Overview
A four day self-guided walking holiday hiking in Aegina, one of the sublime Saronic islands just an hour by ferry from Athens. This carefully crafted itinerary takes you on two exquisite walks, one being up to the island’s prettiest of peaks, Mt. Ellanio (532m), with spectacular views across the Saronic Gulf. The other to some of the island’s important cultural sites, such as Agios Nektarios and Agia Marina monasteries, the Byzantine churches of Paleochora and ancient Temple of Aphaia. Both walks are blessed with beaches, ancient olive groves and traditional fishing villages.
- Easily accessible from Piraeus, Athens in one hour
- Temple of Aphaia
- Marathonas beach
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Aegina
Transfer from Athens centre or Athens airport to Piraeus port and ferry to Aegina. On Aegina, your luggage will be picked up from the port so you can walk to your accommodation in the town.
- Accommodation: Hotel Danae or similar
Day 2: Walk from Perdika to Marathonas beach | 10km
Today’s walk starts at the picturesque fishing village Perdika, which you can travel to by bus or taxi. From Perdika, head inland via old trails which lead you past chapels, former windmills and old threshing floors. Walk through the village of Sfendouri and trek up through limestone landscapes to be rewarded with superb views of neighbouring Agistri, Moni and Methana islands as well as the Peloponnese peaks. You can make an optional loop to Mt. Ellanio, the highest summit of Aegina at 532m, a perfect picnic spot. After the descent walk to Eleonas, a plain dotted with ancient olive trees. The walk comes to a gorgeous finale at Marathonas beach. Depending on the time, there may be a local bus back to town, otherwise, take a taxi.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 10km, ↑600m ↓600m
- Accommodation: Hotel Danae or similar
Day 3: Walk from Agios Nektarios to Agia Marina | 11km
The walk from Agios Nektarios to Agia Marina is one of the most beautiful trails of the Saronic Islands. Start at Agios Nektarios monastery, located in the centre of the island, which you can travel to by bus or taxi. The Monastery was built for Holy Nektarios who died in 1920. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year. After your visit, walk a short distance to the old town of Paleochora, located on top of a hill. In the Middle Ages, this was a busy town and you can still see the remains of 38 Byzantine churches, some remain well preserved but most in ruins. From Paleochora, the walk continues via a ridge with ruined windmills to a scenic viewpoint. Walk back down through ancient olive groves to Mesargos and, from this village, walk on rural roads and dirt tracks to Agia Marina nunnery. Shortly after, Temple of Aphaia comes into sight. After you visit this ancient Greek Temple, walk down a wide track to the seaside resort Agia Marina. From here you return to Aegina town by public bus or taxi.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 11km, ↑400m ↓550m
- Accommodation: Hotel Danae or similar
Day 4: Departure
After breakfast, take a ferry back to Piraeus.
What to expect
Accommodation
You are accommodated in a hotel approximately 1km from Aegina town. All rooms have private facilities and usually a balcony or terrace.
Click to view our default hotels for this trip
- Hotel Danae (Aegina): A 3-star hotel located on Aegina’s coastal road, close to the Temple of Apollo and approximately 1km from the town centre. The rooms are modern with simple and elegant decor. Features include a swimming pool, air conditioning, safe box, mini bar, hairdryer and balcony with pool views.
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included every day, and items for lunch are available in local shops. In the evening, you have a wide choice of tavernas and local restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
The tour is suitable for anyone in good physical shape, but it falls into our easy to moderate category. The walks are mostly unsurfaced tracks; unsurfaced dirt roads, and stony footpaths. Sometimes short stretches on quiet tarmac roads (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available between the start of April and the end of October.
The best time to travel to the Greek islands is between April and June and between September to the beginning of November. In the summer months, it gets very hot. Active travellers should either go in the springtime (when nature is at its best) or in autumn (when sea water is still warm).
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Athens (ATH).
By train or bus
- Your transport from either Athens centre or Athens airport and your ferry to and from the island is included. At the end of the tour, you will need to use public transport or taxi service to get from Piraeus to Athens Airport or Athens centre.
Inclusions
Included
- 3 nights accommodation
- 3 breakfasts
- Transfer from Athens centre or Athens airport to Piraeus port
- Ferry ticket Piraeus-Aegina-Piraeus
- Luggage transfers upon arrival and departure on Aegina
- Transfer at end of stay from the hotel to Aegina port
- 24/7 telephone assistance by our local office/representative
- Access to our navigation system
- Detailed digital holiday information pack, including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you before departure and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site.
Excluded
- Airfare
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have their own room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
- Upgraded accommodation available upon request
- Taxi transfers
- Supplement might be applicable for high-speed hydrofoil (tourist class, approx. 10EUR pp)
Gallery
