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Located in the foothills of the Falakro Mountain at an altitude of 850m and only 22km from the ski centre of Falakro, Hotel Granitis – in the Glory of Nature offers the ideal retreat for those wishing to escape the noise and bustle of the city and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the countryside. Hotel Granitis offers you the warmest of welcomes and promises you a relaxing visit in comfortable accommodation.

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ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA

The E6 is the European long-distance walking trail which crosses and unites European countries. The trail enters the prefecture of Drama in the area of Kato Vrontou and exits in the vicinity of Paranesti, having crossed the mountain range of Falakro. The lowest altitude is found in Paranesti at 120m and the highest is on Falakro at 1800m. The trail is over 90km long and the whole length is estimated to be completed in 35-40 hours. A general description of the hike is as follows:

Kato Vrontou – Kato Nevrokopi

The route (approx. 12 hours) passes the village , Perithori and heads towards the forest of Kyklas and the village, Dasoto until Kato Nevrokopi. Interesting features are the beautiful broadleaf forest of Kyklas as well as the local forestry worksite which ia a convenient resting place.

Kato Nevrokopi – Ski Centre, Falakro

Heading east in about 4 hours we reach the village of Volaka and from there we walk uphill to Falakro, traversing the forest of Kouri with its beech and black pine trees, surrounded by the slopes, peaks and meadows of Mount Falakro. It is a difficult but worthwhile hike and requires approximately 3 hours to reach the ski centre.

Ski Centre, Falakro – Livadero

Starting at an altitude of 1800m we take a downhill trail through meadows and oak forests to reach Livadero at 660m. This is a difficult hike which lasts 5-6 hours.

Livadero – Paranesti - Livaditi

Eastwards from Livadero we reach the forest worksite of Drepanio in 3 hours. Crossing an oak forest we arrive in Paranesti in approximately 6 hours. If desired we can pursue a further six-hour uphill trail which takes us to Livaditi.

In the winter season many of our visitors come to enjoy the skiing and snowboarding at the Falakro Ski Resort. Some also choose to spend a day at the Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko which is less than an hour’s drive from Hotel Granitis.

Falakro Ski Resort (18km from the hotel)
Situated on the Agio Pnevma (Holy Spririt) plateau, 12km from the village of Volakas, the Falakro Ski Resort is a haven for snowsport lovers. The base station is situated at 1745m and the season usually runs from December through to April. There are suitable pistes for all experience levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Falakro has some of the best skiing facilities in Greece. Skiers can start their descent at 2000m and there are more than 20 pistes of a total length of 22km facilitated by:
4 anchor lifts
1 4-seater chair lift
1 2-seater chair lift
3 baby lifts
It is possible to hire gear from the base station and arrange lessons with experienced trainers. The base station also has a café and restaurant that greatly benefit from the resort’s scenic location, boasting views over the Nestos lake and the Rodopi mountain range. Falakro’s natural beauty also makes it a desirable all-season destination, with a number of challenging clearly marked paths ideal for trekking enthusiasts. There is ample parking space for 800 vehicles near the base station.

Bansko
Bansko is a well-known ski resort situated on Mount Pirin in Bulgaria. It can be reached by road from Hotel Granitis in 55 minutes.

MOUNTAIN SKI TOURING

Visitors to Falakro can also partake in mountain ski touring, a sport combining downhill skiing with climbing mountains. Starting at the base station skiers can ascend the gentle north slopes which are covered with soft, untrodden snow. Possible routes are:
1. Base Station (1740m) – Vardena (2190m) Ascent 450m
2. Base Station (1740m) – Hionotripa Summit (2111m) – Varathro Hionotripa (2000m) – Profitis Ilias (2230m) Ascent 492m
From Profitis Ilias, subject to good snow falls, it is possible to make your descent via the base station and on to the village of Volaka (830m) Descent 1402m
3. Base Station –Afchenas Summit or Varathro Hionotripa

For more information about skiing please see links section of our site.

Hikers will not be disappointed by a visit to Falakro. Apart from the trails mentioned in our section E6 Trails we would like to recommend two challenging hikes which are of particular interest.

Pirgi – Ski Centre, Falakro
Though one needs a lot of stamina, the long walk from Pirgi to the Ski Centre is one of the most spectacular in the Falakro region.
North of the village, Pyrgi, next to the church of Agios Sotiris, follow the dirt road that runs parallel to the western edge of the gorge. After walking for about 45 minutes you will reach the base of a slope where you will encounter a shelter. Here the road ends and a well-marked path enters a densely forested ravine known as “Stenorema”. After another 45-minute walk the path exits the ravine and climbs uphill to the east. Following a northeasterly direction, about 1hour 15mins later you should arrive at an old water tank. The path continues north through a pine forest and then meets the gorge where in a northwesterly direction it begins to traverse the steep westerly slope of Kartakla. In 1hour 15mins you should reach the Ski Centre. The total duration of the walk is 5 and a half to 6 hours and is very difficult to undertake without a guide.

Petrousa Gorge
The unspoiled Petrousa Gorge is approximately 10km and one needs around 3 hours to cross it. It is advisable to avoid periods of rainfall and the early spring period when there is a danger of landslides.

We can enter the magnificent gorge on the outskirts of the village, Pyrgi. Here we have the opportunity to admire the breathtaking views of the highest peaks of Falakro. The gorge is generally flat or with a gentle incline but strong shoes are recommended as the river bed is covered in stones. The banks are densely forested with fir, yew and beech trees. In places the gorge becomes extremely narrow with a breadth of no more than 3-5 metres and pools of water are formed on the river bed. This narrow part is named “Naskvitsa”. At the end of the gorge, it branches into two paths which head towards the slopes of the mountain.

Off-road trips
The dirt roads of Falakro which usually lead up to high altitudes can be difficult to access or even wholly inaccessible depending on the ground conditions, steepness and time of year. They are, however, challenging to those of you with an adventurous streak!
We suggest the following routes:
Dendrakia – Bares: 4km
Livadero – Volakas: 37km
Xiropotamos - Lis: 15km
Petrousa – Yimnos Afchenas: 12km
Pirgi – Sitnas Plateau: 12.5 km

Hang-gliding and Paragliding
The visitor to Falakro will find that the natural pistes for hangliding and paragliding are superb. The best launching site is in Pirgi, Petrousa at an altitude of 1200m with an ideal landing in the plateau of Drama. Other sites are Xiropotamos and Korilovos.

Canoeing/Kayaking
For river canoeing and kayaking one of the finest locations in Greece is the Nestos River which flows through beautiful, protected forest land. Wildlife, including rich birdlife and mammals such as otters can be enjoyed along with the forest and rich green foliage making a canoe journey on this river an unforgettable experience.
In the village of Toxotes one can arrange canoe trips on the Nestos with various agencies which provide equipment and guides.

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