Archive for 'Mountains in Greece'

The stunning island of Crete is a natural gem that boasts incredible beaches, pretty views, and excellent hiking routes. If you have found a villa in Crete and you are interested in hiking, in particular, then you should seek out the White Mountains, or Lefka Ori. The largest and most scenic massif on the island, this is the best place to head for incredible panoramas and a wonderful range of hiking routes that are suitable for a wide variety of levels of experience and fitness in hiking. Whether you want to just go for a stroll and take some photos of this beautiful landscape in Greece that surrounds or you want to spend a whole day hiking and working up a good sweat, you'll find what you're looking for if you head to the White Mountains.

Taking up a good portion of the centre of West Crete, the White Mountains are the main feature of the area and loom large and impressive in the background throughout the area. Made of limestone, they take their name from the fact that their peaks remain dusted in a white cap of snow late into the spring (with some of the highest peaks managing to hold onto some snow right up to June) and that the limestone summits reflect the sun and appear white as a result in the summer months as well. The highest peak is Pachnes at 2,453m but there are over thirty more summits in the range that are higher than 2,000m. In addition, the range is home to endless caves, sinkholes, precipices, meadows, unique landscapes (such as the moon-like desert in the centre and southern part of the range), fascinating rock formations, and more. There are also 50 rocky gorges, the most famous of which is the gorge of Samaria, where trekking, canyoning, and other outdoor pursuits are possible. This diverse landscape is, furthermore, home to a great variety of flora and fauna, much of which is found nowhere else, not even on other parts of the island.

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.