Practical guideLarissa
Mount Olympus from the Thessaly side: climbing from Elassona
Mount Olympus is not only Litochoro. The routes from Elassona and Kokkinopilos, the Christakis refuge and the shortest way up to Mytikas, the summit of the gods.
At a glance
- Highest summit
- Mytikas, 2,918 m
- Starting town
- Elassona (Larissa regional unit, Thessaly)
- Shortest ascent
- From the Christakis refuge (about 2,500 m): about 5 km and 3 hours to Mytikas
- Getting to the Christakis refuge
- Dirt road, 4×4 only, about an hour from Elassona
- Season
- Summer and early autumn for hiking; in winter only with mountaineering equipment and experience
Almost every guide to Mount Olympus starts in Litochoro, on the Macedonian side. But the mountain has a second face: its southern and western slopes are in Thessaly, in the Larissa regional unit, and from there, from the town of Elassona, starts the shortest ascent to its summit.
Three routes
The Municipality of Elassona describes three main ascents from the Thessalian side.
From the Christakis refuge. The shortest. The refuge stands at about 2,500 metres and is reached by 4×4 on a rough dirt road, about an hour from Kalyvia near Elassona. From there the path climbs to Skolio (2,911 m) and Mytikas (2,918 m): about 5 kilometres and three hours.
From Vrysopoules. This route starts at the Greek Army's training centre at Vrysopoules (KEOACH), at about 1,800 metres, and climbs towards the summit of Agios Antonios and on to Skala and Mytikas. It is a military facility: ask in Elassona about access before you set out.
From Kokkinopilos, through the Stalagmatia gorge. The longest and the most beautiful. Kokkinopilos is a village at about 1,100 metres, half an hour from Elassona. The E4 long-distance path climbs through the Stalagmatia stream: about 7 kilometres and 1,000 metres of ascent, around eight hours in total.
The final section
Whichever route you choose, the stretch from Skolio to Mytikas is exposed and needs your hands. The Municipality of Elassona explicitly describes it as unsuitable for inexperienced hikers without supervision. If you have no experience of such terrain, Skolio is already a 2,911-metre summit with a view over the whole of Olympus, and a mountain guide is the safe way to Mytikas.
In winter Olympus is a different mountain: snow, avalanche risk and fog that falls without warning. Without mountaineering equipment and experience, the climbs are for summer and early autumn.
At the foot of the mountain
The Thessalian side of Olympus also rewards those who stay lower down. On the southern slopes above Sparmos stands the Holy Trinity monastery of Sparmos. The villages around Elassona, Olympiada, Pythio and Kokkinopilos, are starting points for shorter walks, and for anyone who wants Olympus without the crowds of the other side.
Frequently asked questions
Can you climb Mount Olympus from Thessaly?
Yes. The southern and western side of Mount Olympus lies in the Larissa regional unit of Thessaly, and routes start from Elassona, Kokkinopilos and the villages around them. The shortest ascent to Mytikas starts from the Christakis refuge.
What is the shortest route up Mount Olympus?
From the Christakis refuge, at about 2,500 metres on the Thessalian side: about 5 kilometres and three hours to Mytikas, via Skolio. The refuge, however, can only be reached by 4×4, on a rough dirt road.
Is climbing Mytikas dangerous?
The final section, from Skolio to Mytikas, is exposed and requires scrambling with your hands. The Municipality of Elassona describes it as unsuitable for inexperienced hikers without supervision. If you lack experience, stop at Skolio or go with a mountain guide.
How high is Mount Olympus?
Its highest summit, Mytikas, stands at 2,918 metres. Next comes Skolio at 2,911 metres, the second-highest peak in Greece.
Do I need to climb from Litochoro?
No. Litochoro, on the Macedonian side, is the best-known base, but the Thessalian side offers shorter approaches and far fewer people. Elassona is about 40 minutes' drive from Larissa.