Self-Launched Hiking Zagori & Meteora, Greece

Fly into Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) and make your way into the city by Metro Line 3 (~£10, ~40 mins) to Monastiraki or Syntagma. Check into a central hostel and spend the afternoon and evening exploring on foot. The Acropolis, Parthenon, and Acropolis Museum are unmissable — book the museum online in advance to skip queues (~£10 entry). Stroll through Plaka, climb Philopappou Hill for free panoramic views, and grab dinner in the vibrant Monastiraki or Psiri neighbourhoods. Self-booking tip: the Acropolis + Acropolis Museum combo ticket can be booked at acropolis-tickets.gr.

🚌Metro Line 3 from Athens Airport to city centre ~£10. Walk everywhere in central Athens.

🛏Athens Backpackers or City Circus Athens — central, well-reviewed hostels; dorm ~£20–25/night, private room ~£50–60/night

• →Walk up to the Acropolis and Parthenon (entry ~£10, book online)
• →Visit the Acropolis Museum (~£10, or included in combo ticket)
• →Stroll Plaka and Monastiraki neighbourhoods — free
• →Climb Philopappou Hill for sunset views — free
• →Dinner in Psiri or Monastiraki (~£10–15)

Take an early morning flight from Athens to Ioannina (Aegean/Sky Express, ~£50–80 one-way, 45 mins) — far better value on time than the 5–6 hour drive. From Ioannina airport, take a local taxi or pre-booked transfer to Kapesovo (~£30–40 shared, or arrange with your guesthouse). The famous Vradeto Steps — a spectacular 18th-century cobbled path — lead up from Kapesovo to the village of Vradeto. Continue on the marked path to the Beloe viewpoint for jaw-dropping views over the Vikos Gorge. Descend to Vitsa village for the night. Many guesthouses in Vitsa serve outstanding homemade dinners — ask ahead when you book.

🚌Fly Athens (ATH) to Ioannina (IOA) with Aegean Airlines or Sky Express, ~£50–80. Taxi Ioannina to Kapesovo ~£30–40.

🛏Guesthouse in Vitsa (e.g. Arhontiko Zarkada or similar) — ~£35–50/night per person in shared/twin room, usually includes breakfast

• →Fly Athens to Ioannina (Aegean or Sky Express, ~£50–80)
• →Taxi/transfer Ioannina to Kapesovo (~£30–40)
• →Hike the Vradeto Steps from Kapesovo to Vradeto (~1.5hrs, moderate-strenuous)
• →Walk to Beloe viewpoint overlooking Vikos Gorge (~30 mins extra)
• →Descend to Vitsa village for the night
• →Homemade dinner at guesthouse (~£12–15)

A more relaxed hiking day that loops through some of Zagori's most photogenic terrain — the famous arched stone bridges that dot the valleys between villages. The circuit from Vitsa takes in Misios bridge, continues to Koukouli, then down to the Lazarides, Myli, Plakidas, and Kokoris bridges. Most of these are connected by well-marked O3 trail segments. The full loop is around 12–15km. Download the trail GPX from AllTrails or Wikiloc before you go. Return to your Vitsa guesthouse for another home-cooked dinner.

🚌All on foot from Vitsa base.

🛏Guesthouse in Vitsa (same as Day 2) — ~£35–50/night

• →Hike the stone bridges circuit: Misios, Lazarides, Myli, Plakidas, Kokoris bridges (~12–15km, ~4–5hrs, moderate)
• →Walk through Koukouli village
• →Download GPX from AllTrails or Wikiloc before setting out — free
• →Picnic lunch with supplies from Vitsa (~£5–8)
• →Dinner at guesthouse (~£12–15)

Today's hike is the undisputed highlight of Zagori — the traverse of Vikos Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world relative to its width, cutting through the Northern Pindos National Park. Start at Monodendri (short taxi from Vitsa, ~£10) and follow the marked O3 trail down into the gorge and along the river bed to Vikos village, then on to Papigo. The full traverse is around 13km and takes 5–6 hours — it's strenuous but well-marked. Book your Papigo accommodation before the hike as options are limited. Pick up a snack lunch in Monodendri before you descend.

🚌Taxi Vitsa to Monodendri ~£10. Rest of day on foot.

🛏Guesthouse or small hotel in Papigo (e.g. Papaevangelou Hotel or similar stone guesthouses) — ~£35–50/night

• →Taxi from Vitsa to Monodendri (~£10)
• →Hike Vikos Gorge: Monodendri → Vikos village → Papigo (~13km, 5–6hrs, strenuous)
• →Walk through Northern Pindos National Park — entry free
• →Snack/picnic lunch from Monodendri (~£6–8)
• →Arrive Papigo — small, charming stone village

The most physically demanding — and most rewarding — day of the trek. From Papigo, a steep and sustained climb on the marked O3/Astraka trail leads up through alpine terrain to the Astraka Refuge (2,722m), operated by the Hellenic Mountaineering Club. Book the refuge in advance online at eosioannina.gr — a bed in the dorm costs around £15–20 and dinner/breakfast are available on-site. Leave your heavy pack at the refuge and make the shorter hike up to the glacial Dragon Lake (Drakolimni, 2,050m) — a truly magical high-alpine spot. Return to the refuge for the night.

🚌On foot throughout.

🛏Astraka Mountain Refuge — dorm bed ~£15–20/night, book via eosioannina.gr

• →Hike Papigo to Astraka Refuge (~4–5hrs, strenuous, significant elevation gain)
• →Leave pack at refuge and hike to Dragon Lake (Drakolimni) (~1.5hrs return)
• →Overnight at Astraka Refuge — book in advance at eosioannina.gr (~£15–20/bed)
• →Dinner and breakfast available at the refuge (~£12–18 combined)

Descend from Astraka back to Papigo in the morning (3–4hrs, easier than the ascent). En route or just outside Papigo, make a detour to the Ovires — stunning natural swimming pools carved into the rock by the Rogovo stream. On a warm day, a dip here is unmissable. From Papigo, arrange a pre-booked taxi to Kalambaka (the gateway town to Meteora, ~1.5–2hrs, ~£60–80 shared between a small group or solo). Arriving in Kalambaka in the late afternoon gives you time to settle in and admire Meteora's rock pillars at golden hour from the town below.

🚌On foot to Papigo then pre-arranged taxi to Kalambaka ~£60–80.

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Kalambaka (e.g. Koka Roka Guesthouse, Alsos House) — ~£25–40/night

• →Descent hike Astraka Refuge to Papigo (~3–4hrs)
• →Visit Ovires natural rock pools — free (swimming if conditions allow)
• →Pre-book taxi Papigo to Kalambaka (~£60–80 for the car, split if in a group)
• →Arrive Kalambaka — walk along the base of the Meteora rocks at golden hour
• →Dinner in Kalambaka town (~£12–15)

Spend the morning hiking the ancient monks' paths that wind up through Meteora's extraordinary sandstone pillars. The marked trails connect the monasteries — pick up a free map from your guesthouse or Kalambaka's tourist office. Six monasteries are open to visitors (rotating days/times — check ahead at meteora.gr). Entry per monastery is around £3–4. The Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries are the most impressive. Avoid the tourist buses by setting out early on foot or hiring a bicycle in town. In the afternoon, take the KTEL bus from Kalambaka back to Athens (~5hrs, ~£18) or arrange the journey to suit your onward travel.

🚌On foot and/or bicycle within Meteora. KTEL bus Kalambaka to Athens ~£18.

🛏Return to Athens or continue independently

• →Early morning hike on ancient monks' paths through Meteora rock pillars — trails free
• →Visit 1–2 monasteries (entry ~£3–4 each; Great Meteoron and Varlaam recommended)
• →Check opening schedules at meteora.gr before visiting
• →Hire a bicycle in Kalambaka for viewpoint hopping (~£8–10)
• →KTEL bus Kalambaka to Athens (~5hrs, ~£18) — book at ktel-trikala.gr