5 Reasons Why Greece Should Be Your Next Hiking Destination

When I tell people I host hiking retreats in Greece, I often get a surprised look. I've learned to expect it. Say "Greece" and most people picture whitewashed villages, sun, sea, perhaps a few ancient columns against a blue sky. Mountain wilderness rarely makes the list. And yet roughly 80% of the country is mountainous. Not hills. Mountains, with gorges, forests and trail networks that were in use for centuries before anyone thought of walking for fun.

Greece is a hiker's haven hiding in plain sight. Here's why hiking in Greece deserves a place on every hiker's bucket list.

1. Quieter trails. No queuing for a viewpoint, no shuffling single-file behind a tour group through a gorge. Zagori and Agrafa in particular still feel as though you have the mountain mostly to yourself. For a hiker, that's the whole point, and it's increasingly hard to find in better-known destinations.

2. Terrain that keeps changing on you. A dramatic gorge one day, chestnut forest the next, a descent straight to the coast the day after. Few countries shift scenery this quickly, sometimes within a single hour. It's hard to describe and very easy to fall for.

3. Paths steeped in history. Many of the trails we hike weren't built for visitors. Shepherds, merchants, travellers and even armies wore them in over centuries, so every stone bridge and mule track is there for a reason that has nothing to do with tourism.

4. Weather that cooperates, if you know when to go. We've said it before and we'll say it again: Greece is much more than its summers (though we love those too). Spring and autumn bring mild temperatures, flowing rivers and none of the heat that turns a July trail into something to endure rather than enjoy. This is the Greece built for being on your feet all day.

5. A reward at the end of the trail. They say hiking is its own reward, and in principle we agree. But a village taverna after a long day's walk is stiff competition. Resting your feet in the square over hearty mountain specialities, often quite different from anything you'd find on the islands, is worth the journey on its own.

Ready to put boots on the ground? Walk Zagori, Pelion, Dikastika or Agrafa with us this spring or autumn: beautiful trails, generous local food, restorative yoga and someone else handling the logistics. Sound good?