Greece - Walking holiday in the Cyclades ➤ Naxos, Amorgos and Santorini
This delightful walking holiday in the Greek archipelago starts in Athens and takes you to cosy Naxos, untamed Amorgos and beautiful Santorini. The tour follows ancient hiking trails on the islands where residents have wandered between towns for millennia, ancient roads and along the coast and up into the mountains. You can expect an authentic experience in Greece, getting under the skin of the islands.
About the route
The route is not challenging but requires a good basic fitness. Hikes are between 2 and 7 hours per day and you can often choose between shorter or longer routes. The tour does not require any special technical skills and although we generally recommend that you are experienced hikers, this tour is also possible for those who do not have much hiking experience.
Highlights of the trip
- Discover the three beautiful islands of Naxos, Amorgos and Santorini
- A great combination of hiking, swimming and rooftop terraces
- Each island is its own relaxed little paradise where you'll encounter authentic Greece
- The trip to Mount Zas, where the god Zeus is said to have got his thunderbolt
Great things about this tour
Itinerary See all daysClose all days
You arrive at Athens airport. From here you'll head to your first hotel in Piraeus either by bus, taxi or metro (not included, but cheap and easy). On arrival at the hotel, you will be given your welcome pack with maps, directions and tickets for tomorrow's ferry.
You take the ferry from Piraeus to Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades, and arrive at the port of Hora. From here you can walk to your first hotel (takes about 15 minutes and your luggage will be driven) and have your first encounter with the charming town. You can also choose to just be driven from the port to your first hotel. Depending on when you arrive, you can go for a swim or walk down to the Temple of Apollo (Portara) and enjoy the sunset.
You arrive in the village of Kourounochori by bus (about 15 minutes). With the ancient marble quarries of Naxos as a backdrop, you cross the road to the famous statues of Kouros (unfinished colossal statues) before arriving at Ano Potamia. After a well-deserved lunch break at a beautiful taverna with an olive tree terrace, you continue your hike between the mountains, passing Apano Kastro (ancient Venetian fortress). You finally arrive at the white village of Halki, located in the heart of the Thragee Valley. Take your time to stroll through the beautiful streets, sip a lemonade or browse through the village's typical shops. Return to Chora by taxi or public bus (approximately 25 minutes).
Today you'll climb Mount Zas (1004m), the highest mountain in the Cyclades - it's also called Mount Zeus, where Zeus is said to have got his Thunderbolt. You start by being driven to the town of Filoti, which is a white-painted village built as an amphitheatre and is the main town of the Trachea region. We recommend an early start as there is no shade along the route. The panoramic views are stunning. From here you hike up into the mountains and walk along ancient mountain paths to the cosy village of Apeiranthos. After the tour you will be driven back to Naxos town and your hotel.
This trip can be shortened if you take the bus to Aghia Marina via Filoti.
This day varies slightly because ferry times vary. If the ferry leaves in the afternoon, you can explore the city, go for a swim or just relax.
If the ferry first leaves for Amorgos in the evening, you can go for a hike in the mountains. There are two options:
- You can hike from Apeiranthos via Moni to Halki
- You can hike from Stavro church via Keramoti to Skinou
You take the ferry to Amorgos, where you are driven to your next hotel.
The day's programme is very flexible and there are several tours you can choose from:
- A short trip from Aegiali to Legada and Tholaria. Beautiful villages and ancient paths.
Walking time: approx. 3 hours
Distance:
+400 / -400
- A longer hike from Aegiali via Lagada to the monastery of Agios Ioanis Thologos with a detour to the church of Stavros in a beautiful mountainous terrain.
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Distance:
+800 / -800
Today you will walk one of the most beautiful walks on Amorgos in a quiet and secluded part of the island. You will start from Chora, where you will hike to the beautiful Chozoviotissa monasteries. It's stunning, all white and cut into the cliff face. From there you follow the paths on and cross the island to Aegiali.
Between the port town of Katapola and the small mountain town of Arkesini, the path winds through forgotten villages and passes several of the island's highlights, such as the ancient towns of Minoa and Arkesini, the Agia Triada tower. Everywhere you can enjoy the cooling breeze from the sea while the goats walk around the grasses. The route goes right down to the water around Lefkes and offers the opportunity for a dip in the warm water.
Note: Depending on the bus schedule, it may be wise to go in the opposite direction on this tour, so you go from Arkesini to Katapola. This will mean that you will need to take a taxi to Arkesini (not included) and start the tour from Agia Triada tower. After arriving in Katapola, you can relax in a cafe until you take the bus back to Aegiali.
You will be taken to the ferry, which will take you to Santorini via Naxos. On arrival in Santorini you will be transferred to your hotel.
Today you can choose between two hikes:
- Depending on when you arrive at the hotel, you can take the bus to Akrotiri on the southern part of the island. This amazing museum displays the ruins of a Minoan city, which was destroyed by a volcanic explosion and covered it with ash around 1,500 B.C. Almost all of the impressive frescoes from the ruins are now on display in Athens, but it is still an interesting place to visit. From here you can take a short walk to Loumorades via the red beach and the modern village of Akrotiri.
- You can also choose to visit the town of Fira and from there make the three-hour trip to Oia. During the trip you can enjoy the beautiful views of the sea and the classic whitewashed towns. You can also see the volcanic rock layers, which show the various volcanic eruptions throughout history.
Today you'll walk the Profitis Ilias mountain from Emporio or Pyrgos to Thera, the ancient capital of Santorini. This hike follows ancient paths down to Kamari, where you can rest on the black sands of the beach - also known as one of Greece's most beautiful beaches.
Today there are several options:
- You can take a day trip to the hot springs of the Kammeni Islands and end up in Thirassia or simply relax on one of the islands' beautiful beaches.
- You can choose to walk the route between Oia and Fira, if you didn't already take that route yesterday (see day 10).
The trip is now over and you will be transferred to Santorini Airport or Santorini Port (included in the price). If you want more nights in the last hotel, this is also an option. Please contact us if you would like a price for this.
Price includes
- 11 nights in 2- and 3-star hotels
- Breakfast every day
- All mentioned ferry tickets
- Carefully elaborated route descriptions maps and other materials
- Transfer from/to the port of Naxos
- Transfer from/to the port of Amorgos
- Transfer from/to Santorini port or airport
- 24-hour local and international service hotline for the duration of the tour
- Access to the route in our GPS-app which works offline while you walk
- This is a packaged holiday and is therefore covered by The Travel Guarantee Fund - See which benefits this means for you - click here
- Transportation to/from Greece
- Handling fee (€20)
- Local tourist taxes (if necessary)
Practical info
The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. If you travel alone a single room is necessary.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill in anything. Here's how:
- Choose your desired start date
- Click on the green button "See price and reserve your holiday" and go to the booking form
- Select number of people, add any optional extras and see the price at the bottom of the page (you don't have to fill in anything on the form).
Get a quote
For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
The flights to Athens and back from Santorini are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
It works like this:
- You book your chosen holiday with us
- We confirm your holiday (usually within 48 hours)
- You arrange your transportation
Getting there
Here is a link for the perfect tool which will help you get an overview of how to get to the starting point of the tour: Rome2Rio
On this trip you will stay in carefully selected 2- and 3-star hotels. The hotel in Santorini has a swimming pool.
In the itinerary you can see examples of the hotels we use most often on this trip. If there are no vacancies in the hotels when you book your trip, we will book hotels of equivalent quality.
Breakfast is included every day. It is no problem to find both lunch and dinner in the towns and you will have plenty to choose from.
During the hikes, you simply carry your daypack. You will have to transport your own luggage between hotels, but you will never have to carry your main luggage on the treks.
You will recieve the following documentation
Upon booking
You recieve practical information about the tour in a digital format
One month before arrival
You recieve your hotel list and your voucher (hotel list is often supplied upon booking)
Upon arrival
You recieve the welcome package which contains the printed version of the road book, luggage tags, local specific vouchers and if you have rented bikes then they will also be delivered and fitted at the first hotel.
This tour has difficulty grade 2.
Grade 2
Easier walking at reasonable good paths. The walking time will be 4-6 hours usually in hilly terrain. Every one in good health and a normal physical fitness can participate. Luggage is mostly transported and you only go with a lighter backpack. Requires good footwear such as trekking shoes or hiking boots.
Read more about our Grading System
Here you can get an overview of the entire route and the elevation profile for each day. The data shows the data from the GPX-files related to the tour. Notice that the routes are sometimes updated, which means that there might be small variations.
Colors
Blue routes: The route as normal
Red routes: Variations/options (such as shortened or extended routes)
Travel Insurance In general we recommend that you are covered by a good travel insurance covering at least Medical Expenses, Illness, Personal Accident, Baggage and Repatriation. The customer is responsible to take the necessary travel insurance that covers these costs. Bering Travel, or our local partners, do not have any responsibility for our customers not being covered by a necessary travel insurance. You have to arrange your insurance in your home country.
It can be hard to plan your trip according to the weather, but to give an idea of the local climate, you can see the data below:
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
Call our experts on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
Or write to us at
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Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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