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Greece walking vacations

Greece walking vacations take you along mountain trails and coastal paths with plenty of ancient sites and natural wonders to keep an eye out for along the way. Whether you’re joining a small group or taking it tailor made, you’ll find plenty of epic excitement in this land of myth and legend. Read on to discover more.

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Greece Walking Vacations

Just a whisker away from the country's famous beach resorts is a totally different world; and a walking vacation will help you unearth it. It’s a world where you can follow kalderimia (cobbled paths from the time of the Byzantines) through forested hills and amble along little-known coastal trails, visiting traditional villages and hidden archeological sites, stopping to dip your toes in the bright blue sea or to grab a glass of retsina at a local taverna.

Greece’s terrain is rich and varied and you'll discover a wide choice of walking routes to suit all abilities, with areas away from the most popular routes offering equal bounty in terms of heart-pumping exercise and cultural diversity. From cliff-top monasteries and the legendary Mount Olympus in the north to olive groves, gorges and beaches on the islands, walking vacations in Greece are full of adventure.

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Where to walk in Greece

Many of our walking vacations in Greece, both small group and self guided, include island hopping, with public ferries, sailing boats or small ships taking passengers to islands both on and off the radar. Here, you can spend days hitting coastal and mountain trails, stopping for picnics or in traditional tavernas and hearing tales of myths and legends that give Greece much of its magic. Hop between the Cyclades Islands, which include Paros, Naxos and Santorini, or head to the Ionian Islands to explore Kefalonia, Lefkada and Ithaka, on foot.

You could also focus on getting to know one island in depth. Keen hikers should make for Crete, with a walking pole and sturdy boots on hand to tackle the fantastic walking trails in the White Mountains or the Samaria Gorge. Or head to the large island of Evia to the east of the mainland, an undiscovered gem that’s home to sleepy villages and rugged mountain trails.

Mainland Greece has plenty of natural and historical treasures to discover on two feet, too. The Zagori region offers the chance to immerse yourself in the caves, gorges and forested canyons of Vikos-Aoos National Park; the Pelion region reveals cobbled paths and trails in the foothills of a spectacular mountain; magnificent Mount Olympus is the place for hardcore hiking with nights spent in mountain huts; and in southern Greece small group tours discover the archaeological treasures of Athens and Delphi.

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.

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If you'd like to chat about Greece or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

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Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

What style are the tours

The majority of walking vacations in Greece are run as small group breaks, with a maximum of 16 people, and combine walking with cultural, culinary and water-bound exploration. Small groups are suited for walkers who like to make friends along the trail and you’ll have the added bonus of local knowledge from expert guides to help transform seemingly meaningless rocky ruins into fantastical folklore.

You can also opt for a tailor made trip, allowing you greater flexibility with your itinerary. You could either travel with your own personal guide, or travel under your own steam on a self guided option. If you do the latter, you’ll follow a well designed itinerary and will be provided with local support and an information package, giving you all the necessary info on walking routes as well as on cultural, archaeological and natural sites of interest. Self guided walking vacations can also be run on a fly drive basis.

Combined walking and sailing vacations are hugely popular, too. These small group trips take you to discover walking trails both on and off the beaten path, with small ships and yachts allowing you to access far flung and even uninhabited islands that larger ships and ferries can’t reach, so you can discover deserted villages, empty beaches and hidden trails.

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.

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More about Greece

Best time to visit Greece

Check out our temperature & rainfall chart which features Crete and Athens alongside a month by month guide to help you discover the best time to visit Greece. Particularly useful if you’re interested in festival & events will be our recommendations on what happens when in Greece.

Greece travel guide

Our Greece travel guide is as smooth as olive oil, as appealing as a deserted Cycadean island in May, and, dare we say it, as interesting as a tour around the classical sites of the Peloponnese.

Greece Map & highlights

Learn where to go and make the most of your time as you pore over our Greece map & itineraries which will take you from Thessaloniki & Mt Olympus in the north to the Peloponnese, the Cyclades and Crete, further south.

Traveling in Greece with kids

Find out what Responsible Travel recommend for traveling in Greece with kids, including Minotaurs, the Med and magic mountains that should never be far from any family-friendly itinerary.

Things to do in Greece

Discover our recommended things to do in Greece ranging from sublime sailing sites and Byzantine island churches to walking in the sandal steps of Ulysses, or paddling the pristine coastlines of Mediterranean island idylls.

Archaeology

If you’re interested in the myths and legends of the ancient world, the Greek mainland, including the Peloponnese, is certain to sate your curiosity.

Self drive vacations in Greece

Greece self drive vacations put you in full control of how your vacation unfolds, whether you want to hike mountains or visit little out-of-the-way beaches for an authentic take on Greek life.

Sailing in Greece

Discover the benefits of a Greece sailing vacation as you contemplate life in the Cyclades, and beyond, from an on board perspective that’s bound to be as relaxing as it will be exhilarating.

Small ship cruising in Greece

Small ship cruising in Greece is about experiencing island life at a relaxed pace, not about being bombarded by entertainment on a floating hotel.

Yoga vacations in Greece

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Greek Islands

With between 1,200 and 6,000 islands, from tiny uninhabited specks to large rocky land masses, Greece is without parallel when it comes to island variety.

Things to see & do in the Cyclades

Rightfully popular and wildly beautiful, the Cyclades archipelago holds over 200 islands, which are largely mountainous and mostly uninhabited.

Things to see & do in the Peloponnese

At just an hour and a half from Athens, the charms of the Peloponnese are well known to locals, but for international travelers, this peninsula lags far behind the Greek Islands in popularity.

Athens and the Acropolis

While many people concentrate on the Greek islands, it’s well worth spending some time in the capital.

Greece travel advice

Greece travel advice should always start with those who know it best which is why we’ve asked our suppliers to give us their recommendations alongside a few pearls of wisdom related to health & safety in Greece.

Responsible tourism in Greece

Everyone should want to find out how to travel right in Greece, which is why our responsible tourism in Greece page is devoted to helping you preserve the wildlife & environment of this gorgeous part of southern Europe.

All our Greece guides

From idyllic island-hopping to hiking between fascinating archaeological sites and sublime cycling, find your perfect vacation, and stacks of information on what to see and do, with all our Greece guides in one place.