Walking in Greece

It’s lovely to stroll around in the mountain woods, along rivers and streams, with gorgeous waterfalls. You come across rich flora and fauna, both mediterranean and alpine. Did you know that in the north of Greece we still have bears, wolves and chamois?

The roads and paths are quiet, at most you’ll meet shepherds or people who are picking wild herbs or greens. The people are warm-hearted, hospitable and interested. They’ll always greet you and ask where you came from and where you’re going to, and if they can, they’ll help you. Only keep in mind that if you ask for directions, almost everyone will send you to the major roads! "Those are easier to walk and maybe you’ll find a ride", is the idea behind this.

‘Walking for fun’ is still a strange concept for most Greek. You walk, because you can’t afford a donkey; you ride a donkey, because you can’t afford a car! On the other hand there are thriving societies for mountaineers and hikers in most cities. So especially on a Sunday you can meet a large group, although this rarely happened to me in the more then 30 years that I roam Greece by foot.

On foot you come across locale culture, like “kalderimia” (paved mule paths), watermills, “nerotrivia” (natural washing machines) and classical arched bridges, on places which are inaccessible by car. In the evening you’re rewarded with great small-scale accommodations. Here you find wonderful authentic food, often from their own garden, a local wine or drink and a warm welcome.

Greece has a lot of regions to discover safely, and we love to help you with a tailor-made hiking tour.

If you prefer to organize your own trips, or if you go to areas where we don’t offer hikes, we share our tips with you. We mention local organisations known to us. We do not pretend to know everything, so we invite everyone to send in additions.