Menalon Trail Greece: Hiking in the Peloponnese

Ioannis we already mentioned. He was born at the starting point of the Menalon Trail, in the small village of Stemnitsa. Unlike many of his fellow villagers, he chose a life in Athens, to make a living in business there. Long days in the office from Monday to Friday and then, if possible, relaxing in the mountains on weekends. But why not go to the mountains for longer? It gave him an idea. The trails that Ioannis and all his ancestors, going back to ancient times in the Peloponnese, could bring tourists to the region. Eureka! Connect the mule tracks and you have a wonderfully authentic hiking trail. The Menalon Trail became an idea, and after Iaonnis and his friends had done their homework in Italy's Aosta Valley, known for the Tour du Mont Blanc, among other places, the 75-kilometre trail became a reality.

So you will find the Menalon Trail near Stemnitsa, a quiet village with almost as many churches as houses in the middle of Arcadia, in the Peloponnese, one of the birthplaces of ancient Greece. Stemnitsa is a three-hour drive from Athens. Menalon is the name of the mountain range through which the eponymous trail winds. The mule tracks that handed over their function to tarmac in recent years are now one of the best trails in Europe. Like the Mullerthal Trail, also a top pick at Bookatrekking.com, the Menalon Trail has earned the "Best of Europe - Leading Quality Trail" label.

Becoming a Leading Quality Trail doesn't just happen. The European Rambler's Assocation, or ERA, is an umbrella hiking organisation for associations in 35 European countries. In 2015, the Menalon Trail was named a Leading Quality Trail by the ERA. This label guarantees the diversity of a hiking trail. Not only nature but, above all, culture is a distinguishing factor. So what makes the Menalon Trail so special?

In the Menalon you will find basically everything that a Leading Quality Trail should have to offer. Picturesque towns, almost exclusively nature trails, a multitude of cultural attractions, impressive views and landscapes, and to make it all complete, clear marking and signposting. The Menalon Trail has it all, and among all the splendour, you will constantly come across the distinctive M.

The Menalon Trail is a bit different from the Alta Via 1 or the Peter Habeler Runde. Whereas a hut-to-hut tour in the Alps or the Dolomites is mainly about nature, the Menalon Trail is also about local culture. In short, this means that somewhere along the way, you might also just hit the ouzo or raki for a few hours. Hospitality is an inherent part of Greek culture and in the quiet villages along the Menalon, everyone is a welcome friend.

So on the Menalon Trail, unlike on some of our other trails, it's not about athletic challenge at all. In the Menalon Mountains, you switch down a gear, take it all in, taste some goodies at the bakery and get talking to the wonderful characters you meet along the way. And all this while completing a relatively easy non-technical hiking trail. Is the Menalon Trail for you? If you're looking for a relaxing walking holiday, then definitely!

In Greece, you can go for your beach holidays all year round but that does not mean you can also hike the mountains all year round. Olympus, for example, in line with hut-hiking in the Alps or the Pyrenees, has a very short season and is thus only good to do for a few months of the year.

The Menalon Trail can basically be done all year round but summer is the favourite season again. It makes sense too, because that's when all the hotels are open, it's between 20 and 30 degrees during the day. It is also much busier on the trails, which is why many hikers prefer to choose spring or late summer and early autumn. Milder temperatures, better chances of availability in accommodations and, depending on the season, fantastic colours in nature.

The idea of Ioannis and 'his' Menalon Trail was to bring tourism to the Menalon Mountains. He has done a pretty good job of that. The Menalon Trail is becoming increasingly well known and for us hikers, this means that you can find a multitude of accommodation along the trail. A multitude but always in typical Greek style. What that looks like? Happily different from what you might encounter on the busy beaches of Chersonissos, for example. Along the Menalon Trail, you will stay in typical Greek guesthouses. In some cases, these are centuries-old buildings that are charmingly furnished and privately run. This gives you another chance to be invited for a bite to eat or a drink. Because why not? Life in the Menalon Mountains is not that complicated.

On walking holidays in Greece? A unique way to discover a country known to some only for all-in beach holidays. Greece is much more than Chersonissos. And if you want to discover authentic Greece, it doesn't have to cost a lot either. Your flight to Athens can be booked relatively low-cost with Easyjet or Aegean and from there it is only three hours to Stemnitsa. Getting to Stemnitsa by public transport is complicated but a transfer from Athens to Stemnitsa can easily be organised. In fact, in the case of a Menalon Trail at Bookatrekking.com, a transfer from the airport to Stemnitsa is included. The same goes for luggage transport. Nice and easy.

Breakfast is ready for you every day and so you only have to put money aside for your lunch and dinner. A beer in Greece costs 3 to 4 euros and a meal you have for say 15 euros. And a trip at Bookatrekking.com? For less than 900 Euro per person, you can already be on the trail with a comprehensive offer from Bookatrekking.com.