DESCRIPTION
Thanks to its even soil morphology, Leros is ideal for any type of hike. Most trails are signposted and have kiosks for rest. In addition to their natural and archaeological importance, many trails are connected to the military history of the island, and take you back to World War II. There are many interesting itineraries to choose from, based on degree of difficulty, places to visit or landscape and vegetation. These are only a few suggestions out of the many existing trails. We would like to remind you that that the trails presented under “cycling tourism” can also be considered as hiking trails.
| ITINERARY | DURATION | DESCRIPTION |
| Platanos – Panteli Castle | 30’ | Leave your car at the parking lot in Platanos and follow the signs to the castle, along the backstreets of the settlement. Walk past the church of Aghia Paraskevi, which used to be the cathedral of Leros, and from there, take the footpath that goes uphill. Upon reaching the entrance to the castle you will feel as if you had crossed a time-gate to a different era. |
| Lakki-Xerokabos | 2 ώρες | Leaving Lakki behind, head towards Temenia. Heading south, with the bay of Lepida on your right-hand side, you will see the impressive building complex for the Psychiatric Hospital, originally constructed to host the Rosseti seaplane base. One of the cranes used to lift the seaplanes and take them to shore is still there. Leaving the gate behind and staying on the road to Xirokabos, you will get to the settlement of Sfakia. The asphalt-paved road on the left, ends up on mount Tsigouna, where the barracks of battery 113 still lie. Right past the chapel of Aghios Vlassis and the first houses of Xirokabos, you will see the sign pointing towards the road to Paleokastro. Walking uphill towards Paleokastro will see the Cyclopean wall and the small, vaulted church of Panaghia. Further ahead, on the road to the centre of Xirokabos you will get to Aghios (Saint) Fanourios, the village church. The other road, starting at that point, goes up to mount Skoubarda, with the panoramic view of the Aegean Sea. Walking downhill, on the way from Xirokabos to the beach, the road goes up to Diapori and the FT3 power station. The road is asphalt-paved up to the church of Panaghia Kavouradena. |
| Merikia Tunnel-Profitis Ilias | 60’ | After visiting the tunnels of the War Museum, in Merikia, walk past the yard where the grounded airplanes are displayed, keeping the chapel of Aghios Zacharias, on the hill, to your left. A narrow dirt road crosses the dam of Sykamia and then enters a stock breeding area with folds and pigsties. Half an hour later, you will get to a crossroad. The road to the left leads to the chapel of Profitis Ilias (Prophet Eli), while the other side shows the way to the monastery of nun Gavriilia. |
| Partheni – Temple of Artemis – Fakoudia | 50’ | Setting off at the dam of Partheni, follow the sign to the archaeological site, which you will reach after walking 400m uphill. It is not guarded, as only a few carved stones are saved from the sanctuary of the Hellenistic era. Keep walking to the west, on the footpath, which becomes bumpy after a while, and walk past an area of lentisks and locust trees. At the end of the route you will get to a stone kiosk, in Fakoudia, where you may visit the remains of the Farinata battery. Taking the detour to the south (1km long), a few metres from the kiosk, will get you to Markelos peak. |
| Panaghia Kavouradena-Diapori | 20’ | An easy dirt road, from Panaghia Kavouradena goes on to Diapori. The distance is no longer than 1.3km, but it goes past the edge of the cliff and offers a spectacular view over the bay of Xirokabos and straight ahead up to Kalymnos. At the end of the route you will find a kiosk and the buildings of batteries 281 and 388. Inside the barracks you may still see the murals painted by Italian soldiers. Walking downhill form this location will take you to the edge of the cape. |
Location
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