Global National Parks

National Parks of the World: Tourism, Accommodation, Routes, and Guides

National Parks in Greece

The National Parks of Greece are protected areas within Greek territory, designated to preserve biodiversity and safeguard the country’s heritage.

As of September 2022, according to the World Database on Protected Areas, Greece had a total of 27 national parks, which were divided into 10 forest national parks, 15 terrestrial national parks, and 2 marine national parks. Among these, both the Mount Olympus National Park and the Samaria National Park have been recognized as biosphere reserves by UNESCO. In addition to these national parks, Greece has protected 443 additional areas under the European program Natura 2000.

List of National Parks in Greece

Below is a list of the various national parks in Greece, highlighting their importance in the conservation of the country’s biodiversity and natural heritage.

Mount Olympus National Park

Mount Olympus

Samaria National Park

Samaria

These parks offer a refuge for a variety of species and provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the unique natural beauty of the Greek landscape, from towering mountains like the Mount Olympus National Park to pristine coastlines.

Size of Protected Areas and Creation Date

The table below shows all Greek national parks with the size of the protected area, their geographical location, and the date of creation:

* Notes for park type: FOR: National Forest Park | MAR: National Marine Park | PN: National Park.
No. Type Name Region Unit Date Area (ha) (core) Area (ha) (buffer) Coordinates
01 FOR Mount Olympus National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Ολύμπου) 1938 46.1 40.07019027, 22.42147055
02 FOR Mount Parnassos National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Παρνασσού) Central Greece Fthiotis 1938 3706 38.57056007, 22.53953099
03 FOR Mount Parnitha National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Πάρνηθας) Attica 1961 3950 38.17002823, 23.70745258
04 FOR Mount Ainos National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Αίνου) 1962 2831 38.14957124, 20.67256066
05 FOR Samaria National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Σαμαριάς) Crete 1962 4752 35.31789493, 23.97187998
06 FOR Mount Oeta National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Οίτης) Central Greece Fthiotis 1966 3468 3885 38.83287833, 22.32003927
07 FOR Pindus National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Πίνδου) Epirus Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 1966 3154 3515 39.91557590, 21.17034344
08 FOR Sounion National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Σουνίου) Attica East Attica 1974 622 3480 37.70959872, 24.00802492
09 FOR Vikos–Aoos National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Βίκου – Αώου) Epirus 1973 3238 9595 39.97176589, 20.73126878
10 FOR Prespa National Park (Εθνικός Δρυμός Πρεσπών) 1974 5102 21,061 40.78727285, 21.07915442
11 MAR Alonissos Marine National Park (Εθνικό Θαλάσσιο Πάρκο Αλοννήσου Βορείων Σποράδων) Thessaly 1992 230,140 39.23711726, 24.10607594
12 MAR Zakynthos Marine National Park (Εθνικό Θαλάσσιο Πάρκο Ζακύνθου) Ionian Islands 1999 10,433 3734 37.78333, 20.9
13 PN Schinias-Marathon National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Σχινιά – Μαραθώνα) 2000 1439 38.151111, 24.028333
14 PN Koronia-Volvi-Tempi National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Κορώνειας – Βόλβης και Μακεδονικών Τεμπών) 2004 15,928 192,157 40.684167, 23.464444
15 PN Northern Pindus National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Βόρειας Πίνδου) 2005 146,259 48,387 39.940804, 20.950584
16 PN Messolonghi-Aitoliko Lagoons, Lower Acheloos and Evinos Rivers Estuaries and Echinades Islands National Park (Ε θνικό Πάρκο Λιμνοθαλασσών Μεσολογγίου – Αιτωλικού, κάτω ρου και εκβολών ποταμών Αχελώου και Εύηνου και νήσων Εχινάδων) 2006 36,073 25,622 38.387, 21.358
17 PN Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Δάσους Δαδιάς – Λευκίμμης – Σουφλίου) Evros 2006 43,200 41.13, 26.216944
18 PN Lake Kerkini National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Λίμνης Κερκίνης) 2006 82,415 41.21, 23.13
19 PN Evros Delta National Park (Εθνικό Υγροτοπικό Πάρκο Δέλτα Έβρου) Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Evros 2007 12,896 6191 40.815833, 26.027778
20 PN Ambracian Gulf National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Υγροτόπων Αμβρακικού) 2008 28,763 152,270 39.10, 20.88
21 PN Eastern Macedonia and Thrace National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Ανατολικής Μακεδονίας και Θράκης) Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Kavala, Rhodope 2008 92,947 188 40.963889, 24.971944
22 PN Tzoumerka-Acheloos-Agrafa-Meteora National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Τζουμέρκων Περιστερίου Χαράδρας Αράχθου) 2009 (expanded in 2018) 72,360 9594 39.55, 21.00
23 PN Kotichi-Strofylia National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Υγροτόπων Κoτυχίου – Στροφιλιάς) 2009 15,975 7201 38.00, 21.29
24 PN Rhodopes National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Οροσειράς Ροδόπης) 2009 54,929 120,063 41.376389, 23.128056
25 PN Axios-Loudias-Aliakmonas Delta National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Δέλτα Αξιού – Λουδία – Αλιάκμονα) 2009 33,780 40.633333, 22.85
26 PN Chelmos-Vouraikos National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Χελμού – Βουραϊκού) Achaea 2009 54,400 37.973889, 22.206944
27 PN Greater and Lesser Prespa Lake National Park (Εθνικό Πάρκο Δρυμού Πρεσπών ) 2009 32,403 40.855222, 20.98275

Geographical Location of the National Parks

Map showing the geographical location of national parks in Greece