🇬🇷 Hiking in Greece - Stunning trekking routes in the Greek Mainland mountains
When it comes to #hiking , #Greece has something for every kind of walker. The mainland boasts well-maintained #routes that meander around olive groves and run through dramatic #gorges, while on the country’s islands you’ll find ancient kalderimia (cobbled or flagstone paths dating back to 3Byzantine times) connecting sleepy #villages with beautiful sandy coves.
Encompassing routes that are great for both seasoned strollers and rookie ramblers (plus everything in between!), here’s our pick of Greece’s best hiking trails.
#Samaria Gorge, #Crete
16km (10 miles), 4 hours
Hiking the 16km-long Samaria Gorge is considered one of Crete's must-do experiences, which is why you'll rarely be without company. Nevertheless, there’s an undeniable raw beauty to Samaria, where vertical walls soar up to 500m and are just 3.5m apart at the narrowest point (150m at the broadest).
The hike begins at 1230m at Xyloskalo just south of #Omalos and ends in the coastal village of Agia #Roumeli. It’s especially scenic in April and May, when wildflowers brighten the trail.
Mt Ohi summit hike, #Evia
8km (5 miles), 3-4 hours
The summit of Mt Ohi (Profitis Ilias; 1398m), lesser-visited Evia's third-highest peak, is crowned by mysterious ancient drakospita (dragon houses): Stonehenge-like 7th-century-BC dwellings or temples, hewn from rocks weighing several tonnes and joined without mortar. From Myli, it’s an 8km hike to the summit (three to four hours).
It’s possible to stay overnight at the 1000m-high refuge then hike up Mt Ohi to catch sunrise (30 minutes), which makes for a magical experience. Contact South Evia Tours or Evia Adventure Tours for details.
#Delphi to Kirra Walk, Central Greece
14km (9 miles), 3-4 hours
This 14km downhill hike follows a centuries-old pathway from historic, Unesco monument-dotted Delphi to the ancient port of Kirra, just east of modern Itea on the southern coast of mainland Greece.
The trek starts from the E4 long-distance trailhead 100m east of the Hotel Acropole. Skirting the village of Crissa, it meanders to the gulf through Greece’s largest olive grove. After your three-to-four-hour hike, and lunch or a swim, you can return to Delphi by bus (around €2).
#Menalon Trail, #Peloponnese
75km (47 miles), 5-8 days
The well-signposted, 75km Menalon Trail stretches from Stemnitsa to Lagkadia on the Peloponnese peninsula, passing the dramatic scenery of the Lousios Gorge, the western slopes of Mt Menalon, the Mylaon River valley and the Gortynian Mountains. The trail is divided into eight sections of varying difficulty; the Stemnitsa–Dimitsana section is the most popular for a day hike.
Of the villages, #Stemnitsa, #Dimitsana, #Valtesiniko and #Lagkadia all have places to stay and eat, and you can pick up provisions at #Vytina, Nymphasia and Magouliana.
#Santorini: #Imerovigli - #Oia
Enjoy this 8.2-km point-to-point trail near Imerovigli, Santorini. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 37 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are April through October.
Stefanos Crater, #Nisyros
8km (5 miles), 2-3 hours
Little Nisyros has become a major destination for hikers, with the island’s caldera (a crater formed by a collapsed volcano) a particular draw. You can walk to the heart of Stefanos Crater in around two and a half hours from #Mandraki, either by hiking directly up the switchback footpath that crosses the rim beyond Evangelistrias monastery, or following the longer track that circles around to its shallower southern side.
A visit to the lunar-like landscape of the caldera is like stepping into a science fiction movie; but aim to get here by 11am to avoid the busloads of day troopers that arrive from nearby #Kos.
Hike to the Tomb of Kleobolus, #Rhodes
5km (3 miles), 2 hours
An easy, enjoyable 5km (two-hour) round-trip hike escapes Lindos to reach the so-called Tomb of Kleobolus, at the tip of the bare, flat-topped promontory to the north. Starting alongside Car Park 1 above the main beach, the trail ends at a rocky hillock topped by a circular tomb actually built during the 2nd century BC, long after Kleobolus ruled Rhodes.