Olympiaki Akti (Greek : Ολυμπιακή Ακτή, also known as Olympic Beach and Olympic Coast) is a village in the Katerini municipality, Greece. It is also still domestically known by its initial name Katerinoskala (Κατερινόσκαλα) which can be literally expressed as "Katerini's staircase".
Olympiaki Akti is a tourist destination and seaside resort suburb (settlement) in the Gulf of Thermaic of the Katerini municipality in the east Pieria province, Greece. It is part of the Olympian Riviera and its namesake beach awarded E.U. Blue Flag with entire sand coastline. It is located 7.5 km from Katerini city, 3 km south of Paralia, 70 km from the city of Thessaloniki, 107 km from Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (IATA: SKG, ICAO: LGTS), 434 km from Athens, northeast of Pierian Mountains and Mount Olympus. The Olympiaki Akti belongs to Olympus Riviera which is both the Mount Olympus and Pieria region coastal area located about 70klm stretching from the southern region of Pieria, Neoi Poroi to Makrygialos settlement on the north. Olympiaki Akti had a population of 236 inhabitants according to the 2021 census. [1] The settlement Olympiaki Akti has been part of the municipality of Katerini since 1981. [2]
A local urban settle bus serving Katerini city from/to Olympiaki Akti. National bus service is from the Katerini long-distance coach bus station of KTEL. Olympiaki Akti is accessible from the A1/E75 motorway (with the Katerini South and North interchanges), and the A2 motorway (Egnatia Odos) to the north. The Olympiaki Akti is 7.1 km from Katerini Railway Station OSE (ΟΣΕ) which is a stop railway station for routes of local trains, Proastiakos train (suburban route Thessaloniki to/from Larissa), main railway route Athens to/from Thessaloniki by regular train and InterCity train. Additionally, you can travel with a special service route to Athens from Thessaloniki new railway station by express electric train named Silver Arrow launched on May 20, 2019 (initially conducted by three trains) having daily the Athens to/from Thessaloniki route lasts four hours including two stops railway station at Lianokladi village of Phthiotis and Larissa city.
Transport in Greece has undergone significant changes in the past two decades, vastly modernizing the country's infrastructure and transportation. Although ferry transport between islands remains the prominent method of transport between the nation's islands, improvements to the road infrastructure, rail, urban transport, and airports have all led to a vast improvement in transportation. These upgrades have played a key role in supporting Greece's economy, which in the past decade has come to rely heavily on the construction industry.
Central Macedonia is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece, consisting of the central part of the geographical and historical region of Macedonia. With a population of almost 1.8 million, it is the second most populous region in Greece after Attica.
Pieria is one of the regional units of Greece located in the southern part of the Region of Central Macedonia, within the historical province of Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Katerini.The name Pieria originates from the ancient Pieres tribe. In Pieria, there are many sites of archeological interest, such as Dion, Pydna, Leivithra and Platamonas. Pieria contains Mount Pierus, from which Hermes takes flight in order to visit Calypso, and is the home of Orpheus, the Muses, and contains the Pierian Spring. Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and throne of the ancient Greek gods, is located in the southern part of Pieria. Other ancient cities included Leibethra and Pimpleia.
Thessaloniki Airport, officially Thessaloniki Airport "Makedonia" and formerly Mikra Airport, is an international airport serving Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece. It is located 13 km (8 mi) southeast of the city, in Thermi.
Katerini is a city and municipality in northern Greece, the capital city of Pieria regional unit in Central Macedonia, Greece. It lies on the Pierian plain, between Mount Olympus and the Thermaikos Gulf, at an altitude of 14 m. The municipality of Katerini has a population of 82,892. It is the second most populous urban area in the region of Macedonia after Thessaloniki. The close distance between the two cities (68 km), has been beneficial for Katerini's development over recent years. Katerini is accessible from the A1/E75 Athens–Thessaloniki motorway and the A2 motorway to the north. It is served by Intercity, Proastiakos and local trains on the main Athens-Thessaloniki railway line and there is a comprehensive regional and national bus service with its hub in the city.
Pyrgos is a city in the northwestern Peloponnese, Greece, capital of the regional unit of Elis and the seat of the Municipality of Pyrgos. The city is located in the middle of a plain, 4 kilometres from the Ionian Sea. The river Alfeios flows into sea about 7 km (4 mi) south of Pyrgos. The population of the town Pyrgos is 26,052, and of the municipality 45,365 (2021). Pyrgos is 16 km (10 mi) west of Olympia, 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Amaliada, 70 km (43 mi) southwest of Patras and 85 km (53 mi) west of Tripoli.
The A1 motorway, also known as the Athens–Thessaloniki–Evzonoi (A.Th.E.) motorway, and formerly the Patras–Athens–Thessaloniki–Evzonoi (P.A.Th.E.) motorway, is the 2nd longest motorway in Greece with a length of 550 km. It is the principal north–south road connection in Greece, connecting the country's capital Athens with the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia, as well as the country's second largest city, Thessaloniki. It starts from Neo Faliro in Attica and continues north to reach the Evzonoi border station, on the Greek border with North Macedonia.
The Proastiakos is Greece's Commuter rail service, run by Hellenic Train, on rail infrastructure owned by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) (lines) and GAIAOSE. These services connect a participating city's central railway station to important locations such as a city's port or airport, as well as its suburbs and occasionally nearby towns and cities.
Korinos is a town and a former municipality in Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Katerini, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 70.909 km2, the community 30.726 km2. Korinos has approximately 4,500 residents and it is located 5 km northeast of the city of Katerini (Κατερίνη), the capital of Pieria. The A1 motorway (Athens–Thessaloniki–Evzonoi) is situated to the west. Korinos is famous for its beaches -lying to its east- and hotels in the area, which make the village an ideal place for tourism.
Litochoro is a town and a former municipality in the southern part of the Pieria regional unit, Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it has been part of the Dio-Olympos municipality, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is located at the base of Mount Olympus, on the western shore of the Thermaic Gulf. The first recorded mention of Litochoro is in an account of a visit by Saint Dionysius to Mount Olympus in the 16th century. The town is a popular destination for those wishing to climb Mount Olympus as almost all climbing routes begin to the southwest of the town. One of the most famous Litohorians was Christos Kakkalos, who made the first modern unaided ascent of Mount Olympus in 1913.
The Thermaic Gulf, also called the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the Macedonian Gulf, is a gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pieria Imathia and Larissa on the west and the Chalkidiki peninsula on the east, with Cape Kassandra at the southeasternmost corner. It is named after the ancient town of Therma, modern Thessaloniki. It is about 100 km (62 mi) long.
Paralia is a tourist seaside settlement and a former municipality in the eastern part of the Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Katerini, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Kallithea. The 2021 census reported a population of 928 for the community of Paralia, and 6,228 for the municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 24.344 km2, the community 1.849 km2. Paralia Katerinis actually translated "Beach of Katerini" and is the closest beach to the capital city of Katerini.
Larissa is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Thessaly. Its capital is the city of Larissa. Total population 268,963 (2021).
Platy is a town and a municipality in eastern Imathia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Alexandreia, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 181.375 km2.
Leptokarya is a town in Pieria regional unit, Central Macedonia, Greece, former seat of East Olympos municipality, which is part of the municipality of Dion-Olympos. The distance from Katerini is 26 km and the population of the village was 3,612 inhabitants as of 2021.
Platamon, or Platamonas, is a town and sea-side resort in south Pieria, Central Macedonia, Greece. Platamon has a population of about 2,000 permanent inhabitants. It is part of the Municipal unit of East Olympos of the Dio-Olympos municipality.
Thessaloniki railway station, or Thessaloniki railway station is the main central passenger railway station and terminal of Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. It is located in the central quarter of Xirokrini on Monastiriou Street and was inaugurated on 12 June 1961, the passenger station replaced the older and much smaller passenger station which now handles the city's cargo rail, hence the "new" sometimes used in the name.
The railway from Piraeus to Platy is an electrified double-track railway line that connects Athens to northern Greece and the rest of Europe. It constitutes the longest section of the mostly completed higher-speed rail line known as P.A.Th.E./P., which includes Greece's most important rail connection, that between Athens and Thessaloniki. Its northern end is the station of Platy, on the Thessaloniki–Bitola railway. In the south, it connects to the Athens Airport–Patras railway at the Acharnes Railway Center. The line passes through Thebes, Katerini and Larissa, and offers connections to several other cities through branch lines.
The Thessaloniki Regional Railway, is a three-line Proastiakos commuter rail service connecting the city of Thessaloniki with its metropolitan area and other regions beyond, including Imathia, Pella and Serres.
Katerini railway station is a railway station in Katerini, Central Macedonia, Greece. Located in a residential area close to the city centre, it opened on 2 September 1916. It is served by trains between Athens and Thessaloniki, and since 9 September 2007, it has been served by the Suburban railway for Thessaloniki, Litochoro and Larissa.