Hike The Most Extraordinarily Beautiful Mountain Range In Greece

The more we look at Greece as a holiday destination, the more we find to fall in love with beyond great food, impressive ancient ruins, popular destinations, and stunning picture-perfect sandy beaches. There is a vast and verdant landscape to be explore, gorges to be traversed, rapids to be braved, resorts to be skied, trails to be hiked, and much more besides. If you’ve been thinking about holidaying in Greece, try to look beyond the regular tourist appeals and attractions and see a little more of the many lesser-known charms that visitors often miss. Prepare to have some adventures amidst all that relaxation and to make memories that last a lifetime because Greece is exceptionally beautiful and boasts a wonderfully diverse landscape that is just waiting to be discovered.

Take, for example, the hidden gem that is the mountain range of Taygetus, which is a must for those looking for some exploration and outdoor adventures and who have found a vacation rental in Peloponnese. Running 100km north to south on Peloponnese's central southern peninsula, it is a vast area to be explored and offers lots of different opportunities for walking, hiking and other outdoor activities. Compared to other mountain ranges in Greece, it is the wildest and most rugged with wild and towering limestone peaks rising from foothills dotted by gorges and covered in scrub, forests, and olive trees and groves.

These are the same mountains that once rang with war cries and that the Spartans partially depended on to weed out some of the numbers of enemy armies that might have been attempting to approach their lands. Little villages are scattered across the foothills and are connected by a network of winding old paved mule tracks. The people that live there are famously interesting and eccentric, closed off from easy contact with the wider world by the wall of the mountains and the remoteness of some villages. During Winter, snow blankets this ruggedly romantic landscape at higher altitudes and, in Spring, these tough mountains burst into life and are famous for their wild flowers. So, no matter when you visit, you can expect to have stunning surroundings and mountain views to admire and drink in as you explore. Atmospheric, full of contradictions and mysteries, it is a fascinating place to discover.

The best way to explore Taygetus is by walking and hiking and there is an incredible gamut of great walks and routes to uncover from multi-day trips to simple excursions that take a few hours. It can be tough walking and the weather can be uncertain so it is advised to come fully prepared and to research the specific routes that you might be taking in detail. The high ridge is only accessible from May to October, unless you have come prepared for snow and there can be storms at any time of year. However, if you’re not quite up to several day expeditions and challenging climbs and don’t have all the necessary gear or want to bring it, you can also find suitable options.

Some day-walks include mounting the range's highest peak by starting from the refuge at Ayia Varvara (which will require a four-wheel drive to get there) and then a tough 900m hike up the beautiful slopes to take in marvellous views from the very top; Tsarkos (the North Pendadhaktilo ridge), which is climbable from Anavriti in a day and takes 6 to 7 hours; as well as routes on the western flanks such as the Pigadotiko Bridge, Sotiranika to Kardamyli, Viros Gorge, Lower Viros Gorge, and Kardamyli to Foneas Cave; and some day-walks on the eastern flanks including Mystras and tracks to Anavriti, Soha, and Phaneronami. For more information and detail, just check out this blog and get planning the ultimate hiking trip in Greece and find some amazing holiday rentals in Peloponnese on our site…