Established in 1938, Parnassos National Park, to the north of Delphi and Arahova, has three peaks over 2300m: Parnassos (2457m), the highest; Tsarkos (2416m); and Gerondovrachos (2396m). Kouvelos (1882m) is a popular rock-climbing face. Mt Parnassos is part of the elaborate E4 European long-distance path (orivatiko monopati) from Gibraltar to Cyprus (see www.era-ewv-ferp.com for details).
The slopes of Parnassos support Kefallonian fir, spruce and juniper, interspersed with yellow-flowered shrubs, plum trees and the rare purple-flowered Daphne jasminea .
The Parnassos Ski Centre, 24km from Arahova, handles ski and snowboard operations on Kelaria (1950m; 13 lifts). For accommodation, it’s best to stay in Arahova. Adjacent to Kelaria are the steeper slopes of Fterolakkas (six lifts), popular with extreme skiers. For more information, see www.snow-report.gr.
There is no public transport between Arahova and the ski centre. A taxi from Delphi costs around €45.
