Walking on the Greek Islands - the Cyclades

Paros, Naxos, Amorgos, and Santorini are four of the most celebrated islands in the Cyclades, and each one rewards exploration on foot in its own distinctive way. Traditional paths connect marble hills, mountain monasteries, volcanic cliffs, and Cycladic villages across a walking landscape shaped by 2500 years of history. This comprehensive guidebook by Gilly Cameron-Cooper covers 35 day walks across all four islands plus the 5-stage (52km) Naxos Strada coast-to-coast route, with detailed information on accommodation, ferries, and public transport woven throughout. Routes range from 4 to 16km (2 to 10 miles) and take 2 to 7 hours, with options from easy to challenging and short-cuts available on many walks. Spread across all four islands, the 35 walks include 9 on Paros, 10 on Naxos, 7 on Amorgos, and 4 on Santorini, covering everything from Byzantine village paths and marble quarry trails to volcanic caldera rim walks and remote monastery routesThe 5-stage Naxos Strada follows 52km (32 miles) of traditional working paths coast-to-coast across Naxos from Plaka to Apollonas, making it one of the finest multi-day island walks in the CycladesAnavasi maps are included for every walk alongside GPX files available to download, with refreshment and public transport options given for each individual routeMust-see highlights include Mount Zas on Naxos (the highest peak in the Cyclades), Santorini's caldera rim walk from Fira to Ammoudi Bay, 2500-year-old statues abandoned in their quarries, and remote monasteries embedded in mountain cliffsBackground sections cover Greek wildlife, wildflowers, history, and geology alongside practical guidance on accommodation and island-hopping by ferry Ancient quarry statues, 9th-century BC stone circles, remote cliff monasteries, and the highest peak in the Cyclades, this guidebook uncovers the walking landscapes that lie beyond the beaches of Paros, Naxos, Amorgos, and Santorini.