The Pieria Mountains with strong points of “calm beauty” and untouched nature, claim an important place in the global list of mountain tourist destinations of four seasons, ideal for sports activities, tours of archaeological, cultural and spiritual sites, but also for complete relaxation.
The dynamics of recovery of the area as a tourist proposal with emphasis on authenticity and the active participation of the local community is part of the strategic planning of the Municipality of Katerini, which is re-established with a new tourist identity.
In the mountainous Municipality of Katerini, Elatochori and its ski center, Resin, Ano Milia, tour operators from Northern Greece – members of the Association of Tourist Offices of Macedonia Thrace – from Athens and Larissa were guided and journalists as part of a hospitality program organized by the Deputy Mayor of Tourism.
“Pieria is a shrinking country, the visitor from the Aegean atmosphere is transported to a location reminiscent of Switzerland” said at a presentation of the Municipality of Katerini “as a tourist destination all year round” the Deputy Mayor of Domisis, George Dantamis noting that minutes from the beach of Katerini “.
“This was the house of the Muses, opposite it was the House of the Gods, it is a place worth highlighting,” he said, expressing confidence that a dialogue would be opened and there would be good co-operation with tourism professionals.
In addition to the summer, we want to highlight the winter, spring and autumn Pieria, to reposition the area in the tourist becoming, on the tourist map, underlined the strategic partner of the Municipality of Katerini, founder and CEO of Wise Ram, the company of extroversion and tourism development destinations, former Deputy Mayor of Tourism Development of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, Spyros Pegas.
The first step, he explained, was to put the destination in the digital world with the official account of the Deputy Mayor of Tourism Experience Katerini on social media and promotional campaigns. This was followed by a mission of the Hoteliers Association to Romania in the framework of the “Destination Diplomacy” with the aim of enriching the palette of visitors.
The promotion of local products, the formation of gastronomic identity and the creation of gastronomic routes are the goals of the Deputy Mayor of Tourism of the Municipality of Katerini and in the context of their implementation actions, winemakers of the region presented their wines, which on December 28 will have the opportunity to meet the Thessalonians at an event in the city.
A historical review of the establishment of the Ski Center, which this year completes 20 years of operation, was made by its president, Konstantinos Glaras, emphasizing that it is the only ski resort-NPID in Greece, and “… can not receive funding from any body while efforts are being made to become a municipal enterprise “.
He referred to the contribution of the Katerini Ski Club and the Hellenic Mountaineering Association of Katerini, whose members participate in preparations for the Ski Center so that ski and snowboard lovers can enjoy their favorite winter sports. “We are close and people honor us,” he stressed.
In the competitive advantages of Pieria, the accessible beaches, the routes of pilgrimage and cultural interest, in the municipal park of Katerini, one of the largest in Greece, in the emblematic, preserved building-headquarters of the Deputy Mayor of Tourism and in local products, such as cherries of Rachi and the award-winning local wines were mentioned by Mr. Vangelis Nikolaidis from the Deputy Mayor of Tourism of the Municipality of Katerini.
“Biodiversity and microclimate make the area an important part of the vast botanical garden that starts from Mount Olympus, reaches the Pieria Mountains and continues to Thrace and is an ideal destination for visits by photographers, pupils and students who can study different types of habitats. vegetation of alpine zone and mixed forests “stressed Anastasia Bostaniti, president of the Association of Professionals of Elatochori, who described the overall picture of the mountainous Municipality of Katerini, points of interest, cultural associations and their activities in the area. In the area of ​​Olympus and Pieria, as he underlined, there are 740 endemic species, including the lilium the Chalcedonian, the lilium martagon and the tea of ​​Olympus, Sideritis scardica, it has been utilized and cultivated.
The event – presentation was attended, among others, by the Deputy Mayor of Communities of the Municipality of Katerini, George Kyriakidis, the President of the Pieria Hoteliers Association, Iraklis Tsitlakidis, the President of the Federation of Rooms and Apartments Pella, Perimerida Perimeridas and Pierias , Christos Tziouvaras, the president Nikolaos Glaras and the member of the Local Council of Elatochori Antonis Liavvas.
The Pieria Mountains
The Pieria Mountains, continuation of the ridge of Olympus is a natural border between the prefectures of Kozani, Imathia and Pieria. The highest peak of the mountain range is Flabouro with an altitude of 2,188 meters. They are covered by one of the most accessible forests in the country, which can be accessed from all sides.
In the eastern part there are beeches, oaks, black and red pines and shrubs and deciduous at the lowest levels.
The main reference point of routes in the Pieria Mountains are the two Mountain Shelters, located at an altitude of 1000m. and 1680m.
Old and New Elatochori
Elatochori consists of two settlements, the old and the new. The first name of the village was Skouterna, either from the water mills that existed in the area or from the woolen fabrics (skoutia), which were processed or traded in various parts of Greece. It is a natural balcony to Mount Olympus, at an altitude of 850 meters, in the mountain range of Pieria and according to tradition is called “Valley of the Palace”.
In Palio Elatochori, which has been characterized as a traditional, preserved settlement, the mountain architecture of the past has been followed in the resorts, hostels and restaurants.
A special part of the area is the 88 huts. In each estate there is a hut, a traditional rural building mainly made of stone, which in the past was either a place of residence for the family when the work began or a warehouse for the necessary tools. In the old village the old watermill, in which the people of Elatochori ground corn and wheat to produce flour has been renovated.
In Neo Elatochori at the Folklore Museum, which operates under the responsibility of the Folklore and Cultural Group of Elatochori, aspects of the daily life of the past years are revived in the area with a collection consisting of offers from residents, family and historical heirlooms, household utensils, utensils and tools.
Old and New Elatochori during the Christmas and New Year holidays with the impressive decoration of squares of buildings, accommodation and shops acquire images reminiscent of scenes from fairy tales.
Churches and Monasteries
In the Monastery of Agios Georgios in the village of Ritini is kept the oldest fresco in Pieria, which was created in 1494.
In Palio Elatochori the church of Agios Nikolaos is a building that dates from the middle of the 17th century. Inside there are rare wood-carved iconostasis and Byzantine hagiographies, which survive to this day.
The chapel of Panagia Agrotissa, outside Elatochori, celebrates on September 8 the Birthday of the Virgin, but also the date when the agricultural activities ended, mainly the tobacco that was one of the main crops of the area.
At the entrance of the village of Ano Milia are the ruins of the church of Agios Athanasios which was built in the 18th century with columns and building materials from early Christian temples and was destroyed by the German occupation forces in 1943 when the whole village burned. Outside Ano Milia there is the chapel of Isapostolos Kosmas of Etolos, who passed through the area. The church of Agia Paraskevi is the first built by the Greeks who lived in Ano Milia, among them the family of Kleftarmatolos Lazai, in the middle of the 16th century. In April 1822 it burned down like the whole village in an Ottoman invasion and was repaired in 1854.
The Ski Center of Elatochori
The Ski Center of Elatochori is located on the northeastern side of the Pieria Mountains, at the location “Papa Chorafi” at an altitude of 1,400 – 1,800 meters in an idyllic location overlooking Aliakmonas, the artificial lake of Polyphytos, Olympus, Thermaikos and Halkaikos.
The facilities of the ski center include 10 slopes with variable altitude difference and with different degree. There is also a snowboard and a sleigh rink. It has a two-seater aerial lift 1287 m. And there are also two sliding lifts.
At the Ski Center there is a renovated two-storey chalet with a cafe-bar and restaurant, ski schools and a first aid clinic.
The aim is for the Ski Center to attract tourists, not only in winter, but also in summer and to become a point of continuous traffic in the coming years. In the first phase, the ski company, the lift and the chalet will operate Saturday-Sunday and throughout the summer.
Paths, waterfalls, fountains
In the area there are many demarcated paths (Eratos, Apollo, Muses) for exploration, through dense forests, springs that dig impressive gorges and waterfalls (Sotiri Rema, Kremastos), mountaineering routes to the peaks of Pieria, forest roads for cycling and .
Cultural Actions
The Local Council, the Compulsory Forest Cooperative of Elatochori, the Cultural Folklore Club, the Association of Professionals, the Association of Elatochori of Thessaloniki “I Skouterna” are active in the cultural sector in the area all year round.
The Meeting of the people of Elatochori has been taking place for 23 years and other annual events are the Autumn Festival, the Mushroom Festival, the Rock Festival, the Beer Festival.
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