Climbing in Charamos Crag – Kandia – Argolis, Greece (Update 2023)

On August 17, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing1 Comment

In the past few years, with the last decade being particularly remarkable, Sport Climbing has undergone a remarkable transformation – evolving from a niche activity into a global sensation.

This exhilarating surge has also taken hold here in Greece, reshaping the landscape of the climbing scene. As a thrilling consequence, an abundance of fresh climbing havens has emerged across mainland Greece, sprouting up like enchanting mushrooms. These captivating sites are not confined solely to the mainland but have also extended their allure to the Greek islands, most notably the renowned Kalymnos. Yet, it’s the Peloponnese that has witnessed a spectacular surge, with numerous novel climbing destinations being carved into its terrain. Imagine climbing in Corinth, conquering the cliffs in Leonidio, embracing the challenge in Ermionida, finding your ascent in Nafplio and Asini, and now, a new frontier emerges near Kandia.

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The Ultimate Guide of Trad Climbing in Nafplio – Karathona & Asini (Greece)

On May 15, 2023August 23, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering generalLeave a comment

Nafplio is a charming coastal town located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, surrounded by the Argolic gulg and stunning cliffs that offer a variety of rock climbing opportunities. Whether you’re an experienced climber or a beginner, Nafplio has something for everyone.

One of the most popular climbing areas in Nafplio is the Palamidi fortress, a massive Venetian castle that overlooks the town. The fortress is known for its challenging routes, that range from easy to difficult. The limestone cliffs offer a mix of technical face climbing and steep overhangs, and the views from the top are absolutely breathtaking.

Another great climbing spot in Nafplio is at Karathona beach, located just outside the town. This area features cliffs that offer a mix of sport and trad climbing. The routes here are generally shorter than those at Palamidi, but they offer a more diverse range of climbing styles, including slab, face, and crack climbing.

Trad_Climbing_Nafplio_Karathona_Routes_02

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Dirty Friday IV+ UIAA 95 m. | Trad Climbing at the top of Profitis Elias – Asini

On June 4, 2022September 12, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Mountaineering general11 Comments

It has been almost 2 years since my last visit in the area of Asini and specifically to the Profitis Elias rock.

The Profitis Elias rock stands upwards in the beautiful scenery of Asini is called Profitis Elias. The little chapel that is build on top is dedicated to Prophet Elias, and thus the name of the hill.

The view at the top is panorama (360º) and you can get a pretty good idea of the surrounding area and its morphology. It is on the way to the coast of Tolo, if you are coming from Nafplio. There is a road that takes you from the village of Ag. Paraskevi to the lower parts of the hill. From there it is a 15-20 minutes walk uphill, following the path designated by white crosses, that will take you to the top.

Dirty_Friday_Trad_Climbing_Profitis_Elias_Asini_03 — View of Profitis Elias Rock

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Climbing in Charamos Crag – Kandia – Argolis, Greece

On April 27, 2021August 17, 2023 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing8 Comments

NOTICE: An Updated Version of Climbing in Charamos Guidebook (edition 2023) is published
You can find the updated version here.

The last few years, and mainly in the last decade Climbing and specifically Sport Climbing has gone from niche sport to worldwide sensation, and here in Greece this is the rule too. As a result, more and more new climbing crags have been spring up like mushrooms all over mainland Greece, in the Greek islands (ex. Kalymnos), but especially in Peloponnese many new climbing areas have been established. For example in Peloponnese one can climb in Corinth, in Leonidio, in Ermionida, in Nafplio in Asini and from now near Kandia too.

Charamos Crag was spotted by S. Konstadakopoulos, who proceeded to bolt most of the routes on the left side of the rock face. C. Rigas was also invited and bolted several routes, focusing on the right portion of the crag, while E. Chroni, among others, contributed with cleaning some routes and generally supporting the bolting process. Most of the routes are quite demanding and on the upper scale of the climbing grades.

Climbing_Kandia_Argolis_Agios_Andonis_195153_407 — View from the parking spot

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A Trad Climbing Guidebook of Profitis Elias – Asini, Argolis (Greece)

On March 10, 2021August 30, 2025 By Olympus MountaineeringIn Climbing, Mountaineering general15 Comments

In the past years we have been climbing in various areas, mountains and crags and therefore we gained experience in the various forms of climbing. With this post, we would like to share with you a free climbing guidebook from the first established routes in Profitis Elias of Asini, which is located nearby Nafplio.

The rock climbing around Argolis region is all on excellent solid grey limestone. The majority of the routes are single pitch sport climbing routes, though there are some trad climbing routes as well. The Argolis area claims to receive over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and is a popular holiday destination. It also means that it is possible to rock climb virtually all year round in the Argolis region.