Auf den Gipfeln der Götter

Who can say that he/she has climbed Mount Olympus? The mountain of the gods is actually not just a mountain, but a small mountain range with several peaks and the highest point in Greece. We take it upon ourselves to knock on Zeus' front door. :-)

From Thessaloniki we take the train to Litochoro at the foot of Mount Olympus. Close to the train station and directly at the sea we find a nice campsite, which becomes our base camp. While cooking, we make friends with Daniela and Simeon from Moldova, who take us to Priónia in their car the next morning. Meanwhile, it is about 40 °C at the sea, so the cooler heights of Mount Olympus are very refreshing. Together we hike to the mountain hut Spilios Agapitos and say goodbye after a delicious meal.

The next morning, Alina and I get up at 4:50 am and hike at dawn towards Mytikas (2918 m); with us: only 5 litres of water and snacks. Because of the heat, it is the best decision to start so early. After the hikes in Macedonia, we are in good shape and quickly reach Skala (2866 m). The last climb up Mytikas involves rock climbing. After a short time Alina decides that she will wait on Skala while I climb Mytikas. For me it is the most demanding climb I have ever done in the mountains. The climbing is incredibly fun and the view is overwhelming. Together, Alina and I hike on to Skolio (2905 m) and Aghios Antonios (2816 m). Then we walk through a valley with wild horses towards the high plateau, where we eat two huge portions of pasta at the hut. Finally, we reach the hut with our tent around 8:15 pm. The day was exhausting but very worthwhile.

After another night at the hut, we descend back to the campsite by the sea. Now it's time to relax and swim in the Mediterranean. We also take time to plan our next tour.Read more