Greece approved an environmental study on October 1, 2026, advancing plans to enlarge Mount Olympus National Park to approximately 92,800 acres. The plan assigns 58% of the expanded park to strict-protection zones, according to the Environment and Energy Ministry.
The move follows UNESCO’s 2026 World Heritage inscription of the wider Mount Olympus area. That recognition celebrates both the mountain’s biodiversity and its central place in ancient Greek history.
However, the ministry describes the study’s approval as a necessary step toward expansion, rather than announcing completed implementation. Its announcement gives no effective date for the new boundaries.
Eight protection zones across a larger park
The ministry puts the proposed park’s area at 37,544 hectares, compared with 23,561 hectares currently—approximately 58,200 acres. The expansion would incorporate the existing buffer zone into a unified management framework.
Specifically, the approved study section covers the Mount Olympus Natura 2000 site, GR1250001, the broader park would encompass that site, the existing national park and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve area.
Meanwhile, the study outlines eight protection zones, permitted activities, land uses and conservation measures. It prioritizes forests and habitats supporting rare plants, bears, chamois and birds of prey. Alongside conservation, the ministry seeks compatibility with low-impact human activities.
UNESCO recognition connects nature and mythology
Mount Olympus rises in northern Greece and forms the country’s highest mountain. Its steep elevation changes and proximity to the sea create varied microclimates, supporting an exceptional range of vegetation. UNESCO also identifies Olympus as an important Mediterranean center for plant diversity and species with restricted geographic ranges.
Yet its international significance extends beyond ecology, encompassing both mythological traditions and ancient religious practice. Ancient worshippers reached Agios Antonios, one of the mountain’s peaks, where they honored Zeus at an open-air sanctuary. Archaeological remains therefore connect Olympus’s enduring sacred importance with tangible evidence of worship high on the mountain.
The World Heritage property also includes the archaeological site of Dion, at the mountain’s foothills. Its sanctuaries, temples and other remains document worship of the Olympian gods. Consequently, UNESCO’s recognition links the mountain’s natural environment with physical evidence of its religious traditions.
The ministry links the expansion initiative to commitments Greece made during its World Heritage nomination.
Meanwhile, UNESCO’s inscription decision recommends formal protection across the World Heritage property’s entire buffer zone. It also urges Greece to adopt a revised national park management plan covering cultural and natural heritage.
Visitor management forms another priority. UNESCO recommends implementing a tourism strategy that addresses visitor capacity and monitors pressure on environmentally sensitive areas. Additionally, it calls for local communities to participate formally in management decisions.
Greece must submit a report on these recommendations to the World Heritage Centre by December 1, 2027.
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