#ymittos

It took me 20 years – and a pandemic – to realize that Mt Ymittos is only a 58-minute walk (watch in hand) from the door of my building.

High up on the mountain, what I saw was like an inversion of the metaphor of the sprawling concrete jungle. An initially narrow green strip that starts a few meters away from the Hilton Hotel (in the often overlooked park of Alsos Ilision) progressively expands in width, as it crosses the University of Athens’ Zografou Campus.

This stream of green cascades down from the mountain, reaching almost the very center of the city. Alsos Ilision is a five-minute walk from Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and from there, you need 50 minutes to reach the foothills of Mt Ymittos proper.

Today I really wanted to go to the Temple of Poseidon (Sounio) but since my proposal was met with disagreement and I can’t really drive off by myself, I settled for Lycabettus. However, the road was blocked off for some event so my dad and I ended up in a spot on the slopes of the Ymittos mountain range.

Sometimes the best-kept secrets are hidden in plain sight. Mount Ymittos forms the natural eastern boundary of Athens. Here, the dense city grid suddenly gives way to a tree-covered slope dotted with monasteries. This is the ‘Aesthetic Forest of Kesariani,’ a protected nature reserve that is only a 15- to 20-minute cab ride from downtown Athens.

The neighborhood of Papagou is one of the three main gates to Ymittos, the mountain overlooking Athens that has been becoming more popular by the year, as outdoor excursions become a way of life for more and more city dwellers.

Cyclists train on the roads while others enjoy downhill descents. The mountain is popular with cross-country and road runners, kids learning to cycle and skate and elderly people taking their daily stroll.

The network of paved roads, dirt roads and trails is accessible not only to those lucky enough to live in the foothills, but also to visitors from across Athens.