Katerini is the capital of Pieria, a regional unit in Macedonia, on the plain between the Pierian Mountains and the Thermaic Gulf. It is a working city of more than fifty thousand people, with a long pedestrian street, busy cafés and a large municipal park. Its seaside is 8 km away at Paralia Katerinis, a beach resort with a long sandy beach and shallow water. Katerini is also a good base for the sights around it. Mount Olympus rises to the south-west, the village of Litochoro is a starting point for climbing the mountain, and the ancient site of Dion is about 20 minutes away by car.
Nature/Adventure
Beaches
Paralia Katerinis, 8 km east of Katerini, is a large beach resort. Its sandy beach is long and wide, the water is shallow with no stones, and the sea is usually calm, so it suits families with young children. Parts of the beach are organised, with sunbeds and umbrellas from the beach bars and cafés, and the rest of the beach has no sunbeds. Behind the beach, the resort has hotels, tavernas, cafés, bars and a small water park. It gets very busy in summer, with many visitors from the Balkans and Eastern Europe as well as from Greece.
About 3 km away, Olympic Beach (Olympiaki Akti) is linked to Paralia Katerinis by a seaside promenade. It has the same fine sand and shallow water, in a quieter setting that is popular with families. A lit avenue with a path for walkers and cyclists runs along the seafront.
History & Culture
The centre of Katerini is built around a long pedestrian street with shops, cafés and bars. The town's squares include Liberty Square, with a bronze statue of Liberty from 1973. The Municipal Park covers about 5 hectares, with fountains, ponds and more than a thousand trees, and its open-air theatre is used for festivals and film screenings.
Katerini grew from a small village in the 19th century. In 1923–1925, refugees from Pontus, on the Black Sea, built the district around the church of the Evangelistria. The Folklore Museum of the Pontian Union, near the park, shows about 600 objects from Pontic life, including costumes. Buildings from the early 20th century include the Nine Muses arts centre, a mansion from 1908, and the railway station, opened in 1916.
Where to Stay
Prices shown per night for a sample 3-night stay. Rates and availability vary by season — select your dates for live pricing.
Practical information
When to go
July and August are the busiest months at Paralia Katerinis, the seaside resort 8 km east of the city, when it is crowded. From July to early September, the Olympus Festival, held every summer for more than fifty years, puts on theatre, concerts and other events at the ancient theatre of Dion, at the castle of Platamonas and at the Municipal Theatre of Katerini. In April, the cherry trees around the city are in flower. In winter, the ski centre at Elatochori, 36 km west of Katerini in the Pierian Mountains, opens when there is enough snow; check current conditions.
Getting around
The centre of Katerini is easy to walk, with its long pedestrian street. City buses run to Paralia Katerinis and Olympic Beach, the seaside resorts 8 km east of the city, with extra routes in summer; check current timetables. Intercity buses go to the village of Litochoro in about 25 minutes. Litochoro is the starting point for climbs on Mount Olympus. Buses also go to villages in the Pierian Mountains such as Elatochori. The ancient site of Dion is about 20 minutes away by car.
Getting there
Katerini, the capital of Pieria, lies on the motorway between Athens and Thessaloniki, about 70 km south of Thessaloniki. Long-distance buses run from both cities, and the trip from Thessaloniki takes about an hour. Buses from Athens take several hours. Trains on the main line between Athens and Thessaloniki stop at Katerini; check current train services. For flights, use Thessaloniki airport.
Good to know
The Folklore Museum of the Pontian Union, near the Municipal Park in the centre, is run by a local association, so check its opening times before you go. Walkers heading for the Pierian Mountains, west of the city, can ask the mountaineering clubs of Katerini about routes. One of the clubs runs a mountain refuge at Ano Milia, at 1,000 metres, and the European long-distance path E4 crosses these mountains.
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