The best hikes in Greece

With steep cliffs, lush vegetation, a meandering creek, abandoned villages, and ancient Byzantine relics, Crete's Samaria Gorge is easily one of the best hikes in Greece. The gorge, which is located inside a national park of the same name in the White Mountains of western Crete, is one of the longest and most spectacular in all of Europe.


The roughly 10-mile route makes for a great day hike, starting at the top of the gorge, descending on a switchback trail down into the canyon and along the bottom of the Samaria Gorge to its end on the coast at the charming village of Agia Roumeli. Offering moderate difficulty, a good level of physical fitness is required to undertake this memorable six- to eight-hour hike.

Listed alongside the Grand Canyon as one of the deepest canyons in the world, the Vikos Gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northwestern Greece makes for spectacular mountain hiking. Located within Vikos National Park, there are various hiking trails to choose from here. But one of the most popular starts from the highest point on the rim, from where there are breathtaking views of the gorge and rocky cliff walls, and descends down to the gorge floor where the Voidomatis River flows.


Hikers can also follow the famous Vradeto Steps, carved into the limestone hundreds of years ago, to observation points along the gorge's rim, like the Beloi viewpoint for panoramic vistas. With some steep inclines and sharp descents, the hikes here typicallly take a few hours and are of moderate difficulty. 

Comprised of eight sections covering some 47 miles of the Arcadia region in the central Peloponnese in southern Greece, this well-marked trail can be completed in roughly a week, or section by section as day trips. Passing through forests, gorges, villages, and mountainous valleys, a highlight of this hike is a visit to the cliffside Prodromou Monastery.

Ascend to the realm of the Greek gods on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. A six-hour drive from Athens, Mount Olympus actually has 52 different summits. The highest of these peaks is Mytikas at 2,918 meters.


Experienced hikers can climb to the highest point in a day but will need the assistance of a local guide from the nearby town of Litochoro. However, there are plenty of easier hikes and trails around the mountain’s slopes, where you can still appreciate its incredibly rich biodiversity and historical significance. Hiking Mount Olympus is a classic Greek experience that blends outdoor exploration with immersion in the nation’s culture.

 

Follow in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks on the historic Seven Villages walking trail around Naxos. The seven-mile-long route passes along marbled pathways through lush countryside, olive groves and vineyards, connecting charming villages including Kourounochori, Mili, and Melanes. This day hike is best done at a leisurely pace so you can admire the sweeping views, explore each of the villages, and sit in a taverna to enjoy a tasty lunch of the local cuisine.