Greece holds many secrets and once you get past the “normal” activities such as visiting the Acropolis, soaking in the sun or sailing, you can start to explore some of the other things to do here. Many travelers don’t know that you can ski in Greece. Likewise, many don’t know that you can rock climb in Greece.
Until the late 1980s, the climbing scene in Greece was pretty much limited. The next decade didn’t see much development either but in recent years the climbers are flocking to Greece. And they are right to do so: the country offers a diverse climbing experience, from easy climbs just perfect for the beginners, to very hard ones suited for the experienced climbers.
Meteora
It’s the best well known climbing destination in Greece. There are easy climbs for the beginners but also hard ones for those experienced. The views as you climb up the Conglomerate Towers are just amazing.
There are some companies offering rock climbing tours. The minimum group is 4 persons and the equipment is provided by the company. Tours start at €46 per person.
>>more information on Meteora
Kalymnos
Kalymnos is currently ranked among the top 10 sport climbing destinations in the world. The island stands at about 300 kilometers south east of Athens (a 30 min flight) and 100 km north west of Rhodes. It’s a mountainous island with impressive rocky crags, but it’s best known as the sponge divers’ island among tourists.
Since 2000, 3 important climbing festivals have been held here but despite having such a good reputation among climbers, Kalymnos is not crowded. There are enough routes to accommodate everyone who wants to explore the island.
>>more information on Kalymnos
Athens
The Attica plateau is surrounded by four mountains which offer great climbing opportunities. You can easily combine hiking with rock climbing. Follow the trail which goes from the Moni Kliston Monastery to the climbing site of Arma. Legend has it that this place was preferred by god Pan, who played his pipes and danced in the forest surrounding the area.
>>more information on Athens
Patras
It’s the best to explore if you are hard core climber. Pretty much every route surrounding this city is very hard which makes it the queen of extreme sports. You won’t find beginners here but if you want to improve your style, this is definitely the place to explore. Kalogria crag offers probably the best views, being set by 4 km of beach.
Trikala
Located in central Greece, it’s home to a lot of climbing activity. Mouzaki is the most popular place for the hard core climbers while Elati is a good choice if you want to explore the rocks during a hot summer day.
Magnesia
It’s quite similar to Trikala and it also offers routes for everyone, regardless of their climbing experience. For the best experience, you should plan to climb the crags in autumn as the weather is just perfect for climbing all day.
Online resources
Routes.gr is a great site which contains climbing routes on the Hellenic mountains. The information is plentiful and is organized really well.
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