Train for a triathlon in Sivota
Triathlon is said to be one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and for those taking the plunge or looking to better themselves in the sport, the activity specialist Neilsen is offering a training camp at its Retreat Beachclub in Sivota. The week-long September camp, in partnership with the triathlon specialist RnR, will feature tips from pros and coaches, as well as open-water swimming, cycling and running.
Details Seven nights’ full board costs from £615pp, including flights (0330 0574699, neilson.co.uk)
Undiscovered Andros
Andros, the northernmost of the Cyclades islands, is little visited by tourists, despite being close to the Athens’ port of Rafina. It’s the kind of place where slow travel is the norm: life is uncomplicated and unspoilt, and there are fabulous walking trails. New for 2018 from Inntravel is this six-night trip along restored kalderimi (cobbled mule trails), past old olive presses and windmills.
Details Six nights’ B&B costs from £720pp (01653 617000, inntravel.co.uk)
Walk Aristotle’s Trail
Combine history with walking and get a real feel for Olympiada, the birthplace of the philosopher Aristotle. The northern region of Macedonia offers quiet coastal towns, uncrowded beaches and beautiful walking on the Aristotle Trail through pine, fir and chestnut woodlands, as well as panoramic coastal paths. Stops can include Aristotle’s birthplace at Stagira, as well as Ouranoupoli, the area’s capital that offers (prearranged, men-only) access to the world heritage site of Mount Athos. Stays are in the family-owned Hotel Liotopi, a boutique hotel with great home-cooked food.
Details Seven nights’ B&B costs from £945pp, including flights (01707 331133, www.ramblersholidays.co.uk)
Walk Corfu
The Corfu Trail is a 200km (125-mile) waymarked north-to-south walking path that takes people away from the tourist hubs into the lesser-visited hinterlands of one of Greece’s best-known islands. Along the way it passes through more than 100 traditional villages, ancient manor houses and Byzantine monasteries.
Details Seven nights’ B&B costs from £550, including flights (01962 302085, walksworldwide.com)
Swim Milos
Milos in the Cyclades is a stunning island with craggy landscapes. See it by swimming around the coast to discover caves, tunnels and arches, with more challenging swims to other islands. A SwimTrek yacht follows guests so there is somewhere to rest. Stay at Soultana Rooms, which has a pool.
Details Six nights’ half-board costs from £995pp (01273 739713, swimtrek.com). Fly to Athens, then take the ferry from Piraeus, which costs from €114pp (tickets.seajets.gr)
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Train in Crete
Crete’s interior is a rugged paradise of towering mountains and deep, leafy ravines — an amazing natural place to train. Head to the hills to find the Milia Mountain Retreat, which has 13 restored rooms and cottages in a 17th-century village, all with a rustic vibe. The Wildfitness programme includes four outdoor bootcamps, as well as kettlebell sessions, boxing, yoga, swims to offshore islands, treks, cooking classes and more.
Details Seven nights’ full board costs from £3,540pp, including flights (020 3397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com)
Nordic in Halkidiki
Combine luxury accommodation with a high-end spa and a bunch of soft activity options and you get the Miraggio Thermal Spa Resort on the very tip of Halkidiki’s Kassandra peninsula. Home to a thalassotherapy centre with a thermal spa, Miraggio is introducing a Nordic walking programme this year. It will take in a six-hour walk of Enipeas canyon or Mavrolongos gorge in the foothills of Greece’s highest mountain, Mount Olympus.
Details Seven nights’ B&B costs from £1,226pp, including flights (01204 824516, destinology.co.uk)
Hiking in Mykonos
Stay at Mykonos Blu, a cool hotel on the popular party island of Mykonos and you can go on some very pleasant, gentle walks along the coast, with an excellent base to return to at the end of each day’s exploration. The 97 bungalows are all whitewashed walls, floor to ceiling windows and smart furnishings. There are also eight suites and six villas.
Details A week’s B&B stay for two in May is from £2,520 (mykonosblu.com)
Hang gliding in northern Greece
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is a luxury lodge set in northern Greece’s Vikos-Aoos national park, home to the dramatic Vikos Gorge. New for 2018 is the Adventure/Zagori package, with kayaking in the Voidomatis River, canyoning, hang gliding and trips to Gamila mountain and Drakolimni lake.
Details Three nights’ full board costs from £609pp, including activities (00 30 265 304 1330, aristi.eu/en)
Cycling in Rhodes
Discover a different side to the largest of the Dodecanese islands with a seven-night cycling holiday from Macs Adventure. Starting from Rhodes airport and staying in two-star guesthouses in Rhodes Town and the quaint village of Kalavarda, the self-guided trip takes in fishing villages, pine forests and sights such as the Crusader fortress in Rhodes Town and the Valley of the Butterflies. Guests can take their own bikes or hire one and have it personally fitted.
Details Seven nights’ B&B costs from £625pp (0141 5303466, macsadventure.com)