A few tens of kilometers from Thessaloniki, on the coast of the Aegean Sea, is the picturesque town of Katerini, named after St. Catherine. It was with the construction of the temple in her honor in the 17th century that the history of the city began. And six kilometers from it is perhaps the most popular and democratic Greek resort of Paralia Katerinis, in translation - “Katerini Beaches”.

This rather young resort has already become a favorite vacation spot for tourists from different countries, different ages and different income levels, here everyone will find exactly what he wants. Paralia Katerini justifies even the wildest expectations and is in no way inferior to other resorts in Greece - except perhaps in price.

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How to get there

From Athens and Thessaloniki, several trains depart daily to Paralia Katerinis, and more recently, these cities have also been connected by a high-speed highway.

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The beaches of Paralia Katerinis

The waters of the Aegean Sea in the area of ​​Paralia Katerinis were marked with a special blue flag by UNESCO as one of the cleanest in the world, and the wide coastline of Thermaikos Gulf is generously covered with golden scattering of the finest sand. A beach holiday in this resort will not leave anyone indifferent, and in addition to swimming, you can also engage in various water sports, scuba dive to see all the richness of the underwater world, get a dose of adrenaline and positive emotions in the water park, or just bask under the gentle Greek sun.

Maps of Paralia Katerinis

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Shopping and souvenirs

Holidays in Paralia Katerinis can be different - rich and active, or calm and measured, but in any case, it will leave only pleasant memories. And to make these memories more tangible, you should buy traditional Greek souvenirs: first of all, handicrafts - ceramics, jewelry, as well as sea sponges, cognac, grape and anise vodka, cheese and, of course, olives, olive oil and natural local cosmetics based on it. And most importantly, don't forget your coat.

Paralia Katerinis Hotels

Considering Paralia Katerinis as a high-class resort is not worth it - all the hotels here are urban with a small number of rooms, only one or two of them have a pool. Most of the hotels are category B ("three stars"), with meals based on breakfast.

Entertainment and attractions of Paralia Katerinis

The natural wealth of this region deserves special attention, because it is not for nothing that it is called Pieria, which means “fertile” in translation. There are a lot of protected areas where unique species of animals and birds live, and the coastal waters of the Aegean Sea are incredibly rich in fish - to such an extent that these places are popularly called the "fish city".

Mount Olympus

Those who associate rest, first of all, with new impressions and informative excursions, Paralia Katerinis can also pleasantly surprise, because here is the legendary Olympus, covered with hundreds of myths. The slopes and foot of the mountain are distinguished by picturesque landscapes, and the top is very often hidden by clouds. You can climb it by numerous winding paths, admiring the majestic landscapes, inhaling the intoxicating mountain air and the aromas of laurel groves.

Resort surroundings

And at the very foot of Mount Olympus are the ruins of the ancient sanctuary city - Dion, which was perhaps the most important spiritual center of the ancient Greeks. Ancient sculptural fragments, and even ancient Greek mosaics, have been preserved here. Most of the valuable exhibits are in the nearby archaeological museum. The picturesque village of Litochoro is located very close by, where the unique atmosphere of the Greek province reigns. Also near Dion, in the small settlement of Vergina, there is the grave of the father of Alexander the Great - King Philip.

In addition, not far from Katerini there are the ruins of a later, but also beautiful Platamon castle, built by the Venetian knights. But one of the most unusual and majestic places in Greece is Meteora (“Soaring in the air”). This is a whole complex of monasteries, which is located on high cliffs. The first monastery was erected here in the 10th century, after another six centuries there were already twenty-four of them, but only six have survived to this day. This is a unique place, which has no analogues in the world.

In addition, excursions to Thessaloniki (70 km) and Athens (435 km) are organized. Fans of water activities can go to the water park, open 8 km from Thessaloniki. At the service of outdoor enthusiasts - basketball courts, tennis courts, mini-golf grounds, volleyball and mini-football competitions on the sand.

“Greece has everything!” We know this from childhood. Greece has a gentle sun, a warm clear sea, good sandy beaches, delicious fruits, delicious food, fur coats and much more. Resting there is a pleasure. Greeks are very friendly and hospitable.

We went to Greece on a burning tour. It turned out very budget holidays in greece. Came together in just 4 days. We had to take the hotel with instant confirmation and the tour operator offered us Edem Holiday Club Hotel, which is located on Paralia Katerini (they write Katerina and even Katerina). This budget hotel located in the area Pieria, whose capital is the city of Katerini. At first, we could not understand all this in any way - Pieria, Paralia ...

Pieria, translated from ancient Greek - fertility. The region of Pieria is actively engaged in agriculture. There are many orchards and orchards.

Paralia- this means the promenade or, some even translate it as a beach, in essence, in this case, this is the same thing. Paralia Katerinis is a town on the coast of the Gulf of Propontis on the Aegean Sea. The distance from the city of Katerini is 8 km, from the city of Thessaloniki about 100 km, from the city of Athens - 500 km.

Hotel Edem Holiday Club located between two small towns. One town is called, and the second Olympic. Between these towns there is a promenade, and behind it the beach and the sea. The embankment is equipped with a pedestrian path, a path for bicycles and a road for cars. A lot of people ride bikes and roller skates along the promenade. All this can be rented. There are bicycles for 2 and 4 people with a canopy from the sun and rain.

This is how the promenade between the towns of Olympic and Paralia Katerinis looks like. On the left is our hotel, on the right is the sea.

Hotel photos Edem Holiday Club.

From Edem Holiday Club to Paralia Katerinis about 2 km, you can walk in half an hour, and to Olympic 500 m, you can walk in 10 minutes. If you look at the sea, then Olympic is to the right, and Katerini is to the left. In the towns of Katerini Paralia and Olimpika there are many shops with clothes, souvenirs, fruits, many taverns where you can have a delicious meal. There are many fur shops in Katerini Paralia. The towns are very pretty, and I would say cozy. It is very pleasant to walk there.

Prices in different taverns are different. You can take soup from 2 euros, a hot dish from 6 euros. Drinks from 2 euros. The wine is very cheap and tasty. Look, where there are more people, there will be the best ratio - price-quality. Make no mistake. It works all over the world! 🙂 Near almost all taverns there are stands with photos of dishes and prices. Almost always, gifts are given at the end of the dinner. It will be either ice cream, or cut and peeled watermelon, or something else.

We often went to these towns along the embankment, along the sea. There are always a lot of people on the embankment, until late at night and in any weather. There are more people on the embankment in the evening than during the day. Many go in for walking or jogging on the promenade between the towns. Shops, taverns and travel agencies in the towns are open until late.

IN Edem Holiday Club Hotel we arrived at 10 am, and settled us at 11, although the site stated the check-in time is 14 hours. We really liked the hotel, despite its 2 * service at a fairly good level - they cleaned the rooms and changed towels every day, they changed the bed every 3 days. The quality of the bed and towels is impeccable, very good quality and immaculately clean. The rooms had good quality liquid soap. There was no hair dryer or kettle in the room, but there was a fridge. The hotel has a swimming pool, sun loungers, a restaurant, a playground.

We only took breakfast. The restaurant seemed expensive to us and we did not have lunch or dinner there. Those who ate there, in principle, were satisfied with the cuisine. The restaurant has a view of the sea or the pool.

Breakfasts are quite sufficient - excellent natural yogurt, milk, tea, coffee, juices, boiled eggs, 4 varieties of muesli, 2 varieties of cheese, ham, sausage, jams, honey, olives, sometimes fresh vegetables, peaches blanched in syrup , butter ... It is forbidden to take food with you. The owner takes care of it.

In the hotel, and almost everywhere in Greece - in shops, taverns, travel agencies, there is Russian-speaking staff - Greek women from the CIS countries.

Safe in the hotel only at the reception for 1 euro per day. There are no safes in the rooms.

The sea is across the street from the hotel. Very comfortably. The sea was different. There were algae near the shore, one evening there were jellyfish and large fish right next to the shore, and in the morning the sea was calm, clean and without a single algae, without fish and jellyfish. The water in the sea was both very warm and cool, but not cold. We were from 6 to 15 September. The sea seemed beautiful to us.

WITH weather in early september we're not very lucky. First there were showers. The downpours were as if water was pouring from the sky from an inverted, huge - to the whole sky - trough, umbrellas and shoes were meaningless. Umbrellas turned inside out from the wind, and there was a lot of water on the streets, rivers - and nothing more. Raincoats and knee-high rubber boots could help. Basically, everyone walked in shales. But there were gaps between showers and we swam. There were also storms, and we admired them and walked around the towns and along the embankment. It was wonderful. There are always a lot of people on the embankment, day and night. We thought it was safe there. And the girls from the travel agency said that they were calm and did not steal. And in big cities - in Athens, and Thessaloniki, you need to be careful, there are a lot of thieves and scammers.

Then the weather improved. It was sunny and not very hot.

Beaches of Paralia TO aterini equipped with fresh water showers, volleyball courts, sun loungers and sunshades. Buying a drink or something else from the menu, you can use the sun lounger all day long. Some did not buy drinks and they were not touched, they were not kicked out from under the canopy. Possibly due to the end of the season. Many lay on their mats right on the sand, next to the sea. The sun was not hot, gentle and not everyone needed a canopy.

Sweets and souvenirs were worn along the beach, and masseurs also walked and did a good, according to the reviews of those who used their services, Chinese massage.

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Correspondence acquaintance with the ancient Greeks will not only enrich you with the understanding that everything new is a well-forgotten old, but will also encourage you to go to the homeland of gods and heroes. Where our contemporaries live behind the ruins of temples and the ruins of history with the same joys and problems as their distant ancestors millennia ago. An unforgettable experience awaits you rest, thanks to the most modern infrastructure surrounded by virgin nature. On the site you will find tours to Greece, resorts And hotels, weather. In addition, here you will find out how and where it is issued visa and find Consulate in your country or Greek Visa Application Center.

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Paralia Katerinis is located in the northern part of mainland Greece and is part of the prefecture of Pieria. Despite its youth, the resort has gained popularity with its convenient location (the journey from Thessaloniki airport will take about an hour), affordable prices, clean beaches, proximity to Mount Olympus, and, of course, shubbing.

Paralia Katerinis is a remote maritime suburb of the capital of Pieria Katerinis. This fact is reflected in the name of the place, where the word "Paralia" means nothing more than "beach".

Holidays in Paralia Katerinis are very popular among "our" tourists. And it's not just the beautiful beaches of Pieria and the proximity of one of the main attractions of this part of Greece - Mount Olympus.

The famous Mount Olympus is only 20 km from Paralia Katerinis

Paralia Katerinis is primarily known as one of the main centers of trade. Tourists come here for new fur clothes, who are too lazy to move far from the coast for the sake of traveling to the capital of the fur trade - Kastoria. Actually, there is no great need for this: the assortment in Paralia Katerinis is considered to be very diverse.

How to get to Paralia Katerinis

Finally, the third way is to rent a car. In the terminal of Thessaloniki Airport, there are several international car rentals at once, which you can contact and get to Paralia Katerinis with a breeze.

As with taxis, booking locally is not always the best deal, as many car rental companies provide separate discounts for online bookings. In this simple way, they try to avoid subsequent competition in the struggle for the client directly in the terminal. In addition, the conditions even in neighboring car rentals can differ significantly, and often these differences are not evident during the initial acquaintance.

Famous fur coats can be purchased in small manufactories at fairly reasonable prices.

You can avoid cheating by using the European car rental price comparison service Rentalcars. The database of the service contains an up-to-date and regularly updated database of car rental offices, the cost of renting them and other conditions that affect the choice of an operator. It takes several minutes to find the best offer without the need for a long self-comparison. All conditions and prices are brought "to a common denominator", which greatly facilitates the choice. Ordering a car you like is also a matter of a few minutes.

Climate and weather in Paralia Katerinis

The climate in Paralia Katerinis is Mediterranean, characterized by warm and rainy winters followed by sunny and dry summer months. December and January are considered the coldest time, when the temperature on the coast can drop to +5 C.

The beach season opens in Paralia Katerinis, as a rule, in the third decade of May and ends in September. At this time, the weather indulges vacationers with an almost complete absence of precipitation, a warm sea, and on the hottest days of the peak of the season and a fresh breeze that softens the heat.

The most suitable months for families with children are June and September. During this period, the average air temperature is in the most comfortable zone - + 25 + 28C, and the sea warms up to + 24C.

The white-walled church of St. Paraskeva is the main attraction of the resort

Paralia Katerinis Hotels

Excursions and fur coats

The only noteworthy attraction of Paralia Katerinis is the white-walled church of St. Paraskeva with a small chapel and wonderful stained-glass windows, located in the very center of the resort. But on the other hand, very close to the resort - only 20 km away - is the famous Mount Olympus, on which, according to myths, the gods of the ancient Greek Pantheon lived.

Excursions to Olympus usually depart from the village of Litochoro. Several tourist routes originate from here, allowing you to fully experience the mysterious atmosphere of the Abode of the Gods. Descending from Mount Olympus, visit ancient Dion, an ancient Macedonian city built in honor of Zeus. This is one of the most important archaeological parks in Northern Greece, from where Alexander the Great set out on his Asian campaign. Grekoblog wrote more about Olympus itself, related myths and excursions.

Ancient Dion is one of the most important archaeological parks in Northern Greece.

Another notable place in the vicinity of Paralia Katerinis is the village of Paleo Panteleimonas, considered one of the most beautiful in Greece. The village is located at an altitude of 700 m above sea level and offers magnificent views of the Aegean coast. The architecture of the village has remained faithful to ancient traditions and surprises with harmony with the surrounding landscapes.

If the sights in the vicinity of Paralia Katerini are not enough for you, then you can get ideas for diversifying your leisure time from our article.

Acquaintance with the archaeological and historical sites of the surroundings "our" tourists most often supplement with shopping, in which the central place is given to fur coats. High-quality fur coats in Paralia Katerinis can be purchased in small manufactories at fairly reasonable prices. There are about fifty such stores in the resort village, and in almost every one there is a seller who knows Russian. The range of offered fur products is extremely wide, so when choosing a fur coat, the help of a knowledgeable person will be very helpful.

The beaches of the resort are annually marked with the Blue Flag.

Resort beaches

Fans of sea holidays consider the magnificent coast of Thermaikos Gulf to be the main attraction of the resort. A wide strip of fine golden sand, gently sloping into turquoise water, is especially popular with families with small children. The beaches of Paralia Katerinis are annually marked with the Blue Flag, an award confirming the environmental friendliness and well-groomed coast.

For those who prefer active holidays, the beaches of Paralia Katerinis have a lot of entertainment. These are water attractions, however, for the most part they are aimed at children, and paragliding. Diving enthusiasts can turn to diving centers to scuba dive in the warm waters of the Aegean Sea or even go spearfishing.

This resort is probably the oldest in the Pieria region and the first to be mastered by Russian tourists more than twenty years ago. Paralia Katerinis, Greece, at one time became popular due to its chic beaches, and then because of the fur shops that grew up on every corner.

Its name can be translated as "Coast of Katerini", but the city of Katerini itself is 6 km away from the resort area. Paralia Katerinis is a great option for those who want to buy a fur coat, relax by the sea and diversify their holidays with excursions. And it’s also good to save money, because the resort is considered one of the most budgetary in Greece.

Paralia Katerinis - a great choice of holidays in Greece

The settlement in this place was founded in 1922 by Greek settlers from Kio in Asia Minor, in the area of ​​the Gulf of Propontis. At first they settled in Thessaloniki, but then they chose this coast, as it reminded them of their homeland. The town received its final name "Paralia Katerinis" only in 1950, before that the name was different.

The convenient location and beautiful beaches eventually contributed to the rapid development of tourism in the area. Until the early 90s, Germans and Western Europeans in general loved to relax here. Subsequently, they were driven out by tourists from the former USSR and Eastern Europe. In the 90s, charter flights flew here in summer and winter, in winter they came for 3-4 days for fur coats. I just spent one Christmas in Paralia, then the whole group left for Kastoria, and we stayed with one more tourist - we had enough shops here. On that day, the weather deteriorated sharply and snow fell, and then the road to Kastoria went through mountain passes - there were no tunnels. We lost them - the bus went down from the mountains for 12 hours! Thank God they returned safely. By the way, the Greeks still do not know how to drive on snow. 🙂

Holidays in Paralia Katerinis

Paralia is a relatively young resort, but it has long been loved by tourists with any income level. And largely thanks to the clean beaches. The coast of Pieria in the area of ​​Paralia Katerinis is known for its length. It stretches for several kilometers, and the coastline is considered one of the cleanest on the mainland. The beaches of Paralia are shallow and safe, and there are restaurants and bars nearby.

Part of the Olympic Riviera are the beaches of Olympiaki Akti. This wide coastline with fine sand has been awarded the Blue Flag. Olympiaki Akti is often chosen by families with children. But young people do not bypass the beach either - parties, entertainment and competitions are regularly held here. The small resort of Korinos is located on the Olympic Riviera. Its beaches are in no way inferior to the neighboring ones: the infrastructure is excellently developed, and the wide sandy coast is among the best in Greece.

However, people come here not only for a beach holiday. There are about a hundred fur coat shops in the resort area. The assortment may be smaller than in Kastoria, but the prices are much lower, and you can walk around all the shops. Outside the beaches, you can spend time in colorful taverns, where only fresh seafood is always served, in noisy bars or fashionable restaurants - Paralia can be different for everyone.

Paralia Katerinis on the map

Active tourists can pay attention to the "range" of water activities. Surfing, snorkeling, fishing are available here, there are also attractions. If you wish, you can buy an excursion to one of the most picturesque islands of the Northern Sporades - Skiathos. Usually tourists are picked up from Paralia and taken to Volos, from where the cruise to the emerald bays of the island begins.

In addition, Elatochori ski resort is located 36 km from Katerini at an altitude of 1400 meters. A little lower is the village of Elatochori, and nearby is the spring of Agioneri mineral water, which is considered miraculous.

When going on vacation to Paralia, it is worth remembering: there is no abundance of luxury hotel complexes, and the All Inclusive system is not practiced at all. Typically, resort hotels include only breakfast in the price. Almost all hotels are of urban type. However, this does not prevent them from showing hospitality and remaining comfortable for living.

When I first vacationed in Paralia many years ago, we lived in a small cozy first-line hotel, from its restaurant you could immediately go to the beach. Now no one will allow building so close to the beach, but these old hotels and taverns right by the sea continue to work and are really the best option, especially if you are lucky with a sea view. 🙂

Paralia Katerinis Hotels

What to see in Paralia Katerinis

Directly in the city of Katerini, located 6 km from the coast, there are not many attractions. Worthy of attention folklore museum founded by the Pontic Greeks. It has hundreds of items, including books, embroidery, clothes, furniture, dishes, musical instruments. Part of the museum is a reconstruction of a typical Pontic house.

Katerini City Park. Photo www.taxidologio.gr/

Photo www.taxidologio.gr/

Nearby is a city park with well-groomed alleys. And it was created not just for walking - concerts and festivals are regularly held in the park. The decoration of Katerini is the Cathedral of St. Catherine, which is always full of parishioners. All Orthodox holidays are widely celebrated by local residents on the square in front of the cathedral.

All the most interesting sights to see are outside of Paralia - the resort is literally surrounded by them. Since the city is located near Mount Olympus, tourists do not miss the opportunity to get closer to the legend. In many ways, in order to understand: Olympus is not a mythical mountain, but one of the most valuable natural attractions in Greece.

Journey to Olympus

In the National Park, you can climb from the starting point - the village Litochoro. There is an information center here. Already from Litochoro, you can take a taxi to Prionia, from which hiking trails start. Olympus has equipped trails, guest houses and cafes.

Another significant attraction of the Pieria nome is Dion, the religious and cultural center of ancient Macedonia. It attracts with well-preserved monuments. Sanctuaries, columns, baths, mosaics, ruins of the theater survived.

Ancient Dion. Photo www.taxidologio.gr/

And nearby is the Archaeological Museum with a large number of discovered statues of Dion, mosaics and architectural elements. It is also worth a trip from Paralia to Meteora and Platamon Castle, which spectacularly rises on a rock near the village of Neos Panteleimonas. By the way, you can also visit Old Panteleimonas:

Finally, Vergina- another treasure near Paralia Katerinis. This city gained world fame after the discovery of the tomb of King Philip II. During the excavations, many valuable items were found here: from jewelry to gold items, armor and a golden casket, presumably with the remains of the legendary king.

Those who are interested in Christian shrines will also find something to see. On Mount Olympus itself, you should definitely visit:

Not far from Katerini in the village of Kondariotissa, it is worth visiting the oldest surviving Byzantine temple in the Pieria region. Panagia Kondariotissa. Its construction dates back to the beginning of the 11th century, and unique medieval frescoes have been preserved inside. The service in the temple takes place once a year - on August 15, on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin.

Temple of Panagia Kontariotissa, Pieria. Photo www.wondergreece.gr/

Salt Mines of Pieria

Alykes Kitrus salt mines are located 20 km from Katerini. The owners of the enterprise allocated two salt lakes for therapeutic baths and mud. Many people come here to improve their health for free:

How to get to Paralia

Paralia Katerinis is good because, with relatively low prices for holidays and the presence of excellent beaches, it will also become a good starting point for exploring the riches of mainland Greece. The location of the resort is also important. It can be easily reached in 50 minutes from Thessaloniki by bus, car or train.

Intercity buses and trains come to the stations in the city of Katerini itself, from there you can already take a taxi to Paralia or, having reached the city center, which is not far away, take a regular bus. From Thessaloniki buses to Katerinis leave from KTEL Macedonia You can check the schedule on the official website: http://ktelmacedonia.gr/gr/routes/tid=30.