Altitude: 1646 m up to 2115 m.
The National Ski Center of Vassilitsa is located in the northwestern part of
Grevena prefecture, at a distance of 42 km away from the prefecture’s capital and in the heart of
Pindos mountain chain.
Slopes
The National Ski Center of Vassilitsa has 16 downhill ski slopes of a total length 15,952 m, 1 snowboard slope & 2 ski runs of a total length 3760 m, out of which:
- 4 black
- Piges, 1060 m in length.
- Dias (athletic), 1000 m in length.
- Samarina, 1020 m in length.
- Annitsa (athletic), 920 m in length.
- 10 red
- Strounga, 1040 m in length.
- Galani, 1060 m in length.
- Limnes, 1850 m in length.
- Distrato, 1630 m in length. (connects the double seat lift to Elimia lift).
- Connecting, 700 m in length.
- Elimia 1, 1100 m in length (lightened - night ski).
- Elimia 2, 1100 m in length (lightened - night ski).
- Dasos, 2052 m in length.
- Chrsitos Migdanis, 850 m in length.
- Stratiotis, 1080 m in length.
- 2 green
- Beginners 1, 360 m in length.
- Beginners 2, 170 in length.
- Half Pipe, a special snowboard slope marked as red.
- Ski run, 1680 m in length, (peripheral) marked as blue.
- Ski run, 2080 m in length, (parallel to road that connects Elimia lift to Filippos lift), marked as green.
Dias & Annitsa feature Olympic Games standards according to
International Ski Federation (F.I.S.).
Lifts
There are seven lifts. Specifically:
- Filippos, an aerial triple-seat lift, 1016 m in length and with an altitude difference of 183 m (1642 m - 1825 m) - It services the slopes: Strounga, Galani and Dromos.
- M. Alexandros, a double-seat lift, 913 m in length and with an altitude difference of 313 m (1800 m - 2113 m) - It services the slopes: Piges, Dias, Limnes and Distrato.
- 3 one seat sliding lifts:
- Elimia, 1060 m in length and with an altitude difference 272 m (1788 m - 2060 m.) - It services the slopes: Connecting, Elimia 1 & 2, Dasos and Dromos.
- Christos Migdanis, 800 m in length and with an altitude difference 224 m (1810 m - 2034 m) - It services Christos Migdanis slope.
- Tymfea, 1016 m in length and with an altitude difference 183 m (1642 m - 1825 m) - It services the slopes: Annitsa, Samarina and Stratiotis.
- 2 baby lifts.
Other facilities/services
- A Chalet of N.S.C. of Vassilitsa ownership.
- Two shelters which belong to Ski Alpine Club of Grevena, one Shelter in Diaselo Gomaras site, at an altitude of 1820 m and the other one Shelter in Diaselo Vassiltsas site, at an altitude of 1800 m.
- Distrato Chalet, which also is located in the N.S.C. of Vassilitsa, with a restaurant and a cafe bar.
- Ski and snowboarding equipment rental
- Every Saturday night on two lit-up slopes takes place night ski.
Operation period
The N.S.C. of Vassilitsa operates from early December to March, from Monday to Sunday 9 a.m to 4 p.m. and in weekends from 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
Useful notes
The N.S.C. of Vassilitsa is consisted of two parts: the top and bottom. The top is the oldest one, with four lifts, a baby and various other facilities. The lower one, which operated for first time in 1994, has the longest slopes and brand new lifts.
The unchanged through the time nature of
Pindos in conjunction with the creatures who lived there, as the mammoth discovered in the district, inspired the trade of N.S.C. of Vassilitsa, "a skier on the mammoth tusks".
The natural beauty of
Pindos urged in 1975 a group of romantic people, to create the
Ski Alpine Club of Grevena to implement an utopia: Ski Center in Vassilitsa. They finally managed it by pressing the state to finance the first sliding lift at the Vasilitsa - Gomara plateau, 1060 m in length, at an altitude of 1788 - 2060 m. This lift carries 800 skiers per hour and operates until our days. Its installation and construction is a pattern, because the slope has only a little of intervention and the quantity and quality of snow is excellent. The next year the idea of
Grevena prefecture tourism development, with focal point the Vasilitsa ski center, is expanding, with more fans speak flattering for Vassilitsa’s abilities to utilize, ignoring the inconvenience in access (dirt road, lift with amateurs operators, inaccessible slopes, big snowfall exceeding 2 m, minimum building facilities).
In 1991 the
Ski Alpine Club of Grevena grant to the
General Secretariat of Sports the created infrastructure i.e. lift, snowplough and chalet, in order to set up a Legal Entity of Public Law, managing by a seven member committee, with 2 year service and official name National Ski Center of Vassilitsa.
In 1993, due to their incorporation on 1st Community Support Framework, T.E.D.K. installed to the Liosoro Galani site two aerial lifts, a triple seat, 991,40 m in length, at an altitude of 1642,5 - 1825,26 m, with a capacity of 1800 skiers per hour, a double seat, 845,60 m in length, at an altitude of 1797 - 2110 m, with a capacity of 1800 skiers per hour, and a sliding one for beginners, 300 m in length.
The efforts of the
Prefectural Administration of Grevena were continued. In 1998 the research for the environmental conditions of the Ski Center was approved and 460,238 acres granted by the
Ministry of Agriculture to the
General Secretariat of Sports, an achievement that solves the problems of country planning and projects elaboration for construction of necessary infrastructure as for buildings too, relying on the protection of this amazing environment, avoiding the arbitrary and uncontrolled construction.
In 2000, incorporating in the 2nd Community Support Framework, constructed by the
Prefectural Administration of Grevena two more sliding lifts and one for beginners to Baldouma site. Those lifts are, the first named Migdanis, 800 m in length, at an altitude of 1810 - 2034 m and the second named Tymfea, 980 m in length, at an altitude of 1774 - 2040 m, providing new perspectives to the ski resort, by increasing its capacity and classifying it among the most popular in Northern Greece. All lifts serve slopes, of various difficulties and slip, of 22km total length, which haven’t been under outside interference, have retained their natural beauty and consist the major advantage of Vassilitsa.
The N.S.C. of Vassilitsa in our days operates with full authorization of electromechanical and buildings, and that fact make it the first in Greece, with approval of environmental conditions and operating license.
A big problem also, this of its operation, is at the final stage with passage of N.3057/24.9.2002 “amendment and supplement of N.2725/99 regulation of Ministry of Culture and other provisions”, which contains the foundation of an organization responsible for the management and operation of N.S.C. of Vassilitsa. So the lasting problems of temporary staff, which tirelessly offer services more than a decade, will be solved. Also, its incorporation in a program of funding the construction of Chalet and parking at the base of the triple-seat chair, of a 3.500.000 € total cost, will enhance the customers’ quality service.
Facilities/services in the surrounding area
Traditional, as well as modern hotels and taverns/restaurants are established in the nearby villages.
These villages are:
Smixi,
Distrato,
Polyneri,
Panorama,
Alatopetra,
Lavdas,
Samarina,
Avdela,
Perivoli,
Filippei,
Anavryta,
Mavranei,
Spileo,
Ziakas,
Monachiti,
Mikrolivado,
Kosmati,
Trikomo,
Messolouri,
Prosvoro,
Dotsiko.
Hotels can also be found in
Grevena town.
Activities in the surrounding area
In the surroundings you could have various activities and visit very interesting sites and other sightseeing. In details:
- OVERLAND, ecotourism agency of North Pindos, has travel packages for travelers with a special interest in nature.
- A visit to the National Park of Pindos, one of the most important in Greece, which was announced as a National Park in 1966 and lies between prefectures of Grevena & Ioannina. The valley of Valia - Calda (local name, means Warm Valley) is also here. Its name is because it displays significant temperature variations throughout 24 hours, with very high temperatures during the day without a cloud and very low during the night. The frozen "Warm Valley" got her name euphemistically, as it is one of the most cold and wet regions of Greece. The landscape is impressive and except of the variety of morphological and vegetation characteristics, has also huge cliffs and rushing streams. The environment is very important for the welfare of a vast variety of species from the animal and plant kingdom.
- The bridges of Grevena are the largest and most impressive throughout the Makedonia region. In 1995, due to actions of the Prefectural Administration of Grevena, the 11th Ephorate of Byzantine Monuments of Veria declared those bridges as preserved monuments. They constructed in similar style.
- At an altitude of 1940 m and 1960 m there are two impressive ponds, on the sub alpine highlands of Mavrovouni Mountain, in Flegga. Those ponds, which are known as Drakolimnes (Lakes of Dragon), are the symbol of the region, followed of many legends and have water all year around.
- The Natural History Museum at the Milia village, 15km away from Grevena town, with numerous of Paleolithic finds.
- The Monastery of Saint Nikiforos in Zavorda.
