Blanketed in pine forests, Mount Kythairon creates a natural border between the cities of Megaris, Thebes and Plataea on one side, and Kythairon and Mount Pastra on the other. At 860 metres tall, it offers an excellent view of the islands in the Corinthian Bay, and also overlooks the old National Road, which connects Athens to Thebes.

In antiquity, Athenians fortified its mountain passes with defensive towers, battling any intruders who attempted to take control of these vital routes. Mentioned frequently in local myths, this mountain is believed to be where Oedipus was abandoned as an infant, where Heracles killed the lion before starting his 12 labours, and where the Furies and other mythological figures from the Theban Cycle made their home.