A winter holiday means excursions to the mountain, strolls in beautiful natural landscapes, surrounded by forests of tall firs and beech trees, burbling rivers, and, of course, a stop at one of the ski centres that can offer moments of relaxation, play, exploration, as well as some exciting routes on high pistes of Olympic standards.
There are 24 ski resorts in Greece, but 7 of them are not in operation anymore, or only operate on specific conditions. As for the remaining 17, they certainly offer everything a visitor might ask, and even more. There are shops renting – or even selling – the necessary equipment, which means that you don’t need to bring anything with you; wonderful chalets with cafés and restaurants; ski schools; lifts; dozens of pistes for beginners and more advanced skiers, as well as a stunning views of the surrounding area.
Get to know the resorts and learn more about their facilities, the degree of difficulty of the available slopes and each resort’s distance from Athens and Thessaloniki.
Parnassos ski centre
The largest ski resort in the country is just two hours away from Athens and offers everything you might need. It has great facilities that will keep the whole family busy, with pistes for all skill levels. Arachova is very close, something that ensures you’ll find comfortable or even luxurious accommodation, as well as countless bars, cafés and restaurants for a cosmopolitan weekend.
Parnassos ski centre has 23 pistes, stretching 34 km in total, and is a true meeting point for Athenians and residents of the surrounding area, since the chalets and the slopes are buzzing with activity every weekend during the winter.
The resort is just 180 km from Athens, something that makes it an ideal destination for a winter daytrip, 160 km from Patras, and 370 km from Thessaloniki.
Kaimaktsalan ski centre
On the third tallest mountain of Greece, Mount Voras, (2,524 m), you’ll find the most famous ski resort in northern Greece.
Kaimaktsalan is known for its easy pistes, ideal even for novices, and also for its unique view of the Thermaikos gulf and Mount Olympus, Greece’s tallest mountain.
On the borders of Pella with North Macedonia, Kaimaktsalan is a favourite destination for Thessalonians, since it’s just 127 km from Thessaloniki, with the gorgeous scenic village of Paleos Agios Athanasios being the perfect base for excursions in the wider area. Athenians will need to drive longer to get to the popular ski resort of northern Greece, since Kaimaktsalan is a 6-hour-and-a-half drive from the capital.
Pelion ski resort
Very close to the town of Volos, Pelion was the summer residence of the gods according to mythology, a dreamy place that ancient Greeks used to call “Centaurs’ mountain”. Now, it is one of the prettiest, most scenic and most popular destinations for a relaxing escape in nature, both in the winter and in the summer, with lovely hotels, great food, an enchanting view of the Pagasetic gulf, crystal-clear waters, and its own ski resort for endless slaloms on the snowy slopes.
The Pelion ski resort is just 2 km away from the village Hania and consists of 5 pistes stretching 15 km in total, and it also has a chalet with a café and restaurant, a refuge and a first aid centre. It’s 350 km away from Athens, just 26 km from Volos and 234 km from Thessaloniki, while if your trip’s aim is to play in the snow, then the best place to stay, apart from Hania, is the beautiful village of Agios Lavrentios that is just 8 km from Agriolefkes, where the resort is located.
Velouchi Ski Centre
About 280 km away from Athens, the Velouchi ski centre has 18 slopes catering to the needs of even the most experienced skiers, as well as those of beginners putting on skis for the first time. At Velouchi, there’s also a ski school for novices, as well as organised facilities for a pleasant escape in the snow.
Anyone who spends a few days at one of the villages of Evritania will definitely make a stop here, even if just for a coffee and to enjoy the beautiful view.
The ski centre is 368 km from Athens and just 12 km from Karpenisi.
Seli ski resort
A ski centre in Imathia had opened for the public prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Seli welcomed visitors for the first time in 1943, during the Panhellenic Ski Games, and it has its own interesting history.
At an altitude starting at 1,530 m and reaching 1,890 m, this popular ski centre in northern Greece has challenging tracks, as well as three tracks suitable even for children who have never before skied. It has a paved parking space that stretches 3,6 hectares, just 200 m from the first lifts, catering to 4,500 skiers per hour, while there are cafés, restaurants and playgrounds for the children.
The national Seli ski centre is 24 km from Veria, 20 km from Naousa, 95 km from Thessaloniki and 75 km from Kozani.
3-5 Pigadia ski resort
Even though this season the famous ski centre 17 km from Naousa isn’t in operation due to management issues, 3-5 Pigadia is a fully organised spot with slopes suitable for every level of expertise and is a destination that fills with crowds from all over Greece.
On the western side of Mount Vermion, the 3-5 Pigadia ski centre is a place suitable for sports tourism, as well as for pleasant trips in the surrounding area. This ski centre is quite far from Athens, 546 km away, but much closer for Thessalonians, at just 109 km.
At present, a tender is being staged to award the management of this historic ski centre to a new company, and everyone’s hoping that 3-5 Pigadia will be back in operation soon, welcoming guests in the same organised and fun way.
Anilio ski park
On the Pindos mountain range, just half an hour away from one of the most popular mountainous destinations in Greece, lovely Metsovo, the Anilio ski centre consists of 13 slopes that welcome winter sport aficionados of all levels every year. The ski centre has five lifts taking you on snowy rides, as well as the exceptional facilities of an organised park that will keep all visitors busy.
The Anilio ski resort in Epirus, is the newest ski centre in Greece and is just a 17-minute-drive from Metsovo, and 40 minutes from the city of Ioannina. Athens is 454 km away, while its distance from Thessaloniki is 213 km.
Lailias ski centre
A small ski centre in northern Greece, near Serres, stands out among the rest. And that’s because at Lailias ski resort you’ll find facilities with an air of adventure and a quite a bit of romanticism. A lovely slope, it is lit at night, making the centre suitable for night skiing, an experience that you won’t forget easily. You can try your hand at night-time slaloms daily from 5 till 9pm.
Just 26 km from Serres, and 110 km from Thessaloniki, the ski centre is surrounded by a dense beech and fir forest, on the north side of Ali Baba, with just 2 tracks, both quite challenging, and with 3 lifts that will satisfy visitors.
Lailias ski resort is 660 km from Athens and it’s a creation of the Hellenic Alpine Club of Serres. It has a chalet with a restaurant, a canteen and dormitories, as well as a rental shop and a ski school.
Falakro ski centre
At the Kato Nevrokopi municipality, you’ll find the largest ski resort of the country’s Macedonian region, the Falakro ski centre. Among the verdant mountains, visitors will find 21 pistes and 9 lifts (including 3 baby lifts for children) at a short distance from the town of Drama.
Falakro ski resort was founded in 1980 by the Alpine Club of Drama with the aim of catering to the recreational and sport needs of the surrounding area. However, its appeal grew over time and the resort has now become a household destination for visitors form northern Greece, since it’s just a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from Thessaloniki. The distance from Athens is 675 km, about 7 and a half hours by car.
There are also three chalets, one of which, at 2,110 m altitude, has a panoramic view, with restaurants, cafés, shops selling and renting ski equipment and ski and winter sport schools.
Kalavrita ski resort
Situated at Mount Helmos, whose name means “snowy mountain”, the Kalavrita ski centre covers an altitude of between 1,700 and 2,340 m and is an attraction for thousands of visitors who travel to this popular mountainous destination of the Achaia prefecture.
It’s one of the closest ski centres to Athens, and consists of 13 slopes stretching 20 km in total, for all levels of experience. The resort is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and is located very close to dreamy Planitero, 102 km from Patras, 204 km from Athens, and 553 km from Thessaloniki, while access to it is stunning, through a lovely fir forest.
An additional bonus is the National Observatory of Athens’ state-of-the-art telescope “Aristarchos”, the largest in the Balkans and the second largest in mainland Europe, located at the Neraidorachi peak, at a 2,340 m altitude. The telescope can capture images at a 5 billion light year distance.
Elatochori ski centre
If what you’re looking for is a ski resort with easy pistes for joyful excursions with your children, then Elatochori will become your favourite destination, as it offers 10 pistes with different elevations that are accessible even for the most inexperienced skiers. At the same time, the newest ski centre in Greece also has a truly difficult slope that starts at a 1,974 m altitude and is suitable only for very experienced skiers.
One of the biggest advantages of this ski centre is the fact that it is very close to the village Paleo Elatochori, just 8 km away, where you’ll find many guesthouses and traditional taverns that are renowned for their good food, while at the ski resort there is a chalet, a ski school and a first aid centre.
The Elatochori ski centre is 105 km from Thessaloniki, 120 km from Larisa and 459 km from Athens.
Vitsi ski centre
22 km from Kastoria, the Vitsi ski centre is one of the smallest ski centres of Greece with amazing slopes that fade in a beautiful beech forest.
The Vitsi ski centre is a truly beautiful place, ideal for moments of relaxation and calm, near nature, with a wooden two-storey chalet equipped with a café and a restaurant, a snow bar and a rental shop.
Keep in mind that Vitsi is only open on weekends, plus Wednesdays and Thursdays between 2 and 5 pm.
It’s 591 km away from Athens and 217 km from Thessaloniki.
Vasilitsa ski centre
Vasilitsa ski centre, known for its difficult and challenging slopes of Olympic standards, is situated at a magical location on the northwest part of the Grevena prefecture, in the heart of the Pindos mountain range.
The ski centre is 42 km from the town of Grevena, first opened its doors in 1975, and consists of 18 slopes that are marked in different colours (black for the extremely challenging ones, red for the challenging ones, blue for the easy ones and green for the very easy ones). Vasilitsa has 7 lifts but only two downhill slopes, the Dias and Timfea pistes, suitable only for very experienced skiers.
The biggest plus of the Vasilitsa ski resort is the fact that it has snow even in spring, something that makes it the perfect destination for many months in the year. It’s 211 km away from Thessaloniki and 458 from Athens.
Pertouli ski centre
In Thessaly, 40 km away from Trikala, the Pertouli ski centre has been a favourite destination for families with children over the past few years due to the easy slopes.
This ski centre, at an altitude between 1,170 and 1,340 m, offers 3 pistes and 3 lifts stretching a total 2 km. You’ll also find three chalets with restaurants, cafés and other facilities, while the ski centre organises ski nights, something that makes Pertouli a very special destination.
Due to the modern snow ploughs, the Pertouli ski centre never closes, even during the periods of heavy snowfall, and it’s easily accessible even without anti-skid chains on your tyres. Pertouli is 375 km away from Athens and 256 km from Thessaloniki.
Vigla- Pisoderi ski centre
At a location of unique natural beauty, with an amazing view of the Prespa lakes, the Vigla Pisoderi ski resort is one of the most idyllic winter resorts in Greece courtesy of the gorgeous beech forest that surrounds it.
The Pisoderi ski centre is one of the oldest ski centres in the country, and its first lift was built in 1967. Today, you’ll find 10 slopes at altitudes ranging between 1,650 and 1,970 m, as well as a lovely chalet, one of the most beautiful in Greece. Experienced skiers will find a new, exiting, Olympic standard route that is suitable exclusively for highly skilled skiers.
The Vigla Pisoderi ski centre is 555 km away from Athens and 178 km from Thessaloniki and is one of the most popular ones in northern Greece.
Mainalon ski centre
Suitable for the country’s less experienced skiers, the small Mainalon ski resort in the prefecture of Arcadia offers many pistes for beginners and intermediate level skiers, making it ideal for becoming acquainted with skiing. At the same time, at the most mountainous spot, you’ll find a difficult track that will satisfy more experienced athletes.
On weekends, the Mainalon ski centre fills with families, children keen to enjoy their leisure time on the slopes of this “mild” mountain with an amazing view of the thick fir forest, and a beautiful, hospitable chalet, perfect for relaxation in nature. Its proximity to many key towns of the Peloponnese makes the ski centre quite popular even though it’s not ideal for people seeking adventure.
It’s 162 km away from Athens, 120 km from Kalamata, 90 km from Sparta and Nafplio and just 30 km from Tripoli.
Ziria ski centre
Another ski centre mainly for beginners who don’t have any experience on pistes, the Ziria ski centre is on mountainous Korinthia and is one of the newest ski resorts in Greece, having first opened in 2007.
One of its greatest advantages is the fact that it is near Athens, just a 1-hour-and-45-minute drive away. Here you can go down steep slopes and also enjoy a winter getaway on the mountain as it has a lovely chalet offering every comfort. This is, without doubt, the embodiment of relaxing winter tourism, matching the standards of central Europe’s big resorts.
There are also a few smaller ski centres in Greece that haven’t been in operation in the past few years, either due to lack of snow or due to serious financial troubles.
Gerontovrahos on mount Parnassos has been closed for 4 years now. Paggaio in Kavala has also remained closed in recent years. Metsovo’s two small ski resorts, Politsies and Karakoli, have been closed for some time now, while the only private ski resort in Greece, Hriso Elafi, near Seli, was in operation for a while, offering comfortable facilities and 50 rooms for a pleasant stay, but is currently closed.
Voutsikaki ski centre, near Plastira lake, opens only for a few days each ski season, while the Olympus ski centre at the Vrisopoules location belongs to the Greek army and functions as a training centre for its special forces. Sometimes access is permitted to civilians, primarily locals.
