Mount Mitikas
The legendary Mount Olympus, which according to Greek mythology is the bosom of the Gods is the place where the second highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula is formed - Mitikas.
With its 2917 meters above sea level, Mitikas is bettered only by Mount Musala (2925 m) in the Bulgarian Rila Mountain. Located on the coast of the Aegean Sea, Mount Mitikas is a place with extremely diverse, rich and precious flora and fauna, which for the last 60 years is a natural park.
The starting point for the ascent of Mitikas is the resort Litohoro. It is a very beautiful and curious town for tourists, which must be seen. Situated between the sea and mountains, it offers opportunities for recreation and walks in both directions.
Litohoro station is located 5 kilometers from the village. From the station, you will have to call a taxi to the center of the Greek settlement. Litohoro is located on the Aegean coast, at about 300 meters altitude. Litohoro is the beginning of walking trails in the area Prions, located at 1100 m altitude, reached by a 17-kilometer asphalt road.
It is better to obtain water from here, because later, there is nowhere to drink until the hut. From Litohoro, you have to overcome displacement of about 1000 meters. The route is marked as E-4. Prions borders the national park and camping is prohibited there.
Prions has a trail to the hut Spilos Agapitos, at 2100 meters altitude. Under Mitikas is an unmarked but well-defined trail. The hut itself is under Mitakas and has all things necessary for the mountaineers.
Inside, it is cozy, clean, offering food, drinks and some small travel accessories and discount accommodation for members of travel clubs. It is advisable to leave the hut to the summit in the early hours of the day because the climb is long.
A monotonous stony path leads from Spilos Agapitos to the fork called “Rock” and a series peaks and steep passes. The last part of the short trail from Rock to Mitikas is very difficult to overcome - it passes through the steep sections and should be overcome with caution.
The road to the summit takes about 4 hours with 817 m displacement, the most complicated part of the route is just before Mitakas. The route should be taken with caution especially in wet weather and is good to take a rope. You need to be prepared for any situation because weather is often unpredictable at Mitakas.
