Hiking in the Greek Isles

Greece casts a spell, with its honey-colored isles fragrant with frangipani and encircled by azure seas. In the stunning beauty of the Cyclades, an archipelago named for the circle it forms around the sacred island of Delos, we hike on three marvelous islands—Tinos, Naxos, and rugged Amorgos, each a tranquil world of bougainvillea-draped hill villages above the gleaming Aegean, and each a world unto itself, with its own traditions and architecture. We set out on stone paths to hike past blue-domed churches, up to cliff-perched monasteries, and through tiny whitewashed villages. The “good life” of sun-blessed Greece surrounds us every day on this journey, with picnics on wildflower-covered hills, swims in a marvelous blue sea, and meals al fresco on the verandas of village tavernas.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Days 1-4
Athens / Tinos / Sacred Delos / Mykonos

After our morning visit to Athens, we ferry to craggy Tinos, a famed Christian pilgrimage site, the “Lourdes” of Greece, where we may see pilgrims praying at the imposing Panagia Evangelistra church. Our first hike is on one of the kalderimia, or cobbled paths, that connect picturesque whitewashed villages. From Tinos, we ferry to Delos to stroll its open-air archaeological museum, and Mykonos, with its picture-perfect white buildings. Overnights are in Hora, a quintessential Greek harbor town with plenty of local color in its tavernas, shops, and cafes.

Days 5-6
Naxos / Chora / Mount Zas

We cross the blue Aegean to Naxos, Lord Byron’s favorite Greek island, with its rolling vineyards and olive groves. The Venetian Duchy of the Aegean left a legacy of fortified mansions all across the island, and many villages have distinctive Venetian-style architecture. We enjoy an afternoon walk on the steep, twisting lanes of Chora, the main town. The high-walled kastro, or old fortified section of Naxos, still has one of its original Venetian towers and a magnificent medieval gate. We hike up the slopes of Mount Zas (for Zeus) to a sacred cave with a marvelous view, identified in Greek mythology as the place where the mighty god Zeus was born.

Days 7-10
Amorgos / Tholaria

Amorgos, easternmost of the Cyclades Islands, is a beautiful island of golden beaches and crystal-clear waters. One of our hikes leads up to the great monastery of Agios Theologos and along spectacular cliffs above the Aegean, while another brings us to Mt. Krikelos, with a descent to the beautiful beach at Egiali. Our hotel is in the hill village of Tholaria, with its whitewashed houses and tiled archways.

Days 11-13
Santorini

On remarkable Santorini, a collapsed volcano, villages line the rim of the five-mile-wide caldera. We enjoy wine tasting in Santorini’s magnificent capital, Phira (Fira), perched on a cliff over the blue sea, and hike on the still-active volcano on the islet of Nea Kameni. Depart on Day 13.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 3+. Hiking times vary from 4 to 6 hours on moderate trails. Although you carry only a daypack on the hikes, be prepared for steep ascents and descents and some sections that cross uneven terrain and rough or rocky trails. Travel between islands is by ferry (or high-speed catamaran, if it is available); ferry rides are likely to be an average of two to four hours. Some days are a full day of hiking; others involve a half day or more exploring one of the towns on foot. On some days, we taxi or take a local bus to a starting point for our hike and also use a taxi or local transport to return to our night's lodging. There are many opportunities for swimming on this trip.

Accommodations are in small local hotels chosen for their atmosphere and location. We enjoy our lunches picnic-style or at small tavernas. Our dinners also feature local food and a chance to sample traditional specialties of the Cyclades. Some evenings we dine in our pensions and other nights at local restaurants. The delicious cuisine of these islands comes straight from the land or the sea. Please note that in Greece, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 9:00 PM.

Explanation of Trip Levels