Paragliding

Attica’s Destinations

Once you experience the complete freedom of flying high up in the bright blue sky with the wind blowing through your hair, and enjoy the magical view of the fertile plains, verdant mountain slopes, and enchanting beaches of Attica spreading out beneath your feet, paragliding is bound to become your favourite sport!

You will renew your confidence in yourself and your strength as the open air rushes by, giving you the thrill of a lifetime. Greece is the ideal setting for you to take flight, where the cloudless sky, the dry climate, and the thermals (rising currents of warm air) make it possible for you to paraglide to your heart’s content.

Paragliding first appeared in Greece in 1987-1988. It was very quickly embraced by extreme-sports enthusiasts and was organised as a sport by the Air Clubs throughout Greece. The first Panhellenic Paragliding Championship was held in 1992.

The paraglider (craft) has no rigid frame: it is a soft wing made of strong, lightweight synthetic fabric (ripstop nylon), with the pilot suspended below it in a harness connected by lines. All materials used are suitable for aircraft. The word “parapente” comes from the French “para” (parachute) and “pente” (slope). The pilot steers using the brake lines and by shifting the weight of his body, taking advantage of the thermals, updrafts, and downdrafts, just like birds do. With no shortage of natural sources of lift, paragliders can fly for many hours (up to 10).

The best weather conditions for amateur paragliders are steady headwinds, ranging between 10 and 15 kilometres per hour. Only after a lot of practice can one start looking for greater adventure with some acrobatics in unstable weather conditions!

Before you take to the mountains and prepare to take off with your paraglider, you must first undergo regular training with experienced instructors at established Air Sports Clubs, so that you can safely and effectively pilot your glider.

Some of the paragliding take-off points in Attica are on Kithairon, Anavyssos, and – less frequently – Parnitha.