Kalavryta in Winter: Ski Centre & Rack Railway Day Trip from Athens

About this Tour

Kalavryta, in the mountains of the north Peloponnese, is one of the best winter day trips from Athens. Choose a day on the snow at the Kalavryta Ski Centre on Mount Helmos – 12 runs and about 20 km of pistes, 15 km above the town – or the famous rack railway (Odontotos) through the Vouraikos gorge. With an early start you can combine the train ride with a few hours on the snow.

Option A – Rack railway and Mega Spileo
Your driver takes you to Diakopto on the Gulf of Corinth (about 2 hours). Ride the narrow-gauge rack railway, opened in 1896, for about 22 km up the Vouraikos gorge through tunnels and over bridges – about an hour. Your driver meets you in Kalavryta: visit the monastery of Mega Spileo, built into a cliff, have lunch in town and drive back to Athens.

Option B – A day on the snow
Direct transfer to the Kalavryta Ski Centre, a day of skiing or snowboarding on the slopes of Helmos, then a warm meal in Kalavryta town before the drive back.

The train timetable and the ski centre opening depend on the season and the snow. We check them with you before your trip and can book the train tickets for you. Stay one night in Kalavryta to add the Cave of the Lakes and the monastery of Agia Lavra. Tell us your dates and we will reply within 24 hours.

Read before you go: Skiing in the Peloponnese: Mainalo vs Kalavryta

Frequently asked questions

Can we do the rack railway and the ski centre on the same day?
With an early start you can ride the train and still spend a few hours on the snow. We plan the timing with you.

Does the rack railway run in winter?
The train runs throughout the year, with more departures at weekends. Timetables change, so we check them before your trip.

Should we stay a night in Kalavryta?
One night lets you add the Cave of the Lakes and the monastery of Agia Lavra at a relaxed pace.