There are so many paths to take on the Menalon Trail, you cannot be bored. The trail I took was Stemnitsa - Dimitsana. It was rigorous and wonderful. I loved... read more all the water - the river, the waterfalls, the fountains. The Lousios River Gorge was tremendous. The water was so cold and refreshing. I absolutely loved it. And there were several monasteries that were so beautiful, especially in the pristine setting of the gorge.

  Since we have young kids (4 & 6) we didn't want our hike to include a massive climb so we just drove our car to the Monoporis Bridge which is... read more right on the river (road starts on Dimitsana and quite bad in some parts so drive slowly), parked near the bridge and did a little walk on the trail towards Dimitsana direction and then returned the same way. If you cross the bridge to the other side by foot you can find a path to the river bank (on your right, just after the bridge) where we had a great picnic and dip our feet in the ice cold water.

  A wonderful walk - highly recommended. We staying in Dimitsana and took a taxi to Stemnitsa, and walked back along the trail. The section is 12.5km and a combined ascent... read more of 700m (although it felt more). The walk is about 5 hours plus stops. Setting off it the morning we were above the clouds which gradually cleared during the day. Basically the walk takes through the gorge starting at 1000m and dropping to 500m and then back to 1000m. The trail is extremely well way-marked, as are many Greek paths, pretty hard to get lost, and we did not take a map. We were lucky with the weather, there was torrential rain just after we return and I imagine it could get very hot in the summer months.

  A bit rugged with difficulty finding trail markers at times. Scenery is gorgeous with a deep gorge, an ancient bridge and spring along the way. We were alone the entire... read more hike. Well worth the effort.

  We spent an enjoyable day walking from Stemnitsa- we had a map but didn’t need it as the route was well signed all the way. We walked for about... read more 5 hours including stops at the monasteries and a dip in the river but didn’t make it to Dimitsana in that time. We then decided to return by taxi as the kids were tired in the August heat. We got help from the hotel to call a taxi to take us back which cost about 20 Euros. At times it was a bit unstable under foot so you definitely need trainers. The views were stunning!

  We did two hikes:

Steminitsa-dimitsana: great hike with both mountain views and lush forest. We visited two monasteries on the way which were really worthwhile. About halfway there’s a... read more bridge with a river which is a good place for a dip. It took us about 5 hours. We passed some people on the first half of the trip and none thereafter.

Vytina, small loop, direction of Elati and back: most beautiful part nature wise, authentic Greek tranquil landscape with olive trees, old bridges and rivers.

I really recommend using the app “AllTrails” - this shows all the possible pathways and tracks your location live. The trail itself is really well marked, except for a small bit around the water museum (close to Dimitsana). I’m adding the local information on the route in the photos.

  This was a great trail and I’m looking forward to doing it again now that I’m more sure of the way to break it up (with inns and hotels.)
... read more /> It’s gorgeous with wildlife and ancient structures, varied surroundings, and welcoming villages and towns.

I recommend this to anyone when they ask about hiking in Greece, but it should be recommended as a must for hikers anywhere. I absolutely loved my time doing this and I hope you do too.

  This network of paths offers the visitor the chance to experience a scenic walk through the woods, by the river, on the top of mountains, in a gorge in a... read more constantly changing environment. The hiker must be well prepared for rapid weather changes and never hike by a river or in a gorger during rainy days. A guide is highly recommended for beginners.