George Lafatzis learned to keep his eyes on the peaks. “I have the mountain inside me,” he says. He lives in Dion, where the eastern foothills of Mount Olympus give way to the plain. For five decades, until 2017, he led his sheep up the mountain’s slopes, spending months at elevations of nearly 2,000 meters. His shepherd’s hut, where he also made cheese, became a welcome stop for the handful of climbers and hikers who ventured this far before the Petrostrouga mountain refuge was built. Every Saturday morning, he prepared a large pot of tea and fresh buttermilk for whoever happened to pass by. Although he left school at a young age, he came to know Greek mythology largely through the stories shared by travelers who paused to catch their breath on his doorstep.

Now 75 and regarded by many as Mount Olympus’ longest-serving shepherd, Lafatzis has watched the mountain gradually change – both in terms of its climate and the people who come to experience it. “In the early days, plants would sprout only to be burned by the winter frost,” he recalls. “But temperatures have risen, and vegetation has moved higher up the mountain.” Visitor numbers have changed too. “Greeks only started coming here in large numbers after 1985. Now it’s busier than ever.”

Lafatzis is among the many people whose lives have been shaped by Olympus – whether they grew up beneath its peaks or depend on it for their livelihood – who now hope the mountain is entering a new chapter. At its 48th session, UNESCO recognized Mount Olympus for its Outstanding Universal Value, adding Greece’s most iconic mountain to the World Heritage List.

“The Center of My Universe”

“Mount Olympus is the center of my universe. It’s where I fell in love with the mountains, learned to climb, met my wife, and found what became a natural laboratory for my work,” says mountaineer and geologist Michalis Styllas. Styllas has been one of the driving forces behind the development of mountain tourism on Olympus. Since 2003, he and his brother Alexandros have managed the Kakkalos mountain refuge, and he also played a key role in popularizing ski mountaineering in Greece. His postdoctoral research on the evolution of Olympus’ glaciers since the Paleolithic era earned him an award from the Academy of Athens.

He has witnessed visitor numbers rise sharply, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. But in his view, the mountain’s infrastructure has not kept pace. He points to bridges damaged by natural disasters and landslides that have yet to be repaired, as well as the need for better management of Olympus’ limited water resources. “UNESCO recognition will bring international attention,” he says. “But it will also bring responsibilities.”

Supplies for Mount Olympus’ mountain refuges still make their way up the trails on the backs of mules. Christos Demelis has been making the climb for the past five years with a team of eight animals. “Up there, I feel like the 13th god,” he says. “Not that we haven’t had our fair share of scares, especially with the freezing conditions we’ve been through.” Demelis first came to know Olympus as a hiker before moving his transport business there from the slopes of Mount Grammos. “It’s not an easy job,” he says. “Not everyone can do it.”

Depending on the refuges’ supply needs, he makes the ascent five or six times a week. For now, he does not expect UNESCO recognition to have an immediate impact on his work. “We’ll see what new demands arise,” he says. “Whatever needs carrying, we’ll carry. No more, no less.”

A Lifelong Vow to Reach the Summit

Michalis Kakkalos grew up in Litochoro in a family of timber workers. He was just 13 years old, in the late 1960s, when he climbed Mytikas, Mount Olympus’ highest peak, for the first time. “It was a personal vow,” he says. The ascent held special meaning for his family. In August 1913, his great-uncle, Christos Kakkalos, became the first Greek to complete a recorded ascent of Mytikas, guiding the Swiss mountaineers Frédéric Boissonnas and Daniel Baud-Bovy to the summit. Today, the mountain refuge on the Plateau of the Muses, managed by the Styllas brothers, bears his name.

Now 75, Kakkalos knows the mountain’s dangers better than most. Since the 1980s, he has volunteered in numerous mountain rescue operations. During one rescue, he himself was caught in an avalanche. “I hope UNESCO recognition leads to improvements in the trails and better information about mountain conditions and the equipment visitors will need,” he says. “Just recently, we had eight accidents in a single week. Even now, I still see people attempting the climb wearing flip-flops.”

Vassilis Diamantopoulos is a certified mountain guide from Litochoro and a member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenia, which carries out trail maintenance and clean-up operations along the hiking routes. For him, the designation offers an opportunity to strengthen the mountain’s long-term protection. “It’s a recognition that shines an international spotlight on the region,” he says. “It should help accelerate efforts to protect and showcase Olympus’ natural heritage, improve its stewardship, and better organize mountain rescue services.”

The Marathon

For the past two decades, the trails of Mount Olympus have hosted the Olympus Marathon, one of Greece’s best-known mountain-running races. When organizers first conceived the event, they sought the advice of archaeologist Dimitris Pandermalis, who led the excavations at ancient Dion. Following his recommendation, the race begins at the archaeological site at sunrise.

“We like to think of Olympus as a globally recognizable name, but internationally its brand wasn’t actually that strong,” says Aris Nikas, president of the Olympus Marathon and former head of the Mount Olympus National Park Management Agency. “I was surprised to learn during an advertising campaign that many people in the United States believed Mount Olympus existed only in mythology,” he recalls. “The local community eagerly awaited UNESCO’s decision. This recognition is important because it will create sustained pressure on the state to take action. My dream is to see Mount Olympus occupy the place it truly deserves.”

The UNESCO Nomination

Dionysia Chatzilakou, a biologist and director at the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA), led the team that prepared Mount Olympus’ successful UNESCO nomination. As she explains, the process was anything but straightforward. “Greece had to demonstrate why Mount Olympus possesses outstanding universal value,” she says. “Every claim had to be supported by scientific literature, academic research and new evidence. The process also involved multiple stages, with UNESCO requesting additional documentation and carrying out on-site evaluation missions.” She adds that the effort benefited greatly from the guidance of experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

“We owe these organizations, and UNESCO itself, a great deal of gratitude,” she says. “They played a decisive role in mobilizing the services of the Ministries of Environment and Culture, whose scientists possess remarkable expertise and deep affection for Mount Olympus. The process allowed us to deepen our understanding of the mountain and resolve issues that had remained unresolved for years.” As part of the site’s enhanced protection, NECCA will oversee €7.3 million in projects, including forest management and biodiversity conservation initiatives, as well as the maintenance and improved signage of 100 kilometers of hiking trails.