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When the ski season begins, there are plenty of choices in Greece if you are into winter sports. Winter can give you the opportunity to get out of the house and do activities that burn many calories but also offer many health benefits. Ice skating, snowboarding and skiing can be a powerful incentive to avoid laying on the couch, even if the weather is a bit cooler. Greece is a great winter destination and if you keep reading you will find out why.
Winter Sports
The two "stars" of winter sports, ski and snowboard, attract thousands of fanatics, beginners, middle and advanced, each year, to the ski slopes of Greece. Ski has its roots in Scandinavia. Actually, it was there that for the first time sandals have been used to help people move easier in high snow conditions. Sondre Norheim, from Telemark, Norway, is considered the "father of modern skiing". Around 1870 he invented the equipment and techniques that led to skiing as we know it today. Most people may think that snowboarding is an evolution of skiing, but the fact is that snowboarding is directly related to skateboarding and surfing. The sport was invented some forty years ago in the US when a skateboarder from California named Tom Sims thought to try the skateboard in order to enjoy the snow by putting two straps on it. In 1965, the first board, Snurfer (a combination of Snow Surfer) was made, and in 1979, the first Snurfing World Championship, which was later renamed as snowboarding, was held at the Prado Winter Garden of Michigan. The last decades, snowboarding has become the favourite sport of all those who were either bored with skiing or were looking for a way to combine their love of surfing or skateboard with the cold snowing charm. Greece may be famous for its seas, but lovers of winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, have nothing to complain about. Let's discover the best ski resorts in Greece.
Kalavrita Ski Center: With more than 100,000 visitors each year, Kalavrita ski resort is one of the most popular destinations of the south. It is only 200 km away from Athens, making it ideal for one-day excursions. The centre hosted on the northwest side of Helmos is at 1,700-2,340 meters altitude and has twelve tracks totalling 20 kilometres in length and has 7 lifts. Kalavryta is a town with a great history. It is a favourite autumn and winter spot in the Peloponnese. Built on the western slopes of Helmos and forming a base for nature lovers and skiers of the Ski Resort, it is the absolute destination if you are looking for something close to the capital of Greece.
Parnassos ski centre: Among the largest and most well-organized skiing centres in Greece, the historic ski resort of Parnassos has made the beautiful mountain popular since 1976, especially in southern Greece, since it is at a close a distance to Athens, Patra and Lamia. The Center has 19 slopes, 7 ski runs, 10 trails and 3 mini beginners' runways, totalling approximately 36 km. There is medical coverage for all guests, a special area for children with a playground, two cafe-chalets and "black" off-piste trails with thick snow for the most advanced. This is a great choice if you are interested in Greece's culture and history since you can visit the nearby tourist destinations of Arachova and Delphi.
Ski centre of Pelion: The ski resort with the shortest distance from the sea is located in the favourite mountain of Magnesia, near the city of Volos. Among the hills of Pelion, you can find the ski resort that most of the locals around Thessaly prefer for their slalom. The lovers of night skiing prefer it the most, as the night skiing weekend was established there for the first time in Greece. Small but functional, the ski centre has 8 slopes and 5 lifts, while you can, while practising your performance, admire the view of the Aegean Sea.
Ski Center Vasilitsa: Pindos and the Olympic-certified slopes, with a picture similar to an alpine landscape, could not be missing from this list. Quite a long way from Athens and Thessaloniki, the ski resort of Vasilitsa is ideal for long-lasting getaways, if you secure a few days of vacation and want to combine your favourite winter sports with a stunning winter destination, Zagorohoria. Vasilitsa is near the national forests of Valia Kalda and Aoos - Vikos, as well as in the rivers Aliakmonas, Venetiko and Aoos. It is the perfect destination for hikers, mountaineers, rafting and cycling fans.
Voras - Kaimaktsalan: Passing through northern Greece, we could only start from the most popular ski resort of Thessaloniki. Kaimaktsalan. Very well-known, this ski centre proves that northern Greece is more suitable than any other region in the country for skiing, having some of the best-organized slopes and the highest lifts. Specifically, the centre of Voras can boast the highest elevation cable car of Greece, at an altitude of 2,480 meters. Its wide routes, which satisfy the beginners and the experts of the species.
3-5 Pigadia: One of the most talked about ski resorts in Greece, 3-5 Pigadia claims the title of the most weirdly named winter destination. The ski resort of Vermio, a breath away from the city of Naoussa, is considered to be one of the finest and is one of the few that operates with artificial snow, without facing a problem of being shut down throughout the season.
Seli: Not too far from Naousa, Seli spreads its "experienced" slopes. The closest town here is Veria. Seli is the first skiing centre in Greece, since 1934 and has 19 tourist and sports slopes, 11 lifts, 4 baby lifts for beginners, comfortable parking, playgrounds, ski slopes for international competitions, climbing routes and a special safety group that ensures the well being of the visitors.
All of the above winter destinations in Greece are top in hospitality and offer great accommodation facilities that will create an unforgettable experience for you and your loved ones. If you do not want to bring your own ski gear, we've got good news. Daily and monthly card prices decrease slowly but steadily. In the total budget of the rookie (or even a totally unskilled) skier, however, there are added costs such as those of equipment rental and first ski lessons.
If you haven't decided to head to a ski centre you don't have to worry. Even if you stay in Athens or another big Greek city there is always the option of ice skating. Ice skating is a form of aerobic exercise such as walking, swimming, running with many cardio-respiratory benefits. It is an activity on which you move on the ice with the help of ice skates. It does not need any particular level of physical activity and can be done from all ages individually or in groups. At a more advanced level, it can be demanding if during jumps, turns, speeds. Learning ice skating is relatively simple and fun. The biggest risk in ice skating is falling. In order to protect yourself from unpleasant injuries, it is recommended to take some introductory learning lessons. It is important in the first lessons to learn to fall well and to know how to protect your head when you fall and learn to protect your fingers from the ice skates. Chose the right figure on ice skates, warm clothing and gloves. Try to control the space around you, respect the space of others and to avoid overcrowding. The setting is familiar every year in Athens. Parents and kids in festive atmosphere swarm shopping centres and Christmas parks wanting to live a bit of the magic of the absolute freedom that ice skating offers. You can find outdoor ice rinks at several big malls and there is also a permanent skating rink in Egaleo.
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