti
Ilias, Metsovo Mount Pindos, Politses Metsovou 1420-1650m Slopes: 3 easy, 1 medium, 1 difficult, lifts: 3 Facilities: Cafeteria and restaurant for 250 people, parking, doctor, ski rental Distance:2Km from Metsovo, 90 kms from Trikala Tel (0656) 41095 or 42630 Fax (0656) 41095 |
More Info
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Hellenic
Ski Federation 7 Kar Servias Athens Greece Tel: 323-4412 Fax: 323-0142 |
Hellenic
Federation of Mountaineering and
Climbing 5 Millioni Str Athens, Greece Tel: 364-5904 Fax: 364-4687 |
Suggested ways of planning your Ski trip to Greece:
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Keep in mind
that just like where you live (maybe)
Greece's winter season begins in December.
Some of the mountains have snow on them in
November but don't count on
it.
You can
do a ski tour in combination with
other aspects of adventure travel in
Greece through Trekking Greece.
See their Ski and Trekking page at
www.greecetravel.com/trekking
You can contact Dolphin Hellas, who also can arrange ski trips, at www.greecetravel.com/dolphin You can do weekend or day trips to ski in Parnassos and Kalavrita or weekends to Pelion with George the Famous Taxi Driver or one of his crew. Contact him through his website at www.greecetravel.com/taxi You can also rent a jeep from Swift Rent-a-Car and make the ski and hotel arrangements yourself or through a travel agency. See www.greektravel.com/swift |
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