Hiking in Sithonia: Trails, Viewpoints and Mount Itamos

Most people come to Sithonia for the sea, and then spend a morning looking up at the dark green ridge running down the middle of the peninsula and wondering what it is like up there. The answer is: forest, goat bells, beehives, and, from the right spot, the Gulf of Toroni on one side and Mount Athos on the other. The peninsula has a real, waymarked trail network, and a half-day walk fits easily between a morning coffee and a late swim.

This guide covers the Itamos massif, a handful of routes with honest figures, coast walks, what to carry, and the safety rules that matter most in summer.

Why hike in Sithonia

The walking here is about contrast. You can be on a beach at nine and under conifers by eleven. The mountain is mostly covered in conifer forest, with goat herding and beekeeping on its slopes and vineyards in the foothills near Porto Carras. The only upland settlement is Parthenonas.

From the summit area, views run to the Toroneos Gulf and Kassandra in the west and to the Singitic Gulf and Mount Athos in the east. Our article on Mount Athos views and sunrise from Sarti covers the view from the village.

The Itamos massif at a glance

Mount Itamos (Ίταμος) runs north to south through the middle of Sithonia. The range, also called Dragoudeli (Δραγουδέλι), covers about 27,000 hectares and mostly lies within the "Oros Itamos - Sithonia" protected area.

The highest point is about 810 to 817 m, depending on which map you use, and some maps name Astrapokameno rather than Itamos as the top. Other named summits include Astrapokameno (about 808 m), Psilos (753 m) and Dragoudeli (689 m). For the wider peninsula the mountain rises from, see our complete guide to Sithonia. Our separate article on hiking Mount Itamos looks at the mountain on its own.

A few more facts worth knowing:

• A fire watchtower stands near the summit. Treat it as a working building rather than a visitor attraction.
• A road runs from Nikiti to Sykia through the range.
• Dirt roads are popular with mountain bikers and get muddy in winter.
• Forest fires have destroyed large areas in the south around Sarti and Sykia, and wide firebreak corridors have been cut. More on fire rules below.

Waymarked trails around Parthenonas and Neos Marmaras

A common starting point is Parthenonas (Παρθενώνας), the mountain village just above Neos Marmaras (Νέος Μαρμαράς).

Sithonia Trails (Σιθωνίας Μονοπάτια), a social cooperative founded in 2019, has created about 15 marked trails and runs a trail race. The Hiking Team of Neos Marmaras has also laid out seven routes using numbered segments. All are of moderate difficulty, and the largest altitude difference is 730 m.

The figures below are approximate. Waymarking can fade and paths change after storms or fires, so check the route on visitsithonia.com or sithonia-trails.gr before you set out.

The Mylos Trail (about 4 km) is a good short option, and several routes start from Parthenonas.

A popular half-day option is Neos Marmaras to Parthenonas and back: roughly 8-10 km, about 4 hours, moderate, with about 340 m of elevation difference.

Common trail access points are the Masoutis supermarket in Neos Marmaras and Parthenonas square. Both are on the west coast, so allow for the drive across from Sarti and check a map before you plan the day.

Coast walks

Not every walk needs a mountain.

• Toroni, Lekythos fortress and a hidden beach: about 3 km in total, around 1 hour, easy.
• Nikiti to Agios Nikolaos and back: about 10 km, around 2.5 hours, and it can also be walked as a loop.
• Porto Koufo to Cape Kapros and back: about 11 km, 3-4 hours. Trails here are poorly marked, so carry water and a GPS or map.
• Porto Carras coastal walk: a shoreline route on the west coast.

Expect guard dogs with flocks on the ridge loop above Sykia. If you see a flock, give it room and avoid walking straight towards the dogs.

For a view of the hills behind Sarti, the Dragoudeli range is the one to look for on the map.

When to go and what to bring

The fire-danger season runs from 1 May to 31 October and ticks are most active from spring to autumn, so much of the walking year overlaps with both. Read the sections below before choosing dates, and in high summer keep walks to the early morning. Our best time to visit Sithonia article gives month-by-month temperatures, and the seasonal guides to Sithonia in spring and Sithonia in autumn look at the shoulder months.

For the Itamos area, the local guide advice is simple:

• Enough water.
• Comfortable hiking shoes.
• A light jacket, because it is cooler at the summit.

Carry more water than you think you need, and plan around the heat of the day. For a beach-day kit list, see what to pack for a beach holiday in Sithonia.

Safety on the trail

Ticks

Greece's public health organisation, EODY, notes that ticks are active all year and most active from spring to autumn. They live in shady, humid places with dense vegetation. Its advice includes:

• Walk in the centre of paths.
• Wear light clothing with long trousers tucked into socks, and closed shoes.
• Use repellent (DEET above 20 percent, icaridin and similar).
• Check your body afterwards.

Most ticks are not infected and the risk in Greece is considered relatively small, but the diseases can be serious.

Snakes

Snakes live in the hills, so take sensible care. Wear stout footwear, look before sitting or stepping over logs, and use a torch at night. If someone is bitten, keep them calm and still, splint the limb and go to a hospital with antivenom. Do not use tourniquets, suction, cutting or pressure bandages.

Dogs and flocks

As mentioned, give flocks room. Guard dogs are a feature of the working mountain.

Summer wildfire rules

This is the section to read twice. Sarti's own hills have burned before, and the rules are strict.

The season. The Fire Service rules for forest, scrub, farmland and protected areas, and within 300 m of them, apply from 1 May to 31 October. They are reissued each year, so check the current text on the Fire Service website.

What it says. In outline:

• Using fire in the open for camping or recreation is prohibited from 1 May to 31 October, whatever the risk level.
• Gas or liquid cooking appliances are allowed only within your own property, or at licensed businesses such as campsites and tourist accommodation, and only on risk days 1 to 3. Solid fuel is allowed only on days 1 and 2.
• Open-air fireworks are banned for the public on risk days 3 to 5.

The risk map. The General Secretariat for Civil Protection publishes a Daily Fire Risk Forecast Map for the season. Categories run from 1 (low) through 2 (medium), 3 (high) and 4 (very high) to 5 (state of alarm). Look at it the evening before and the morning of any walk.

Access bans. On risk days 3, 4 or 5, the regional authority can ban passage, stay and circulation of people and vehicles in Natura areas, forests, parks and groves. The administrative fine for breaching a ban has been EUR 300 under law 4926/2022. Residents and workers going to or from home or work, and traffic on the road network, are exempt unless the road itself is closed.

There is precedent in Chalkidiki. On 13 and 14 July 2025, the deputy regional governor banned all pedestrian and vehicle access to forest areas of Kassandra for 24 hours. That was not in Sithonia, but it shows the mechanism at work.

Emergencies. Call 112, the European emergency number, for fire, medical or rescue help.

Combining a walk with the sea

A morning on the ridge pairs naturally with an afternoon on the water. If you like the idea of seeing the coast from a different angle, look at our guides to Sithonia boat trips and day cruises, kayaking and SUP in Sithonia and Vourvourou and Diaporos Island, or at things to do in Sarti. Boat and paddling times vary by operator, so book the walk for the morning and the water for later.

If you would like a base for it all, Sarti Thea Boutique Rooms sits above Sarti harbour in Achlada, with free parking on site, and you can ask us at reception about conditions in the hills before you leave.

Practical info at a glance

• Start points: Parthenonas square, Masoutis supermarket (Neos Marmaras), Toroni, Porto Koufo.
• Bring: water, hiking shoes, a light jacket, repellent, a map or GPS.
• Check before you go: the Daily Fire Risk Forecast Map, and the route details on visitsithonia.com and sithonia-trails.gr, as waymarking varies from trail to trail.
• Emergencies: 112.
• Plan for: the drive from Sarti to the west-coast trailheads, early starts in summer, and cooler air at the summit.