Spotlight on rock climbing in Greece: Kardamili

A seaside town nestled amongst the craggy cliffs and mountain peaks of the Peloponnese, Kardamili is an ancient settlement offering up history, beauty, nature and awesome climbing! Stone-built houses and medieval towers peek out from the surrounding cypress trees and olive groves while intimate little coves line the shore. Standing guard behind the town is the magnificent Peloponnese mountain range.

It is the mountains that call people to this particular corner of Greece. Kardamili is surrounded by some of the best climbing spots in the Mediterranean, thanks to the glorious Mount Taygetus, the highest peak in the Peloponnese standing at a stunning 2407m. Mount Taygetus boasts a sheer cone-shaped summit, perfect for experienced climbers looking to test their metal. But it’s not all about the peak, there are multiple crags, caves and gorges winding through the mountain slopes, from Kalamitsi crag sports park to beautiful Lagada crag.

Kardamili is right in the heart of climbing country. It’s a stunning spot to spend a day, just over an hour drive from the Neilson beachclubs of Messini and Buca. Kardamili is perfectly situated to unwind with a bite to eat or a dip in the sea in between scaling the breath-taking heights of the surrounding gorges, cliffs and mountain peaks.

The summit of Mount Taygetus, Profotis Ilias peak, sits 2407 vertical meters above Kardamili. The mountaintop is home to many fantastic climbing routes and is a beacon for climbers from all over the world.

The mountain has a unique and diverse landscape with fantastic wildlife. There are limitless explorations for adventurers whether it's to run, hike or mountain bike through the gorges, plateaus and winding trails that criss-cross the mountain.

It’s climbing though, that gives you a real taste of why this mountain is so special. There are hundreds of climbing routes that take you up the mountain’s many gorges, hillsides and precipices. The coned summit of Mount Taygetus has rock faces reaching up to 250m, a real pinnacle of achievement for advanced rock climbers.

The mountain is also home to a multitude of stunning caves, gorges and crags just waiting to be explored, with routes suitable for every climbing ability and expert guides on hand to show you the ropes.

Despite featuring in ancient Greek legends, the mountain is still relatively young in age and is still growing at a rate of about a centimetre a year. How high it will eventually become remains to be seen and the mountain changes incrementally every day. You really can’t climb the same Mount Taygetus twice, making it a once in a lifetime experience however many times you climb it!

First opened in 2013, the Kalamitsi crag is a fantastic new climbing spot on the outskirts of town just off the road that links Kardamili to Stoupa. The outdoor rock climbing park is made up of good quality grey limestone with the occasional streak of red rock running through it and creating some interesting patterns to set the backdrop to your climb.

Kalamitsi boasts over 30 bolted climbing routes with a wide variety in the levels of difficulty and both single and double pitch reaching up to 60 meters. From complete beginner to the experienced climber, you’ll find plenty of climbing options in the areas newest rock climbing park.

As a fairly new crag, the routes can be fairly challenging at the base with loose rock and the occasional scrap of vegetation although these are likely to disappear as the routes get more traffic.

Lagada Crag is another stunning climbing spot hidden away between the pine forests and mountain meadows of Mt Taygetus and close to the legendary ancient city of Sparta. You may need the courage of some of those Spartan warriors to take on some of the climbs here too! With some pretty impressive overhanging cave climbs filled with needle-sharp stalagmites and stalactites.

Less experienced climbers can still enjoy Lagada crag with plenty of “old-school” climbing up the limestone rock pocketed with holes and small ledges. All the routes are well-maintained with steel bolts keeping you secure.

The stunning alpine mountain meadow surroundings make for a glorious backdrop with some stops providing fresh mountain water and multiple opportunities for a holiday photo to remember. Thanks to the 800m altitude of the crag and plentiful pockets of shade, Lagada is a great all year climb with shelter from the heat of the sun or winter rain readily available.

Are your fingers itching at the prospect of dipping into the chalk? Head over to our rock climbing holidays guide and decide where you want to go first!