With a summit at 1,109 metres, Mt Penteli is a great place to ascend to relish a striking view of the Attica basin below, for a start. The second tallest mountain in the area after Mt Parnitha, Penteli also has a broad choice of charming hiking routes and numerous points of interest like churches, monasteries, caves, and quarries.

Originally known as Vrilissos, the Penteli mountain range’s name change has been attributed to Pausanias, a 3rd-century AD explorer, and geographer. The ancient history of the mountain is significantly defined by its renowned Pentelic marble, used in many sculptures, and the construction of well-known temples including the Parthenon in antiquity. Indeed in ancient Greece, Pentelic marble was thought to be of unparalleled quality.

During the Byzantine period, monasteries and churches were built on Mount Penteli. During early Christianity, monks chose to go there for their hermitages, while many isolated themselves in the dank mountain caves. The oldest Byzantine construction to remain standing there is Agios Spyridonas (12th century), a chapel carved into the renowned Davelis Cave. It is the oldest to have survived on the mountain, with stone sculptures preserved in its interior.

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