Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
The hiking splits three ways, and they want different months, different fitness and different footwear.
1. The gorges
The signature Greek walk is a gorge descent: you start high, you finish at the sea or a river, and the walls close in.
- Samaria in Crete is the famous one. About 16 kilometres, downhill nearly all of it, through the Iron Gates where the walls narrow to a few metres. It opens seasonally, usually from spring to autumn, and closes on rainfall or fire risk without warning.
- Vikos, in Zagori, is the deeper and quieter one, often described as among the deepest gorges in the world relative to its width. The through-walk from Monodendri to the Voidomatis springs takes most of a day.
- The Aoos gorge at Konitsa runs along a river rather than dropping into one, and ends under a cliff monastery.
- Smaller and easier: Agia Irini and Imbros in Crete, and the Lousios gorge in Arcadia with monasteries built into the rock face.
2. The northern ranges
Northern Greece is alpine, and few visitors know it.
- Mount Olympus, above Litochoro, tops out at Mytikas at 2,917 metres and is the highest point in the country. The standard ascent is two days with a night at a refuge, and the final section to Mytikas is exposed scrambling rather than a path.
- The Pindus, running down the spine of the mainland: Smolikas, Gamila and Tymfi, with alpine lakes and stone-village bases at Metsovo and in Zagori.
- Karpenisi, Lake Plastira and Vytina are all fir-forest walking at moderate altitude, and all far gentler days than the Pindus.
3. The island paths
Every Greek island was crossed on foot before it had a road, and the kalderimia, the old stone mule paths, are still there. Several islands have restored and waymarked them, which is what separates a walk from an argument with a hillside:
- Andros has the best-developed network in the Cyclades.
- Sifnos is small enough to cross in a morning and its paths are well marked.
- Naxos has mountain villages, marble quarries and the abandoned kouros statues.
- Corfu has a long-distance route running its whole length.
- Alonissos and Ikaria are green, steep and almost empty.
The Menalon Trail in Arcadia, running through the Lousios gorge and the stone villages, is a certified long-distance route and among the best multi-day walks in the country.
The season decides everything
This is the part most guides soften, and it should not be softened.
- Summer on the mainland is a hazard rather than merely uncomfortable. Inland temperatures regularly pass 40C, shade is scarce, and gorges and forests close on high fire-risk days. Read wildfires and heat before planning a July walk.
- Spring and autumn are the seasons, roughly April to early June and mid-September to early November. Wildflowers in spring, warm sea in autumn.
- Winter walking is good on the islands and in the southern Peloponnese, and is mountaineering in the north.
Practical notes
- Waymarking is inconsistent. A route can be beautifully marked for two kilometres and then not at all. Carry an offline map.
- Water: carry more than you think, and do not count on finding springs.
- Footwear: the old stone paths are polished and slippery, and gorge floors are loose rock. Trainers are not enough on Samaria.
- The E4 European path crosses Crete and the Peloponnese, and its condition varies enormously from section to section.
- Mountain refuges in the north are seasonal and usually need booking.
Last checked August 2026. Gorge and refuge opening dates change every year - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
When is the best time to hike in Greece?
Spring and autumn, roughly April to early June and mid-September to early November. Mainland summer heat is a genuine hazard rather than an inconvenience.
What is the most famous hike in Greece?
The Samaria gorge in Crete, about 16 kilometres downhill through walls that narrow to a few metres at the Iron Gates. It opens seasonally and closes on rain or fire risk.
Can you climb Mount Olympus without a guide?
The walk to the refuges is a marked trail. The final section to Mytikas, the 2,917-metre summit, is exposed scrambling, and many walkers stop below it or take a guide.
Which Greek islands are best for walking?
Andros has the best-developed waymarked network, and Sifnos, Naxos, Corfu, Alonissos and Ikaria all have restored old stone paths.
Are Greek hiking trails well marked?
Unevenly. Some networks are excellent and some routes fade out after a few kilometres, so carry an offline map rather than relying on paint marks.
Next
Read Zagori, the Samaria gorge, or wildfires and heat in Greece.