Skip to content

Family-Friendly Hikes in Greece

611 routes in Greece qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 3.2 km and 76 m (249 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 6.8 km.

That is 55 percent of the 1,106 routes we map in Greece. They are shorter than the local average, 3.2 km against 11.2 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 76 m (249 ft) against 300 m (984 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Family routes here are short, gently graded and interesting enough to keep younger legs moving. Every one is under seven kilometres with limited climbing. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

Easy

Papoures

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Aradena - Aradena gorge (N)

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

To the gorge

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
6 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Agios Ioannis-Kormokopos Cave

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Ag. Ioannis - Kakos Poros

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
27 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Agios Ioannis-Koules

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
24 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Agios Ioannis-Papakefala

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kroussia-Zarano

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
73 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Western forts of Agia Roumeli

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Agios Ioannis-Aradena

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
Easy

Agios Ioannis-Livaniana

Samaria National Park · Region of Crete

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
79 m
Typical duration
52 min
Easy

Path Cave Korikio Andro

Thessaly and Central Greece · Greece

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
73 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Forest
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Aradena gorge (N) - Anopoli

Region of Crete · Greece

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

KAS 07A

Region of Crete · Greece

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Agkistri Trail 05 - The Lake

Attica · Greece

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
128 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • Lake
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kassos Trail 4

Aegean · Greece

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
1 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kassos Trail 5

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kythnos Trail 02-2

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
1 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Coastal
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Easy

M41 Valley of the Watermills

Attica · Greece

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
  • Waterfall
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Skiathos Trail 15

Thessaly and Central Greece · Greece

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
5 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

M1 Apokalypsis

Aegean · Greece

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
176 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Forest
  • Cave
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 2a

Aegean · Greece

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 11a

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 15

Aegean · Greece

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
205 m
Typical duration
1 hr 20 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 8

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Ithaca Trail 12

Peloponnese, Western Greece and the Ionian · Greece

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kea Trail 08 - Sirios

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Typical duration
43 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kythnos Trail 02-1

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
1 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kythnos Trail 03

Aegean · Greece

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Kythnos Trail 04

Aegean · Greece

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
185 m
Typical duration
1 hr 19 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

M3 Kastelli

Aegean · Greece

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Skiathos Trail 04A

Thessaly and Central Greece · Greece

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
110 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 17

Aegean · Greece

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
155 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Andros Routes 8a

Aegean · Greece

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
110 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Anopoli-Loutro

Region of Crete · Greece

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
1 hr 3 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
PapouresSamaria National Park3.1 km68 m45 minEasyOctober to May
Aradena - Aradena gorge (N)Samaria National Park1.1 km25 m17 minEasyOctober to May
To the gorgeSamaria National Park0.4 km9 m6 minEasyOctober to May
Agios Ioannis-Kormokopos CaveSamaria National Park3.1 km69 m45 minEasyOctober to May
Northern access to Agia Roumeli Western fortSamaria National Park1.7 km37 m25 minEasyOctober to May
Ag. Ioannis - Kakos PorosSamaria National Park1.2 km27 m18 minEasyOctober to May
Agios Ioannis-KoulesSamaria National Park1.1 km24 m16 minEasyOctober to May
Agios Ioannis-PapakefalaSamaria National Park0.8 km17 m11 minEasyOctober to May
Agios Ioannis-Sellouda-Agios PavlosSamaria National Park4.3 km95 m1 hr 3 minEasyOctober to May
Kroussia-ZaranoSamaria National Park3.3 km73 m48 minEasyOctober to May

If you only have time for one, start with Papoures, To the gorge, Aradena - Aradena gorge (N). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for