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The volcanic peninsula of Methana has been on my bucket list for quite some time now for its unusual mountainous landscape, wide network of hiking trails, and a relative lack of tourism. When we finally managed to visit Methana this spring I wasn’t disappointed. Quite the opposite, actually.
We spent three days exploring the many sights of the peninsula including the volcano at Kameni Chora, the cave of Peristeri, or the Favierou Castle, and hiked along some of Methanas lovely hiking trails. During this short visit, we completely fell in love with Methanas quiet charm and natural beauty.
Another unexpected highlight of our stay in Methana was the sweet, welcoming nature of its people. Anywhere we went and anyone we talked to was polite, smiling, and looked genuinely happy to see us coming to explore their unusual land.
How to get to Methan from Athens
The drive from Athens to Methana took us approximately 3 hours (180 km). We followed the highway Athens – Corinth until the Corinth Canal. We left the highway right before the canal, crossed it, and continued in the direction Loutra Oreas Elenis and Epidavros.
The coastal drive between Corinth and Archaia Epidavros was very beautiful, but also full of turns. If you suffer from car sickness like I do, be prepared for a slight discomfort here.
During our visit, the coastal road between Epidavros and a village called Driopi was closed due to roadworks and we had to turn inland adding extra half an hour to our drive.
Once we returned to the coast we drove towards the Psifta wetlands and the narrow isthmus connecting Methana to the mainland.
Right after passing the isthmus, we reached a fork in the road, the right branch leading to Methan Town and the left to the port of Vathy. From here, it all depends on your plans. For driving directions on Google Maps click HERE.
Maps, signposting & difficulty
When planning our hiking trip to Methana we mainly used the Volcanic Trails website for inspiration and Wikiloc to finetune our hiking plans. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any printed map of the Methana Peninsula or any guidebook.
The trails we followed during our trip were generally very well marked with frequent signs and wooden tables stating the destination of the path and in some cases also the distance. There was one exception but more about that later.
We choose hikes of medium difficulty with around 10 km in distance and 500-600 meters of elevation gain. That being said, I found the hikes in Methan slightly more challenging than I would expect. This was mainly due to the rocky nature and rough surface of the trails.
Day 1: Favierou Castle, Peristeri Cave & Vathy
On the first day of our stay in Methana, we decided to take a road trip along the western coast of the peninsula towards Vathi visiting the Favierou Castle and Peristeri Cave along the way.
Favierou Castle
The Favierou Castle sits on an 80-meter-high hill right at the entrance to the Methana peninsula. The castle was built during the Greek Revolution against the Turks in 1826 by the French general Favierou in a place of 5th-century fortification.
To get to the beginning of the trail to the castle we followed the road towards Vathy from the first crossroad at the entrance of the peninsula. After about 200 meters we spotted a dirt road branching off to the left. We parked our car near a small church nearby and continued on foot (Wikiloc recording HERE).
The trail leading to the castle and back only has around 1.5 km and 50 meters of elevation and is easy to follow. On its way to the castle, it passes the charming white Theotokou Chapel and offers beautiful views of the sea and mountains of the Peloponnese.
The castle itself is not particularly big and doesn’t have any information tables. That being said, it is an interesting place to explore especially on a sunny spring day like ours when the grassy hilltop bursts with colorful wildflowers.
Peristeri Cave
Continuing along the road towards Vathy for about two kilometers we arrived at the Peristeri Cave. There is a wooden sign marking the beginning of the trail to the cave on the right side of the road and a small parking spot on the left.
The climb to the cave is short but steep and rocky, requiring a lot of caution. Once we reached the entrance to the cave we weren’t too impressed, all we could see was a dark chasm underneath our feet.
But when our eyes got used to the darkness we noticed crystal clear, turquoise water at the bottom and decided to try to descend to the cave. I’m so glad we did!
The descent to the cave was quite challenging. There was no path to speak of and instead, we had to downclimb a very steep slope covered by loose rocks and boulders. But the effort was well worth it. Standing at the shore of the underground lake under the high, textured ceiling of the cavern was truly amazing.
We spent quite some time enjoying the calmness of the cave disturbed by nothing but droplets of water quietly dripping from the ceiling and imagining all sorts of creatures living in this mysterious place (Yes, Golumn was one of them).
Vathy & The Ancients Tower of Throni
When we left the cave, we drove to Vathy some 3 kilometers to the north. This secluded little harbor is the perfect place for a break and we enjoyed our lunch here in a tavern called To Vathy.
The food was lovely, the service quick and polite and the sunshine and quiet splashing of the waves very calming. There are multiple fish taverns to choose from in Vathy as well as a bar and a cafe, all with a beautiful view of the sea and the incoming fisherman boats.
From Vathy we headed towards Megalochori and Methan Town where we booked our accommodation. Shortly before a village called Dritseika, we made a small detour to the Ancient Tower of Throni.
The tower is hard to spot among the olive trees and bushes considering only the door and the perimeter is still standing. But if you park your car at the nearby church of Agios Georgios and continue uphill for about for about 100 you shouldn’t miss it.
As with many of the Methan sights, there is no information table to provide a peek into the tower’s history or purpose. However, it is still a lovely place to stop and enjoy the beautiful rural scenery of olive orchards, hills, and the sea.
Methana Town
Methana Town is the largest settlement on the peninsula and the perfect base for hikes and explorations. It has a supermarket, multiple shops, taverns (Taverna To Kapileio was our favorite), cafes and plenty of accommodation options.
Entering the town, we were welcomed by a strong smell of “rotten eggs” caused by Metana’s sulfur springs, probably the most famous sight of the peninsula. It never really left us during our stay but it wasn’t too hard to get used to it.
The town itself is not as pretty as it may have been in the past with the spa facilities closed and many of the old, beautiful buildings left to decay. It is still an interesting place to explore.
The spa buildings, even if abandoned, are the most characteristic sights of Methana. It lies right at the entrance to the town and cannot be missed.
If you want to still experience the healing waters of Methan, there is a small swimming platform on the opposite side of the road with a changing boot and ladder leading to the sea. The entrance is guarded by a family of photogenic yet slightly aggressive ducks so be cautious!
Another thermal spring lies at the northern end of the town at Agios Nikolaos. It is just a small pool of lukewarm alkalic water at the eponymous beach but its location overlooking Methana Town makes it quite charming.
Day 2: Volcano & Mouskes Hike
On the second day of our stay in Methana, we decided to explore the northern part of the peninsula and the famous volcano of Kameni Chora. To get the most out of the dramatic scenery we choose to follow a circular hike connecting the volcano with the picturesque villages called Mouskes (today Makriloggos and Palea Loutra).
The trail had around 10 kilometers in length and 650 meters of elevation gain. It was very well marketed by purple and red signs and wooden tables with destinations and distances. We followed a Wikiloc recording as well just in case but I believe we would be able to navigate the trail even without it (Wikiloc recording HERE).
The trail was more challenging in reality than it looked on paper. Some sections we very rocky, some steep and slippery and overgrown by vegetation. It took us five and half hours to complete but we made uncountable stops to photograph the striking scenery and plethora of colorful wildflowers.
We started our hike in Makriloggos (or Ano Mouska) near a lookout gazebo at the entrance of the village. From here, we followed a sign for the volcano (Ηφαιστειο) and purple markings leading us uphill throughout the village.
At the upper edge of the village, we crossed an asphalt road and joined a rocky trail winding up through small grassy fields bursting with wildflowers. Higher up on the mountain we entered a forest and continued among moss-covered boulders and thick bushes.
After about one and a half kilometers we reached the highest point of this section of the hike and started our descent toward the volcano through a beautiful pine forest. Once we came onto the asphalth road connecting Kameni Chora with Makriloggos we turned right.
We followed the road until we reached a small car park at the foot of the volcano. There is a large information table here and another wooden sign marking the beginning of the path to the top.
After about 50 meters the path split into two, the right branch running down towards Agios Nikolaos and the left one ascending through the forested slopes of the lava dome. We chose the left branch and after about 15 minutes we reached the summit plateau.
From here we continued among the otherworldly red lava formations until we arrived at a narrow chasm in the rock. With a bit of caution, you can enter and explore this impressive yet slightly scary cave structure. The views from the top are as amazing as the unusual volcanic landscape all around and well worth the strenuous climb.
The 600-meter-long ascent to the top of the volcanic dome of Kameni Chora was definitely the busiest part of our hike. The volcano is one of the main attractions of Methan and even in early spring there were many visitors ready to climb to the rugged summit.
But once we descended down to the crossroad of trails and turned left towards Agios Nikolaos we were left completely alone. For the next one and a half kilometers we followed the trail downhill, slipping and stumbling on the steep, dusty trail.
It took us to the northern part of the mountain, wild and steep, covered by thick forest with many dry yet surprisingly deep riverbeds crossing our trail. Once we reached about 50 meters above sea level the trail turned horizontally and started its slow ascent toward Kato Mouska.
This section of the hike was my favorite despite a heavy downpour we were caught in along the way. The old path, still cobbled in some places, used to be an important mule road connecting the fields scattered on the slopes of the mountain with the windmill in Agios Georgios and the only freshwater spring of the peninsula in Kra (read more about it HERE).
When we visited Methana in the middle of March the grassy fields and terraces lining the trail were bright green, scattered with thousands of wildflowers. Combined with the beautiful views of the neighboring Saronic islands of Aegina and Agistri and the dramatic mountainous scenery of Methan, this made for an unforgettable hiking experience.
Once we arrived in Kato Mouska and dried ourselves up at the little church in the center of the village we turned left on an asphalt road. We followed it until we spotted a trail branching off to the right with a sign pointing towards Ano Mouska. It took us all the way up to Makriloggos and our car.
Day 3: Megalochori & Panagitsa Hike
For the third day of our stay in Methana, we decided to follow the orange circular route starting from Megalochori and visiting the churches of Panagitsa and Agios Ioannis, and the village called Megalo Potami.
It had 10 kilometers in length and about 550 meters in elevation and wouldn’t be too difficult if it wasn’t for some unforeseen challenges. But more about that later.
The trail was marked by a combination of orange and blue signs and until the church of Panagitsa it was very easy to follow. For the rest of the hike, following a Wikiloc recording was very useful even if it didn’t save us from getting lost a few times (Wikiloc recording HERE).
We started our hike at the entrance of Megalochori (when coming from Methana Town) at a wooden sign pointing towards the summit of Chelona. We walked uphill through the village until we arrived at a dry riverbed.
We crossed the riverbed and joined a beautiful cobbled path climbing uphill among olive trees and small fields. Walking along this old route, we could feel the centuries of human presence and hard work in every step, every stone wall, and every old, gnarly olive tree we passed.
Even though the path was uphill all the way up to the church of Panagitsa I didn’t find it very challenging and we were quickly gaining elevation. After about one and a half kilometers of a steady climb, we finally reached the church.
The charming little Byzantine chapel of Panagitsa lies at an altitude of 550 meters in a beautiful spot surrounded by olive orchards and small fields. Inside, you can still find faded frescoes adorning the ceiling. It is the perfect spot for a break while enjoying the lovely quiet countryside all around.
From the church, we continued along the same path across grassy fields, full of daisies and other colorful wildflowers. After a while, the path turned uphill climbing towards a couple of old, half-ruined buildings. After some obligatory yet careful explorations inside we passed the buildings and spotted a large herd of goats grazing on the grassy terraces above.
Our initial excitement from seeing the cute goats curiously watching us from the fields above quickly wore off once we noticed two huge shepherd dogs running towards us and barking frantically.
We quickly decided to retreat and wait for them to leave. After another two unsuccessful attempts to proceed along our trail, we choose to climb a couple of stone walls hidden by the bushes to avoid the watchful eye of the shepherd dogs.
Higher up, we managed to find our trail and quickly (and very quietly) proceeded uphill before they could spot us. The dogs didn’t look like they would attack, their only goal seemed to be to keep us away from their goats. But who wants to test this theory, right?
Soon after our goat adventure, we arrived at a large clearing. The path circled it from the left just to turn uphill on the other side next to a scree field of large boulders. From here to the top of the hill the trail was faint, sometimes disappearing altogether, and very steep.
At the top of the hill, the path widened and we started our descent. For the next approximately 700 meters we walked through a beautiful pine forest with views opening up towards the surrounding peaks from time to time.
Once we came out of the forest near yet another picturesque ruin and a cistern, we joined an asphalt road and turned left. We followed the road for another one and a half kilometers along the Makriloggos plateau and later through a beautiful thick forest.
Just before reaching the ruins at Sterna tou Gambrou we come across a dirt road branching off to the left towards Megalo Potami. We turned onto the road and kept going until the first right-hand turn. A smaller road continued straight until a small opening with an old stone water trough.
From here, the most confusing section of our hike started. This part of the mountain all the way down to the church of Agios Ioannis suffered from a wildfire in 2023.
Even though the ground was already covered by a thick blanket of fresh green grass we could still see the charred branches and tree trunks sticking out. What’s more, the signs were completely gone at this point and the path was overgrown and hard to spot.
At first, we followed a hardly visible path running uphill to the left of the clearing. It was marked by small cairns but they were hard to spot and far apart. At the edge of the hill, the trail turned into a paved path that would be very pretty if maintained. About 300 before the church we got completely lost it and ended up downclimbing uncountable of the stone walls lining the small terraced fields.
The charming little white church of Agios Ioannis is yet another perfect place for a break. The views from up here towards the sea and the mountains of the Peloponnese were truly breathtaking.
We didn’t stay for too long though as we were anxious about the rest of our descent. And we were right to be. Even though we paid close attention to our trail, the cairns, and a few plastic stripes tied to the branches we still got lost a few more times.
But in the end, we managed to reach the village of Megalo Potami, turned left near a small white church with a set of swings at the front, and followed an asphalt road back to Megalochori and our car.
Overall, I would recommend this hike only to someone with an adventurous spirit and taste for path-finding. If you don’t have the time, stamina, or willingness to struggle a bit, I think hiking only to the churches of Panagitsa and returning back the same way would be a better choice.
