Athens Rock Climbing

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Most people come to Athens for the ruins. 

We come for the rock.

What most visitors miss—somewhere between the Acropolis and their flight to Kalymnos, or drive to Leonidio—is that Athens is probably Europe’s most underrated urban climbing scene. 

With over 50 crags covering the full spectrum of limestone, it’s a full-on destination in its own right, not just a layover.

The scene is local, scrappy, and evolving fast. Rebolting efforts, fresh development, and a growing community of dedicated climbers are breathing new life into old stone. You’ll find rusty relics from the '90s just a few bolts away from modern mega-lines. There's something here for every style, season, and difficulty.

Recommended Gyms

MONO - modern bouldering sets on fresh holds, outdoor lead wall, Tension board, campus board, fingerboards, cafe, gear store.

Rockway - bouldering on well-loved holds, 2016 Moonboard, campus board, fingerboards, training room, small cafe, gear store.

No Biggie - modern bouldering sets on fresh holds, Moonboard, small training area, cafe and restaurant.

Mamouna - centrally located climber bar and small bouldering area.

Guidebooks

The 2014 guidebook (A. Chaziris, G. Chaziris, A. Markou) is severely out of date and can no longer be ordered online: https://climbgreece.com/athens-climbing-guidebook/ 

If you're polite and ask nicely, the desk attendants at Rockway may still have a few hard copies.

Rumor has it, a new guidebook is in production and should be ready for distribution sometime in 2026...

For now, your best bet is to connect with locals and contribute to the Mountain Project database!