Greece is best known by tourists for its seas, islands and vast coastline, however, 80% of its territory is mountainous or semi-mountainous, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.
The main mountainous axis of the country is undoubtedly the Pindos mountain range, which is the "backbone" of the mainland and, together with that of the Rhodopes, forms an imaginary "Γ" of the country's mountains. But let's see the 12 highest mountains of the Greek territory, which are a point of attraction for nature lovers and ideal destinations for those who want to enjoy mountain tourism activities.
1. Olympus 2918 m.
Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece with its highest peak Mytikas at 2918 m. And is known worldwide for its mythological context, as during ancient Greece the 12 gods lived there! Located on the border of Macedonia (Pieria) and Thessaly (Larissa), it captivates with its wild beauty, because besides its imposing peaks, deep gorges and steep slopes, ravines and abundant flowing water impress thousands of climbers and nature lovers every year! Mount Olympus is still the second highest mountain in the Balkans after the Rila in Bulgaria and was also declared the first National Park in Greece in 1938, while later it was declared an archeological and historical site by the Greek Ministry of Culture because of the scattered monuments.
2. Smolikas 2637 m.
Smolikas is the second highest mountain in Greece after Mount Olympus, with a maximum height at the summit of Geros of 2637 m. It is located in the northern part of Ioannina Prefecture and in the western part of Grevena Prefecture, while it is also part of the larger mountain range of Pindos in the whole of western Greece. From Smolikas rise the tributaries of Aliakmonas, Venetikos and Greveniotikos rivers, while on its slopes there are many mountain villages, such as the famous Samarina and Smixi. In Smolikas we find the Drakolimni lake, which is known throughout the country and attracts the interest of thousands of hikers. We remind you here that bathing in its waters is not allowed for the protection of the mountain newt.
3. Voras(Kaimaktsalan) 2524 m.
Voras, the third highest mountain in the country, is located in the northern part of the prefecture of Pella, extends to the borders of the prefecture of Florina and also further north and beyond the Greek border. On its highest peak, which is 2524 m high, there is also the church of Profitis Ilias, which is a memorial to the Serbian victims of the First World War. Kaimaktsalan also has a well-known ski resort that offers great thrills to winter sports enthusiasts.
4. Grammos 2520 m.
Grammos stands fourth in the line of the highest mountains in Greece with its highest peak Tsouka Petsik at 2520m. It extends to the Greek-Albanian border and occupies the northeastern part of the prefecture of Ioannina, the southwestern part of the prefecture of Kastoria, and part of the broader range of Pindos. Many water streams emanate from it, the most important being that of the Aliakmonas river, which is the longest river in Greece. In Grammos is located the National Reconciliation Park, which aims to explain the past while highlighting the ecological richness of the mountain range.
5. Giona 2510 m.
It is the fifth highest mountain in the country, but the highest in Central Greece. It extends in Fokida between the mountains of Parnassos and Vardousia and is part of the southern end of the Pindos mountain range. Its highest peak is the Pyramida at 2510 m. In ancient times Giona was known as Mount Aselino.
6. Tymfi (Gamila) 2497 m.
Tymfi, which stands sixth in the series of the highest mountains in Greece, is a mountain of Epirus in Zagori. It rises between the river Aoos and the tributary Voidomatis with its highest peak Gamila at 2497 m. In the plateaus of Tymfi there are picturesque mountain lakes with rich legends. The most famous is Drakolimni, which with its rare beauty is an attraction for thousands of hikers. We remind you once again that bathing in its waters is not allowed, in order to protect the mountain newt here as well. The southwestern slopes of the Tymfi mountain range reach the famous Vikos Gorge.
7. Vardousia (Korakas) 2495 m.
Vardousia is located in the northwest of Fokida, with a small part of the mountain extending to Fthiotida. It is a mountain range that includes the southernmost tip of Pindos in Central Greece. It is the seventh highest mountain in the country and the second highest in Roumeli after Giona. Vardousia is a component consisting of three groups of peaks, the north, the west, and the south, the north being characterized by smooth summits, the west having many steep and independent peaks, while the south, which is the highest, forms a vertical and long ridge. The highest peak Korokas reaches 2495 m.
8. Parnassos 2457 m.
Parnassos is a mountain of Central Greece, which is eighth on the list of the highest mountains in the country, with its highest peak Liakoura, which reaches 2457 m. It extends to the prefectures of Viotia, Fthiotida and Fokida, while its name comes from the mythical hero Parnassos, son of Poseidon and the nymph Cleodora, who had built a city on the mountain. According to Greek history and mythology, at the foot of the mountain was the most famous oracle of Ancient Greece, the Oracle of Delphi, which to this day Delphi, the "navel of the earth", attracts the interest of thousands of tourists from around the world.
9. Psiloritis (Idi) 2456 m.
Psiloritis is the highest mountain in Crete with its highest peak at 2456 m., which puts it in ninth place in the list of the highest mountains in Greece, while it has four other peaks over 2000 m. The access to the peaks is relatively accessible and is done through several routes, the most famous being this route through the E4 from the plateau of Nida, at an altitude of about 1400 m. In Psiloritis at an altitude of 1495 m, there is a cave being an archeological site which according to Greek mythology is the place where Zeus was raised by the Kourites and the nymph Amalthea. At an altitude of 1187 m. there is the archeological site of Zominthos, where it is a complex of the Minoan era.
10. White Mountains (Madares) 2454 m.
The mountain range of Lefka Ori or Madares is located in the west of Crete, extends mainly in the prefecture of Chania and completes the ten highest mountains of the country. Its highest peak is called Pachnes and reaches 2454 m., 1-2 meters below the peak of Psiloritis. Above 2000 m., however, the mountain has more than 50 bare peaks, the main feature of which is an inner plateau that stretches between them to about 1900 meters. There are several routes to reach the peaks of the mountain, however, the White Mountains is a special and challenging mountain massif that is worth exploring from end to end.
11. Tzoumerka (Athamanika Mountains) 2429 m.
Tzoumerka or Athamanika Mountains is a large mountain range in western Greece that is also part of the larger Pindos mountain range. They occupy part of the prefectures of Ioannina, Arta and Trikala and is the eleventh of the highest mountains in Greece with their highest peak Kakarditsa at an altitude of 2429 m., located between the villages of Melissourgoi, Matsouki and Athamania in the northern part of the mountain range. The mountain range is generally divided into two parts. The northern part, where Kakarditsa is located and the southern part, which belongs mainly to the prefecture of Arta with its highest peak Katafidi at an altitude of 2393 meters. Wild and imposing place Tzoumerka hosts some of the most picturesque villages and settlements, such as Pramanta, Syrra and the Kalarrytes.
12. Taygetos 2407 m.
Taygetos, the highest mountain range in the Peloponnese, completes the dozen mountains list. Its characteristic pyramidal peak is 2407 m. high. It is called Profitis Elias, after the church of the same name built there. The name Taygetus, according to Pausanias and mythology, comes from Taygeti, one of the Atlantean women who, ashamed of her unwanted mating with Zeus, ended her life by falling off a mountain cliff. Majestic and imposing, Taygetos, also called Agiolias Makrynos in the years of the 1821 revolution, is characterized as the Dome of Moria.
