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Hiking
Holidays in Greece, why?
Remnants
of the ancient Greek civilization can be seen scattered around,
along with pine forests, alpine meadows, rocky mountains, beaches
swathed in hot Mediterranean sun, and flowers and goats popping
up from any shaded craggy hole they can find.
Local culture is interesting, the food's good, and prices are low.
Downside: the mountains here really
are bright, bouldery and arid compared to ranges like the Alps or
the Pyrenees, though this may be to your taste.
Greece gets very hot during the summer months.
Some parts are overrun with tourists, but stay away from the easy
access beaches and famous ruins and you should be okay.
Weather:
The
hottest beach scene runs July-August and weather is excellent, but
for walking try the cooler May-June and Sept-Oct when weather is
still generally dry and warm but better for prolonged hikes.
Nov-April can still be fine, though a little cool, and offers the
opportunity to add skiing to the activities in the mountains.
Where
to go:
Zagoria - in the south west of
the mainland and within the Pindos mountain range are the villages
of Zagoria. The name translates to 'villages behind mountains' and
shepherding is a way of life here.
The most impressive gorge in the region is Vikos, while the moonlike
landscape around the 'Dragon' lakes high in the mountains makes
for good tours.
Get to the Pindos range via Ioannina.
Peloponnese
- immediately south of the Gulf of Corinth, and separated by it
from the Pindos range is this attractive mountainous region.
The northern parts offer some excellent beaches with short drives
to the mountain villages.
The valley of the mythologically important river Styx runs through
here along with an impressively high waterfall, the Mavroneri.
Many monasteries still survive in this region, known to the ancients
as the 'Land of the Gods'.
Get to the Peloponnese via Athens.
Crete - the largest of the many islands Greece also contains the longest
gorge in Europe in its western mountain range - the Samaria Gorge,
found within the Samarian National Park.
The park is rich in flora and fauna, including the ka ka goat and
several rare birds of prey.
Get to Crete direct.
Ionian
Islands - off the western coast of the mainland lie several islands including
Corfu, Paxos, Lefkas, Cephalonia and Ithaca. The main interests
are the villages, olive groves, monasteries and beaches.
Corfu is the largest and most touristy
of the islands but now offers a 155 mile Corfu Trail that runs from
the bird-stuffed SW wetlands to the stunning mountains in the north.
Get to the Ionian Islands via Corfu.
The
Greeks really aren't into walking that much so many regions away
from the beaches can be extremely quiet. Footpaths are still in
evidence but fading away. Try to find guides with their own maps
for where you want to go.
Good
maps for hiking tours include Korfes magazine maps - if you can
get hold of them - and military maps, but political sensitivity
regarding the Pindos range make this particular area a problem.
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