Skiing in Greece is some of the cheapest in Europe. Image courtesy of Anders Ljungberg on Flickr.
As the country is primarily considered a summer destination it comes as a surprise to many people that there are ski resorts in Greece. But in fact the Greek mainland is composed almost entirely of mountains and foothills, from the Peloponnese in the south to the north around Thessaloniki.
Yes, Greece has 22 ski resorts in six main areas, most in the mountainous region within 95 miles (150 km) of Thessaloniki. Up here 3-5 Pigadia is the most modern resort and the only one to use snow cannons on its pistes to guarantee snow late in the season; it also has two of the hardest black runs in Greece – perilously steep trails through beech forest.
The closest ski resort to Athens is Mainalo but Kellária on Mount Parnassos is more advanced and way more popular at just a two-hour drive from the city. Connected to both Fterólakka and Yerodóvrahos, the Kellária ski area has 23 runs of varying difficulty plus 13 lifts and is considered by many as the best ski and boarding hub in Greece. The downside of Kellária is its proximity to Athens; at the weekend the slopes can get choked with skiers from the city but generally during the week the pistes are relatively clear. You could try skiing during the week and visiting the Acropolis at the weekend when Athens is quiet.
The major resort on the Peloponnese peninsula is Kalavyrta, the perfect destination for families with lots of easy blue and green runs, snowboarding parks, prepped mogul fields and good après-ski facilities. Also a hit with boarders is Vassilitsa, back up towards Thessaloniki, for its slalom runs and half pipe – it’s also the only resort in Greece to have facilities for snow rafting.
The Greek winter ski season is short – from mid-December to March – and snow can be patchy after the end of February but most resorts are modern and efficient with facilities for boarders and cross-country skiing as well as downhill. Even though the run extent can not compare with the big ski areas in France and Austria (Kellária has the longest runs at 17 miles (27 km)), Greek resorts have the added advantage that equipment hire and lift passes are cheaper than in most other European countries – and best of all, by the end of the season the chances are that you’ll be skiing in sunny conditions under blinding blue skies.
