IMPORTANT: Flight requirements for this itinerary: Arrival before 13:00 at Santorini Airport
The walks are mostly unsurfaced tracks: cobbled mule-paths, foot paths, and short sections on tarmac roads.
Start: Chora Finish: Akrotiri
Your trip starts at Santorini airport where you will be met by a taxi which will take you to the port for your ferry to Naxos. The ferry journey between the islands takes two hours. On Naxos you will be met at the port and taken to your hotel. If the day time allows you to do so, you can make the 1,5 hour walk to Chrisostomos starting from the port. This way you get to know the town and will admire great views over Chora whilst stretching your legs.
If your flight arrives too late for the ferry to Naxos and you outbound flight is after 6 pm, you will stay first in Santorini and then in Naxos.
Challenge: 4.4 km, 1.5 hours, 130m ascent, 130m descent
You will start today by taking either a local bus or a local taxi to Chalki in the heart of the Tragea plain. From here you will explore the fertile countryside of central Naxos, with olive groves and rich vegetation. There are some olive trees that are over thousand years old! You walk on cobbled paths via the Venetian Fortress, Ano Kastro, to an ancient marble quarry where you find a 10m high statue dating back to the 6th century BC. You may end your walk in the nearby village Melanes from where you can take either a taxi or local bus back to the hotel. If you continue, you come through the villages Potamia, meaning river in Greek. Through lush valleys you walk back via Ano Kastro to Chalki.
Challenge: 10/14/19 km, 3.5/4.5/7 hours, 150/300/400m ascent, 150/350/400m descent
After a short transfer to Kynidaros, enjoy a gentlewalk to the small village of Eggares. Explore its picturesque churches and two restored olive presses one of which dates back to 1885. Enjoy lunch in one of the tavernas on the stonebuilt main square before returning to your hotel. Visit of the olive press in Eggares.
Challenge: 7 km, 2.5 hours, 100m ascent, 400m descent
Today you will take another public bus or taxi to the village of Filoti to start today's walk. From the village, built at the foothills of Mt. Zas (also known as Mount Zeus), you climb to the summit of this legendary mountain. Upon reaching the summit, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Naxos and the surrounding islands. After descending back down, you walk through agricultural fields and along a monastery to the village Apiranthos one of the biggest villages on Naxos. After a relaxing break in a local café, you can take a taxi or public bus back to Naxos Chora.
Challenge: 12 km, 4 hours, 650m ascent, 650m descent
Today you will travel from Naxos to Santorini. In the morning you may visit the Castle in Naxos town (Chora) and the museum and enjoy a relaxing morning.
The hotel bus will take you to the port of Naxos. The ferry usually departs around one o’clock and arrives two and a half hours later on Santorini. As the ferry arrives through the submersed volcano crater you will be impressed by the views to the steep coloured cliffs of this ancient volcanic island and the whitewashed villages on top. It is said that the eruption that happened here 3,600 years ago, ended the Minoan Civilization. It may also have been the source for the legend of Atlantis.
You may walk a short round walk from Akrotiri along the caldera or you visit Akrotiri Ancient Site that is within walking distance from your hotel.
Challenge: 7.3 or 2.5 km, 2.5 or 1 hours, 240 or 150m ascent, 240 or 150m descent
Today a transfer will take you to Perissa, from where you start climbing via an old path to an exposed saddle. This part of the island is one of the very few places that pre-dates the devastating volcanic eruption. First you walk up to Ancient Thira - the capital of the island in Ancient and Roman times, then descend via an old path to the quiet interior of the island, walking through vineyards and through picturesque villages. Continuing through the volcanic landscape, you walk back to Akrotiri village.
Challenge: 13km, 5.5 hours, 580m ascent, 550m descent
This morning you will catch a public bus to Fira, the capital of Santorini. Here you can explore the narrow alleyways of this whitewashed town, built on the top of the volcanic cliffs. You may also wish to visit the museum of prehistoric Thira and the Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon, you make the famous walk from Fira to Oia. You will mainly walk along a well-maintained mulepath with fabulous views of the lagoon and the spectacular steep cliffs. When you reach the small town of Oia you will be picked up and transferred back to your hotel.
Challenge: 10.3 km, 3 hours, 300m ascent, 400m descent
Depending on your flight departure time, you may make a short walk to the nearby archaeological site of Akrotiri - the Greek Pompeii that opened in 2012 after it had been closed for many years. You can prolong the walk from Ancient Akrotiri to the red beach. From the red beach, you may continue to the black beach if the waves allow you to pass a certain point. From there you walk inland via an unpaved road. You come through one of the most authentic parts of Santorini, which is called Loumarades. Then you follow paths through vineyards and along terraces back to Akrotiri. You come past the Venetian Fortress in the village before coming back to your hotel. Your trip ends today after a short transfer to Santorini airport
All hotels of this trip are carefully selected because of their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. All rooms are en-suite.
Below you find the standard hotels of this trip. If a hotel is fully booked, we book a similar alternative for you and inform you about the alternative booked.
You can book this trip with upgraded hotels in double room. Please check with us for price difference.
Located in the heart of OLD TOWN of NAXOS right next to the Castle where cars are banned and just 200 metres from the port. Rooms, studios and suites each with its own bathroom and most of them with veranda or balcony with sea view. In the garden or in the roof garden, with marvelous views of the sea, you can enjoy your breakfast or a drink.
The family hotel Villa Kalimera has very friendly and helpful owners. The hotel features a lush flower garden and a small pool. There is a restaurant with home cooked dishes on the menu. Rooms are simply furnished.
Departure everyday of the week,subject to availability, between 1st april and 25th october.
The best time to travel to the Greek islands is between April and June & september to the end of October. In Summer it gets very hot
The best arrival airport is Santorini airport
We can send you GPS tracks of this trip upon request and after booking.