Arachova and Parnassos National Park; 3.5 mile, easy with 2 mile moderate optional extension

You meet your guide(s) and group in Athens in the morning for a short orientation meeting and then depart on a scenic drive northwards. After approximately 2 hours, you turn off the highway near the Mycenean citadel of Gla and head west, passing close to the ancient town of Orchomenos and to the Schist Crossroads, which were identified by the ancient travel writer Pausanias as the place where Oedipus unwittingly murdered his father.

You stop briefly in the beautiful mountain village of Arachova, before completing your journey up to the lower slopes of Mount Parnassos. Here you enjoy a delicious picnic lunch in the lush, cool air of Parnassos National Park. This was the second national park to be established in Greece and just like the Olympus National Park, Parnassos is linked to Greek Mythology. Mount Parnassos was Apollo’s sacred mountain and the home of muses and Corycian nymphs.

After lunch your walk follows a series of forest trails which afford a wonderful mixture of spectacular views up to the highest peaks of Mt. Parnassos, and quiet moments in the shady forest.

Return to Arachova to relax and check in to your stunningly located hotel. Later a festive dinner in a nearby taverna consisting of local specialties such as zucchini fritters, grilled formaella (local cheese), lamb chops, or grilled fish welcomes you to the natural beauty and ancient wonders of Greece.

Delphi Sanctuary and Archaeological Museum; 2 miles, easy. Transfer to Agrafa region via Thermopylae

After breakfast you drive a short distance to the archaeological site of Delphi. In antiquity, for over a thousand years, a steady stream of pilgrims wound their way up dangerous mountain passes to seek guidance from the Delphic Oracle; this morning you are among the present-day visitors to this most impressive of all ancient Greek monuments. You meet your private guide outside the museum, where you receive an excellent introduction to the history of this fascinating place. You then enter the site via the Sacred Precinct and make your way past the foundations of memorials and treasuries and the remarkable Polygonal Wall, up to the impressive remains of the Temple of Apollo, which dominates the whole sanctuary.

The morning concludes with an optional walk continuing up from the Theatre to the Stadium at the highest point of the Delphi Sanctuary. You then walk into the village of Delphi where you enjoy lunch in a local taverna, consisting of delicious and unusual salads and mezethedes (appetizers).

After lunch you depart Delphi and drive north towards the Pindos Mountains and the Agrafa region. After driving for approximately one-and-a-half hours, you stop at Thermopylae, site of the momentous battle of 480 B.C. between the 300 Spartans and the mighty Persian army led by Xerxes. The recent diversion of highway away from this area has added great poignancy to the monument to King Leonidas of Sparta and the grave mound of the fallen Spartans.

Driving further northward across the Plain of Thessaly you arrive at your home for the next three nights, a spa hotel located on a forested hill near the city of Mouzaki overlooking the plain of Thessaly, one of the regions comprising northern Greece. After checking in, you may choose to relax in the pool before gathering for dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Agios Prokopios to Petrochori; 6 miles, moderate. From Pili along the Portaikos River; 1 mile, easy

Today’s walk takes you to two unknown and little-visited mountain communities just a short distance from your hotel. The mountain range known as the “spine of Greece,” the Pindos stretch over one hundred miles from northern Greece and southern Albania through the heart of Macedonia. The highest point is Mount Smolikas at just over 8,000 feet.

You drive first through Pili, the southeastern gateway to the Pindos mountains to begin your walk close to the village of Agios Prokopios. The trail initially passes through a small farming settlement then for a short distance it climbs steeply out of the village, following a concrete road to the monastery of the same name.

From here you ascend gradually for approximately 45 minutes on a good quality agricultural road through oak forest. You emerge high on a ridge between two valleys where your exertions are rewarded with unrivalled mountain views, which are your focus as you descend to Petrochori. Here you receive a warm welcome in the simple village taverna as you enjoy a well-deserved lunch.

Afterwards it is just a short walk down to the road and close to the dramatic location of the Megalo Kastro (“great castle”) on a seemingly invincible outcrop of rock. You return to the outskirts of Pili where you conclude the afternoon with a short walk over the imposing single-arched bridge, dated 1514, along the bank of the Portaikos River and past the unique Byzantine church of the Porta Panagia, founded in 1287.

Dinner this evening is at a wonderful family-run restaurant in Pili and may feature baked eggplant parmesan, roasted peppers, and grilled trout.

After breakfast you drive approximately one hour to the town of Kalambaka, dramatically located in the shadow of the spectacular rocks of the Meteora, one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. Meteora means “suspended in the heavens” and, indeed, the collection of monasteries are perched incredibly high on naturally sculpted sandstone pillars and can be reached only by a series of steep stairways. You begin today’s walk in this fantastic landscape at the beautiful 12th-century church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, one of the few buildings in the old town of Kalambaka not destroyed by the German army in the 1940s. From here a quiet road leads you to the village of Kastraki and your first, stunning, close-up view of the monasteries. Soon afterwards, a short (optional) section of the centuries-old path linking the monasteries brings you to Varlaam Monastery, which has superb 16th-century frescoes by a famous Cretan painter. You can also visit the tower which contains the old windlass and rope basket from 1536. This basket used to transport monks and supplies to the monastery. It was used as recently as 1961-63, when the refectory was renovated into a museum of religious artifacts. After this visit enjoy a simple but delicious picnic lunch just outside the monastery grounds.

After lunch you may choose to visit (unaccompanied) the nearby Great Meteoron (Monastery of the Transfiguration). Founded in 1362, this is the largest and loftiest of the Meteora monasteries. Those who choose to visit inside this monastery will reconnect with the group later this afternoon.

For those who wish to join scenic afternoon walk, you leave the main cluster of monasteries behind, and head for the solitude of Ipapandis, a recently restored but unoccupied 14th-century cave monastery set in beautiful woodland. On your walk you may encounter a herd of grazing goats and their watchful shepherd, as animal husbandry is a major source of income in this area. A peaceful track leads you back to the outskirts of Kastraki where, after a refreshing drink, your transport awaits to take you back to your hotel. Here you have time to relax or maybe to use the spa facilities before a dinner of local specialties.

Transfer to Pelion. Anilio to Agios Ioannis; 4 miles, easy with 1 mile moderate section at the trail end

This morning you depart Mouzaki for your final destination: the small seaside resort of Agios Ioannis on the wooded eastern slopes of Mount Pelion. This mountain is situated on a hook-like peninsula in the Aegean Sea; its forests of beech, chestnut, and oak crisscrossed by a network of hiking trails that lead down to numerous beaches of varying size. In Greek mythology, it was the homeland of Chiron the Centaur as well as Achilles and it was from nearby Volos where Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, set sail on his quest for the Golden Fleece.

After an approximate three-hour journey, you find yourself high above the city of Volos in the village of Hania, still very much a welcome resting place on the journey over the mountains. En route view the traditional Greek houses on the hillsides. This is quite an affluent area, due to people from Athens and Thessalonika making this area their weekend or vacation getaway. A short distance farther brings you close to Anilio, home to a flourishing apple packaging and export business. Here you take your first walk in the magical Pelion area; a short stroll into the village to the local family-run taverna. You are treated to a delicious lunch which may include homemade spanakopita (spinach pie), and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) as well as Greek salad made out of the freshest ingredients, and yogurt topped with local preserves for dessert. After lunch your walk follows the quiet road out of the village down towards to the coast. A short, steep section of traditional path then leads you through olive groves to where you catch your first, truly unforgettable, glimpse of the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea. The final part of your walk is along the sands of the beautiful and secluded Plaka beach and the waterfront of Agios Ioannis.

After settling into your hotel and maybe taking a late afternoon swim, dinner in a local restaurant may include fresh seafood, such as sardines and calamari, and other grilled, local fish.

Tsagarada to Milies; 6 miles, moderate (with several short steep climbs on traditional paths)

This morning you set off on the finest walk in the area in the heart of the Pelion, a traverse from the eastern side of the peninsula to the village of Milies. Until the building of the winding asphalt road in 1938, your route was the principal link between the villages of the Tsagarada region and the end of the narrow gauge railway in Milies, the westerly access point.

You begin your walk just outside Tsagarada, where a narrow path takes you steeply up above the village of Ksourichti and on to the chapel of Agios Dimitrios. From here your wellmarked route is an agricultural road alongside apple orchards, and then an old path that leads you up through enchanting beech forest to emerge at a wayside shelter high on a ridge. After a welcome rest and a simple sandwich lunch, you resume your walk, now on a trail which descends gradually towards Milies and offers expansive views over the whole area.

A series of old paths brings you in the mid-afternoon into the traditional mountain village of Milies with its stone houses and cobbled streets. Here a welcome drink awaits you in the sleepy village square before you return to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to spend as you wish. You may choose to stroll along the beach, take a dip in the sea or further explore Agios Ioannis.

Lambinou and Tsagarada; 3-5 miles, easy to moderate

This morning’s walk begins on an old trail just below the village of Lambinou. Taking a narrow pathway you pass a deserted olive oil factory set in a shady grotto and soon afterward come out onto the road to reach the recently restored monastery of the Panagia Lambidhona. From here it is just a few minutes walk down to the sea, where your route becomes an agricultural track and then a local path through olive groves, which, surprisingly, are a rare sight in this region. The route descends steeply to the shore at Limnionas Bay and an agricultural road then climbs above the coastline to emerge finally at Milopotamos, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Pelion area, blessed with clear water and gleaming white sand. Here you have a chance to take a dip before a delicious lunch of salads and fresh seafood (octopus salad, grilled prawns, and calamari) at the nearby taverna.

After lunch you take a short transfer back up to the fascinating village of Tsagarada, which is divided by a ravine into four separate neighborhoods. This is the heart of the traditional Pelion, its stone-built mansions and impressive public schools testifying to its wealth in previous centuries. You begin in the neighborhood of Agios Taxiarchis, where you see the church dating from 1746 and the 150-foot diameter plane tree (known more commonly in the U.S. as a sycamore). You then follow winding village paths to the distant square of Agia Paraskevi with another enormous plane tree and cold springs. Tonight at your farewell dinner, you toast your adventures in the heart of Greece’s storied mountains.

Agios Ioannis to Dhamoukhari 2 miles, easy with one short steep ascent. Transfer to Athens

On your final morning an optional pre-breakfast walk sees you depart your hotel in the cool of the early morning. A most pleasant one-hour stroll along the coast and over the intervening promontory brings you to the hamlet of Dhamoukhari. This tiny settlement is still a hidden gem, despite its recent fame as the location for the port scenes in the hit movie “Mamma Mia.” You may choose to sip a cup of coffee in the early morning silence or you may want to take a final swim in the tranquil water of the Aegean. A short transfer brings you back to your hotel where you can shower and enjoy a leisurely late breakfast before departing for the journey back to Athens. You drive back over the summit of Mount Pelion and down to the outskirts of Volos where you rejoin the highway south. After a late lunch in the charming seaside village resort of Paralia Raches you have chance for a two-hour nap before arriving back into Athens in the late afternoon.