Hiking The Greek Islands, Greece

The Trip

Named, perhaps, for the circle they form around the sacred island of Delos, the Cyclades are islands of enchanting and magical beauty. Surrounded by the deep-blue waters of the Aegean Sea, they are the birthplace of the Cycladic civilization present in 3000-1000 BCE. They are best known for their white-washed villages, labyrinths of narrow cobbled streets, tiny countless churches, and deserted windmills. Ancient hiking paths are found connecting historic sites and remote villages. Compared to other Greek islands, they are less visited and retain their own character and traditional customs.

Tinos is the first island that we will visit -- locally called the island of Megalohari (the Virgin Mary). Pilgrims, begging for forgiveness of Megalohari, make a pilgrimage by climbing up the hill to the cathedral on their hands and knees. Unique, ancient dovecots are found all through the countryside as are marble bell towers, fountains and statues. From here, we take the ferry to Naxos, the largest and most fertile island, full of Aegean temples, Venetian fortified towers, vineyards and olive groves. It has been inhabited for over 5,000 years, invaded several times and boasts the highest mountain in the Cyclades, Mt. Zas. Amorgos with its golden beaches and crystal clear waters, is our final island destination. Its spectacular scenery, breathtaking cliffs, and cobbled mule paths make it a wonderful hiking destination. This is also the location of the Byzantine Monastery of Chozoviotissa built in 1088 and precipitously perched in a cliff face overlooking the Aegean Sea.

We will travel inter-island by large ferry boats or smaller faster boats, depending on the island. Our hotels are locally owned and we will be made very welcome by these wonderful, friendly people. At the end of the trip, we will return to the bustle of Athens and spend our last full day together exploring the ancient areas of the city, including the Acropolis and Parthenon.

While the following is the intended itinerary, all hikes and programs are subject to change, pending trail conditions, weather and sea conditions, ferry schedules and other factors beyond our control.

Day 1: Arrive at hotel in Athens. We will meet late afternoon at our hotel for an orientation meeting after which we take a short walk to a nearby tavern for our first meal together, our welcome dinner.

Day 2: After an early morning breakfast and transfer to the port of Piraeus, we catch our ferry, arriving at the island of Tinos by midday. After transferring to our hotel in the main town of Chora, we will enjoy a delicious lunch, then meet our guide and the bus for our first hike--from Tarambados back to Chora. We will see many of the ancient dovecots, windmills, and panoramic views of the island on our two-hour hike (4 miles), which is mostly downhill to the town. From here, we will transfer back to our hotel, our base for three nights and may have some free time to explore, grab a beverage or ice cream before meeting again for dinner.

Day 3: After breakfast we start our day with a visit to the Panayia Evanyelistria Cathedral (Megalohari), after which we take a short bus ride along the spine of the island to the beautiful village of Pyros where we will visit the marble museum. We then hike past old windmills down to the beach at Panormos Bay. After lunch and an optional but refreshing swim, we hike up a steep ridge to the small village of Platia ending at an abandoned historic nunnery that was built in 1740. (6 miles, +1,000 feet)

Day 4: We have a busy day today! Starting at the village of Tripotamos, we walk to the castle of Aghia Eleni, surrounded by the ruins of an ancient town. Then we continue on to Koumaros Village and Volax, known for its basket weavers and granite rock formations, reminders of a volcanic eruption that took place some thousands of years ago. After lunch, we walk to Agapi, the oldest village on the island built on a mountain slope. Our final destination is the beautiful village of Komi, built on the river "Lazarou Perastras." (7 miles)

Day 5: After breakfast, we transfer to the harbor and take the ferry to Naxos arriving by midday. We spend the next three and a half days enjoying this fertile island. After lunch, we will spend the afternoon exploring the main town. The high-walled Kastro (fort) has one of the original Venetian towers and Venetian mansions. The old district has steep twisting lanes that suddenly open to the sea and sky. The hotel where we stay for three nights is a two minute walk from the Blue Flag awarded sandy beach of Agios Georgios (St. George Beach).

Day 6: Today, we climb Mt. Zas, the highest point in the Cyclades at 3,100 feet. After breakfast, the bus will take us up the mountain to our trailhead. The hike is only about five miles round-trip, but we climb about 1,800 feet to the summit. From there, we can see all over the island. Dinner tonight is on your own to give you more time to enjoy Naxos town.

Day 7: Our bus takes us to Mili to see reclining marble statues dating from 500-600 BCE, after which we hike to Apano Kastro, an ancient fort on an imposing rock. We continue on to the 7th-century church, Panaghia Drossiani, ending our walk in the village of Moni. Our bus will meet us there, and we return to our hotel for our last night on Naxos. Today's total hiking distance is about six miles.

Day 8: Today we have a free morning to relax or go exploring. Later, after lunch, we take the ferry to Amorgos arriving in time for dinner. Amorgos will be our home for the next four nights.

Day 9: After breakfast, we drive to Langada village, to start our hike on an old stone path to Panaghia Panohoriani and Agios Theologos monastery, built in the 8th century. From here we have stunning views of the coast and the massif of Kroikelos. We continue our hike along the cliffs to Langada. (6 miles, +1,100 feet) Dinner tonight is on your own.

Day 10:  This morning we take a ten minute drive to Langada where we start our hike, climbing 1,100 feet in about a mile, up a rocky ridge to old windmills with stunning ridge top views of sea and sky. After enjoying the vista, we continue hiking to Tholaria and then down to Levroso and on to our hotel by the sea. We will have lunch in a village along the way. (7 miles)

Day 11: We start today with a 15-minute drive to Potamos, where we have a steep walk uphill to the famous Byzantine Chozoviotissa monastery (11th century) that's built on a cliff overlooking the sea. This monastery is treasured by the islanders as part of their cultural and historic heritage. From here, we walk a rocky and exposed trail to Chora, the medieval capital of Amorgos. After enjoying the town, we will transfer back to the hotel. (7 miles)

Day 12: A very early morning begins our day, as we take a ferry back to the mainland, arriving in the port of Piraeus mid-afternoon. After a short drive to our hotel in Athens we have the rest of the day and dinner on our own to sample the delights of this ancient city.

Day 13: Today we will enjoy a walking tour of the famous Acropolis, with special attention to the Parthenon. We will also visit the Acropolis museum, after which we will have some free time. In the evening, we will have our farewell dinner and say goodbye to our new friends and beautiful Greece.

Day 14: The trip ends after breakfast although you may want to plan an extra day or two to further enjoy Athens or explore mainland Greece on your own.

Getting There

Our trip begins at our hotel in Athens on day 1 and ends at our hotel in Athens after breakfast on day 14. We strongly suggest that you arrive a day or two early to overcome the effects of jet lag or lost or delayed luggage. We will meet for our trip orientation at our hotel in Athens late afternoon on day 1. There are no visa or immunization requirements for entering Greece. The country is part of the European Union and the currency is the Euro. More detailed information will be sent to registered participants. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will stay in several three-star hotels that are locally owned. Rooms are double-occupancy and equipped with a shower and bathroom. A roommate will be provided for solo travelers. Participants who prefer to have a single room and are willing to pay the difference should contact the leader well in advance to check for availability as single rooms are limited. Single room allocation, if necessary, will first be used for any forced single. A forced single means that in the event our group has an odd number of men or women registered for the trip, a single room is first allocated to that person.

All breakfasts and lunches, and most dinners, are included in the cost of the trip. The first meal included in the cost of the trip will be dinner on day 1 and the last meal included will be breakfast on day 14. We eat dinner in our hotels and small, locally owned open-air restaurants that are full of Aegean charm.

Greek food is simple and delicious. Dishes are often shared between several people. You will experience a true "Greek salad" that has a slab of fresh feta cheese, made from the milk of the goats that are running around all over the islands. It is possible to accommodate vegetarians on this trip with prior notice and discussion with the leader however vegan diets cannot be accommodated.

Trip Difficulty

The trip is designed for fit experienced hikers who enjoy culture, history, and nature. Greece is a mountainous country, and many of our trails are steep and rocky, with little shade. We will not be at high altitudes, but we will do some significant climbing as we traverse from sea level to mountaintops and back down again. We will have some very early mornings to get the ferries, and may experience some frustrating delays as ferry schedules can change without notice. We will have to load and unload our own luggage on the ferries, sometimes lifting it onto elevated racks, and carry or wheel it over uneven pavement to our hotels and to our rooms. As with all international travel, participants need to be open-minded and flexible, plus have a spirit of exploration and adventure! This is the end of the Greek summer with daytime temperatures likely to be in the 70s and surprisingly cooler at night. We can also expect some wind and rain.

Equipment and Clothing

An equipment list will be sent to registered participants by the leader at a later date.

References

Books:

The Classics

• Heroditus, The Histories.
• Homer, The Iliad and The Odyssey.
• Ovid, The Metamorphoses.
• Beard, Mary and John Henderson, The Classics.

Fiction

• Bernieres, Louis, Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
• Fowles, John, The Magus.
• Sotiriou, Didi, Farewell Anatolia.
• Galanaki, Rhea, Eleni or Nobody.

Maps:

• A hiking map of each island will be provided to each participant.

Don't forget to watch the movie Zorba the Greek!

Conservation

Greece has been continuously inhabited for at least 8,000 years, which has resulted in intense cultivation in the limited arable land and depletion of finite resources. Continued expansion of villages, factories, and quarries affects wildlife habitat, flora and fauna alike. In addition, Greeks are traditionally hunters, fishers, and woodcutters, and tradition is hard to change; a conservation ethic was not introduced until after the Second World War. Some areas are well protected and tourism has helped to enforce the need for this, but many areas are not and the effect on the landscape is very obvious.

Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers, aided by a salaried staff, encouraging grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward environmentally understanding parallel concerns at home and abroad.