Impressive Churches & Monasteries

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Holy Cave of Agios Dionysios

Tucked under an overhanging rock at the top of the Enipeas Gorge, lies the Holy Cave, a large cavity housing the chapel of the Nativity of Christ and a holy water spring. The chapel which is built next to the spring was once the hermitage of Agios Dionysios (Saint Dionysios). Today, is a shrine, attracting hundreds of visitors and pilgrims every day who come here to pray and light a candle. The small quaint chapel includes a small devotional space where the saint celebrated the sacred liturgy during his time as a hermit and a small shed which served as a place to sleep. Agios Dionysios was born around 1500 in a small village near Karditsa in Thessaly. After passing as an abbot from the Monastery of Philotheou on Mount Athos and the Monatsery of Great Meteoron in Meteora, he decided to settle on Mount Olympus. In a plateau between two streams, he built in 1542 the Old Monastery which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

The Old Monastery is just half an hour away from the Holy Cave, following a magnificent route. The Holy Cave is accessible through a well-marked trail of medium difficulty. The trail begins from the town of Litochoro at the foothills of Mount Olympus and ends at Prionia, at an altitude of 1.100m.. However, the fastest way to get there is by starting your descent from Prionia, the highest you can get by car, rather than starting from Litochoro.

Road Distance

• Litochoro - Old Monastery of Agios Dionysios: 18,4 km (34' mins)