Greece Blog Part 3: Mount Olympus, Thessaloniki & A Side Trip to Sofia
Rain-soaked trails on Mount Olympus, historic ruins in Thessaloniki, and a grand finale in Sofia’s cultural heart.”
By the time we left Meteora, our two-week adventure through Greece was about halfway through — and I still hadn’t eaten enough gyros (I still miss them, honestly).
The magic of Meteora was going to be hard to top, but I had one more place circled on my list: Mount Olympus — the legendary home of the Greek gods. Ever since I was a kid (and maybe thanks to too many re-watches of Disney’s Hercules), I’d dreamed of standing at its base.
Unlike some of our other stops, this one was actually planned. I’d already booked us a guesthouse — Olympus View in the small town of Litochoro — and was determined to make it there no matter what.
Liza, ever the good sport, agreed to come along. We were running on adrenaline and curiosity, ready to chase myths and mountains… even if Greek transportation had other ideas.
Chasing myths and mountains — our journey to Mount Olympus begins.
A Long Travel Day
From Kalambaka, we caught a bus to Trikala to connect with a train toward Litochoro. Simple enough — except once again, the schedules didn’t match what we’d found online.
When we arrived, the train station was closed, and we had no idea when the next train would actually come. Since we had all our luggage with us and nowhere to store it, we couldn’t really explore Trikala. Instead, we stayed outside the station on a bench, bundled up and people watching to pass the time.
At one point, a woman — possibly a gypsy — walked along the nearby street with her two children in tow. They drifted by a few times before stopping briefly near us, then moved along again. It was one of those quiet, in-between travel moments — when you’re not quite here or there, just watching life unfold around you.
The air was chilly, and after a while the cold started to sink in. When the station finally opened, we were ridiculously happy to step inside and warm up. The staff were friendly, and at one point we both treated ourselves to steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
I had my laptop with me, so we pulled it out and passed the time watching Me Before You. Not exactly how I pictured my Mount Olympus adventure starting, but it helped the hours go by.
By the time we finally boarded the train, it was already late. We eventually reached Litochoro and grabbed a taxi to our guesthouse, Olympus View. It was dark, rainy, and the mountain I’d been so eager to see was completely hidden. The weather — or maybe the gods themselves — clearly had other plans.
From monasteries to mountains — next stop, Mount Olympus!
A Rainy Attempt at Olympus
Ever since I was little, I’d dreamed of visiting Mount Olympus — mostly thanks to Disney’s Hercules. I had this image in my head of golden clouds, heroic music, and Zeus greeting me with a thunderbolt handshake. Reality? Rain. Lots of rain.
When I asked Liza if she wanted to hike or just stay cozy in the guesthouse, she surprised me and said she’d come along. She threw on her bright blue poncho, and off we went. We were both determined to see how far we could get, rain or not.
The forest trails were misty and magical, the kind of place where you half expect gods or centaurs to step out from behind a tree. The higher we climbed, the muddier and slipperier it got. Eventually, we had to admit defeat and turn back — soaked, muddy, and laughing at ourselves the whole way down.
We didn’t make it far, but I still count it as a win. I set foot on Mount Olympus — maybe not quite like Hercules, but close enough.
Liza in her famous blue poncho — ready to take on Olympus, rain or shine.
A Day in Thessaloniki
From Litochoro, we caught another train north to Thessaloniki. After so many small towns and muddy trails, the city felt big and buzzing with life.
We only spent one day there, staying at the Emporikon Hotel, which was right in the center of everything. Since we didn’t have a set plan, we let ourselves wander, surrounded by centuries of history. Roman ruins, Byzantine churches, Ottoman influences — all layered into one city.
We strolled along the waterfront, explored the White Tower, and walked the old city walls. There was no rush, no schedule — just a day to breathe, eat well, and enjoy being in a city that had seen so many civilizations pass through.
History layered through every street — Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman all in one city.
A Side Trip to Sofia
While in Thessaloniki, we realized how close we were to Bulgaria. Neither of us had planned to go, but the thought was too tempting. We looked at each other and said, “Why not?”
We took the train north, switching near the border. That’s where Liza spotted a group of abandoned puppies and immediately wanted to take one with us. As much as I loved the idea, I reminded her that we were still moving around too much — it just wasn’t possible.
When we finally reached Sofia, we exchanged for Bulgarian currency and checked into a guesthouse. For dinner, we followed a recommendation and went to Hadjidraganovite Kashti. The place was incredible — wooden beams, folk decorations, hearty food, and cheap beer. We left full, warm, and a little giddy that this unplanned side trip had given us such a perfect meal.
Afterwards, we strolled through the capital. Sofia wasn’t the most thrilling stop of the trip, but it gave us something we hadn’t realized we wanted: a story. A “remember when we randomly went to Bulgaria” kind of memory. Coming from Canada, where crossing into another country can take days of driving, the idea of hopping on a train and spending the night in a different country still feels surreal.
The next morning, we headed back toward Greece. At the same border station, Liza spotted the puppies again and was even more determined to take one home. She had to leave them behind, but the story of those little dogs still comes up whenever we talk about this trip.
From Sofia’s glowing cathedrals to unexpected puppy cuddles at the border — travel always finds a way to surprise you.
What Next?
Olympia wasn’t on my original plan. We had even tossed around the idea of squeezing in Romania, but after Sofia we decided one extra country was enough.
Still, I wanted to make the most of Greece. With the Winter Olympics going on at the time, visiting Olympia — the birthplace of the Games — suddenly felt like the perfect idea. I suggested it, and Liza shrugged and said, “Why not?”
So from Thessaloniki, we made our way south again — back through Athens, then onward to Olympia. The next chapter of our Greek adventure was about to begin.
Next stop: Olympia — the birthplace of the Games and the grand finale of our Greek adventure.
💡 JD’s Tip: Train schedules in northern Greece and across the border into Bulgaria rarely match what you find online. Be prepared to wait, and bring something to pass the time. (A laptop movie and hot chocolate worked for us!)
