The varied landscapes of Greece make hiking and trekking very appealing activities when visiting the country. In fact, during the past years many hiking clubs have emerged, offering organized excursions on historic or new hiking routes.

The Greek mainland is usually the preferred area for hikers. Zagoria, Meteora and Central Peloponnese are the most popular places. However, popular hiking routes can be found on Crete and other islands, as well. The difficulty of the paths depends on the region and the weather.

Hiking basics

Ideally, you should plan a hiking vacation from May until early October. In the mountains the snow can sometimes linger until mid-June so pay attention to the weather reports.

It is always advisable to have a good map of the route with you, even if you have hiked there before. Remember that you won’t always have cell reception in the mountains so calling for help might be challenging at times. Also, the weather can change dramatically from hour to hour, especially during winter. Before you leave on the hike, let the hotel staff know you’ll be on the mountain and how long the hike should take.

Special hiking equipment is not required but a good pair of hiking boots is always a good idea. Remember to wear sunscreen on any exposed skin.

A hiking backpack is a must; you need it to hold the camera, water bottle, tissues and all the gear you carry around. Also, if you like to hike on long(er) routes, you will need to eat something at one point or another so make sure to pack enough (and appropriate) food.

>>Consider purchasing some non-essential items for un-rugged camping: a portable hammock comes in handy when you want to rest and kitchen kit set is excellent for picnics.

>>If you want to spend more time in nature, don’t forget to purchase a tent.

Should I buy travel insurance before I go hiking in Greece?

Buying travel insurance is a very good idea on any vacation, especially if you plan to engage in hiking activities. We never consider that accidents can happen to us, but, unfortunately they do. And in that case, it’s better to have insurance. If you are a member of a EU country, your national insurance is enough to cover for expenses in case something happens to you. But if you want to go to a hospital back home, for example, you need additional travel insurance for that.

Hiking routes in Greece

As part of the open border agreements of the 1990s, the European Footpaths Commission worked with EU member countries to set up 12 cross-Europe hiking/walking routes. Two of them pass through Greece: E4 and E6.

The European Path E4 starts at the Pyrenees and continues through Europe and Greece, runs through Delphi and Crete. E6 starts in Finland and crosses Greece from east to west, from Igomanitsa to Alexandropoli, near the Turkish border.

Along the routes there are refuge huts, where for a small fee you can sleep during the night, shower and eat.

>>read more about Hiking the E4 European Long Distance Path: Crete

Photo credit:
Hiking in Lesbos