Litochoro is a mountain village about 20 km south of Katerini, positioned at the foot of Mount Olympus on the eastern side of the massif. The village is the starting point for virtually all ascents of Olympus and the logical base for anyone planning to hike the mountain. The trail up the Enipeas Gorge begins at the edge of the village and is the standard route — a well-marked path through a spectacular river gorge that leads to the Spilios Agapitos refuge at 2,100 metres in about 4–5 hours.
The village itself is pleasant and has developed good tourist infrastructure around its mountain gateway role, with a concentration of tavernas, outdoor gear shops, and accommodation ranging from basic guesthouses to decent hotels. The main square is lively on summer evenings when hikers return and the local population comes out. The coastal plain is visible from the village and on clear mornings the combination of sea horizon and mountain summit visible from the same viewpoint is one of the distinctive images of the Pieria region.