Guide
Greece's national parks
By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026
Mount Olympus, the first
According to NECCA, Mount Olympus became Greece's first national park in 1938, as an area of special ecological importance with rare and diverse flora and fauna. More than 1,700 plant species have been recorded there — 25% of all Greek flora — thanks to its dramatic relief, varied geology, closeness to the sea and many micro-environments.
Sources: NECCA — Mount Olympus; NECCA — Protected Areas in Greece; both read 9 October 2026.
The national parks across Greece
NECCA runs protected areas through regional management units, many of them built around national parks:
- Northern Greece: Evros Delta and Dadia, Nestos–Vistonida and Rhodope, Prespa, Northern Pindos, Olympus
- Central Greece and the islands: Parnassos and Oiti, Sporades, Messolonghi
- The Ionian: Zakynthos and Ainos
- Around Athens: Parnitha and Schinias
- Crete: Samaria
NECCA describes national parks as large natural or semi-natural areas — on land, at sea or both — where large-scale ecological processes take place.
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Check my policyGreece's wider protected areas
Beyond the national parks, Greece's part of the EU's Natura 2000 network includes 446 sites, covering 27% of the country's land and over 19% of its marine territory, according to NECCA.
For residents, that means remarkable nature close to home — Parnitha is on Athens's doorstep, and the Samaria gorge is one of Crete's great walks. For the coast, our guide to Greece's Blue Flag beaches is the next stop.
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