Kalymnos Climbing Festival returns from 16-19 October 2025

Kalymnos, one of the world's top climbing destinations, is preparing to host the Kalymnos International Climbing Festival from October 16 to 19, 2025. Organised by the Municipality of Kalymnos, the event is being held again after the last edition in 2019, and aims to bring the island back into the global spotlight by highlighting not only the amazing limestone climbs, but also everything else the small Aegean island has to offer: natural beauty, authentic gastronomy, unique hospitality and a rich cultural identity.

From a climbing perspective, Kalymnos was first "discovered" in 1996 when Italy's Andrea Di Bari visited the island with his wife for some snorkling around Pothia. On their last day, he hired a scooter to explore the rest of the island and stumbled across the huge sheets of unclimbed rocks. He immediately realised the vast potential and returned 12 months later with a group of friends; armed with 600 bolts, they established the first 43 sport climbs, in the sectors Arhi, Odyssey and Poets. Articles written by photographer Andrea Gallo soon appeared in the climbing magazines Alp and Rotpunkt. The rest is history. The most recent climbing guidebook, authored by local experts Katie Roussos and Aris Theodoropoulos, features over 4000 climbs.

According to data from previous years, the average number of registered participants in Kalymnos climbing festivals reaches 500, while during the peak period in October, the island attracts more than 2,000 climbers. The majority come from European countries (England, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain), while participants are also recorded from the USA, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Turkey, and many other countries.

In his welcoming message the Mayor of Kalymnos, Ioannis St. Mastrokoukos, noted the following: "It is with great pleasure and pride that the Municipality of Kalymnos welcomes you to the Kalymnos World Climbing Festival, which will take place from October 16 to 19. The Climbing Festival is making a strong international comeback, after a period where events were limited to a local level. This is an important moment for us, and we hope that it will regain its rightful prestige, highlighting Kalymnos as a leading global climbing destination.

The Municipality of Kalymnos is committed to supporting and developing climbing at all levels, so that it becomes an integral part of the identity and culture of our island. We are particularly proud that the unique rocks of Kalymnos host athletes, climbing enthusiasts, and visitors from all over the world in a celebration of sport.

We invite you to experience Kalymnos, enjoy its rocks and routes, and get to know the hospitality, traditions, and culture of our island. I wish everyone a pleasant stay and unforgettable moments at our festival."

For her part Kalliopi Dilaveraki, the president of the EOOA, stated "The Kalymnos World Climbing Festival is a premier event that allows our island to once again position itself at the center of the global climbing community. Kalymnos is already internationally renowned for its unique rocks and routes, which attract thousands of athletes and climbing enthusiasts from all over the world. With the cooperation of all partners, we aspire for this festival to further strengthen Greece's position on the world climbing map, while highlighting the value of sports tourism for local development.

In addition to the competition, the festival is also a unique cultural gathering. Athletes of different nationalities, ages, and levels will gather on the trails and rocks of Kalymnos, creating a vibrant community that brings together people from all over the world who share a passion for climbing. The island thus becomes not only a field of sport but also a bridge for communication, exchange of experiences and acquaintances, confirming the power of sports tourism to build bonds and promote local identity internationally."

Program 2025
Wednesday, 15 October
08:00 – 17:00 | Opening of Registrations at hotel Elena Village (Festival’s Base Camp)

Thursday, 16 October
08:00 – 17:00 | Registrations at Elena Village hotel
09:00 | Mountain walk. Sponsored by Kalymnos Experience
20:00 | Opening ceremony (Elena Village Hotel)
20:30 | Audiovisual presentation by a distinguished climber (Elena Village Hotel)
21:00 | Welcome Party with DJ (Elena Village Hotel)

Friday 17 October
08:00 – 17:00 | Registrations at Elena Village hotel
08:00 – 17:00 | Open Climbing Rally
10:00 | Botanical Herbal walk on Telendos island: All about herbs. Sponsored by Vitae Value www.kalymnosherbs.com
13:00 | Visit to the Archaeological, Maritime, and Folklore Museum
15:00 | Local traditional dancing workshop (Elena Village hotel)
20:00 | Audiovisual presentation by a distinguished climber (Elena Village hotel)
21:00 | Party with DJ (Elena Village hotel)

Saturday, 18 October
08:00 – 17:00 | Registrations at Elena Village hotel
10:00 | Introduction to sport rock climbing on natural rock. Sponsored by Kalymnos Experience
11:00 | Sport rock climbing training seminar (Elena Village hotel)
13:00 | Local gastronomy workshop (Analia Hotel)
20:00 | Film screening : "Stronger than ever" by Marcim Jankowski (Elena Village hotel)

Sunday, 19 October
10:00 | Departure from Pothia (main harbor) for a full-day boat trip including: Diving demonstration with Hard-hat diving suit (Skaphandro) at the harbor of Rina (Vathy), Deep Water Solo on natural rock, swimming at Pserimos beach
20:00 | Rope trials (Elena Village hotel)
20:30 | Closing & Awards Ceremony (Elena Village hotel)
21:00 | Demonstration of traditional local dances (Elena Village hotel)
21:30 | Fare well party with live rock music with J. Magkakis (Elena Village hotel)

For more information, check out www.facebook.com/Kalymnosclimbingfestival