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How many days in Litochoro? 4 days for the Enipeas gorge, Olympus and Dion
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Litochoro is the small town at the foot of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece at 2,918 metres, and the usual base for anyone who wants to walk on it. The town sits about 5 km from the sea, so you can hike a gorge in the morning and swim in the Thermaic Gulf by evening. Give it four days: one to settle in and walk the lower Enipeas gorge, two to climb Olympus with a night in a mountain refuge, and one for the ancient sanctuary at Dion and the castle of Platamonas. Without a summit attempt, two or three days are enough.
Short answer
Two days covers the town, a long walk in the Enipeas gorge and Dion. Four days lets you reach the high peaks with a refuge night, which is the reason most hikers come.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Litochoro town and the lower Enipeas gorge
Morning. Walk the stone lanes of Litochoro up to the central square, then ask at the office of the local mountaineering club (EOS Litochorou) or at your guesthouse for current news on the trails and the weather in the Olympus National Park. Olympus was declared Greece's first national park in 1938.
Afternoon. Start the Enipeas gorge trail (part of the European E4 path) from the edge of town, at the upper end of the town by the river. The first section follows the river through plane trees and pools; walk 2-3 hours up and come back the same way, or continue to the old monastery of Agios Dionysios (about 4-5 hours one way from Litochoro) and arrange a taxi back.
Evening. Drive or take a taxi 10 minutes down to Plaka Litochorou, the beach below the town, for a swim and dinner at a beach taverna with the mountain behind you. Back in town, a grill meal costs about €12-18 per person.
The gorge path is shaded but has stream crossings, a few exposed sections with cables and loose stones. Wear real hiking shoes, not sandals, and carry 1.5-2 litres of water.
Day 2: Prionia to the Spilios Agapis refuge
Morning. Take a taxi (about €30-40 for the car) up the 18 km mountain road to Prionia, at about 1,100 metres, the trailhead for the main route. Stop on the way at the Agios Dionysios monastery, founded in the 16th century and burned during the Second World War; part of it has been restored.
Afternoon. From Prionia, follow the well-marked trail through beech and black pine forest to Refuge A, Spilios Agapis, at about 2,100 metres. Most walkers take 2.5-3.5 hours. The refuge has dormitory beds, simple hot meals and a terrace with views towards the summits.
Evening. Have dinner at the refuge: expect bean soup, pasta or stew for about €8-14. Go to bed early, because summit walkers leave around dawn. A dormitory bed costs roughly €15-25 per person; you need a sleeping-bag liner.
Book refuge beds weeks ahead for July, August and weekends, by phone or email with the refuge itself, and confirm the day before.
Day 3: Summit day: Skala and Mytikas
Morning. Leave the refuge around 6:00-7:00 and climb to Skala (2,866 m), about 2.5-3 hours, crossing the tree line onto bare rock and scree. From Skala, experienced walkers continue to Mytikas (2,918 m), the highest peak; the final scramble takes 45-60 minutes each way on steep, exposed rock and is where most accidents happen.
Afternoon. If the scramble is not for you, walk instead to Skolio (2,912 m), the second-highest peak, an easier ridge walk from Skala. Then descend to Spilios Agapis for lunch and continue down to Prionia, about 5-6 hours of descent in total from the summit area.
Evening. Take a pre-arranged taxi from Prionia back to Litochoro, and treat your legs to a long dinner in town. Order gida vrasti (slow-boiled goat) or grilled meat with mountain greens and a jug of local wine.
Clouds build over the peaks most summer afternoons; aim to be off Mytikas by about 11:00. Do not attempt it in fog, wind or wet rock, and consider a certified mountain guide if you have no scrambling experience.
Day 4: Ancient Dion and Platamonas castle
Morning. Drive about 20 minutes north to Dion, the sacred city of the ancient Macedonians at the foot of Olympus, where Philip II and Alexander the Great held festivals. The archaeological park spreads through wetlands and woods, with the sanctuaries of Demeter, Zeus and Isis, a theatre and Roman baths; the Archaeological Museum of Dion in the village holds the statues and mosaics. A combined ticket is about €8-12; allow 3 hours.
Afternoon. Head south about 25-30 minutes to the castle of Platamonas, a medieval fortress on a hill above the sea, with walls and a large central tower (entry costs a few euros; check opening days). The view runs from the Olympus massif to the coast of Pieria.
Evening. Swim at one of the beaches below Platamonas or at Neoi Poroi, then return to Litochoro for a last dinner. On summer evenings the main square fills with families eating ice cream until late.
Visit Dion early in summer: the site has little shade and the wetlands bring mosquitoes in the evening.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, walk the Enipeas gorge on Day 1 and visit Dion and Platamonas on Day 2. With 3 days, add a day hike from Prionia to Spilios Agapis and back without a summit attempt.
Got extra days?
A 5th day can go to Meteora (about 2.5 hours by car) or to Thessaloniki (about 1 hour by train) for the city's Byzantine churches and food. Experienced hikers can add a longer traverse via the Christos Kakkalos refuge and the Plateau of the Muses.
Where to stay in Litochoro
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Litochoro guesthouses | Simple rooms in town, close to the bus stop and the gorge trail. | €45-70 |
| Mid-range | Litochoro old town | Stone guesthouses with mountain views, a short walk from tavernas and taxis to Prionia. | €70-120 |
| Mid-range | Plaka Litochorou / the coast | Beach hotels for families; you drive up to the trailheads. | €70-130 |
| Comfort | Boutique stone hotels around Litochoro | Spa, breakfast with local products and views of Olympus. | €130-220 |
Getting around
Trains on the Athens-Thessaloniki line stop at Litochoro station, near the coast a few kilometres from town, about 1 hour from Thessaloniki and roughly 4-4.5 hours from Athens; take a taxi up (about €10-15). KTEL Pierias buses link Litochoro with Katerini and Thessaloniki (around 1.5 hours). There is no regular bus to Prionia, so book a taxi in town or drive yourself; parking at Prionia fills early on summer weekends. A car is useful for Dion and Platamonas.
What to eat in Litochoro
Litochoro's tavernas mix mountain and sea. Order gida vrasti (boiled goat), grilled kontosouvli and loukaniko (sausage), trout from the mountain rivers and wild greens. Before a hike, a bougatsa (custard or cheese pie) and Greek coffee at the bakeries make a solid breakfast. Buy mountain tea (tsai tou vounou) and local honey to take home. A taverna meal with wine costs about €15-22 per person; on the coast, fried calamari and salads cost slightly more.
Best time to visit
For the summit, mid-June to early October, when the high trails are usually free of snow; July and August are busiest. Late May and October are fine for the gorge and Dion, but snow can linger above 2,500 metres into June. The gorge is pleasant in spring and autumn, with highs of 18-25°C in town. In winter the high mountain needs crampons and experience.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €25 | €45 | €90 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €32 | €55 |
| Sights & tickets | €5 | €12 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €15 | €35 |
| Total per person, per day | about €55 | about €105 | about €240 |
Approximate 2026 prices; the comfort column includes a share of a mountain guide. Greece charges a per-room, per-night climate resilience fee, and refuge nights are paid locally, often in cash.
Before you go
Common questions
Can I climb Mount Olympus without a guide?
Many fit walkers reach Skala and Skolio without a guide in summer, on marked trails from Prionia via the Spilios Agapis refuge. The final scramble to Mytikas is different: it is steep, exposed rock, where a slip can be fatal. If you have no scrambling experience, hire a certified guide for that section, or stop at Skolio. Always check the weather the evening before.
Is Olympus possible in one day?
Very fit and experienced hikers sometimes go from Prionia to the summit and back in one long day of 10-12 hours, but it is not recommended for most people. The descent is long and hard on the knees, and afternoon storms are common. Spending a night at Spilios Agapis makes the climb safer and lets you start the summit section at dawn.
What should I pack for the summit?
Even in August, the summit can be cold and windy. Bring proper hiking boots, a warm layer, a waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, sun cream, 2 litres of water, snacks and a headlamp. Take a sleeping-bag liner for the refuge, cash for meals, and a downloaded map. A helmet is a good idea for the Mytikas scramble because of falling stones.
Is Litochoro worth it without hiking?
Yes. The town is pleasant, the lower Enipeas gorge offers short shaded walks, and ancient Dion is one of the most atmospheric archaeological sites in northern Greece. Add the Platamonas castle and a beach afternoon, and two days without any hiking still feel full.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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