Greece walking vacations

How tough are the tours?

This very much depends on the itinerary you choose, though, with a few exceptions, walking vacations in Greece are more about gentle discovery than tough trekking. On walking vacations in the Cyclades, for example, you may walk up to 10km a day, but this will be at a relaxed pace with few steep ascents, and with plenty of time to stop for a swim or to visit a local winery. In many cases, walks are optional, so you’re free to spend the day at the beach or reading in a cafe if you fancy a break from walking.

You could also opt for a more adventurous trip – a week tackling the slopes of Mount Olympus, perhaps, or hiking Vikos-Aoos National Park, in northern Greece, walking up to eight hours a day and with some nights spent in simple mountain refuges.

Walking vacations tend to be a week long, but four-day trips, focusing on a single island such as Santorini, are a great short break option, and longer, 10 day to two-week trips, taking in several islands, are also available. In terms of kit, you’ll need walking shoes and perhaps poles, if your vacation includes walks on steep or rocky routes. Bring layers, for peeling off or putting on, as whatever the time of year, you could still experience daytime heat and evening chills.

Best time to go walking in Greece

Although tailor made walking vacations can take place throughout the year, small group tours are usually organised from April to June and September to October as temperatures are much more comfortable outside of the crushing July and August heat. Spring is a wonderful time for a walking vacation in Greece. The countryside is lush and green from the winter rains, the hills are thick with wildflowers, and it’s a great time to meet local people, before the start of the typical tourist season. Autumn is also lovely, with warm seas but milder temperatures after the heat of summer, and golden leaves on forested slopes.