If we were playing a word association game and someone said “Greece” one of the most popular words to come up next would most likely be “summer.” Our country is lucky to be known as one of the best summer destinations in the world and Greeks are extremely proud of it.
You must have definitely come across some of the most popular campaigns of the Greek National Tourism Organization promoting Greek summer and encouraging you to “live your myth in Greece” or “visit Greece” in summer. Have you ever come across a campaign like that about winter in Greece? Probably not. The reason why is that Greece as a winter destination has been the little secret of the Greeks.
Not anymore, though. We have recently decided to share our winter secret with the world.
Τhis year is the first time the Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourism Organization have been promoting Greece as a winter destination. While everybody in the world dreams of visiting Mykonos and Santorini, Greeks are more likely to have tried skiing than windsurfing. While our country is known for its magnificent beaches and crystal clear water, it is also the third most mountainous country in Europe. This automatically means that we do indeed have our winter secret destinations that are equally impressive to the wonderful Greek summer destinations.
To be honest, with more than 17 ski resorts around the country plus many more picturesque villages in the mainland, the list is rather long.
Many of you might have heard of Arachova, “the winter Mykonos.” Arachova is a cosmopolitan place on the mountain Parnassos. The ski resort there is amazing, although there are a lot of people who just visit it for the chalets. If you are there it’s also a great opportunity to visit the archaeological site of Defli without all the tourists and the unbearable summer heat.
And then there is Zagorohoria, in Epirus. A rather remote region that has somehow managed to become such a popular winter destination among Greeks. The fact that the villages around there are breathtakingly beautiful and the food is heavenly, helps a lot.
And if you are in the north of Greece and are looking for a great place to ski, Agios Athanasios also known as Kaimaktsalan is the one for you. According to the specialists, the skiing tracks there are friendly even for beginners while it is also a great place to snowboard, go on a snowmobile or hang around at the the beautiful chalet in an altitude of 2000 meters .
And then there is the Peloponnese. With the mountainous region of Arcadia stealing the show. The picturesque villages there are endless and their steep location takes your breath away. The unique character of each and every one of them will definitely be something you will remember for a long time and what makes them an unforgettable winter destination.
Of course we couldn’t leave out the biggest skiing resort in Southern Greece, Kalavryta. When you get there you will see young people at the beautiful cafés, you will see groups of friends eating trout at the plane tree forest of Planitero, others will decide to hike at the Vouraikos Canyon, and of course when there is snow they will all have fun at the skiing resort that attracts an amazing number of people every year.
This is just a small taste from Greece in winter. The destinations are truly endless, the nature is beautiful, the food is great as always and it is just another side of a country that never ceases to surprise or amaze you.
