Greece's Hidden Gems: Discovering the Best Greek Islands for Walking

After decades of leading walking holidays across Greece, we've discovered something remarkable about the archipelago's lesser-known islands. Whilst cruise ships dock onto familiar shores, the best Greek islands for walking remain blissfully quiet, their networks of ancient kalderimi trails maintained by shepherds and villagers who still use them daily. These hidden Greek islands offer something different: authentic village life, walking trails that tourists haven't discovered, and tavernas where the owners remember your face.

Tinos reveals its character before you even step off the ferry. Unlike its stark white neighbours, this Cycladic island showcases over 600 ornate Venetian dovecotes dotting the hillsides, their geometric patterns a distinctive feature of the landscape. 

The island's marble-paved paths connect more than 40 villages: many perched on hillsides with views across the Aegean. These ancient routes have linked communities for centuries. Walking to Pyrgos, you pass through landscapes where spring brings extraordinary wildflower displays. The village maintains a strong artistic tradition, with marble sculptors still working in family workshops. 

Our Tinos & Andros walking holiday takes you through both islands over two weeks, exploring marble-paved kalderimi, Venetian dovecotes, and lush valleys. With expert local guides who know every chapel and hidden path, you'll experience the authentic Cyclades that most visitors never see.

Lesvos, Greece's third-largest island, remains remarkably under-visited despite offering some of the most diverse walking terrain in the Aegean. Its size means you could spend weeks here without covering the same ground twice. 

The eastern forests provide habitat for rare bird species found nowhere else in Greece. Western Lesvos presents a complete contrast with the famous Petrified Forest, where ancient trees stand frozen in stone. Walking trails wind through this otherworldly landscape, passing fossilised trunks that provide an incredible window into prehistoric Greece. 

The northern coast around Molyvos combines excellent coastal walking with one of Greece's most beautiful medieval towns. The Byzantine castle dominates the skyline whilst stone houses cascade down toward the harbour. Southern Lesvos offers wetland habitats crucial for migrating birds, with coastal paths and quiet fishing villages. 

Experience both islands on our Lesvos & Chios walking holiday, a two-week journey through the North Aegean's most diverse landscapes. You'll discover why these islands captivate walkers seeking authentic Greece beyond the tourist trail.

Chios carries a weight of history that enriches every walk. The island has literary significance, but it's the unique mastic villages that truly set Chios apart. These medieval settlements were built to protect the precious masticating trees that grow nowhere else on earth. 

The mastic villages of southern Chios, particularly Pyrgi and Mesta, showcase extraordinary architecture. Pyrgi's houses feature intricate geometric patterns scratched into the plaster, creating optical illusions as you walk through narrow streets. Mesta maintains its fortified medieval layout, with covered passages and defensive architecture still intact. 

Walking between these villages follows the ancient kalderimi that once carried precious mastic resin to ports. The paths pass through groves where mastic trees still grow, their scent perfuming the air. Northern Chios offers different terrain, with Byzantine monasteries clinging to mountainsides, including the spectacular UNESCO-listed Nea Moni.

The Ionian islands offer a completely different walking experience from the Aegean islands. Higher rainfall creates lusher landscapes, the light has a softer quality, and Venetian architecture defines the villages. 

Kefalonia delivers serious mountain walking alongside coastal routes. Mount Ainos protects Greece's last remaining forest of endemic firs, whilst the descent toward Myrtos Beach follows paths through aromatic maquis with extraordinary views of turquoise water meeting white cliffs. 

Lefkada surprises visitors with its mainland causeway connection that hasn't diminished its island character. The interior hides waterfalls and springs creating lush vegetation, whilst walking to sites like Nydri waterfalls takes you through traditional olive groves where farming methods haven't changed in centuries. 

Ithaca, the smallest of the three, holds special appeal for mythology lovers. As Odysseus' homeland, the island carries legendary significance, but it's the preservation of traditional island life that makes walking here special. Routes follow ancient paths connecting scattered settlements, climbing over the mountainous spine with views encompassing both Ionian coasts. 

Our Ionian Island Hopping holiday combines Kefalonia, Lefkada, and Ithaca over two weeks, showcasing the best walking each island offers. From Mount Ainos' endemic fir forests to Lefkada's waterfalls and Ithaca's legendary trails, you'll experience the Ionians' unique character with accommodation, ferries, and expert guidance all arranged.

The Peloponnese remains one of Greece's most underrated walking destinations. This vast peninsula, connected to mainland Greece, offers everything from coastal paths to mountain trails, with a concentration of history that rivals anywhere in the Mediterranean. 

Historic monasteries dot the landscape, many perched on cliffsides with commanding views. The walking routes pass through olive groves that have been cultivated for millennia, along coastal paths where Byzantine churches hide in coves, and up into mountains where traditional villages maintain ways of life unchanged for generations. 

The region's diversity is remarkable. One day you're walking coastal paths with views across the Mediterranean, the next you're climbing mountain trails through pine forests. Spring brings those legendary wildflower displays, transforming hillsides into natural gardens that draw botanists from across Europe. 

Discover the Peloponnese on our A Classic Greek Journey walking holiday, which showcases the Mani's tower villages, Byzantine monasteries, and mountain trails, timed to capture the region at its most spectacular.

These islands excel for walking because they combine excellent trails with authentic character. The paths range from ancient marble kalderimi to coastal routes following fishing paths to mountain trails offering serious elevation and spectacular views. 

The terrain varies enormously. Tinos offers moderate paths through cultural landscapes dotted with dovecotes. Andros provides riverside walks and coastal cliff paths. Lesvos delivers forest trails, volcanic landscapes, and wetland birdwatching. Chios combines village-to-village walking with mountain routes. The Ionian trio offers lush forest walking, mountain ascents, and coastal rambles.

Discovering Greece's hidden islands on foot becomes infinitely richer with the guidance of our walking leaders. We've been leading walking holidays across Greece for decades, building relationships with local communities and uncovering the trails that make these islands special.

 Everything's taken care of, from flights and ferries to accommodation and most meals. No worrying about ferry schedules, finding the right trail, or translating menus. You simply turn up and walk, with all the logistics handled by people who know these islands inside out. 

Explore our Greek island walking holidays or get in touch with our team to discuss which hidden gem suits you best.