If you think of sport climbing in Greece, Kalymnos and Leonidio immediately spring to mind and perhaps Kyprissi or Meteora for those in the know. But there's a new contender which has leapt onto the scene. From Athens, a two-hour drive to the North-east of the island of Evia reveals a landscape of limestone cliffs towering over olive groves, dotted with small sleepy villages. One settlement in particular, the rustic village of Manikia, might just have established itself as a new international sport climbing destination.

Sport climbing development in the Manikia area started back in 1995, with sectors gradually being bolted between 2005 and 2010. However, the potential for the area to be an international climbing destination was only realised in 2015 when a group of French developers, including Nicolas Glee, visited.

Following a lot of groundwork with the local communities and authorities, in October 2018 a team of French volunteers developed the areas of Manikia Vrisi and Kymi in earnest. It wasn't until the 2022 Petzl Rock trip that Manikia finally leapt onto the international sport climbing scene. Now, there are over 450 fully bolted routes with more crags and routes currently being developed.

Manikia ticks a lot of boxes for a sport climbing holiday destination. Firstly, the routes cover the grade spectrum from 4 up to 8b+. Every style is catered for, from technical slabs on compact grey limestone to steep tufa and juggy roof climbing. The routes are well-equipped with friendly bolting and reasonable grading.

There are also 10 fully equipped multipitch routes on offer from 6a to 7a. As is expected from a Greek climbing holiday, there are of course coastal villages and beaches. Although it doesn't have the hub vibe and climbers' hangouts like Kalymnos, or the sheer volume of routes, it currently has one thing really going for it – it's quiet.

As part of the development, the Manikia Project - a non-profit association - has been set up, bringing together the climbing development and other outdoor activities with local communities and businesses (such as accommodation providers and restaurants). They have a website (www.manikia.com) which serves as an excellent source of info for the area and planning a trip. The climbing development has been carefully thought out, taking into consideration the local residents, businesses and environmental impact.

However, for now it's not on the radar, with most holidaying climbers piling over to the better-known destinations of Kalymnos or Leonidio.

The climbing can be broadly divided into 3 areas: Lower Valley (also known as Mpougazi), a long outcrop called Middle Valley, and the Upper Valley, which is largely hidden in a canyon.

Lower Valley ( Mpougazi)

The lower valley area, which is the closest to the main access roads and Vrysi village, hosts many crags in close proximity. The Mpougazi area, which includes Dragonera, Eisodos, White Wall, Pehnidia and Bain de Boue offer many options for climbing at a range of grades with many aspects to suit the temperature. All crags are within 15 minutes of walking (except the White Wall at 30 minutes) from the parking area.

The impressive overhanging cave of Dragonera supplies many long steep tufa and juggy lines from 20-40m long with most in the 7a+ to 8b range. There are also a few quality lines in the 6b-7a range, which are worth jumping on. Despite being S – SE facing, the recessed cave gets a lot of shade, especially from 2 p.m. onwards in spring. It also stays dry even in heavy rain, but can seep after prolonged wet weather.

Opposite Dragonera and by contrast, Pehnidia is a shorter north-facing crag, making it an ideal venue for hot sunny days. It's vertical and slightly overhanging in places on orange limestone, but has an excellent range of 6a to 6c routes of about 20m long. The routes here tend to be a little crimpier, and on the right hand side there are a good selection of more technical 5a-6a routes on grey limestone.

The closest crag to the parking is Eisodos, a crag of vertical orange limestone giving fantastic juggy and pocketed routes at a vertical angle. The only downside is that the crag gets a lot of sun without much shade, so it is better left for cooler days or later in the afternoon when it comes into the shade.

As a break from the steep orange limestone, Bain de Boue gives slabby to vertical, fingery and technical routes on grey limestone from 5c to 7a, with most routes in the 6s. Facing East, this crag is a good choice in the afternoons when searching for some shade.

Middle Valley ( The Valley)

The rocky outcrop above the valley forms an almost unbroken rock face for over 5km. This cliff band running from above Manikia village almost to the village of Neochori offers over 200 routes across the spectrum – over 35 routes of grade 4 to 5c, 92 routes in the 6s, 55 routes in the 7s and 20 routes in the 8s. The routes are split into different sectors, all no more than 10-25 minutes' walk from the road following the valley below.

The aspect offers a fantastic panorama but is mostly south-facing so it can get hot. As the crag aspect weaves around, it's possible to find SE and SW facing crags to suit the conditions. There's a huge variety of route styles, from techy slabs to crimpy grey limestone to steep orange tufas. Many of the sectors have been set in a particular style or grade range – i.e. all routes at Iona School are 4b to 5b; All the Universe is 5b to 6c+, and Les Larmes de Sisyphe has a lot in the 7b to 8a range.

Upper Valley ( The Valley) - Canyon and North Face

For those seeking the steeper, harder lines – the areas of Canyon and the North Face pack in many quality routes in various sectors from 5b to 8b+. The real gems in this area are in the 7a – 8a range, and a visit to the Manikia Paralia sector is much recommended. Facing S-SE and with a steep overhang, this crag is shady enough to climb well into May. The North Face - as the name suggests - gets a lot of shade and has a wilder feel, with soaring lines into the depths of caves and is less frequented. However, a bird ban in force stops access between January and June.

Multipitches

There are around 10 fully equipped multipitch routes of about 8-10 pitches long, situated mainly in the lower and middle valleys. These aren't just 'filler' routes, as a lot of effort has been made to seek out quality, consistent lines which have been well-cleaned and equipped. The guidebook has a separate dedicated section to the multipitches, which range from 6a to 7a.

As it's developing into a destination for holidaying climbers and still relatively new, many of the routes have seen little traffic. Whilst this is excellent in terms of no polish, it does mean there are some routes with sharp holds. The routes have generally been well cleaned, but be mindful of friable rock and choss if you stray off route or start gardening.

As such, a helmet is advisable, and stay vigilant with other climbers around. But in the most part, the rock is sound. The grading generally seems on point, with some minor deviations between the guidebook and UKC / 8a.nu. As the area is currently quiet, there doesn't seem to be any parking or access issues. However, this may become an issue with more visitors and will rely on common sense and consideration at busy periods.

Future Development

I asked Kostas Argiris, President of Manikia Project association about the future development plans for the area:

"We know that our region has a huge potential for the development of many new routes on both existing and new crags. However, we do not operate under the stress of creating many new routes as our primary goal is to do this in the right way, with suitable paths for safe access and rescue.

There are already many new routes, both single and multipitch, and it is already in the plan to open more by the end of 2023. We are optimistic that within the first half of 2024 we will publish our new guidebook with at least 100 new routes. Now the plan is for additional easier routes and more shaded ones than already exist, working at the south area of the canyon which is more than 3km long. We want to offer visitors the opportunity to climb even in the hottest months of the year, combining it with their summer swims on the wonderful beaches of the region.

On the subject of impact of extensive climbing development on the area: the good impacts are obvious as it will help both the economic and social development of the region. Let us not forget that, as is the case in many places, young people are leaving the provincial areas for the large urban centres. However, we strongly believe that if the right preconditions are in place, then more young people will choose to stay or even return to their home area.

From the beginning the aim was to benefit the area from visitors but within the limits where the life of the local inhabitants is not disturbed and of course not at the sacrifice of the environment. For these reasons, from the beginning we inform visitors through the Manikia Project website that wild camping is not allowed, and we also encourage them to use e-bikes, which are rented in the area. In such a case the visitor should arrive at the site by bus. There is currently no bus service directly from Athens airport, but the website describes how the traveller can access it. Hopefully at some future time there will be a direct bus from the airport."

Logistics

The climbing areas and villages are spread over the Manikia-Vrisi area, so a car is the most practical way to get around the climbing areas, villages and coast.

Manikia itself is a small village nestled inland between some of the crags. Currently, the amenities in Manikia are simple, with a couple of small cafés and bars which would make a very quiet, rustic stay in the country.

The town of Konistres has a bit more going on with many bars, restaurants and shops including a climbing shop. However for the full Greek holiday feel, the coastal villages of Platana and Kymi bay have the typical Greek holiday seaside feel with all the amenities that go with it.

There are plenty of reasonably priced and spacious accommodation options listed on the Manikia project website and on Airbnb.

It's worth noting that there are two camp grounds located near the climbing. The Dragonera Cliffs Camping is a simple hard standing campervan / campground with basic facilities. Ideal for RVs and campervans, it's inexpensive and within walking distance of the Mpogazi climbing areas (facebook.com/DragoneraCliffs). The Platanenhof is another campground in Mentoulis set in amongst plane trees and a clearing with options for both campervans, tents and 'glamping'. (https://platanenhof.gr/)

Guidebook

There is an excellent local guidebook available to purchase online, or at various shops in the Manikia/Kymi area. More details of where to purchase the book are on the Manikia Project website. The book is updated regularly, so it's worth shelling out for the latest version. It's also important to note that buying the guidebook is a crucial source of funding for future development. So put your hand in your pocket and buy a new guidebook.

When to go

Climbing is possible for most of the year, aside from the summer months. Spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit and bear in mind that most of the climbing areas generally face a southerly aspect. As it gets hotter you can find shade in the steeper cave crags (like Canyon and Dragonera) and climb in the mornings or afternoons to make the most of the SW and SE aspects. Be aware of the bird ban on the North Face between January-June which rules out any climbing in this area.

How to get there

Manikia is a two hour drive north-east from Athens. With many options for flights to Athens and cheap, readily-available car hire – it's quite accessible for a week or two of climbing. For a longer trip, it's possible to drive to Leonidio or Meteora in five hours. There is a coach from Athens to Kymi Bay (for the Skyros ferry) which goes through villages close to the climbing.

What else can I do?

Aside from lounging around on the beaches during rest days eating baklava and ice cream, there are a few more activities on offer. Below Manikia village where the river has cut its way through the limestone, there's a beautiful waterfall and some swimming spots which are about a 45 minute - 1 hour hike from the car. It's chilly, but very refreshing on a hot day. With the rugged landscape around the climbing areas, there are plenty of options for hiking. The quiet windy country roads make for good road cycling. For those historically and culturally inclined, a day trip to Athens is also possible, being only a couple of hours' drive away.