Mount Vasilitsa rises in the northern Pindus range, above the town of Grevena in western Macedonia. Its summit is 2,249 metres high, and the western side of the mountain belongs to Epirus. Most visitors come in winter for the Vasilitsa ski centre, which has about eighteen runs among pine trees. It is also a known place for snowboarding and for skiing off the marked runs. When there is no snow, a walk of about two hours leads from the ski centre to the summit. Forests of black pine, Bosnian pine and beech cover the slopes, and bears live in them. The whole mountain is inside the Northern Pindos National Park. The village of Smixi, a few kilometres below the ski centre, is the nearest place to stay.
Geography
Mount Vasilitsa stands in the northern part of the Pindus range. Its summit is 2,249 metres high. The mountain lies on the border between the regional units of Grevena and Ioannina, so one side belongs to Macedonia and the other to Epirus. Mount Smolikas rises to the north-west, and the valley of Valia Calda lies to the south.
The main ridge climbs slowly from a pass towards the summit. Two lower peaks stand on it, Gomara at 2,126 metres and Baltoumis at 2,027 metres. The ski centre is on a saddle north of the summit, at about 1,780 metres. The rock is serpentine, and many streams run down from it. The whole mountain is inside the Northern Pindos National Park. Forest covers the slopes, with open meadows near the top.
Activities
People come to Vasilitsa mainly for skiing. The ski centre is about 42 kilometres from the town of Grevena, and its first lift opened in 1975. The runs lie between about 1,650 and 2,110 metres. There are about eighteen of them, served by two chairlifts and several drag lifts, and two meet the standards of the international ski federation for races. Some runs have lights for skiing after dark. Check that the centre is open before you go, because the season depends on the snow.
The mountain is also known for snowboarding and off-piste skiing. Skiers leave the marked runs and go down between the pine and beech trees.
The walk to the summit starts at the ski centre. It is about three kilometres long, climbs about 450 metres and takes about two hours. It follows the lifts first and then the ridge. On a clear day the view reaches Mount Tymfi, Mount Smolikas and Mount Grammos.
Nature & Outdoors
Forests of pine and beech cover Vasilitsa. Two kinds of pine grow here, the black pine and the Bosnian pine, and very large old Bosnian pines stand high on the ridge. Above the trees there are mountain meadows. Rare plants grow on the serpentine rock, and some of them are found only in Greece or only in the Balkans.
Brown bears, otters and chamois live on the mountain, and so do wolves. The mountain is part of a long belt of forest that continues to Mount Smolikas and to the valley of Valia Calda.
The Dragon Lake of Gomara lies at about 1,720 metres, south of the peak of Baltoumis. It is a small lake, about 250 metres around, in open ground with many wild flowers.
Villages & Inland
Two villages stand on the slopes of Vasilitsa, on the Grevena side. Both are Vlach villages. The Vlachs are mountain people who kept sheep and moved with them between summer and winter pastures.
Smixi
Smixi is the village nearest to the ski centre, a few kilometres below it at about 1,220 metres. It has stone mansions and old fountains, and guesthouses and tavernas for visitors to the ski centre.
Avdella
Avdella stands behind the ridge of Vasilitsa, at more than 1,300 metres, among forests of beech, pine and fir. Its square has very tall plane trees and fountains. The Manakis brothers, who made some of the first films in the Balkans, were born here.
Practical information
Getting there
The road from the town of Grevena climbs about 42 kilometres to the ski centre and passes the village of Smixi. Grevena is on the Egnatia motorway, about two hours from Thessaloniki and about one hour from Ioannina. The ski centre is about 215 kilometres from Thessaloniki in all. In winter, check the state of the mountain road after heavy snow. Buses reach Grevena from both cities, but few go on to the mountain villages.
When to go
The ski season usually runs from late December to early April. Snow stays on the mountain into spring, but the opening and closing dates change every year, so check before you travel. The walk to the summit is simple when there is no snow. In winter the same route is a climb for people with winter equipment and experience.
Good to know
The walking routes have no marks, so carry a map or a GPS track when you leave the ski runs. In fog, the trees beside the runs help skiers to see the way. There are chalets with food at the ski centre, and guesthouses and tavernas in the village of Smixi and in the villages on the road to Grevena. A mountain refuge stands at the saddle beside the ski centre; ask at the ski centre whether it is open.
