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.
Our Greece Vacations
Cyclades walking vacations in Greece
A gently active vacation in the Cyclades
From
US $1749 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Self drive vacation in Northern Greece, hike & tour
Macedonia & Epirus - sightseeing & walking in ancient Greece
From
£425 to £550
8 days
ex flights
Greece hiking vacation, Kythnos
Hiking vacation on Kythnos, a beautiful Greek island in the Cyclades group
From
€395
6 days
ex flights
Kefalonia, Lefkada & Ithaki hiking vacation
Walk with us and explore the lush, green Ionian islands
From
£697 to £1112
10 days
ex flights
Cyclades hiking vacation, Greece
Walk ancient paths and enjoy stunning Cycladic sceneries
From
£592 to £640
7 days
ex flights
Cyclades sailing & walking vacation in Greece
Combine a sailing & hiking adventure around the Cyclades
From
£685 to £759
7 days
ex flights
Walking vacation in Crete
Hike the Samaria Gorge and enjoy the beaches and simple life
From
US $1020 to US $1190
8 days
ex flights
Walking vacation in Corfu, Greece
Hillside villages, whitewashed monasteries and quiet beaches
From
US $1890 to US $2170
15 days
ex flights
Greek island hiking vacation in Serifos
Hike to hill-top villages, a monastery, a winery
From
€340
5 days
ex flights
Northern Greece hiking vacation
North Greece Unique Experience. Hiking Vikos,Meteora,Olympus
From
€1098
7 days
ex flights
Hiking vacation in the West Cyclades, Greece
Walk & explore the authentic Serifos, Sifnos & Milos islands
From
£592 to £914
10 days
ex flights
Naxos and the small Cyclades walking vacation, Greece
Walk and discover Naxos and the unspoilt Small Cyclades
From
£592 to £914
10 days
ex flights
Delphi & Meteora biking & hiking vacation in Greece
Bike & hike vacation in the unspoiled Delphi & Meteora
From
£1350 to £2500
8 days
ex flights
Southern Greece walking vacations
A cultural and walking adventure vacation off the beaten path
From
€698
6 days
ex flights
Greece guided walking vacations, Tinos and Andros
Walkers’ paradise in the northern Cyclades
From
£1679 to £1725
15 days
inc UK flights
Yoga and hiking vacation in Crete
Yoga, meditation and hiking vacation beside the sea
From
€690 to €780
7 days
ex flights
Greek Islands hiking vacation in West Crete & Santorini
Walk & explore the natural wonders of Crete & Santorini
From
£1055 to £1442
14 days
ex flights
Vikos-Aoos National Park vacation in Greece
Discover the wild and unspoiled nature of Greece
From
€1080
7 days
ex flights
Athens short break
Cultural & walking vacation in ancient and modern Athens
From
€745
5 days
ex flights
Greece walking vacation, Zagorohoria and Lefkada island
Traverse Vikos gorge & explore picturesque Zagori villages
From
€861 to €957
8 days
ex flights
Greece self drive vacations, Vikos' Unesco Geopark
Self drive through Athens, Parthenon & Delphi
From
€970 to €1180
11 days
ex flights
Crete short break vacation in Greece
Walk & discover the best of Chania, West Crete in 4 days!
From
£389 to £587
4 days
ex flights
Karpathos hiking vacation in Greece
Discover Karpathos Island, on a 8 day walking tour!
From
€890 to €950
7 days
ex flights
Zagori region hiking vacation in Greece
Walking in the Vikos-Aoos National Park, Greece
From
US $1879 to US $1949
8 days
ex flights
Meteora and Pindos hiking vacation in Greece
Rock formations and monasteries of Meteora and Vikos Gorge.
From
£690
8 days
ex flights
Greek cruise and island walking vacation
Explore Evia on this walking and cruise trip
From
US $1160
8 days
ex flights
Peloponnese walking vacation in Greece
Leisurely walks in Greece immersing yourself in history.
From
£1795
12 days
inc UK flights
Crete self-guided walking vacation, Greece
Selfguided trekking in Samaria Natural Park & South coasts
From
€595 to €655
8 days
ex flights
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.
Our top Greece Vacation
Cyclades walking vacations in Greece
A gently active vacation in the Cyclades
From
US $1749 to US $2049
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2021: 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 5 Sep, 19 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
2021: 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 18 Apr, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 5 Sep, 19 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Greece or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
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.More about 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 is about experiencing island life at a relaxed pace, not about being bombarded by entertainment on a floating hotel.
Take yourself off for a week in Greece as you discover the delights of yoga vacations where the sun always shines and the food is just as fresh as the breeze skimming off the Aegean.
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.
Rightfully popular and wildly beautiful, the Cyclades archipelago holds over 200 islands, which are largely mountainous and mostly uninhabited.
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.
While many people concentrate on the Greek islands, it’s well worth spending some time in the capital.
Wellness vacations in Greece connect you with the therapeutic powers of Mediterranean sea and sunshine – and its healing herbs and plants, which have sustained and revived since the time of the Gods.
Volunteering vacations in Greece give you the chance to work with animal charities that, thanks to the economic crisis, need all hands on deck.
Multi activity vacations in Greece are like an epic: you’ll sail the Aegean, battle your way through white water rapids, hike Olympic mountains, and swim in seas with ancient sea creatures.
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.
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.
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.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Annie Spratt] [Topbox: Randy Connolly]
[Where to walk: Onno Zweers]
[Sunset: Michael Lefrancois]
Back to the top
- Recently viewed
