Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
HOW T
UTE RO
ERE TH
O GET
The easiest way to reach the area is from the village of Litochoro that is situated at the east slopes of the mountain, 430 km from Athens and 92 km from Thessaloniki. From there, follow the asphalt road leading to the beautiful monastery of Osios Dionysios, then to the mountain refuge at the location of Stavros and finally, after approximately 18 km, you reach the location Prionia. Here you will find a small café, which is also your last contact with “civilisation”, as from this point on, you have to start walking up to the refuge of “Spilios Agapitos” or to the mountain peaks. Every single trail winds through a stunning landscape, with flora going wild in certain parts and endemic plants lying just by your side! Olympos is a truly unique mountain, worth of attention and respect.
The mountain’s birdlife is also exceptional. Who doesn’t want to see the Wallcreeper moving along the steep rocks and perpendicular slopes? In winter it descends to lower altitudes and it has been sighted close to the old monastery of Osios Dionysios, although the place where you can certainly spot it - apart from the mountain peaks named “Mytikas” and “Thronos tou Dia” (meaning “the throne of Zeus”) - is Enipeas gorge (1), just above Litochoro. This is also the territory of a pair of Peregrine Falcons, but you can just as well see Ravens which often visit the area. Further down the hill, at the location of Stavros (2), it is worth looking for the Crested Tit and the Common Crossbill, while in spring you
can also enjoy watching the Honey Buzzard in flight. The forest surrounding you, hosts nine of the ten European species of woodpeckers! And during migration you will definitely have the opportunity to view the Wryneck. Olympos also holds two or three pairs of Golden Eagles while the Black Vulture and the Lammergeier that used to visit the area in the past seem to have disappeared for at least ten years now… In the dense parts of the forest, it seems to be easier than anywhere else in Greece to see the Goshawk hunting Wood Pigeons, as well as the Sparrowhawk on the lookout for songbirds at the clearings. At the western and southwestern parts of the mountain you will enjoy views of the Levant Sparrowhawk. Even though
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