Rapentosa Public Forest (Stamatas)

Between Stamata and Dionysos lies the public forest of Rapentosa, an oasis of green that is a few kilometers from the city center. It is easy to navigate in the dirt roads and relax under the plane trees near the Rapentosa's waterfall. The waterfall of the Rapentosa stream is located north of the large Dionysos Marble quarry. The stream of Rapentosa that feeds it starts from an abandoned marble quarry, high on the northern slope of Penteli to end up at the Rapentosa dam, where its flow is interrupted. The streams of Vathia Chouni and Dardiza also end there. The wider area of Rapentosa was generally forested, covered with a large pine forest, which unfortenatelu burned in the great fire that started from Grammatiko and reached Penteli, in August 2009. However, the ravine in which the waterfall is located, due to the kind of trees that grow there (sycamores, poplars, etc.), it resisted the fire and now looks like an oasis in the desert. That is why as natural landscape, it is a many times worth visiting for someone who loves nature and wants to spend a Sunday morning away from the city. An area of 2611 hectares has been protected since 1976, as a wildlife sanctuary for the protection, development and reproduction of animal wealth. The forest has several hiking trails either through the valley of Dardiza, from Rapentosa or through Stamata. There are also possibilities for other hiking routes of longer duration. One of them is the descent of the Dardiza stream to the dam and from this point the ascent of the Rapentosa stream against the flow of water. Another of particular interest, is the ascent of the stream of Rapentosa from the Monastery of Saint George Vranas in Marathon to the waterfall, passing (about 3.5 km) and from there returning to Marathon or continuing the climb up to Rapentosa (having done a total 8.2 km of uphill hiking).