ELASSONA - The "Gateway" to Mount Olympus The town of Elassona can serve as your base for exploring Mount Olympus. Beyond that, the wider area is a "treasure trove" of agricultural and livestock culture, offering exceptional traditional products. Surrounded by mountains (Olympus, Titaros, Antichasia) and separated from the rest of the Larissa regional unit by the barren Melouna to the south, the area of Elassona maintains a certain "autonomy." Until a few years ago, it even had its own provincial administration. Sometimes, a touch of "isolation" can have a positive impact, as seen here with the preservation of traditional agricultural and livestock practices and the "identity" of its renowned local products, led by its P.D.O. feta cheese, which enjoys top recognition.A widely known version of the origin of the name suggests that it derives from the idea that Greece once "ended" ("essone") here. While charming, this theory is likely inaccurate. The name is more plausibly a corruption of the ancient name "Olassona." Image Byzantine TracesElassona is a modern provincial town with a long history. The oldest visible traces date back to the Byzantine era. On the hill above the town stands the Monastery of Panagia Olympiotissa (13th century A.D.), built on the site of an ancient acropolis. From the same period comes the town's iconic stone bridge, which spans the Elassonitis River and was constructed in 1286. According to legend, 3,000 eggs were used to build it. Egg whites were a crucial ingredient (along with slaked lime, water, soil, tile fragments, pumice, dried grass, and animal hair) in the mortar used for stone bridges. Surrounding the bridge is Varosi, the old neighborhood. Other notable attractions include the Ottoman Mosque on the western side of the town, the Natural History Museum (tel. 24930 22614), and the Museum of National Resistance and the Democratic Army. Modern life in the town revolves around its charming central square.About 2–3 km south of Elassona, on the road to Larissa, lies the "Historic and Martyred Community" of Tsaritsani. Its name means "Royal City" in Slavic, and true to its name, it boasts many treasures: the stone school, the old Oikoneios School (built in 1910 and a pioneering high school in Greece during the mid-20th century), Mamtziou Tower House (1770) with its battlements and boiling oil holes, the Church of Panagia (1749), and another, the Church of Saint Nicholas, with its rare frescoes, including one depicting the genealogy of Jesus and another showing the zodiac cycle. Image In Every DirectionAround Elassona, fascinating routes stretch in all directions. To the southwest, 30 km from the town, lies Verdikousa, the "village of large families." Further up in the Antichasia mountains is the beautiful Mamalis Forest. Verdikousa is a picturesque village renowned for its livestock farming, its local creamy cheese "nivato," its adherence to the old calendar, and the unique fact that many families here have more than 10 children!To the east-northeast, a scenic route leads to the picturesque villages of Sykamnia and Karya, and the small plateau formed between the southern slopes of Olympus and Gountamani. A short detour takes you to the impressive Sparmos Monastery, deep in the mountain of the gods. On this side is also the unique ski resort at Vrysopoules (managed by the Greek Army's Special Forces but open to civilians). From Kalyvia, a dirt road leads to the Chrysakis Emergency Shelter at an altitude of 2,450 meters. From there, reaching the highest peaks of Mount Olympus is just a matter of hours! Image Gateway to Western MacedoniaElassona serves as a key "hub" for those traveling to Western Macedonia. In the past, before the construction of the tunnels in Tempi, it was the alternative route to Katerini, Central Macedonia, and Thessaloniki when the valley was "closed."East of the town, the road leads to Deskati and Grevena. Along this route, after crossing the Voulgaris River at Kefalovryso, you'll find watermills ("dristeles") where residents of Larissa (and Grevena) wash wool, carpets, and flokati rugs in an "eco-friendly" way. Near the "border" with Grevena lies the charming large village of Kranea.The road heading north from the town passes through a beautiful valley before splitting into two branches. The left (western) branch leads to Kozani. Along this route, you'll find the historic Sarantaporo, where the Greek Army achieved its first major victory during the First Balkan War (October 9–10, 1912). At the Sarantaporo Battle Museum, just before the village, you can see photographs, uniforms, and a relief map of the battle. A dirt road 2 km south of Sarantaporo leads to the abandoned Monastery of the Dormition (1750), featuring unique frescoes, including depictions of Alexander the Great, Darius, and Nebuchadnezzar. Image The other branch, which ends in Katerini, takes you to the important Vlach villages of Livadi and Kokkinopilos. Before reaching them, two stops are worth making: one in Dolichi to visit the Byzantine Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, and another in Pythio to explore the cave-like hermitages of the Holy Cross (or Archangels) and the Ascension of the Lord. Dolichi and Pythio, along with Azoros, were the most important cities of the Perrhaebian Tripolis in the 5th century B.C., in an area still holding many hidden secrets.
