Brains
Greece has always been a popular vacation destination for purveyors of ancient history, stunning natural beauty, and laid-back lifestyles. Legendary destinations such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis, the stadium at Delphi, and the cliff towns on Santorini garner most of the headlines and attract the bulk of the tourists visiting the country. But consuming delicious seafood, island-hopping from Athens, and soaking up sunsets at any number of world-class beaches aren’t the only options for recreation in the historic land. With roughly 80% of its landmass covered by mountains, Greece also hosts over 20 ski resorts scattered up and down its ancient shores offering 115 miles of trails serviced by 117 lifts.
Skiing in Greece offers a completely different experience than one might find in the United States or other top ski destinations in Europe. Don’t expect the latest and greatest ski technology, eight-person heated chairlifts, gondolas with Wi-Fi, or other lavish amenities frequently found at mountain resorts around the world. Mired in a financial crisis since the mid-2000s, Greece’s difficulties are reflected on the slopes, where lifts are often outdated or out of service. Conversely, weekday liftlines are practically non-existent with cheap tickets, cheap lodging, and cheap food standard throughout the region. Additionally, what the country lacks in fancy technology, it more than makes up for in charm and hospitality.
So before you rush to book your next European ski trip to Switzerland, Austria, or France, consider the following top seven ski resorts in Greece as viable options instead. The resorts have been arranged alphabetically as opposed to utilizing an assigned numerical ranking.
3-5 Pigadia
Located on beautiful Mount Vermio 340 miles North of Athens, 3-5 Pigadia offers a skiing and snowboarding season from December through March. The resort consists of six lifts and ten runs including “Filippos”, a mile-long black run averaging nearly 44 degrees of slope angle and considered the premier black slope in the entire country. Topping out at 6,725 feet, 3-5 Pidgadia is one of the few resorts in Greece that utilizes snowmaking equipment to enhance its snowpack throughout most of the resort. In addition to downhill riding, the resort also offers one of the finest cross-country ski centers in the country, with three unique slopes to choose from each offering various distances. With an advanced infrastructure compared to other parts of the region, 3-5 Pigadia hosts additional activities such as paragliding, mountain biking, trekking, and hang-gliding.
Elatochori Ski Center
Situated near the imposing Mount Olympus 300 miles North of Athens, Elatochori Ski Center provides patrons with five lifts accessing 10 runs covering over seven miles of trails. The resort is found on the northeast side of the Pieria Mountains with the peak elevation topping out at 4,757 feet. In addition to the ski runs, Elatochori also offers a snowboard course, a toboggan course, and two ski schools. The town of Elatochori consists of two separate settlements: the traditional settlement known as Old Elatochori, and the current settlement. In World War II, Old Elatochori was destroyed by the Nazis when the entire village was burned to the ground in January 1944. After the War ended and with the opening of the ski center, the old settlement experienced a boom in agro-tourism development forming the current settlement.
Falakro Ski Center
Across the border from Bulgaria, Falakro Ski Center is the Northernmost ski area in Greece and provides the longest season of any Greek resort due to its high elevation and preponderance of Nothern-facing slopes. With a base elevation of 5,600 feet, peak elevation of 7,300 feet, and 21 runs covering 10 miles serviced by nine lifts, Falakro offers plenty of variety for every level of skier and boarder. Operating days are Thursdays through Sundays, holidays, and select Saturday evenings with free night skiing. Also located on the slopes of the resort is the giant Snow Hole – a 365-foot sinkhole that patrons must navigate around while descending the aptly named intermediate run “Snow Hole.” As one of the deepest sinkholes in Macedonia, mapping of the giant sinkhole began in 2007 and remains ongoing today.
Kaimakstalan
On the upper slopes of Voras Mountain, the third tallest peak in Greece rising 8,280 feet, lies Kaimakstalan Ski Center. The resort encompasses six lifts servicing 13 runs and a progressive snowboarding park for all levels of riders. Founded in 1995, the ski center is one of the newer ski areas in Greece and continues to gradually upgrade facilities including introducing an artificial snowmaking system, automated ticketing, and adding more lifts. With a base elevation of 6,700 feet and a peak elevation of 8,200 feet, Kaimakstalan is the highest resort in Greece and provides outstanding views of Mount Olympus and the Thermaikos Gulf on clear days. Visitors have the option to reach the peak of Voras Mountain via snowcat to visit the Profitis Ilias, a chapel and WWI monument commemorating soldiers from the region who died in the Great War.
Kalavrita Ski Center
Gracing the Northern Slopes of Mount Helmos less than 120 miles West of Athens, Kalavrita Ski Center is the second-largest ski resort in Greece. Opened to the public in 1988, the ski center offers 8 lifts accessing over 15 miles of groomed runs and one of the premier parks in the country with rails, a halfpipe, and various jumps. The peak elevation tops out at 7,677 feet with over 2,000 vertical feet of bump skiing, tree skiing, free skiing, and park riding available throughout the resort. For tourists wanting a different experience, ski-biking lessons are offered, with equipment rentals included in addition to guided snowmobile tours embarking from the base area. In mild weather months early and late in the season, locals often ski Kalavrita in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon. As recently as 2012, Kalavrita Ski Center is one of the stops for the Snow Bus, a transportation option running affordable routes from Athens and other major towns in the region to ski destinations every day of the week.
Parnassos Ski Center
The largest, most popular, and most technologically advanced ski resort in Greece is Parnassos Ski Center, which encompasses two peaks: 7,400-foot Kellaria and 6,100-foot Fterolakka. Located about two hours from Athens by car, and only 45 minutes from the enchanting and historic town of Delphi, Parnassos has operated from December until May since 1976. The ski center offers 17 lifts servicing over 21 miles of groomed runs spread out on 23 named slopes. Recent lift and infrastructure upgrades adequately handle increased demand during higher visitation periods, with 13 of the lifts throughout the resort considered modern. Parnassos Ski Center was developed to benefit neighboring communities and municipalities and thus does not offer slopeside accommodations. The surrounding villages, towns, and municipalities, which are as close as 12 miles away from Parnassos Ski Center, provide lodging services for visitors.
Vasilitsa National Ski Center
The final entry on this list, Vasilitsa Ski Center, is located 280 miles from Athens and offers seven lifts providing access to 18 runs of varying difficulty among fir and pine trees. In between runs, visitors soak in panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, including Smolikas, Olympus, Grammos, and Tymfi. A peak elevation of nearly 7,000 feet ensures quality snow sticks around even during warmer seasons, and a terrain park with a halfpipe proves to be increasingly popular with the up-and-coming snowboarding scene in Greece. In 2016, plans for the expansion and modernization of Vasilitsa National Ski Area were finalized, while implementation efforts remain ongoing for one of the premier ski resorts in the region.
