You love Greece but have you thought of skiing in Greece? Read on to discover what to expect from a ski holiday in Greece, the 10 best Greek ski resorts, and all the other practical information you need to have the ultimate skiing holiday in Greece.
Come winter, the country’s mountainous side springs back to life with its hearty food, picturesque villages, and glorious skiing. Skiing in Greece involves includes sea-view slopes, clear skies, sun, powdered snow, and very few crowds, all within a couple hours’ drive from Athens.
The Top 10 Ski Resorts in Greece
No matter where you are on the mainland of Greece, the chances are you’ll find ski resorts only a couple of hours away.
Since most of them are small (less-than-10-slope centers) wherever you go the facilities will be similar, except at Parnassos. Here are my favorite 10 ski resorts in Greece:
⛷️Mount Parnassos Ski Resort
⛷️Kalavryta Ski Center
⛷️Mount Pelion Ski Center
⛷️Metsovo Ski Center
⛷️Tria Pente Pigadia and Seli National Ski Center
⛷️Elatochori Ski Center
⛷️Velouxi Ski Resort
⛷️Kaimaktsalan Ski Center
⛷️Kaimaktsalan Ski Center
⛷️Falakro Ski Center
1. Mount Parnassos Ski Resort
Parnassos ski resort is the most popular, best-organized, and largest ski resort in Greece.
The 125 miles from Athens can be covered in about 2 and a half hours. It usually gathers the who’s who of the Greek capital together with those seeking out the most advanced skiing facilities in the country.
The Resort stretches over two peaks – Fterolakas (1950m) and Kellaria (1750m) – with 13 lifts, 19 slopes, 10 trails, 7 ski runs, and several novices’ runs.
You’ll find two chalets, a restaurant at the lift’s base, a ski and snowboard equipment store and rentals, a ski school, a playground, a medical center, and a large parking area available on site.
A Daily Pass starts from a ridiculously cheap €13.
People usually lodge in Arachova (15 mi down the hill), a place known for its nightlife. It’s a Mykonos-in-winter type of city!
If you prefer something quieter, there are plenty of chalets to rent just below the ski center.
TIP: The ancient site of Delphi is very near the Parnassos ski center, so you simply MUST schedule a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage site.
2. Kalavryta Ski Center
The second largest ski resort and the one closest to Athens is Kalavrita Ski Center on Helmos Mountain in the Peloponnese (again, a 125-mile, 2-and-a-half-hour drive).
It consists of 12 slopes (from easy blue to black ones), served by 7 ski lifts.
When skiing the longest slope in Greece (named Nefeli, after ancient Greek goddess of clouds), starting at 2,340m you might get a sea view on a clear day.
Everyone but the die-hard skiers stay in Kalavryta, a beautiful mountain town with stone houses, fireplaces, and lively evenings.
It has a rail terminal for a small train that climbs the mountain from the seaside, passing through Vouraikos Gorge.
3. Vasilitsa Ski Center
Many would argue that Vasilitsa is the best place to ski in northern Greece (close to Grevena).
You’ll hear this from young snowboarders because Vasilitsa (in the Pindos mountains at 2113m in altitude) is one of the best snowboard destinations in the whole of South Eastern Europe.
I don’t snowboard but I do know that because Vasilitsa Resort is in northwestern Greece, it is a part of one of the most majestic landscapes in Greece.
It has spectacular views over Mt. Olympus, even though the mountain is more than 200 miles away. Seeing Mt. Olympus and the sea while skiing has got to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience – and it’s so close to Athens!
Two ski lifts service 18 slopes and the logging is organized in two café chalets that also feature a tavern, a bar, a snowboard school, and equipment rental stores.
4. Mount Pelion Ski Center
Pelion is probably the most beautiful area of mainland Greece, a place of origin of the mythical centaurs and an elongated peninsula that in the summer attracts alternative crowds to its shores, thick forests, and quaint mountain villages, and in the winter ski lovers who enjoy the Mount Pelion Ski Center at Agriolefkes (1500m).
The Mt. Pelion Ski Resort is small – only 5 slopes with 4 lifts – but the surrounding area is just made for exploration (that includes frequent stops to village taverns for the famous Pelion sausages) and logging. The city of Volos, Greece’s capital of tsipouro (Greek grappa) is close by too.
TIP: The Damouchari area of Pelion is where the world-famous movie Mamma Mia! was shot.
5. Metsovo Ski Center
Back in the day, the historical town of Metsovo in the Epirus region was the most important stop on the road connecting the Adriatic Sea with the Aegean.
Nowadays, besides its architectural marvels and famous Metsovone grilled cheese, it is home to a Metsovo Ski Center (1650 m), a place with 5 slopes serviced by 3 lifts and a couple of miles of cross-country runs. Due to its easy slopes, Metsovo is favored by beginners and families.
Accommodation is in Metsovo town or in the chalet that also offers food, drinks, and equipment rentals.
6. Tria Pente Pigadia and Seli National Ski Center
Two ski resorts on the opposing sides of Mount Vermio (2005 m) are close to Veria town and only 12 miles from Naoussa, a famous wine region of Greece.
Tria Pente Pigadia (meaning 3-5 springs) is on the western side (meaning more sunshine in the afternoon) and features 4 lifts/5 slopes.
Seli National Ski Center is much bigger and features 19 slopes. It is also the oldest ski resort in Greece, opened in 1955. More elaborate in the facilities, it features several chalets for accommodation, restaurants and bars.
TIP: Don’t miss a visit to the Kir-Yianni Naoussa winery.
7. Elatochori Ski Center
The Elatochori Ski Center of Mount Olympus is Greek skiing in a nutshell. Small, cute, and surrounded by various taverns and wineries, it is a place to go to for a weekend of fun in the snow and good food and wine in the evening.
Equipped with 2 lifts, 6 ski northern slopes, and a snowboarding and sled run, along with the necessary renting equipment facilities, bars, and parking, Elatochori is just the right size for a day or two visits that doesn’t leave you with FOMO feeling after you leave for Thessaloniki (2 hours) or Athens (4 hours drive).
8. Velouxi Ski Resort
Velouxi Ski Resort is just 6 miles away from the town of Karpenissi. With 18 ski slopes (6 ski lifts), an area of 5000+ square miles, and sitting on 2200m high Mount Tymfristos, Karpenisi is one of the biggest ski resorts in Greece.
It’s the crown jewel of the Evrytania region, dubbed locally as “Little Switzerland.”
All kinds of rentals are available (including snowmobiles), plus a chalet with a bar and ski, and a snowboard school as well. Accommodation is organized in the beautiful town of Karpenissi.
TIP: Don’t miss the local trout.
9. Kaimaktsalan Ski Center
Another fancy ski resort is in Northern Greece and caters to the elites of Thessaloniki. Kaimaktsalan is a match to Arachova when it comes to the glitz.
However, with skiing starting at over 2000m altitude, it has some seriously good slopes and caters to novices as well as experienced skiers.
Kaimaktsalan is located on Mount Voras (2480m) and spreads over 13 ski slopes (6 ski lifts) and 4 ski trails. Many facilities are available, including snack bars, coffee shops, guest houses, cross-country trails, and ski lessons.
TIP: Kaimaktsalan is close to Edessa town, renowned for its hot springs.
10. Falakro Ski Center
Further north lies Falakro Ski Center, close to the border with Bulgaria and the city of Drama. It features 21 ski slopes (9 lifts), 20 kilometers of groomed snow, and has the longest ski season in Greece, from December until almost summertime.
TIP: Ideal for the springtime, as the region offers many other outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking and climbing, 4×4 adventures, and a multitude of caves to visit. Don’t miss a visit to Angitis Cave and its underground river.
Besides these personal favorites of mine, Greece offers many other ski centers including Mount Mainalos ski center, Viglas, Mt Vitsi, Laila Serron, Pertouli, Pisoderi, and Ziria.
Why Ski in Greece?
If you really want to know a country, you need to see all of its seasons, not just the crowded summers. As digital nomads look for longer bases, and many pre-retirees want to spend longer in European bases, the Greek winter is slowly being discovered by travelers.
I love the festive atmosphere in Athens and Thessaloniki at Christmas time. I especially love using the ice skating rinks and taking day trips to Parnassos Ski Resort.
The ski resorts are close to Athens, and winter sports extend the holiday feeling!
Almost 80% of the Greek mainland is covered with over 300 hills and mountains. The Pindus mountains stand central, stretching along an east-west axis dividing the country in half.
This means Greece has many small, regional, ski resorts just waiting to be discovered.
Greece has mild winter months and this applies to its mountains too – the temperature rarely drops below -5 °C and it’s almost always above zero during the day, with plenty of sunshine.
Snow season is from late December until late March, although many of them have an artificial snow system.
Greeks usually ski as a part of a day trip excursion or weekend escape, rarely staying during the week. This means the slopes on a working day are a glorious heaven of pristine snow without a soul in sight.
The closest ski resort to Athens is Parnassos, which is also the largest and best organized among the ski resorts in Greece.
The closest ski resort to Thessaloniki is the Seli Ski Resort on Mount Vermio, just shy of 60 miles away.
Greece’s favorite après-ski is Rakomelo – a honey-infused raki with cinnamon and other herbs.
Food is a whole new universe though, with mountain taverns doubling as shrines to the gastronomy gods of the mountain peaks.
