Kalymnos is a sport climber’s wonderland that didn’t see development until the late 1990s. Here, Wes Miraglio tackles Dolonas.

Greece

KALYMNOS

RECOMMENDED BY Katie Roussos

Many climbers who’ve made the trek to Kalymnos will tell you that it delivers “the whole package.” Katie Roussos tends to agree.

“It begins with the quality of the rock,” she shared. “It’s all limestone, extremely solid, with very little loose rock. I’d say that the terrain falls into three categories—extremely overhanging rock, with blobs, tufas, and stalactites; slightly overhanging or vertical rock, with pockets and smaller tufa features; and gray slabs, sculpted by the rain, with little knobs. Kalymnos is all sport climbing, and I think it’s been developed very sensibly. The bolting of routes has been done in a structured manner according to guidelines, and the bolts are close to each other and very stable. You never have to walk very far to find a crag—the average is a ten- to fifteen-minute walk. And the crags—more than eighty now, with almost four thousand routes—are all near each other, and seldom more than ten or twenty minutes’ drive from the villages where most climbers stay. Once you get there, most crags have a variety of routes that are well suited to a broad range of climbing skills. Finally, you have all this unfolding on a Greek island. Most of the climbs have ocean views and, since they’re primarily on the west side of the island, sunset views as well.”

Kalymnos is one of the Dodecanese Islands, situated roughly 250 miles southeast of Athens in the Aegean Sea. Due to its dry, steep terrain, few plants will grow, so residents have long looked to the sea for their livelihood—diving for sponges has been a big part of the local economy for generations.

Climbing on Kalymnos is a relatively recent phenomenon, beginning for all intents and purposes with the efforts of an Italian climber named Andrea di Bari, who in 1997 put up forty-three routes with some friends in the sectors now known as Arhi, Odyssey, and Poets. When features ran in ALP and Rotpunkt magazines a few years later, the word was out. Recognizing the potential for climbing to bring visitors to the island, Katie’s husband, Aris Theodoropoulos, reached out to civic leaders to help develop a climbing infrastructure—including new routes, a multilingual website, and a climbing festival that attracts individuals from thirteen countries. One quirky characteristic of the routes on Kalymnos is that some are named for local citizens and businesses that have no direct connection to climbing. “Kalymnos isn’t your typical Greek island with sand beaches and whitewashed houses,” Katie explained. “We didn’t have much tourism until the sport climbers began arriving. Local businesses have been very supportive of efforts to expand our climbing options. I wouldn’t say that businesses have been paying the climbers who bolt the routes to use their name. Instead, the naming is more a sign of gratitude and respect for their support.”

There are many trips’ worth of climbs at Kalymnos. Most are single pitch, though longer ascents (up to eleven pitches) are present. Many are in the shade much of the day, making Kalymnos’s heat bearable for a good part of the year. Those willing to hike a bit farther have ample opportunities to find first ascents. One new favorite crag for Katie is Arginonta Valley. “It’s in a small, narrow valley that leads right out to a beach,” she described. “It’s in the shade almost all day. There are sixty routes in there, some vertical, some overhanging. To me, it’s very similar to climbing in a gym, except with beautiful natural surroundings. It combines some of the best Kalymnos has to offer—and you can swim right afterward!”

How should one plan a Kalymnos adventure? “I’d stay on the northwest coast of the island—the villages of Armeos, Masouri, and Myrties are favored by climbers,” Katie shared. “There are options for all budgets, though nothing is too expensive. There’s no camping allowed, so you will need to get a place to stay. Greeks don’t generally eat breakfast, but the innkeepers and café owners have adapted to visitors. You’ll find eggs and tomatoes and yogurt and honey. It’s nice to get to the crags by 8:30 or 9:00 at the latest. That should give you five or six hours in the shade. You should be happily exhausted by then, and it’s time for a light lunch somewhere in the village. (I’d save your appetite for dinner.) Then I’d head to the beach. Our beaches are rocky, not sandy, but still very beautiful. Scuba diving and snorkeling are options. You can also take a boat across to the island of Telendos, for a coffee or beer. Of course, you can also find more crags to climb.

“Dinner is the big meal here, and if you go to one of the villages between 7:00 and 8:30, you’ll find it full of other climbers—maybe some you saw at the crags! There are many good restaurants, again, all reasonably priced. If you like seafood, you’ll want to try a fresh tuna steak, stewed octopus, or grilled calamari stuffed with feta cheese and spices. Stewed goat is another trademark dish. You’ll see goats everywhere you go around the island. Goat’s a little gamey and not for everyone, but it’s a staple for the local people.”

KATIE ROUSSOS is co-author of the 2019 edition of the Kalymnos Climbing Guidebook. Raised between the United States and Greece, she discovered climbing in her mid-thirties and it changed her life. Alongside partner Aris Theodoropoulos—a Greek mountain guide, climbing instructor, and guidebook author—Katie helps develop new sport-climbing venues in Greece, and as a result, she has climbed all over the country. She also designs and co-authors the Kalymnos and Greece climbing guidebooks with Aris, creates content for their websites ClimbKalymnos.com and ClimbGreece.com, copyedits cookbooks, and narrates virtual museum guides. Katie and Aris divide their time between Athens and their home in the shadow of the cliffs in Armeos, Kalymnos.

If You Go

▶ Getting There: Once you reach Athens, there are a number of ways to reach Kalymnos, involving planes, ferries, or both. Direct flights are available on Sky Express (www.skyexpress.gr).

▶ Best Time to Visit: The season is from late March to late November, with the months on either end providing the best conditions.

▶ Level of Difficulty: With so many routes, there’s something for everyone at Kalymnos—with an especially generous quantity of intermediate routes.

▶ Guides: Aris Theodoropoulos at Climb Kalymnos (www.climbkalymnos.com) is one of Greece’s foremost climbing guides. Kalymnos Climbing Guidebook (co-written by Theodoropoulos and Katie Roussos) is the definitive climbing resource.

▶ Accommodations: Discover Greece (www.discovergreece.com) lists some options in Kalymnos. Many private home rentals are available. Note that no camping is permitted.