Full Description
Experience Greece's finest trekking adventures on its premier long-distance trails: the 220km Peloponnese Way and the 460km Píndos Way. Traversing the rugged limestone backbone of the country, these demanding but non-technical routes reveal Greece's wildest, greenest mountain landscapes and offer a spectacular escape into remote regions untouched by mass tourism.
For those seeking shorter yet equally stunning options, week-long treks in the Zagóri district and an ascent of Mount Olympus, the legendary home of the gods, are also included.
Ideal for walkers with a taste for wilderness and cultural discovery, the Peloponnese Way is described in 14 graded stages (7-20km each), crossing the peninsula from the northern village of Dhiakoftó to the golden sands of Pantazí beach in the south, via Trípoli. Along the way, you'll traverse alpine meadows, dramatic gorges, and forested slopes, encountering traditional villages and ancient monasteries nestled in the hills.
The Píndos Way, a more secluded four-week journey, spans 30 stages (8-31km), following the mountainous spine of Greece from Ámfissa to the summit of Mount Grámos on the Albanian border. This epic trek weaves through lush forests of Greek fir, black pine, and beech, over high passes and deep ravines, and into timeless villages that have changed little over the centuries. Wild camping is required for some sections, adding to the sense of self-reliant adventure.
Trek through celebrated Greek landscapes including the forested slopes of the Peloponnese, the dramatic ravines and peaks of the Píndos range, the iconic Vikos Gorge in Zagóri, and the mythic heights of Mount Olympus.
Both the Peloponnese and Píndos Ways are best undertaken from late spring to early autumn, when mountain meadows are bursting with wildflowers and the weather is most settled. Snow lingers on the highest peaks until April, and summer brings cooler air to the heights even as the lowlands swelter.
The routes are demanding rather than technical, suitable for fit walkers seeking a true immersion in Greece's mountain wilderness. Walks are graded (mostly at Grade 3) to reflect the physical commitment required, given the remoteness and lack of organised facilities.
Accommodation ranges from village guesthouses and mountain monasteries to wild camping, especially on the Píndos Way. Each section includes notes on available facilities, potential campsites, water sources, and public transport access for flexible itineraries.
Each stage features a detailed information box with start and finish points, distances, estimated walking times, height gain and loss, and waymarking details. Clear 1:100,000 mapping and practical stage introductions make navigation straightforward, even in the most remote terrain.
Additional routes in the Zagóri region (6 daily stages) and on Mount Olympus (4 daily stages) are included, allowing you to tailor your trek or add extra days of exploration.
Plan your Greek trekking adventure with confidence using the definitive Cicerone guidebook, and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty, history, and culture of Greece's mountain heartlands.
Contents
Map key
Overview map
Foreword to 2018 edition
Introduction
Traditional mountain life
A little history
Flowers and wildlife
Navigation and maps
Sleeping and eating
Dogs
Getting on with people
Weather and when to go
What to take
Emergency services
Access to the mountains
Using this guide
Part 1 The Peloponnese Way
Section 1 Dhiakoftó to Trípoli
Stage 1 Dhiakoftó to M&##xe9;ga Spílio monastery
Stage 2 M&##xe9;ga Spílio monastery to Áno Lousí
Stage 3 Áno Lousí to Tourl&##xe1;dha
Stage 4 Near Tourl&##xe1;dha to Dh&##xe1;ra
Stage 5 Nimfasía to Vitína
Stage 6 Vitína to Kardhar&##xe1;s or K&##xe1;psia
Stage 7 Kardhar&##xe1;s or K&##xe1;psia to Trípoli
Section 2 Trípoli to Pantazí beach
Stage 8 Psilí Vrísi to Áyios P&##xe9;tros
Stage 9 Malevís convent to Vamvakoú
Stage 10 Vamvakoú to Paleogoul&##xe1;s
Stage 11 Mistr&##xe1;s to Anavrití
Stage 12 Anavrití to Taïgetos mountain refuge
Stage 13 Taïgetos mountain refuge to Árna
Stage 14 Árna to Pantazí beach
Part 2 The Píndos Way
Section 1 Ámfissa to Karpenísi
Stage 1 Ámfissa to Víniani and Rek&##xe1; ravine
Stage 2 Mt Ghióna: Víniani to L&##xe1;ka Karvoúni refuge
Stage 3 L&##xe1;ka Karvoúni refuge to Siki&##xe1;
Stage 4 Siki&##xe1; to Athan&##xe1;sios Dhi&##xe1;kos/Áno Mousounítsa
Stage 5 Mt Vardhoúsia: Athan&##xe1;sios Dhi&##xe1;kos/Áno Mousounítsa to Yiourt&##xe1;ki sheepfold
Stage 6 Yiourt&##xe1;ki sheepfold to Mt Oxi&##xe1;/Sar&##xe1;dena refuge
Stage 7 Mt Oxi&##xe1;/Sar&##xe1;dena refuge to Kok&##xe1;lia obelisk/R&##xe1;khes Timfristoú
Stage 8 Kok&##xe1;lia obelisk/R&##xe1;khes Timfristoú to Karpenísi
Section 2 Karpenísi to Mesokhóra
Stage 9 Karpenísi to Kerasokhóri
Stage 10 Kerasokhóri to Varvari&##xe1;dha
Stage 11 Varvari&##xe1;dha to Epinian&##xe1;
Stage 12 Epinian&##xe1; to Spili&##xe1; monastery
Stage 13 Spili&##xe1; monastery to Petrotó
Stage 14 Petrotó to Kalí Kómi
Stage 15 Kalí Kómi to Moskhófito
Stage 15A Kalí Kómi to Mirófilo
Stage 16 Moskhófito to Mesokhóra
Stage 16A Mirófilo to Mesokhóra
Section 3 Mesokhóra to M&##xe9;tsovo
Stage 17 Mesokhóra to Gardhíki or Athamanía
Stage 18 Gardhíki or Athamanía to Matsoúki
Stage 19 Matsoúki to Kalarítes
Stage 20 Kalarítes to Khalíki
Stage 20A Kalarítes to Khalíki ridge route
Stage 21 Khalíki to M&##xe9;tsovo
Section 4 M&##xe9;tsovo to the Albanian border
Stage 22 M&##xe9;tsovo to V&##xe1;lia K&##xe1;lda
Stage 23 V&##xe1;lia K&##xe1;lda to Vovoúsa
Stage 24 Vovoúsa to Dhístrato
Stage 24A Link: Vovoúsa to Skamn&##xe9;li
Stage 25 Dhístrato to Samarína
Stage 25A Dhístrato to Palios&##xe9;li
Stage 26 Samarína to Dhrakólimni
Stage 26A Palios&##xe9;li to Dhrakólimni
Stage 27 Dhrakólimni to Ayía Paraskeví/Ker&##xe1;sovo
Stage 28 Ayía Paraskeví/Ker&##xe1;sovo to Kefalokhóri
Stage 29 Kefalokhóri to Aetomilítsa/D&##xe9;nsko
Stage 30 Aetomilítsa/D&##xe9;nsko to Mt Gr&##xe1;mos summit
Part 3 Zagóri and Mt Gamíla
Stage 1 Tsep&##xe9;lovo to Kípi via Kap&##xe9;sovo and Koukoúli
Stage 1A Tsep&##xe9;lovo to Kípi via Khadzíou bridge
Stage 2 Kípi to Monodh&##xe9;ndhri
Stage 3 Monodh&##xe9;ndhri to P&##xe1;pingo via Víkos gorge
Stage 4 P&##xe1;pingo to Astr&##xe1;ka refuge
Stage 5 Astr&##xe1;ka refuge to Tsep&##xe9;lovo or Kap&##xe9;sovo
Stage 5A Astr&##xe1;ka refuge to Kónitsa
Stage 6 Skamn&##xe9;li to Kónitsa
Part 4 Mt Olympus
Stage 1 Priónia to Spílios Agapitós/Refuge A
Stage 2 Spílios Agapitós/Refuge A to Mítikas and Yiósos Apostolídhis/Refuge B
Stage 3 Yiósos Apostolídhis/Refuge B to Priónia
Stage 4 Priónia to Litókhoro
Appendix A Route summary tables
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D Useful contacts
