Avlonas-Parnitha: a walk to the hidden chapel Agia Marina
This long walk guarantees a fabulous active day on the northern slopes of Mt. Parnitha near Athens.
- remote countryside just a footstep away from busy Athens
- on foot along Moni Stoudiou and several rural chapels
- admire the terrific Ag. Marina chapel hanging on a cliff & the cave
- have a day outing for 3.95 Euro only per family or group of friends
To accomplish this walk you need to be in a pretty good physical shape and have stamina. But your effort will be rewarded with fabulous views and impressive scenery. Because the walk is on the northern slope of Parnitha, Athens city is out of sight and hopefully out of your mind so you can recharge your internal batteries.
The walk starts with a pleasant descent through agricultural fields, until the rural chapel of Profitis Ilias, a nice spot for a short break. Then you follow a forest trail along and through a riverbed, gradually ascending until you reach the magnificent chapel Agia Marina hanging on a cliff. Behind the church are two surprising caves. The route continues ascending along the green river valley and you reach another chapel and a pond where you may spot some frogs in the season. Here the route flattens out and you walk across a high plain, surrounded by mountain tops finding yourself in an incredible peaceful scenery. After the walk, you may sit down in one of the cafe's in Avlonas, before driving back home.
After booking this self-guided day trip, you will be connected to this walk in our app, so you can easily navigate and read about history and more.
- Follow the driving instructions to the starting point included in our app
- The starting point is 3,8km from the train station Avlonas which is too far to walk, but you could take a taxi from the station to the starting point. We recommend to come by car
Roundwalk to Agia Marina
- The walk is about 12km and lasts 5-6 hours including the stops at the churches & things to see.
- Because the path is stony and the elevation gain is 350m, one needs to be fit.
- We recommend good walking shoes or boots.
- Take picnic lunch & water bottle.
- Don't forget to bring your camera and/or smart phone