Mount Olympus

I summited on September 3rd, 2025!

At 9,572 feet tall (2917 meters) Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain in Greece, and the historic living quarters of the Greek Gods! I was super into Greek Mythology as a kid and played tons of Age of Mythology, so I had to go!

It is a very doable climb, there are tons of rumors you need ropes and a hard hat to climb its tallest peak, Mytikas, but that is just a myth so you hire tour guides. Even the gods rely on capitalism in their efforts to be left alone.

People coming in just for the climb generally drive from Thessaloniki as its a 1.5hr drive, but I did it from Athens since I was going to see Meteora. 2.5hr drive from meteora, 3.5 hr drive from Athens. My schedule was the following

4:30pm, arrive Prionia, 7pm, arrive at refuge

7:20am, depart from refuge, 9:00am, arrive at skala peak, 10am arrive at mytikas. ~1pm arrive back at refuge. 5pm, depart prionia.

Highly recommend getting poles, you can rent them from the restaurant at prionia. I saw them for sale at the refuge but didn't ask if they had rental options.

This is the route you want to follow on All Trails.

You want to stay at Spilios Agapitos Refuge. You will want to make a reservation beforehand, get their email from their website https://www.mountolympus.gr/en/index.php and then they'll ask them to paypal 18 euros or something. Bring earplugs, the rooms have like 20 people. Also I didn't shower because I read there was only cold water, so maybe don't get too dirty/sweaty on the way up. They require sandals indoors; but don't worry they will provide them if you don't bring them. If you don't bring sheets you can buy disposable ones for 8 euro. If you come as a couple, they'll have some spots where they push 2 beds together!

They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You have to check out by 8am, but fortunately they start breakfast at 6am.

Trail Start. Such a gorgeous area!

Views from the drive up, looks like this on the hike as well. The roads are quite windy, be careful of blind corners!

Here is the Hostel, home sweet home! The trail markers to get to Spilios Agapitos are good until the final hill, once you literally spot the building, continue that way, because there is a yellow arrow that will lead you in the opposite direction, fortunately I had cell data most of the way and my gps still worked on google maps.

Dinner!

With a spectacular view. This is in the morning from the same spot.

The hike from the hostel is nice till you get to ascent to Skala. This part sucks. I hurt thinking about it.

But wow is Skala worth it. Mytikas is in the background

And an amazing ocean view from Skala!

But alas, we aren't quitters, and you must go down to get to the peak. Leave your poles at Skala because you won't need them for mytikas, its slow scrambling and climbing. This part goes by much easier since your hands do a lot of the work and you got the summit fever hitting!

This was a tour guide, took them up an unnecessarily hard route to justify the ropes and hats. And tied them all together so if one fell they'd all die.

There are one or two sketch spots on the way to mytikas, this pic makes it look harder than it is. But be careful! Make a friend on the way up. Lots of friendly europeans!

Glorious

Glorious, you get to see these mountains a lot on the way up.

Glorious, the photos don't do the ocean justice. Or the complete drop off to oblivion that is 180 degrees behind me.

Had to get some epic photos of me! Thanks dude who was celebrating his 33rd bday and we ate cake with him on the summit!

On the way back down, view of our humble outpost. Going down was the part I was least prepared for. I rested for an hour at the refuge when I got back down, and then hated my old knees the rest of the way down. Get poles! It took me longer to get down from the hostel than up from the hostel.