| |
| ISLANDS A-Z | CRETE | CYCLADES | DODECANESE | EASTERN AEGEAN |
| IONIAN | SARONIC | SPORADES | MAINLAND | ABOUT US |
Hiking on Tilos |
 |
|
Many travels to Tilos only for hiking. It's a lovely hiking island blessed with a beautiful, and largely untouched, landscape. Almost the entire island is barren, so do not expect to hike in a jungle. Several of the old donkey trails is intact, the bird life is exciting and brighten up the hikes. There are many easy hiking trails so you do not need to be an experienced hiker.
Tilos is a small island and the distances are short.
My favorite hikes are: Livadia to Lethra beach, Livadia to Gera via Agios Antonios, Livadia to Mikro Chorio, Megalo Chorio to Skafi beach, the hike that starts in Livadia and goes in a circle around southeast Tilos and the hike to Tholos beach. We start with the easiest hike, namely the one to Lethra beach.
The hike to Lethra starts above the Ilidi Rock Hotel in Livadia.
The hike to Lethra beach is easy and it is impossible to get lost.
The path goes a bit above the coast. You can see the path in the middle of the picture.
The hike to Lethra beach takes about 45 minutes.
Soon on the beach in Lethra where a cooling dip awaits.
Read about Lethra beach here » |
|
From Lethra beach, you can choose between walking the same way back to Livadia, or walk the stream gorge up to Mikro Chorio and then continue to Livadia. That hike is much harder than the one along the coast.
The hike from Lethra beach to Mikro Chorio goes via this stream gorge.
Here begins the short hike to Mikro Chorio.
Read about Mikro Chorio here »
The nicest hike, in my opinion, goes in a circle around the southeast of Tilos. The hike takes you through a hilly and attractive landscape with spectacular views out over the sea. The hike starts and ends on the seafront promenade in Livadia and is easy to follow. You can not go the wrong way. You can choose to walk the entire hike or continue to the uninhabited village of Gera, and then walk back.
The killer slope starts at number 1 and ends at number 2, where Agios Ioannas church is located.
Just follow the road along the port promenade to the opposite side of the bay of Livadia, where Marina Beach Hotel and Taverna Faros is. Once you have passed Faros, a long and steep killer slope starts and it ends at a small chapel called Agios Ioannis. Here you can rest for a while after the gruelling climb up the hill. If you are not able, or do not want to, walk further, you can with a clear conscience stop at Agios Ioannis. There are many who do so. You can sit here forever and enjoy the meditative silence and the beautiful view.
The chapel of Agios Ioannis where two hikes begin. |
|
When you have finished resting, continue the path after Agios Ioannis. When you see a lush ravine in the mountains to the right, you can choose to turn right, or continue the path (it makes a sharp turn to the left) to the abandoned village of Ghera. If you choose to walk to Ghera (which I recommend), simply walk until the path ends. Then you are in Ghera. On the way to Gera, you can stop and take a swim at Despoti Nero beach.
After Agios Ioannis the path continues slowly upwards.
This part of the hike is very easy walking.
The path to the left of the stream ravine leads to Gera, but we continue straight ahead.
Now it is not far to the most beautiful view of Tilos. There are many birds of prey here. |
|
View of the beautiful Livadia Bay
This is what it looks like when you have done half the hike. :-)
From here it goes downhill to Livadia. Panagia Politissa church lower right.
Read about Livadia here »
If you turn left in the stream ravine, you will soon reach Gera.
After the stream ravine, the rest of the hike is like "a walk in the park".
The today uninhabited village of Gera, earlier revived during the summer months when about 300 people lived here to take care of their cultivations and animals. Only a few people stayed over winter. Today there is not much left of Ghera, but the village is still worth a visit, not at least for the beautiful hike there.
Read more about the hike to Gera here »
Read more about the uninhabited village of Gera here »
|
|
There are many other lovely hiking routs, including the one to Lethra beach which is described under the heading Beaches, I can also recommend the easy hike from Livadia to Mikro Chorio. More adventurous hikes are to be found on the north-western parts of the island. A real challenge is the hike from the monastery of Agios Panteleimon to Eristos beach. To do this hike you have to be an experienced hiker. It is also possible to hike between the monastery of Agios Panteleimon and the small fishing village of Agios Antonios, but I have never dared to walk there.
The hike to Tholos beach begins here.
Read about Tholos beach here » |
READ MORE ABOUT TILOS |
||||||
| About Tilos | Getting here | Getting around | Villages | Beaches | Sights | Hotels |
