The hardest hikes in Greece, by the numbers
Of the 68 trails in Greece in our dataset, 21 (31 percent) rate strenuous or very strenuous on the gain-and-distance scale we use and run 3 to 30 miles with at least 1,500 ft of climb; all 21 are listed here, highest rating first.
Voio Diaschisi leads with 3,607 ft of gain over 18.9 miles, 191 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 28 percent.
Across the 21, gain runs from 2,209 to 5,574 ft and distance from 4 miles to 18.9 miles; the median gain is 3,441 ft and the median distance 6 miles.
19 of the 21 are point-to-point routes; the rest are out-and-back (1).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Voio Diaschisi | 18.9 | 3,607 | 191 | 28% | 3,298 to 5,925 | 369.2 | |
| 2 | Agia Anastasia Belos Tomaros Prof Ilias Trail | 10.7 | 5,188 | 485 | 55% | 2,375 to 6,345 | 333.2 | |
| 3 | Samaria GorgeSamaria NP | 9.5 | 5,484 | 577 | 36% | 31 to 4,048 | 322.8 | |
| 4 | Fournia Smolikas Trail | 7.7 | 5,574 | 724 | 47% | 3,058 to 8,632 | 293 | |
| 5 | Palioseli Smolikas TrailPindus NP | 6.9 | 5,067 | 734 | 41% | 3,592 to 8,632 | 264.4 | |
| 6 | Agia Paraskevi Smolikas Trail | 5.7 | 5,349 | 938 | 49% | 3,283 to 8,632 | 246.9 | |
| 7 | Samarina Distrato TrailPindus NP | 8.2 | 3,441 | 420 | 39% | 2,996 to 4,991 | 237.6 | |
| 8 | Theodoriana Katafidi Trail | 5.8 | 4,810 | 829 | 52% | 3,041 to 7,851 | 236.2 | |
| 9 | Samarina Smolikas TrailPindus NP | 6.4 | 4,040 | 631 | 36% | 5,000 to 8,632 | 227.4 | |
| 10 | Distrato Vovousa TrailPindus NP | 9.5 | 2,638 | 278 | 36% | 3,078 to 4,504 | 223.9 | |
| 11 | Vovousa Avgo TrailPindus NP | 4.9 | 3,937 | 803 | 37% | 3,205 to 7,142 | 196.4 | |
| 12 | Vikos Gorge | 7.5 | 2,561 | 341 | 80% | 1,649 to 3,488 | 196 | |
| 13 | Gigilos PeakSamaria NP | 5.4 | 3,234 | 599 | 68% | 3,996 to 6,482 | 186.9 | |
| 14 | Profitis Ilias Trail | 6.6 | 2,540 | 385 | 42% | 3,409 to 5,919 | 183.1 | |
| 15 | Melissourgoi Strogoula Trail | 4.3 | 3,535 | 822 | 62% | 3,373 to 6,788 | 174.4 | |
| 16 | Vovousa Koukourotzos TrailPindus NP | 5.2 | 2,666 | 513 | 28% | 3,187 to 5,853 | 166.5 | |
| 17 | Andros Routes 6 | 5.6 | 2,454 | 438 | 28% | 27 to 2,092 | 165.8 | |
| 18 | Andros Routes 1 | 6 | 2,261 | 377 | 45% | 31 to 1,615 | 164.7 | |
| 19 | Tsopelas Pramanta Melissourgoi | 6 | 2,209 | 368 | 39% | 2,991 to 4,479 | 162.8 | |
| 20 | Avdella Vasilitsa TrailPindus NP | 4.3 | 3,006 | 699 | 29% | 4,369 to 7,375 | 160.8 | |
| 21 | Pades Smolikas TrailPindus NP | 4 | 3,075 | 769 | 28% | 3,585 to 6,686 | 156.8 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band strenuous (150 to 200) or very strenuous (200 and over), 3 to 30 miles, at least 1,500 ft of gain, ordered by rating desc, gain per mile desc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Greece" here means the 68 trails in Greece in our dataset, not every trail in Greece.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Voio Diaschisi.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other countries in our dataset.