The vast majority of the inquisitive visitors to Athens are usually facing a big dilemma: Spend some time here before their island hopping to the Aegean or abandon everything and rush to their dream destination as soon as possible?
Trying to make a decision one is tempted, mainly or exclusively, by the Acropolis, dominating the city skyline, and the New Acropolis museum. Few are aware that in the same city, less than two miles away, there is one of the top museums worldwide, namely the National Archaeological Museum, full to the brim with masterpieces of prehistoric and historic art of utmost importance: the Mycenaean gold jewels and artifacts are just a few of these treasures.
As if these were not enough, this album comes to make things worse. Because, once on the Acropolis rock, or even in the Acropolis Museum, your view to the east is blocked by Mt. Hymettus, a mountain offering one of the richest habitats as regards its flora. To the plant enthusiast Greece in general, Attica in particular, are "dreams come true" and exploring them, camera in hand, is an absolute must. The photos in this album (and the ones to appear in this site in the near future) are meant to be just an appetizer, hoping to make Mt. Hymettus appealing to the "beauty enthusiast" as well.
If you wish to take part in a photographic plant safari to Mt. Hymettus, please do contact us. We'll take you around to spots where the chances of finding orchids are best. Late winter to midsummer is when they're more frequent: different species bloom at varying periods. The captions of the photos in this album inform you about the date they were taken.
Select Page of the Album:Mt. Hymettus is one of the several mountains in Attica: Together with Mt Parnis (or Parnitha), Mt. Pentelikon, Mt. Kithaeron, Mt. Pateras, Mt. Aegaleo, Mt. Poikilo and Mt. Gerania are comparatively the largest and highest ones. Mountains of minor dimensions are Mt. Piastra, Mt. Dionyssovouni, Mt. Merenda, Mt. Tourkovounia, Mt Phylis, Mt. Paneio, Mt. Ortholithi, Mt. Aderes and Mt. Olympus of Attica.
Hymettus mountain has a height of 1026 m (3366 ft), length of about 20 km (12.5 miles) and max width 6 km (3.7 miles). In antiquity, it used to be devoid of forests, but full of bushes, shrubs and herbs where bees produced honey of prime quality; Hymettian honey has been a successful top quality brand for more than two and a half millenia. There are testimonies that the medicinal plants of Hymettus can treat most illnesses; During the Catalan occupation of Athens it was frequented by physicians from all over Europe paying vast amounts of gold to be shown to the places where they could collect such plants. Today one could say that Hymettus is a lush botanical garden, with more than 650 plant species, 54 of which are Greek endemic ones. As far as Orchids are concerned, there are more than 40 species of them on the record.
Today one could say that Hymettus is a lush botanical garden, with more than 650 plant species, 54 of which are Greek endemic ones. As far as Orchids are concerned, there are more than 40 species of them on the record.
Some of the names of medicinal herbs found on Hymettus mountain are shown below:
| | Common Name | Binomial Nomenclature |
| 1 | Anise | Pimpinella anisum or Anisun vulgare |
| 2 | Bearded Iris | Iris attica |
| 3 | Chamomile | Chamomilla recutita or Matricaria chamomilla |
| 4 | Common mallow | Malva sylvestris |
| 5 | Common or red poppy | Papaver rhoeas |
| 6 | Common rue or Herb-of-grace | Ruta graveolens |
| 7 | Common sage | Salvia officinalis |
| 8 | Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare |
| 9 | Fireweed or Rosebay willowherb | Epilobium angustifolium |
| 10 | Greek Oregano | Origanum scabrum |
| 11 | Hollyhock | Alcea |
| 12 | Horse-heal or Marchalan | Inula Helenium |
| 13 | Marigold | Calendula officinalis |
| 14 | Marjoram | Origanum majorana |
| 15 | Mountain tea | Sideritis sp. |
| 16 | Passion Flower | Passiflora incarnata |
| 17 | Pennyroyal or Squaw mint | Mentha pulegium |
| 18 | Peppermint | Mentha piperita |
| 19 | Primrose | Primula vulgaris |
| 20 | Saffron crocus | Crocus sativus |
| 21 | Southern maidenhair fern or Venus hair fern | Adiantum capillus-veneris |
| 22 | Spearmint | Mentha spicata |
The following information is derived from the site of the Hellenic Ornithological Society, data for which we are thankful:
General Mountain Description: A mountainous massif between Athens and the Mesogia plain. Much of the area consists of rocky slopes with phrygana and other scrub. The western area of the site is a Pinus plantation, now regenerating naturally.
Habitats: Coastline/rocky areas (Inland cliffs; Scree and boulders), Forest (Native coniferous woodland), Shrubland (Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis)
Land use: agriculture, not utilised, tourism/recreation, urban/industrial/transport
Protection status:
National: Partial; Internationa:l None
2,000ha of IBA (Important Bird Area) covered by Wildlife Refuge (Dim. Dasos Ymittou, 2,000ha).
Birds: The site is particularly important for species associated with phrygana. Breeding birds include seven of the 21 species in Europe that are restricted (when breeding) to the Mediterranean biome. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Falco naumanni (passage).
Conservation issues: The major threat to the area is the expansion of urban and industrial developments and their associated infrastructure. Fires are also a frequent problem. The area is a candidate SAC (Special Area of Conservation, according to the EU environmental conservation regulations).
Note: This album will be enriched in the weeks to come; please come from time to time to see it growing...
