Mount Cithaeron (Kitheronas)

We climbed Mount Cithaeron on a warm and peaceful April day. We started our trip from Athens downtown and drove for a couple of hours following the route to Eleusis, Oinoi, and finally Villia. We parked the car in front of the little park situated about 1 km after the village on the way to Porto Germeno, and took the trail up from there. 

The trail was easy and very well signposted throughout its entire length. It first runs along a shrubby gully for some 2 km until it reaches to a meadow. It then continues straight up the slope to the west for a while until it enters a buxom fir forest. It briefly leaves the forest out to a clearing located on a grassy col, where the mountain's refuge is located, and continues still through the fir forest up the steep slope straight towards the peak. About half the way to the peak from there, we encountered a natural porch formed in miraculous-like fashion off the north face of the mountain, wherefrom an incredible view to the wide Boeotian plains may be wondered at. 

Continuing up for a while more, we reached the east peak of the mountain. This is slightly shorter than the east one, however, more pleasant to chill on -and recommended if one needs to be chosen- as it is pristine and quiet, in contrary to the east one which is full of antennas, wind-generators, shacks, and various other human-made stuff.

After having enjoyed enough the serenity of the west peak, we continued along the narrow ridge to highest summit of Mount Cithaeron, and returned the same way down. 

Full trip report, general information, photos + map

General information and route instructions about the mountain in the Greek language