The Menalon Trail Pilgrimage Tour

After arriving in Athens, you will find your way to the central square in Stemnitsa, a stunning village perched in a valley on the Peloponnese Peninsula. When you arrive, you can visit the Menalon info centre in town to get a brief orientation on the week ahead.

Settle into your accommodation and take some time to wander this enchanting village.

Begin the trek along the Melanon Trail with a zigzag path leading out of Stemnitsa. Take some time and detour to the Prodromos Monastery built into the cliffside near the village. Continue through a gorge, passing two more ancient monasteries. Through aromatic vegetation, you climb the bank of the Lousios River extending to Dimitsana. Cross a bridge, and the Open-Air Water Power Museum will come into view. Near here is Dimitsana, your destination for the night.

Enjoy a lovely breakfast at your guesthouse in Dimitsana before trekking to the next town. On today’s journey, footpaths and dirt roads lead you among wooded landscapes and pastoral scenery. You’ll get spectacular views as you hike up, down, and around the Lousios basin.

Stop for a break in a small hamlet to refuel, then continue to the mountain town of Elati to find your home for the night.

After breakfast, you’ll head for a shorter walk filled with water features, villages, and so many mountain views. Leaving Elati, you’ll head to the Pirgaki Springs with its stone fountains, where you can take a break and splash some water on your face.

Following the path, you’ll walk along the river, into a valley, then up a hill. Midday, you’ll reach a church atop a mountain and get some incredible views of the mountains all around you. The end of the path is marked by a stone bridge and oak and spruce forests, then a descent to Nymfasia, the small village where you’ll sleep tonight.

Savour breakfast because your day starts with a big climb right off the bat. Hike up to the Kernistsas Monastery amid terraced fields. Follow the ancient, well-marked pathways to Magouliana village, where you can stop for a well-deserved meal in a local tavern.

After lunch, the path opens to incredible views, and you’ll see Valtesiniko in the distance, your destination for this evening. After you arrive, you’ll have a chance to explore this cute village, known for its woodcarvers.

Fuel up on breakfast on your last day of this tour. Begin the day walking above Valtesiniko for wonderful views of where you just spent the night, then push on to an open meadow. Highlights today include a Byzantine fortress and a gorgeous church. The second leg of the trail leads through pine forests, ascending and descending, challenging your legs. When you see watermills come into view, you’ll know you are close to your final destination, Lagkadia, where the Menalon Trail ends.

Find your hotel and celebrate your accomplishments with a local brew in a tavern.

Once you’re finished breakfast, you’ll check out of the hotel and the tour comes to an end. Pack up and continue on your way, knowing you just completed a stunning mountain trail across the Peloponnese Peninsula.