Blog

Greek Easter in Dion-Olympus | Traditions, Processions & Local Celebrations Easter in Dion-Olympus, Pieria is experienced through churches, processions, village squares, traditional food, music and gatherings that bring communities together beneath Mount Olympus. From the solemn atmosphere of Holy Week to the celebrations that continue around Easter Sunday and Saint George’s Day, the period offers […]

Palaios Panteleimonas, Pieria | Traditional Village, Mountain Views & Local Life A traditional mountain village overlooking the Aegean, where stone houses, nature and local life meet. High on the slopes of Mount Olympus, Palaios Panteleimonas is one of the most distinctive traditional villages in Pieria. Stone houses, narrow cobbled streets, old walls and mountain views […]

600km Brevet Cycling Marathon in Northern Greece | Pieria, Endurance & Memory Six hundred kilometres on a bicycle is more than a long ride. In April 2024, the first 600km Brevet Cycling Marathon in Northern Greece brought together cyclists for a demanding journey through Thessaloniki, Pieria, Larissa, Imathia, Pella and Kilkis. The route passed through […]

Cherry Blossom Festival in Pieria | Spring, Local Life & the Villages of Rachi Every spring, the cherry orchards of Pieria offer a different way to experience the region. For a short time, the trees fill the landscape with blossoms, while the villages and local communities celebrate the beginning of a new season. In April […]

Greek Easter in Pieria, Greece | Traditions, Food & Spring in Olympus Greek Easter in Pieria brings together some of the things that make spring in northern Greece special: Orthodox traditions, village life, family gatherings, local food and the landscapes surrounding Mount Olympus. Greek Easter in Pieria at a Glance Season: Spring What to experience: […]

Carnival in Dion-Olympus, Pieria | Apokries, Traditions & Local Celebrations Carnival in the Municipality of Dion-Olympus is not one single celebration. It unfolds across towns and villages, bringing together Apokries traditions, parades, music, dancing, food, bonfires and local customs beneath Mount Olympus. Carnival in Dion-Olympus at a Glance Region: Pieria, Greece Municipality: Dion-Olympus Season: Apokries […]

Clean Monday in Pieria, Greece | Koulouma, Kite Flying & Local Traditions Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera) marks the beginning of Great Lent in Greece and the end of the Carnival season. In Pieria, the day is closely connected with Koulouma, kite flying, traditional Lenten food, outdoor gatherings and the arrival of spring. Clean Monday Koulouma […]

Tsiknopempti is an extraordinary pre-Lenten celebration all over Greece on the Thursday of the second week of the Triodion. This celebration is a time to indulge in a large quantity of grilled meat, marking the final feast before the fasting period of Lent begins. Pieria region is the most incredible region where Tsiknopempti is celebrated […]

Tsigaridas Festival in Lofos, Pieria | Pork, Local Food & Greek Tradition In the mountain village of Lofos, Pieria, winter has its own flavours. One of them is tsigarida — a traditional pork preparation connected with rural life, seasonal food and the way local families preserved and used meat through the colder months. Tsigaridas Festival […]

Christmas in Katerini, Pieria | Christmas Market, Events & Winter Experiences Christmas in Katerini brings together the atmosphere of a Greek city, festive decorations, local traditions, food and winter experiences — with the mountains of Pieria and Mount Olympus only a short distance away. Christmas atmosphere in the streets of Katerini, Pieria. Christmas in Katerini […]

The First Ascent of Mount Olympus | Boissonnas, Baud-Bovy & Kakkalos More than a century ago, Mount Olympus was a very different mountain from the one hikers know today. There were no marked trails, modern mountain refuges or climbing infrastructure leading towards its highest summit. On 2 August 1913, Frédéric Boissonnas, Daniel Baud-Bovy and Christos […]

Skoteina Morna, Pieria | The Abandoned Mountain Village in the Forest Deep in the forests of Pieria lies Skoteina Morna, an abandoned mountain settlement with a history that reaches back more than a century. Today, old houses, stone pathways, the church of Agios Nikolaos and the remains of the village’s former timber industry slowly disappear […]