Leptokaria
Leptokaria, translated as “Village of Hazelnuts”, is also a semi-double Greek resort located on the most beautiful part of the coast of the Aegean Sea, under Mount Olympus. Only the location of the place, where sea and mountain air currents meet, give Leptokarija an epithet of an air spa.
As a place with a beautiful sandy beach, a beautiful sea, a long promenade, a pleasant climate, you will not be disappointed if you decide to go to Lepotokaria, because in addition to all of the above, there are also friendly and always in a good mood people who try to host tourists in the best way.
Leptokaria is a quiet resort. This place is ideal for parents with small children, that is, for family vacations. However, a large selection of cafes, discotheques, taverns and other amenities make Leptokaria attractive to those who would like to choose a more dynamic place.
Location: Leptokaria is a nice resort at the foot of Mount Olympus, which is about 80 km from Thessaloniki and 30 km from the town of Katerini. It’s easy to find because it’s on the main highway, and you can get there by train. The train station in Leptoraria is one of the oldest in Pieria. It is connected to Thessaloniki, and you can also reach Larissa from Leptokaria.
About 4,000 people live in Leptokarija. Most of the tourists are from Serbia, and the fact that even 60% of tourists are from city Vranje is also interesting.
The beach in Leptokarija is wide and spacious, with fine golden sand, while the water is crystal clear, warm and refreshing. There are deckchairs and umbrellas on the beach, and the bars on the beach have everything you need to cool off. Although it is a popular tourist spot, Leptokarija beach is not overcrowded due to its size.
Leptokarija has cafes, bars and discotheques, shops, a health center, a dentist and a pharmacy… and compared to other places in this area, the prices in the shops, as well as catering services, are somewhat lower.
With Leptokaria as your starting point, spend a wonderful vacation with all 12 gods of Olympus. The entire Olympic region is characterized by the collision of spa and Mediterranean climate, warm sea, pleasant nights, which is the basic condition for a pleasant vacation.
The main attractions of Leptokarija and its surroundings:
plane tree forest in Livitra (Livitra is 7 km from Leptokarija)
Stara Leptokaria (5 km from the coast)
magnetic field (8 km from Leptokarija)
Old Livitra (where, according to legend, Orpheus from Greek mythology died)
G.U.P Greek Association of Mountaineers (SEO)
A group of people from Leptokaria, who came together for the love of mountaineering, founded the Greek Association of Mountaineers. This group provides an opportunity for all lovers from the country and the world to visit Olympus and discover its natural beauty. GUP organizes various visits to the peaks of Olympus.
The shelter of the association is located at an altitude of 1417 m in Ano Pigadion. The shelter has accommodation with 16 beds in a common room, one toilet, a kitchen and a living room with a fireplace.
Leptokarija offers not only the beauty of the sea and beaches, but the call of the wilderness with areas of fir, pine, and beech forests, while at altitudes over 2000 meters the nature changes and turns into a rocky area with rocks and real alpinism that requires mountaineering experience.
The contact phone number for mountaineers from GUP is: 6932541653, and their Facebook page is: Seo Leptokarias
Magnetic field
One of the attractions and natural phenomena is the magnetic field. The magnetic field is located about 8 kilometers from Leptokarija, on the road leading to Karies. This natural phenomenon, among other things, can convince you that water can flow uphill, and that a car with the engine off can also move uphill. The ancient Greeks built monuments on magnetic fields because they believed that people got strength there. Even today, the phenomenon has not been fully investigated or denied. The Greeks knew that the magnetic field was located on Olympus, and it is no coincidence that Stara Livitra is located in a similar place, where, according to mythology, was the place where Orpheus was buried.
Old Leptocaria
Stara Leptokaria is only 5 km from the sea. The place was a large village that was built in the style of an amphitheater at the foot of Mount Olympus. Today in old Leptokarija you can see the remains of the church of St. Nicholas from the 17th century, as well as the Byzantine church of the Holy Trinity. The name Leptokaria means wild hazelnuts that grow here.
According to the old tradition, Orpheus was born in a cave in the area of Leptocaria, where he was born by the muse Calliope. He was the first to build a temple to Dionysus. Orpheus was killed by the women of Pieria in the region of Dion. His tomb in Livitre was turned into a shrine where sacrifices were made to him and where he was worshipped.
Towards the end of the second century, Livitra was destroyed by an earthquake, followed by floods from Olympus, which destroyed a part of the Acropolis.
According to the latest excavations (period 2003-2004), Livitra is today a historical place that extends over an area of 5 km between the upper and lower Olympus. Today’s Acropolis of Livitra is located on a small hill that is bounded by three canals from Olympus. It is believed that there are many tombs around Olympus that have not yet been discovered. Visit to the old Acropolis
