Leonidio, Greece
October 23-30, 2021
8 days/7 Nights
From $2750.00
“Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.”
-Democritus, Ancient Greek Philosopher
Sorry, but we’re sold out on this one for 2021, but our 2022 dates will be coming soon)!!!
Happiness, as it turns out, is also pretty easy to find climbing in Greece.
We fall in love with places all the time, and boy did we fall hard for Leonidio. We’ve traveled the world in search of that perfect combination of food, culture and immaculate stone, and nowhere has it been quite as good as the Arcadian Coast. Nestled on the shores of the Aegean Sea just a few hours’ drive from Athens, the town of Leonidio has it all: stunning scenery, friendly locals, a vibrant cuisine and thousands of years of history and culture, and of course world-class rock climbing on near-perfect limestone.
We spent weeks eating, drinking and climbing our way through the region and knew we’d be coming back before we even left.
Climbing
Whether you climb 5.4 or 5.14, the crags of Leonidio offer some of the most fun and accessible sport climbing in the Mediterranean. Tufas, pockets, steeps, slabs - they’re all there, and they’re all good. Vacation climbing really doesn’t get any better. What’s more, most of the approaches are short, and the variety of settings from the hills to the seaside never seem to get old. This trip is perfect for climbers of any skill level, and is a great place to push your limits, work on your lead game, or just enjoy the ride.
Food & Accommodations
We’ve hand-picked our favorite hotels, restaurants, bakeries and snacks, and we know you’re going to love them. There are few things that beat strolling along an ancient stone path, olive and orange groves all around you, with the sea shining in the distance and the glow of the cliffs above. Add in the spinach pie in your backpack and the memory of last night’s calamari plus the promise of more magical days and dinners to come, and you’ll start to get the picture. We really cannot say enough about just how magical this place is, but trust us - it really is incredible.
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Greece
You get yourself to the Athens International Airport and we’ll meet you there. We’ll pick you up and drive you to the Coco-Mat hotel where you’ll be free to explore the enchanting ancient city, marvel at the Acropolis, and dip your finger into the world of Greek food on your own at one of the Plaka neighborhood’s many delightful restaurants. If you want to spend a few days exploring Athens beforehand, just let us know and we can help set you up with a great itinerary to explore on your own, or a local guide if you’d prefer. (We know the Coco-Mat is a funny name btw, but it’s really hip, modern and nice, and has the perfect location - promise.)
Day 2: Off to Leonidio
We’ll start the day with breakfast at the hotel, getting the whole team together and getting to know each other before we load up for the three hour drive to Leonidio. If the weather is nice, we’ll stop along the way for a short walk through the ruins of one of the largest ancient agoras, or markets, in Greece before arriving at the stunning Hotel Hatzipanayiotis, our home base for the week. You’ll have the afternoon to relax and explore before we head to the beach for dinner on the water.
Day 3: Climbing Day #1
We’ll again start with a breakfast buffet and packing a lunch full of freshly-baked goodies before we head out for the day to climb. Most of our favorite cliffs are less than a half hour’s drive from town, with some even walking distance. We’ll spend the day on the rock and come back to town in time for a little downtime before dinner and drinks at the local taverna, home of the absolute best souvlaki on the planet (if you ask us, at least).
Day 4: Climbing Day #2
We’ll repeat our routine with breakfast and gifts from the bakery before heading out to climb again. Depending on the group’s skill levels and goals, we may head to multiple crags before converging again for dinner.
Day 5: Rest Day & Field Trip or Climbing Day #3
For folks who are keen on another day of climbing we’ll head out again, while if folks want a day off, they’ll be free to explore town or join us on a field trip to visit one of the many local sights. Either way we’ll head over to the nearby village of Poulithra for a delicious dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Myrtoon.
Day 6: Climbing Day #4
We’ll once again start with breakfast and this will be our last full climbing day of the trip. It will also be our last dinner in Leonidio, and we’ll make it a special one with a full celebration dinner catered just for us by our hotel’s chef.
Day 7: Half-Day Climbing
and Back to Athens
We’ll try our best to get an early start for a half-day of climbing before we have to pack up and get ourselves back to Athens. We’ll spend anothernight at the Coco-Mat, and go out for one last farewell dinner.
Day 8: Heading Home
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and you’ll have to go home. A short ride from hotel to airport should have you on your way.
We will also be offering private guiding before and after the retreat in October and November if you’d like to come early, stay on for more climbing, want to explore the area’s multi-pitch gems, or just don’t see the group experience being the right fit for you. To explore private guiding options, just give us a shout.
What’s Included
Airport transfers from Athens International upon arrival
Transportation to and from all climbing and cultural outings
Seven nights’ accommodation in luxury hotels
Daily breakfasts, lunches, and snacks
Fantastic dinners of our favorite local foods
Delicious local wine, beer or spirits with every meal
Gratuities for hotel and restaurant services
Instruction and guiding
All climbing gear provided by Black Diamond
Entrance fees to historic sites
Complimentary Now!Climbing and She Moves Mountains hats and t-shirts
What’s Not Included
Airfare
Transportation to Athens International Airport upon departure (the hotel concierge can do a better job than us in arranging this one for you)
Dinner upon arrival in Athens (as folks will be getting in at different times, we’ll officially start the trip with breakfast on Day 1)
Gratuities for your guides
Guides
Chris Wright
IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide / AMGA Certified Rock Guide
Chris has climbed, guided, skied and eaten his way across the globe. Winner of the 2020 Piolet d’Or for the first ascent of 7041m Link Sar in Pakistan, he is always hunting for the perfect rock climbing vacation to provide sun and fun to offset cold nights in snowy mountains. His hardest send in Leonidio so far is 7c+ (5.13a), but he’s just as excited about getting back to the spanakopita at the bakery as he is about finding the perfect 8a.
Lizzy VanPatten
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor / Apprentice Rock Guide
In only six short years of climbing, Lizzy has managed to amass an impressive resume. In addition to being the founder and owner of She Moves Mountains, America’s leader in climbing instruction for women, she’s also found time to make the first ascent of the hardest trad route put up by a woman in Oregon, a fearsome 5.13. When she’s not climbing cracks or helping others achieve their dreams, she’s likely dreaming of souvlaki.
This trip is offered in collaboration with our friends at She Moves Mountains. We figured they’re great at getting women into the outdoors, so why not collaborate for trip where everyone’s invited? Read more about She Moves Mountains here.
