The Ski Center in Mainalo

Activity Details
Location: Arcadia

The Mainalo ski center is situated in the location Ostrakina of the homonymous mountain, approximately 30 kilometres from Tripolis and 162 kilometres from Athens. The roads and consequently the access to the ski centre are easy, making it a very popular destination. It isn’t one of the biggest ski centres; however, it is ideal for families with children, since the mountain is not steep and is perfect for excursions and tours. This ski centre has been operating since 1965, offering a plethora of activities, from winter sports and games in the snow to perfect relaxation in the main chalet, which has a stunning view to the impressive mountain.

Mount Mainalo dominates the centre of Peloponnesus and belongs to the prefecture of Arcadia. The ski resort is located on the plateau of Ostrakina, at an altitude of 1,580 metres. There is direct access to it via the Athens-Tripoli and Tripoli-Pylos national roads, while its close proximity to Tripoli (30 kilometres) and Athens (165 kilometres), makes it a popular destination for anyone who loves winter sports, and excursions to mountainous destinations in general.

The ski resort of Mainalo is the second oldest in the country, after Selio in northern Greece. It belongs to the Greek Alpine Club of Tripoli, and it started its official operation in 1968, while activities had unofficially started four years earlier. The first ski lift was installed in 1965, and two years later, a more modern lift was installed, which served the resort for more than 35 years. For ten years, from 1968 to 1978, the ski resort of Mainalo was the home of the championship of Southern Greece, considered ideal both from the aspect of organization and snow-fall conditions.

Since early 2011, significant efforts have been launched to reorganize and restructure the resort, with the valuable contribution of the Municipality of Tripoli. Its purpose has been to highlight the resort as an attractive destination and to make it a centre of attraction not only to accomplished athletes, but also to families who can enjoy here the unique natural landscape of Mainalo in its snowy majesty. It is also significant that the choice was made to keep ski passes at a low price, to make it accessible to all (at 10 euros for the lift card, a fixed price even for weekends and holidays). The results of these efforts were impressive: within one year, arrivals at the ski resort exceeded 80,000 visitors.

Mainalo Ski Resort is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm. It has seven pistes catering to all levels, served by three lifts – one a baby lift – with a capacity of 1,500 people per hour. The resort’s facilities include two stores for ski gear rental, an organized chalet and a clinic with a doctor present daily. There are also ski instructors for the less experienced. For those more experienced, off-trail routes are organized, always with the guidance of experienced guides. The activities around the resort are, of course, not limited to the months when the snow falls. During the warmer period other activities are organized here, such as mountain biking, paragliding, hiking, and so on, with the purpose of fully taking advantage of the beautiful natural landscape of Mainalo throughout the year.

 

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