Hiking in Greece. Mount Olympus Day One

Yesterday we came back from our big adventure in Greece. This was our first real hike abroad - we've gone for walks along hills in Greece, but this was a bona fide mountain hike to the highest peak in Greece and the second highest on the Balkans - mt. Mytikas in Olympus mountain.

Husband, Gaby, her boyfriend and I started with the car early from Sofia and arrived at the parking place Prionia around one o'clock. The weather conditions were simply perfect for a hike, the parking was full and the place was buzzing with people of all nationalities.

The first part of the hike starts from Prionia and ends at Refuge A Spilios Agapitos. Although the trail isn't too long, it is really steep - the elevation gain is one kilometer! 

However, probably because of the horses, which are the only transport allowed / possible along this track, the trail is very well secured and reinforced and I did not feel the climbing as too difficult. The path to the Refuge is entirely through a forest and on such a super hot day it felt very shady and pleasant.

Hike info:

Date: 23 August 2024

Destination: Refuge A on Olympus

Mountain: Olympus

Total length: 8.6 km

Elevation gain: 1000 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours 30 min

Average difficulty: 6 / 10

I'm trying to tempt a finch and a sparrow with crumbs from my banitza :) The finch was very brave, but the sparrow circled me nervously for a couple of minutes, so I pitied it and left the crumbs on the ground :)

 

Having a well deserved rest. The scary Mytikas is at the center background.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, Burda red T-shirt, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda pink T-shirt (at the beginning of the hike)

Gaby: lingerie, Burda navy-blue T-shirt

We arrived at the refuge in the late afternoon, where we had our diner and shelter for the night.The lodge was full with climbers from all over the world (mostly Europe, of course) and it was actually exciting and fun, despite the spartan conditions. A night view to the Aegean sea from the lodge