Nature And Outdoors in Greece

Greek nature is arranged vertically: the country is eighty per cent mountain, and almost all its famous landscapes are places where the mountains break off into the sea. Hence the gorges of Crete, Samaria and Imbros, walked downhill towards the coast; hence too the beaches unreachable by land — Balos, Elafonisi, Navagio on Zakynthos with the hull of a wrecked ship lying on the sand.

The second layer is what can only be seen from the water or the air. Caves and grottoes along the rocky shores, entered by small boats; the caldera of Santorini, rounded by catamaran; paratrike flights over Crete. The third is the interior: Lake Kournas, the only freshwater lake on Crete, olive groves, mountain villages reached by jeep on dirt roads, and cheese farms where everything is made in front of you.

Practical notes. The gorges are not open year-round: Samaria is closed from November to April and whenever flooding is a risk, with the decision taken in the morning. Only closed shoes on the trails, and water comes with you — springs are few. Beaches like Elafonisi have no shade, and Navagio is approached only from the sea. In summer everything active is set for the morning: after midday it is past thirty-five in the open.