Cyclades Walking Holiday

On Foot Holidays introduces unique two-island Cyclades walking holiday

Self-guided walking specialist On Foot Holidays has launched a new, centre-based route to the Cycladic islands of Naxos and Amorgos, adding another unusual option to its ever-expanding portfolio of handpicked hikes across Europe.

The trip contrasts scenic Naxos’s varied terrain and sights with the slower pace of Amorgos, which remains less accessible and therefore more traditional, peaceful and authentic.

Says MD Simon Scutt: “Our new Greece itinerary offers a unique combination of two appealing islands bathed in sunshine and set in the scenic Cyclades where whitewashed houses, pristine beaches, mountains, valleys and olive groves characterise the landscape. Although we usually offer linear routes, Naxos and Amorgos particularly suit self-guided, centre-based day walks given their size and geography.”

The walking begins on Naxos near the characterful Old Town, with its Venetian Kastro and heritage, labyrinthine alleys and tumble of whitewashed house and shops. From here, enjoy day walks to the half-finished ancient statues (Kouros), lying in a farmer’s field, the pretty villages of the island’s sleepy interior – Apeiranthos, Filoti and Chalki – and the beach at Lionas, where you can enjoy a hearty lunch, homemade honey raki and then a serene swim. Alternatively, ascend Mt. Zas, the highest mountain in the Cyclades at 1,000m.

On Amorgos, embrace the laid-back, traditional atmosphere – trek to the lonely Monastery of Chozoviotisa, clinging to the edge of a cliff, or hike the spine of the island to a peaceful pension in the picturesque second port of Aegialis. Two further walks will take you through the villages of the northern end of the island, and to a windy outpost, accessible only via a cliff path.

View the menu of day walks on both islands on the Cyclades itinerary.

As ever, On Foot Holidays has secured an experienced local route advisor – someone who has painstakingly developed an itinerary through varied countryside, packing in as much culture as possible en route and seeking out the most welcoming small hotels and pensions. Annie Antonatou is a keen hiker and mountaineer and has been guiding travellers around the traditional paths of the Cyclades for the last nine years. She speaks fluent English.

The seven-night Naxos and Amorgos self-guided itinerary costs from £375 pp (two sharing) including four nights’ room-only accommodation on Naxos, three nights’ B&B on Amorgos and detailed route information. Flights and local transfers (ferries and buses) are excluded. The day walks are graded easy to medium.

Every one of On Foot Holidays’ walks has been tested by Director, Simon Scutt, and at least one other member of his team.

For further information, for expert advice from someone who’s walked the route, and to book, call On Foot Holidays on 01722 322 652 (www.onfootholidays.co.uk).