Olympus Riviera holidays

Beach lovers: The area boasts a great choice of wide, golden sand beaches lapped by clear, shallow waters; perfect for families.

Go-getters: Explore the beautiful scenery of Mount Olympus, experience a variety of water sports or take a day trip to nearby Thessaloniki; Greece’s second largest city.

Food fanatics: Savour delicious, traditional Greek cuisine in one of the seafront tavernas. Restaurants use locally grown vegetables and freshly caught fish. 

Language: The language spoken on the Olympus Riviera is Greek.

Currency: The currency used on the Olympus Riviera is the Euro (€).

Local time: Olympus Riviera is 2 hours ahead of GMT/UK time. 

Fly to: Thessaloniki Airport. The transfer time to resorts is around 1 hour 15 minutes.

Flight time from UK: The flight time to Olympus Riviera is 3.5 hours.

By taxi: It’s easy to get a taxi in the Olympus Riviera, as there are plenty of companies to choose from. In all the tourist resorts, you’ll have a good choice of taxis and can even get one for your transfer to or from Thessaloniki Airport. Negotiate the fare with your driver before travelling.

By bus: The local bus network, Pieria KTEL, services all villages and towns in the area. Buses are an affordable way to get around and run regularly. Litochoro is connected by bus from Athens and Thessaloniki and by train, although the train station is 9km from the village. 

Olympus Festival: This annual festival of music and theatre takes place throughout July, August and September in the ancient theatre of Dion in Pieria and in Platamonas Castle. It’s been running for over 30 years and has seen many famous Greek singers and actors perform plays and concerts here. There are also talks from renowned archaeologists about the civilisation of Pieria.

Carnival or Clean Monday: Carnival season, or ‘Apokries’ in Greek, is a celebration of the last days of freedom before the Greek Orthodox 40-day Lent in the run up to Easter. In Platamonas and Pieria, join locals in the streets for colourful parades with music and dancing. Traditional rituals are performed and delicious foods are on offer.

Visa and health: Before you travel, visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece for recommendations and advice on visas and health for your holiday to the Olympus Riviera.