Some tips for an original winter holiday

When preparing your Christmas holiday, Greece will probably not be among your first choice destinations.  Very often, Greece is a a place in the sun and the only way of skiing you can imagine there is water skiing! Well, if you’re looking for something different, it’s time to discover another aspect of Greek nature! This is a prejudice you might reconsider if your are looking for programs off the beaten tracks!

Greece has a lot more to propose than a summer cliché and Christmas time is ideal to see that it is also the perfect winter holiday spot.

When your motto is “no Christmas getaway lacking my ski”,   here is a good tip for you:  more than twenty five ski-resorts, like the famous Mount Parnassos, Kalavrita  in the Peloponese mountains or Karpenisi,  in the southern part of Pindus mountains, also called the Switzerland of Greece, propose a total of 197.5 km of ski slopes for all levels and a great after-ski life for prices far much cheaper than the French or Italian ski resorts in the same period.

Where can you ski in the morning, have lunch along the shore, visit an archaeological site in the afternoon, party in a trendy bar in the evening and sleep in a boutique hotel in a picturesque village all in the same day? The answer is Mount Parnassos…

The Parnassos Ski Center, located on the peaks of Kelaria (1750m) , Fterolakas (1950m) and Gerondovrachos,   operates from December until the beginning of May. It has the largest and, according to specialized sites, the best organized infrastructure in the country.  Isn’t it exciting to ski on one of the 19 ski runs named after a Greek God or Goddess? 36 km in total! You will also appreciate the seven ski routes and ten trails. For the youngest, three mini beginners runs and a playground for children.  Ski and snowboards schools for the learners. And last but not least, two cafe-chalets and a restaurant to take a break.

Be aware that Mount Parnassos is the closest ski center to Athens.  It makes it easily reachable, which is an asset, but many Athenians choose it for a week-end getaway…  So I will give you a tip: you can ski during the week, when it is less crowded and during the weekend, you discover the cultural richness nearby:  the well-know and spectacular Delphi, the ruins of the temples and the museum with the famous charioteer, but also the archeological sites of Orchomenos or the Acropopolis of Panopeus. Sport and history can be compatible in Greece!

Is there a life after ski on Mount Parnassos? Yes, of course. Go and visit the charming village of Arachova. How would I describe it? Both cosmopolitan and traditional. Trendy places, shops and boutique hotels side by side with pure Greek restaurants and  taverns. My favorite one is “To fasouli”, at the entrance of Arachova. It offers excellent Greek food and stunning views. Admire the grey stone houses, walk through the narrow cobblestone streets, climb the many steps,  until you find the magnificent scenery in front of you.

Other popular snow centers are Tymfristos in the Karpenissi area, Helmos in the town of Kalavrita, Mainalos in Vytina, Peloponnese, Vasilitsa in Grevena and Kaimaktsalan in Edessa.|Do you want to go still higher? Let’s travel to Kaimaktsalan, in Macedonia, Northern Greece, at about 170km from Thessaloniki, the second biggest city in Greece.  Kaimaktsalan is located on Mount Voras, the third highest mountain in Greece. The highest lift will take you to an altitude of 2480m!