 |
|
The Cycladic islands are another of our favourite areas of Greece. These islands are situated in the centre of the Aegean. They have kept their deeply Greek character and the blue and white coloured houses dominate a largely treeless and rocky terrain. We have chosen the islands of Syros (capital of the Cyclades) and Tinos for their excellent walking and their cultural richness as there are many places of interest to visit and an ancient heritage to tap into.
This tour begins on the island of Syros where we stay for three days. We stay in Ermoupolis, the capital of the island, and once the capital of Greece. This is a wonderful town with miles of winding uphilland downhill streets, taking in a selection of architectures that range from Venetian to Neo classical. The cafes and tavernas that line the sea front are animated throughout the day and there are a never ending number of ships that stop to unload passengers and cars. The walking on Syros is on old cobbled paths which pass through villages, ancient terracing, and along coastal paths. There are spectacular views out towards other island such as Mykonos, Paros and Delos.
From Syros a 40 minute boat journey takes us across to Tinos town which is elegant, pristine, and quiet. We stay a few minutes from here in the town of Kionia near the temple of Poseidon. Syros has a feeling like no other island. The houses are decorated in a slightly Middle Eastern style, painted white and well finished. There is also a Latin influence which gives all it’s villages a clean and finished look; small winding streets, arched corridors, venetian coats of arms above doorways, marble statues and gargoyles. One of the most outstanding features of the island are the many ancient decorated Dovecotes that we find dotted around the mountains and countryside as well as the impressive number of small chapels found everywhere. The chapels are no doubt a left over from ancient times when people made pilgrimages to Tinos to pay homage to Poseidon. Today pilgrims come from all over Greece to pay respects to the Virgin Mary in Tinos town. We explore a variety of charming and varied footpaths (often cobbled) on the island, that pass through many different landscapes including; high mountain plateaus, coastal paths, fertile valleys and arid limestone mountains. We spend four days walking in Tinos. This is where tour ends..
Special aspects of the tour -
Getting there
What is included What is not included
|
Book the walking tour in Syros and Tinos 2012
______________________
|
 |
Lesvos is one of our favourite islands. It has remained very Greek in character and is largely unaffected by tourism. Eastern Lesvos is deliciously lush with olive groves, dense forests, cultivated fields, highland plateaus interlaced by running streams and springs. Moving to the west the landscape is transformed: it becomes more arid, with sparse oak forest and in the far west it is more like a desert. There are the remains of a petrified prehistoric forest. In Spring, the island comes alive, carpeted with wild flowers it offers a temporary home to thousands of rare birds migrating northwards. It is a birdwatchers paradise. This is a two center holiday, with four nights by the sea in the village of Skala Mistegna and three nights in the mountain village of Agiassos in the Panagia monastery.
|
 |
Walking grade two --  An average of four to six hours’ walking in a day with up to 500 metres of ascent or descent. The terrain is a mainly cobbled footpaths and dirt roads across fields and moorland. Price includes: Accommodation for seven nights in rooms with ensuite facilities(three nights in a monastery),full board for the week; guiding and transport during the tour, including collection and return to the local airport. Prices does not include: Flight ticket; personal insurance; lunch on the arrival and departure day, drinks during the tour; entrance to museums. |
 |
|
Price: €1035 per person (without flight) Single supplement €120
|
This is a new tour for 2012. We have decided to put together two of our favourite areas in the Pindus mountains so that you can experience great walking, good homemade food and hospitality, and some of the wildest and most beautiful landscapes in Greece.
The walking is very varied as this area has deep gorges with running water, high mountain plateaux, open pastureland, and thickly wooded valleys. We will also visit many small villages where we meet the locals and learn some of the in-depth things about life in these remote areas. There are also fascinating and unique stone built bridges and frescoed chapels to visit.
The flowers in early June are at their best in Epirus; widow orchids (plus many others), purple Iris, Narcissus, Serbian Pansies, wild Geraniums abound as well as many varieties of mushrooms including Boletus and Chanterelle. Bears and Wolves are common in the Pindus, but we never see them as they are shy creatures!
|
|
This is a grade two tour. We walk for up to 6 hours a day with up to 500m ascent in a day. Though the walks are long they are open to most people who like walking and have a reasonable level of fitness. The terrain is varied we tend to walk on dirt roads, cobbled footpaths and small footpaths through forest or on mountains. We avoid scrambling and exposed terrain.
Getting there: |
_____________________________
|
Price: €1150 per person (without flight) Single supplement €120
|
We will meet the locals in the villages & learn more about their way of life, then in the mountains we will meet shepherds with large flocks living a life that hasn’t changed for thousands of years. The fauna and flora in Epirus are excellent in June. We can admire many varities of endemic plants including fritillaries, Alpine Tulips, and Alpine Daffodils, and Crocus to name but a few. Also on the higher ridges we cross ancient Robola Pine forest, an endemic to the Greek mountains. The wildlife is also very rich as Bears, Wolves, Otters and Balkan Chamois are found in this part of the world. We often see Golden Eagles as well as many varieties of butterflies, including the Camberwell Beauty.
Zagori – Our tour begins in the area named Zagori. The 44 villages in Zagori are scattered north and south of the famous Vikos gorge which we will admire on our first night in Micro Papingo. Vikos is one of the deepest gorges in the world which is why it is in the Guinness book of records. Zagori has some beautiful stone built villages, as well as many stone bridges built two hundred years ago by the famous Konitsa stone masons. At this time Zagori was a protected area under the rule of Ali Pasha. The Timfi mountains Mount Smolikas (2637m) Off the tourist routes – We stay in small villages where we can meet the locals and soak up the atmosphere of this remote part of Greece. We learn about the two national parks Vikos/Aoos and Valia Kalda, and about the fauna and flora of Epirus. We eat regional foods especially delicious sheep & goat cheeses, game, and vegetable dishes. The wines in Epirus are delicious they are made from several rare grape varieties.
Price includes Price does not include Getting there
|
Book the walking tour Trek in high Pindus 2012
