Greece - Korina Miller [240]
Orientation
The main entry road from Thessaloniki or Katerini, Agiou Nikolaou, is also Litohoro’s main thoroughfare; it leads to Plateia Eleftherias, the main square. For Prionia, where Olympus’ main trail begins, go right on Ithakisiou, just before this plateia. To the left of the plateia is 28 Oktovriou, site of most shops.
The bus station is on Agiou Nikolaou, opposite the tourist information booth.
Information
Plateia Eleftheria hosts numerous ATMs.
EOS (Greek Alpine Club; 23520 84544; 9.30am-12.30pm & 6-8pm Mon-Sat Jun-Sep) Below the public parking lot; this office distributes pamphlets with general and hiking information on Olympus. Take Ithakisiou down from the square and turn left after 100m. The EOS also runs three mountain refuges.
GRNet ( 23520 82300; cnr Atanas & Koutrouba; per hr €2; 24hr) Internet access near the plateia.
Medical centre ( 23520 22222) Five kilometres away, at the Litohoro turn-off from the main coastal highway.
Police ( 23520 81100; cnr Ithakisiou & Agiou Nikolaou)
Post office (28 Oktovriou 11)
SEO (Association of Greek Climbers; 23520 84200; 6-10pm) This place is informative and runs an Olympus refuge; however, the EOS has more English speakers. Walk down Ithakiou, turn left and then left again.
Tourist information booth (Agiou Nikolaou) In a white building with wooden eaves, just before Ithakiou.
www.litohoro.gr Municipal website.
Sleeping & Eating
The nearby coast has well-served camping grounds (though the beaches are underwhelming and overcrowded). Litohoro’s hotels have wonderful atmosphere.
Olympios Zeus ( 23520 22115; Plaka Litohorou; camp sites per adult/tent €7/3.50) A good bet, though somewhat ramshackle.
Olympos Beach ( 23520 22112; www.olympos-beach.gr; Plaka Litohorou; camp sites per adult €7, tent €5-7) Like Olympios Zeus this place is decent, but livelier with its loud on-site Shark nightclub.
Xenonas Papanikolaou ( 23520 81236; xenpap@otenet.gr; Nikolaou Episkopou Kitrous 1; s/d €45/50; ) Solitude-seekers, head here first. This romantic guest house, set in a flowery garden up in the backstreets, is a world away from the tourist crowds on Litohoro’s main street. Rooms feel more spacious than they actually are, and the tasteful decoration is enhanced by nice views of Litohoro’s traditional terracotta rooftops. The cosy downstairs lounge has a fireplace and couches, and management is friendly and helpful. To get there from the square, take 28 Oktovriou uphill and turn left on Nikolaou Episkopou Kitrous.
Villa Pantheon ( 23520 83931; d/tr €55/70; ) Outfitted with all mod cons and cursed as the ‘white thing’ blocking views of Mt Olympus, the Pantheon has comfortable, airy rooms.
Hotel Olympus Mediterranean ( 23520 81831; www.olympusmed.gr; Dionysou 5; d/tr incl breakfast €70/90, luxury ste €100; ) A four-star hotel up in the backstreets, the Olympus Mediterranean occupies an imposing neoclassical building with ornate balconies, and has 20 luxurious rooms and three suites, plus an indoor pool, a mosaic-tiled Jacuzzi pool and sauna. Some rooms also have a fireplace and Jacuzzi.
Damaskinia ( 23520 81247; Vasileos Konstandinou 4; mains €6-8) A popular upper-town taverna, Damaskinia does tasty mousakas and kokoretsi (spit-roast lamb offal).
Gastrodromio ( 23520 21300; Plateia Eleftherias; mains €7-13) If Gastrodromio was around in Olympian times, Zeus and Co would have eaten here. Litohoro’s most delightfully inventive restaurant, the spacious, traditionally decorated Gastrodromio serves flavourful dishes such as octopus with peppercorn, cumin, garlic, hot pepper and wine, or rabbit cooked in wine and glazed with almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg. The wine list itself is 21 pages long.
Getting There & Away
From the bus station ( 23520 81271), buses serve Katerini (€2.10, 25 minutes, 13 daily), Thessaloniki (€8, 1¼ hours, 13 daily) and Athens (€28, 5½ hours, three daily via Katerini). Buses from Thessaloniki to Volos/Athens leave you on the highway, where you catch a Katerini–Litohoro bus.
Litohoro’s train station, 9km away, gets