Family Friendly Experience in Olympus Pieria

From 850€

Our experience will start at Thessaloniki where we will participate in a two-hour guided walking tour around the main archaeological and cultural sites of the city, such as the Roman Market, the White Tower, the Arch of Galerius and Rotonda, which is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Through this tour we will realize that Thessaloniki has been a multicultural city for centuries. Except for the local culture and history, we will get to know the local cuisine by tasting local dishes at a traditional tavern of the city. In the afternoon, we will rent bicycles or scooters and explore the famous Thessaloniki’s coastline (called “paralia”) in an ecological way. We will admire “Umbrellas” the famous sculpture of Zogolopoulos and rest at some of the beautiful gardens located at “Paralia”. The large waterfront of Thessaloniki will provide us with refreshing images with the wave bursting on our feet and the sun setting in front of us. Then we will have free time to relax at our hotel and have dinner.

The next morning, we will reach Katerini by bus or train and then with a minibus we will arrive at the traditional village of Litochoro where we will stay for the next four days. There, we will stay at a traditionally built, family-run, boutique hotel called «To Palio Litochoro». We will have free time at the traditional village of Litochoro to walk in its alleys and admire the Macedonian architecture of its buildings. At noon, we will have some free time to relax and have lunch. Then, we will visit the Maritime Museum at Litochoro which is a typical example of the cultural heritage of the place, because despite the distance of the village from the coast, for many decades its inhabitants chose to become sailors.

On the 3rd day, we will take our breakfast, tasting recipes made with local products, and then we will participate in a guided tour at the Archaeological Museum and site of Dion, which houses the archeological findings of the ancient Macedonian city of Dion, which was dedicated to the king of the ancient Greek gods, Zeus (Dias). Then we will visit the Platamonas Castle where its placement and its high and wide walls will help us understand how important it was in the fortification of the area. When we return to our hotel, we will have free time for relaxation and have a meal. In the evening we will find a quiet spot near Enipeas river at Litochoro and in beautiful natural surroundings we will take part in a recreational and interactive game, designed by our group facilitator, which will strengthen the bonds between family members and help us assimilate the knowledge we have received.

Our next day, we will learn more about the land of the ancient Greek gods and the mythic mountain of Olympus, whose worldwide importance was declared by UNESCO an "International area of outstanding environmental significance to the biosphere". We will visit Olympus National Park Information Centre” at Litochoro, where we will have a two-hour guided tour in order to understand more about the multi-faceted Olympus’ environment at its different altitude zones. Then we will take our batons and follow a short trail to the famous pedestals and waterfalls of Orlias with the support of an experienced mountain guide. There, we will be immersed in the beautiful landscapes, the aromas and the sounds of the wild and virgin nature will amaze us. (Depending on the period of the year and the weather conditions this part of the experience may change). Then we will return back to Litochoro village and enjoy a meal based on traditional recipes with local products accompanied with traditional music.

The morning of the 5th day, we will enjoy our sleep a bit more and will have some free time for ourselves in the morning. Then we will come even closer to nature by getting familiar with a horse and by participating in a horseback riding experience at the foothills of Olympus, while admiring the view to the Aegean Sea. Helping the horse trainers to take care of the horses and feed them is a great chance for you to share beautiful moments together as a family. We will learn about the profession of farrier, one of the oldest professions in the world that still exists today. Afterwards, we will have some free time to relax and have a lunch. In the evening, our group facilitator will help us make a unique souvenir based on the experiences we had around Olympus Mountain.

The next morning, we will leave from our hotel, and we will visit “Ktima Althaia” at the traditional village of Elatochori. There we will taste the famous Mountain Tea of Olympus that is produced by Ktima Althaia as well as some recipes containing it. Then, we will visit the field where the tea is grown, and we will learn about its processing steps. Our hospitable hostess Mrs. Anastasia will tell us the history of Olympus tea from antiquity until today as well as the special benefits it has for our health. At noon, we will have lunch at a local tavern tasting traditional recipes based on local products. In the afternoon, this tea farm will be the ideal place to participate in an interesting activity of developing relationships of trust and understanding between family members designed by our group facilitator. That night we will stay at the traditional guesthouse of Ktima Althaia.

Our last day in Pieria, we will develop our creativity by participating in a pottery workshop. We will leave our cozy guesthouse at Elatochori and following the road back to Thessaloniki, we will stop at the small village of Paliabela where we will visit a pottery lab. There we will learn about the art of pottery, we will hold the clay with our hands and make various utensils by giving it shape. After, this creative workshop we will head to the Bird Observatory of Nea Agathoupolis. The purple egret, the sea whistle and the silver pelican are some of the important and rare species of birds that we can see with our binoculars at ​​the wetland of the region. However, this wetland is also known for the thousands of ducks it hosts when they come to spend the winter. After the end of this activity, filled with new knowledge and common experiences, we will depart for Thessaloniki by bus full of unforgettable memories.