5 fabulous hiking trails to trek in Greece
More than 50,000 foreign hikers, coming from France, Germany, UK, Netherlands and Scandinavian countries, have walked on Greece’s famous footpaths. Rediscovering the destination through the mapped and signposted paths is a wonderful way to tour the lands. The growing popularity of trails is not only due to the Instagrammable breathtaking views that everyone wants to capture but because of the pure and natural off-the-beaten-track hidden sceneries that people seek to rediscover.
Kythira Island
The Kythira Hiking M41 trail is an easy 2-hour trek starting from Mylopotamos. Unquestionably the route is an adventure back through time, when water powered mills. Accompanied by the sounds of nature, birds chirping and running water from sky-blue waterfalls, along this trail you will also pass by numerous old stone-built watermills. The restored Filippi watermill is definitely a stopping point, as you should grasp the opportunity to dive in the cool clear waters. The Kythira path is an all-year-round excursion, but the river is at its best in the springtime.
Sifnos Island
The Sifnos Trail #6 is a moderate 7-hour trek starting from the main town, Apollonia Village. During this 15-kilometer hike, you will enter the island’s Natura 2000 protected terrain that goes around the mountainous area of Profitis Ilias. Once you reach the Virgin Mary of the Waters, make sure that you visit the cells as they are open to the public and splash into the beautiful clean waters of the beach with the same name. It is best to visit the Sifnos path in spring as the countryside is overflowing with pigments.
Kefalonia Island
The Battery Trail in Kefalonia is an easy 3 and a half hour hike starting from the beautiful village of Fiskardo. You will start from a seafront village but in just a few moments you will find yourself walking along impressive Venetian-built cobblestone paths and you could take in the glory of the area around you. Also, this 10-kilometer hike will allow you to pass through the abandoned settlements just before you stubble upon the German military base “Bataria”. The brilliant grove of strawberry trees lead to mesmerizing beaches such as Kimilia beach. Also, don’t forget to walk around Psilithrias village! It is best to visit the Kefalonia path in the summer time as you are well protected from the heat thanks to the thick shade provided by the greenery.
Messinia, Peloponnese
The Apollo Trail #1 in the mountainous region of Messinia is an easy-moderate 3 and a half hour hike starting from Neda Village. For you to reach the villages of Abeliona and Kliros where the acclaimed Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Vasses is, you will need to pass through the gorgeous nature such as chestnut trees, oaks, mountain peaks and gorges. This truly unknown trail will sway you away with its beauty. Make sure to pay a visit to the Temple of Apollo Epicurious that was built in the 5thcentury by the architect Ictinus. It is best to walk this path during the spring and fall months.
Prespa Lake, Macedonia
The Agios Georgios – Mt. Devas trail is an easy-moderate 4 and a half hour hike starting from the Church of Agios Georgios near Psarades village. The picturesque views of the lake are visible from the very beginning of the trail. Your view will become quite different after a while and during these 11 kilometers, you will notice the ruins of the fortifications built by the leftist forces during the Greek Civil War. Once you climb to the top of Mt. Devas you will be surrounded by infinite flowers and with the unobstructed views, you will not want to come down. The best seasons to go on this hike would be in the fall and spring.
Maria Nikolakaki is Managing Partner at Beyond Spaces Villas.
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If these 5 great trails give you a taste for hiking in Greece then you could always move onto the Pindos Mountains. They are known as the spine of Greece and run around 100 miles through the heart of Greece down to the Albanian border.
The Vikos Gorge is Greece’s Grand Canyon although on a much smaller scale. There are also plenty of caves to explore.
I love that the trail in Kefalonia is described as ‘easy’ when I think of a 3 and a half hour walk as being quite a challenge sometimes! Getting off the beaten track a little can be such a more rewarding experience, it’s like discovering places that are more exclusive and more rugged around the edges rather than an off the shelf kind of experience. I must admit I don’t think of hiking when I think of Greece, so it’s good to know there’s lots of trails to explore for most general fitness levels no matter your hiking ability and experience.
Everything’s relative. I don’t usually join the concept of a 7 hour trek with the word “moderate”. Now that I’m officially a senior citizen with a bus pass I won’t be doing that one.
More and more I see that advice “You don’t stop because you are old, you get old because you stop,” so I am pleased that I saw this article. Even at my advanced age I ought to be able to complete a 2 or 3 hour hike.
A trekking vacation is one of my favourite. The beautiful landscape and the thrill are unmatchable. Thank you for sharing these amazing trek trails with us.
Good to have some new ideas on treks. Some of Europe’s great walks like Spain’s Camino route and England’s Pennine Way are getting very busy. I’d rather find some peace and quiet on less we’ll known routes. Personally I don’t see the need for a great foot slog for days on end. I’d prefer to tour round Greece just doing 2 or 3 of these and giving my feet a chance to recover.
A long time ago, we did some hiking in Greece before we were married. Now that the kids have flown the nest we’re thinking about returning.
We’ll be hiking less miles a day than we used to and staying in more comfortable accommodation.
Some nice ideas here for our comeback. But don’t worry, this’ll be one for the autumn when the temperature’s a lot cooler than 40 centigrade.