Mount Hymettus

Hymettus runs for about sixteen kilometres along the eastern edge of the Athens basin, rising to 1,026 metres, and its lower slopes are covered in thyme, sage and other aromatic scrub that made its honey famous in antiquity and still does; beekeepers work the mountain and sell at roadside stands. The Athenians also quarried a blue-grey marble here, and the old workings are visible on the western flank. A network of paths and forest roads crosses the mountain from the Kaisariani monastery and its planted forest up to the ridge, giving a view over the whole basin to the sea, and caves including Koutouki on the eastern side open in the limestone. Sunrise from the ridge over the Attic plain is the local reward.

What you actually see

• The herb slopes - thyme and sage scrub that flavours the famous honey.
• The ridge views - the whole Athens basin and the Saronic Gulf.
• The Kaisariani forest - planted pine and cypress on the western flank.
• The old quarries - workings that supplied Athenian blue-grey marble.

When to go

October to May for walking, when the scrub is green and temperatures are reasonable; spring brings flowers and the bees. Summer is hot, and fire risk closes access in high-danger conditions.

Honest expectations

Much of the mountain is bare and burned in places, with military installations and antennas on the summit ridge that are fenced off. Trails are marked unevenly, and there is no water. Access is easiest with a car.

Nearby

Kaisariani monastery sits on the western slope; Koutouki cave is on the eastern side above Paiania.