Amazing hikes in Greece: Hiking On Greece Islands and in Meteora

Greece has plenty of diverse activities for everyone. It is known for its ancient treasures and sun-kissed islands. But the mainland also offers well-maintained hiking trails in Greece that meander around olive groves and run through dramatic gorges. And besides the sun, sand and sea, you cannot ignore the hiking In Greece Islands. This is not an exhaustive resource on the best hikes in Greece, rather the 3 fabulous hikes that I enjoyed during my Greece 2-week trip.

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Best Season for hiking in Greece

Spring (April to May) is the best time for hitting the Greece hiking trails. The countryside is green and fresh from the winter rains, and lush with wildflowers. Autumn (September to October) is also a good time. You encounter pleasant days after the scorching summer months which should be avoided for challenging hiking trails in Greece.

3 Amazing hikes in Greece

On the Greece mainland, we did an easy hike through a forest trail in Meteora. This region is known for its spectacular landscape, monasteries built on top of monoliths, and adventure activities. But there are many other moderate to challenging hikes in Greece from climbing Mount Olympus to trekking the Vikos Gorge in the Pindus mountains.

If you are figuring the best Greek islands for hiking, there are plenty including Crete, Kalymnos, Santorini, Evia, Paros, Naxos etc. We covered only 2 from this and managed the best hikes on these Greek islands.

Best Greek Islands for hiking: Crete for Samaria Gorge hike

Distance: 16 km or 10 miles

Difficulty: This is a moderate hike.

Season: Samaria Gorge in Crete is typically open for hiking from May 1 to October 15, but may close due to weather conditions. The gorge is open from 7 AM to 4 PM. 

The Samaria Gorge hike is arguably the best thing to do in Crete if you are adventurous. It was the highlight for me during my Crete 4-day itinerary. However, fame brings crowds, especially in summer months.

Samaria National Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the White Mountains of Crete. This gorge is one of the most famous natural landmarks in Greece. The hike begins at the trailhead and park entrance booth located in the mountain town of Omalos. The trail ends in the coastal village of Agia Roumeli. Or you can hike the other way round, from Agia Roumeli to Omalos.

The initial part of the hike starting from an altitude of 1200m (3937ft) is all downhill for about 4 km. But the forest cover dwindles away after this. I hiked the Samaria Gorge on my trip to Greece in end May. The heat is palpable by the time I reached mid-way to Samaria Gorge village, which lies abandoned now. 

After the village lies the most beautiful part of the trek, the hiking group was inside the Samaria Gorge which has an undeniable raw beauty. At one point, the vertical walls of the gorge soar up to 500m and are just 3.5m apart at the narrowest point (150m at the broadest). The rocky terrain is gorgeous, even more so with the pink oleander flowers and the steam flowing past. There are wooden planks made over the stream to cross at certain points.

I had booked a tour to manage the complicated logistics of reaching the Omalos town in the White mountains, taking the ferry from Agia Roumeli village and then taking the bus from Chora Sfakion to finally reach my hotel in Crete.

Some Tips for Samaria Gorge hike

Hiking boots are needed for sure to do the Samaria Gorge hike, so add that to your Greece packing list. You’ll want a hat and sunscreen, too. Keep your day pack super-light – just some water and snacks. You can refill your water bottle in the clear stream or the spigots at many places any number of times. The temperature at the start of the hike can be cool in the early morning, so bring a lightweight jacket. Later in the day, you’ll be glad to be wearing shorts and a quick-dry T-shirt.

Hiking in Greece Islands: Santorini, Fira to Oia walking path

Distance: About 10 to 10.5 km depending on the starting point. 

Difficulty: This is an easy hike.

Season: The Fira to Oia hiking trail in Santorini is open year-round.

Santorini is world-famous for its epic sunsets, and jaw-dropping views of the caldera. We got plenty of this during our 3-day trip to Santorini. But the best caldera views I got were on the 10-km walking path from Fira to Oia. You can do it the other way round as well, starting in Oia. The walking route initially through the villages is on cobbled streets, the rest of the path is mostly gravel or pebbles, with a short stretch on a road. The hike takes between 2.5 and 4 hours depending on your pace and how many photo stops you take on the way.

I started my hike from Three Bells of Thira. The initial route takes you through the villages of Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli. This route is interesting with boutique hotels, cafes, bars lined up on both sides of the streets. Imerovigli is the highest point on the island, so the initial route is on an incline as you climb up from Fira. Staying on the left path through Imerovigli gives you stellar views of Skaros Rock, you can add a detour by adding the hiking route to Skaros Rock.

Once you cross Imerovigli, the views change. You can see the northern tip stretch out in front of you and the village at the tip is Oia. The path is all gravel and pebbles, and you need to be careful walking on this. The section after crossing the Profitis Ilias Church is a steady, uphill walk on a rocky, dirt trail. I crossed 2 small churches and then reached a nice viewpoint named Turtle Rock before starting the descent to Oia village. 

Some Tips for Fira to Oia hike

The advantage of hiking from Fira to Oia is that you get the best views of the northern tip of the island including the stunning Oia village in front of you. Plus the hike is more downhill in this direction, and hence a bit easier. There are very few signboards on the Fira to Oia hiking path. But it is difficult to get completely lost on the Fira to Oia path. if you keep the ocean to your left then you know that you are moving in the right direction.

Avoid the hike during the 11 am – 4 pm time. The best time to do the hike is early in the morning, starting at 7 am. Note that none of the shops will be open at this time, so do carry water and sacks with you. Or, like me, you can choose to start the walk at 430 pm. There is no shade anywhere on the route, so make sure you have a cap / sunglasses and some sunscreen on. You don’t really need to wear hiking boots. I did the walk in comfortable walking shoes, which were fine on the worst gravel path. 

Hiking in Meteora Greece

Hiking is a great way to explore the natural beauty of Meteora, Greece, a UNESCO Heritage site. This area is known for Meteora monasteries, 6 of which are active. While majority of the tourists take the car or a bus tour up to reach the monasteries, it is possible to hike to all the 6 monasteries in Meteora.

We did was an easy hiking tour with Visit Meteora to reach the Great Meteoron, the largest monastery here. As opposed to taking a large bus tour, we discovered that walking in Meteora is a far more authentic experience. Visit Meteora is the oldest tour company in the area and offers many other activities to be experienced.

The morning start at the foothills of Doupiani Rock amidst all the towering rocks felt incredible. The guide was keen to teach us the basics of climbing with a rope. We went through an easy forest trail first to a hidden gem like Ypapanti Monastery. Our guide gave us a lot of information about this abandoned monastery. We then continued on the trail and reached a plateau, it had sweeping views of the landscape and the monoliths.

The hike culminated onto the main road where the Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries are located on either side of the road. After the visit to Great Meteoron, we took an old trail to climb down (this was used in earlier times by the local population to bring up all the supplies). 

These 3 amazing hikes in Greece gave me a flavour the beauty of the landscape here.

Planning a trip to Greece? Check out –

Itinerary Suggestions: Greece 2 week Itinerary, Greece mainland itinerary, Greece with kids: A 10-day Itinerary

Greece mainland places: Athens in 3 days, Athens Day Trips, Complete Guide to Meteora

Greek islands: Crete Greece Itinerary, 3 days in Santorini, One day in Mykonos, Beautiful Greek islands for a family holiday, Santorini vs Crete, Santorini vs Mykonos

Finally, Famous Greek Landmarks and Greece Packing List

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