| Akamas, Cyprus |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Mild winter climate. Flowers in early spring, with numerous varieties of orchid. Dramatic Akamas scenery. Lovely beaches. Amazing views from highpoints. |
Best from March-May and from September to October. Walking is possible for many winter days, and the quality of the light can be uplifting. Can be too hot for walking in high summer. |
Birds. Tzivania (raki). Fish mezés. Interesting geology. Fresh local fruit. |
Easy to medium walks, with a few short, steepish ascents or descents. Many walks have at least some olive grove or pine woodland shade. |
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| Northwest Corfu |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Stunning coastal views. Excellent beaches. Numerous villages Verdant, olive-covered hillsides dotted with cypress trees. |
Best from May-June and September to mid-October. Often cool and damp out of season. Prone to sudden thunderstorms in August. High annual rainfall, so green for much of the year. |
Flowers in spring, and some autumn bulbs. Fireflies in May. |
Easy to medium walks, mostly with at least some olive grove shade. |
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| Elounda, W. Crete |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Attractive Greek village, with very pretty fishing-boat harbour. Ancient, stone-paved, kalderimi paths. Panoramic views to the Spinalonga islands (one of which featured in Victoria Hislop's "The Island"). Rustic villages. Luxury hotels and deluxe shopping. |
Best from April to May and from September to October. Almost certainly too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Birds. Flowers in spring. Greek tavernas. Visiting eastern Crete's beautiful mountain scenery and the windmill plateau of Lasithi with a hire car. Boat trips to nearby Spinalonga island. |
Easy to medium walks, sometimes on rather stony paths. Some walks do not have much shade. |
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| Grazalema and Montejaque, S. Spain |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Dramatic limestone scenery. Gorgeous white villages. Forests of the rare pinsapo pine. |
Good from March-June, and September-October. The weather can be severe, early and late in the year. Grazalema is higher and wetter than Montejaque, and the mountains around can suffer from low cloud. |
Flowers, e.g. Narcissus and orchids (early spring). Birds, including vultures. Caves. The historic town of Ronda. |
A variety of walk grades - some walks have quite challenging sections. Some walks are on very stony paths, with some unclear or short, mildly vertiginous sections. |
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| Kalymnos, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Dramatic limestone scenery. Remarkable cliffs. Views to other islands. Remote routes. One of the best stone-paved kalderimi paths in the Aegean. |
Best from April-June, and from September-October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Rock climbing. Migrating birds. Greek life. Good seafood. Boat trips to nearby Telendos island and to Kos. |
Easy, medium and serious walks, with plenty of mountain routes and panoramic viewpoints. Lots of sunshine and very little shade. Water supplies essential for remoter routes. |
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| Kokkari, Samos |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Scenic coastal settlements and hill villages Mountainous uplands and jungly valleys. A network of paths and dirt tracks. Very popular with ramblers. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Flowers in spring. Lovely shady village squares for long lunches. Friendly, upmarket bars and nightclubs. |
Walks with a variety of grades and lengths. The longer, mountain walks can be moderately challenging. Plenty of ascents and descents. Most walks have some tree shade. |
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| Western Kos |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Panoramic views of other islands. Excellent beaches. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Volcanic geology. Boat trips to nearby, even-more-volcanic, Nisyros island. |
Easy to medium walks, with a variety of lengths. Some walks do not have much shade. |
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| La Palma, Canary Islands |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Summary of walking |
| Dramatic contrasts in scenery in different parts of the island, from jungle to desert. Numerous paths. Good public transport. Amazing dragon trees. |
Walking is possible all year round. In winter, there is more rain; the high interior and the north of the island can be foggy at times, but the rest usually has some warm sunshine most winter days. |
Flowers. Birds. Astronomical observatories. Volcanoes. local produce. |
A vast network of paths and trails, of all grades. Walks through gorges and into the hills can involve considerable ascents and descents. |
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| Lefkada, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Attractive coastal scenery. A dramatic mountainous interior. Coastline full of pretty yachts. The beautiful island of Meganisi. |
Best from May to early June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Flowers in spring, particularly in the upland interior. Sailing. Day-trips by boat to Meganisi. |
Mostly straightforward routes, of varying lengths, with a more challenging ascent of Mt Mnimati. |
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| North Lesvos |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Attractive beaches. Ancient paths. Pine and chestnut forests. Thriving villages. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Migrating birds. Flowers in spring. Exploring Northern Lesvos with a hire car. |
A variety of walks, from easy to a moderately challenging ascent of Mt Lepetymnos. Some walks do not have a lot of shade. |
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| Olu Deniz, Turkey |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Fabulous coastal and mountain scenery. Lively resort with very friendly locals. Wonderful panoramas from the 1976m summit of Mt Baba Dag. Consistently hot and sunny in season. |
Best from March to early June, and from September to mid November. Often too hot for walking in high summer. It is possible to walk all year round, but winter nights can be very cold. |
Spring flowers and late autumn bulbs. Hang-gliding Lazing in the warm lagoon. Good exchange rate. Exotic foods to try. |
A wide variety of walks, from the easy to the challenging. Part of the Lycian Way path goes through the area. |
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| Parga, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Picturesque small town on pretty coastline. Ancient olive groves. Lake Kalodiki. Aherondas Gorge. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Flowers in spring. Birds. Pretty bays and long, sandy beaches. Parga Town's narrow lanes and shopping. Castles. Fireflies in May. |
A wide variety of walk routes, of different grades and lengths. There are some moderately challenging walks included - up Mt Pargas, and along the Aherondas Gorge. Most walks have some en route shade. |
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| Pilion, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Lush, wooded hillsides. Dramatic coastline. Beautifully preserved ancient stone-paved kalderimi paths. |
Best from May to June, and from September to October. |
Wild flowers Gardens unlike other parts of Greece. Sweet chestnut and beech woodlands. Mansions Myths. |
Easy and moderate walks. Due to the landscape, the majority of walks have ascents and descents. There is a more challenging route into the mountainous interior. |
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| Plakias, Crete |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Wonderful scenery. Excellent beaches. A network of paths and dirt tracks. Characterful villages. Friendly rural cafés. |
Best from mid March to early June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from mid June to late-August, and often too windy from mid-July to mid-August. |
Flowers, particularly in spring. Autumn bulbs, e.g. Cyclamen, Sternbergia, etc. Migrating birds and resident vultures. Fresh walnuts and raki in late autumn. Visiting central Crete's beautiful countryside with a hire car. |
A wide variety of lengths and grades of walks, with several quite challenging mountain walks. Some walks do not have much shade. |
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| Rethymnon, Crete |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Historic old centre of Rethymnon. Excellent beaches. |
Best from April to early June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from late June to late-August. |
Historic sites. The castle Venetian and Ottoman architecture. Flowers in spring. Shopping. Visiting central and western Crete's beautiful mountain scenery with a hire car. |
Easy, medium and long walks, mostly straightforward, but with a more challenging route up Mt Vrysinas. Most walks have at least some partial shade. |
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| Selva, Italian Dolomites |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Some of the Alps' finest scenery and views. Towering grey limestone cliffs, spires, pinnacles. Flower-filled meadows. A vast network of signed and maintained paths. Rural refuges and huts in pastoral, sylvan or mountainous locations for refreshments or lunch. |
Best from mid June to early autumn, when most of the paths are clear of snow. |
Flowers in early summer. Extremely well-stocked shops for walker's clothing, footwear and equipment. Some walking boots are even available in one-third sizes, for that perfect fit. |
A wide variety of walks, from the moderate to the challenging. Plenty of ascents and descents. You do need to be prepared for all types of weather - snow is possible even in the summer. Some walk routes are very busy, on others you may meet very few walkers, but you will meet some people on all of them. |
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| Stoupa and Kardamyli, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Dramatic mountains and gorges. Some of Greece's most remarkable examples of engineered, stone-paved, kalderimi paths Frescoed Byzantine churches and historic buildings. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October (and November sometimes). Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Flowers in early spring, and bulbs in late autumn. Nearby historic Kardamyli Butterflies. Reptiles. Grasshoppers and crickets. |
A wide variety of walks, from the easy to moderately challenging in the Vyrou Gorge. Plenty of ascents and descents. Most of the walks have at least some partial shade. |
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| Symi, Greece |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Gorgeous panoramic views to other islands. Remote and mountainous paths. A rocky landscape dotted with numerous tiny monastery churches. Some well-preserved, stone-paved kalderimi paths. |
Best from April to June, and from September to October. Can be too hot for walking from July to late-August. |
Boat-trips to beautiful remote beaches Migrating birds. Good Greek food. Impossibly pretty white churches. |
Numerous paths, often quite stony, making the longer walks more challenging. Some walks have very little shade, apart from at the monasteries. |
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| Northeast Thasos |
Why go? | When to go? | Also good for... | Walking summary |
| Dramatic, partly-forested scenery. High cliffs and accessible peaks. Beautiful beaches. An empty, mountainous interior. Stunning views. |
Best from May to June, and from September to mid-October. Rain is not infrequent so the scenery is green for much of the year. |
Laid-back, friendly and popular resort of Golden Beach Flowers in spring to early summer, and in autumn. Birds. Butterflies. Trips available to fascinating mainland sites of Philippi, etc. |
A huge variety of walks, from easy to moderately challenging, from comparatively level to 1000m+ peaks. Plenty of trees, so some shade on all walks. |
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