Filerimos trek

Trek subject:  In the footsteps of the goddess Athena

ROUTE GENERAL DETAILS

Area: Mt. Filerimos
Overall trek time: Around 3 hours
Additional activities:  Aerobic exercises and yoga-based exercises
Comments: The trek takes place in the evening as the sun sets
Food: Greek sandwich with feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, olives and olive oil

TREK DETAILS

Length: 4.5 kilometres
Altitude:  220 m
Estimated time spent trekking: 2 ½ to 2 hours
Degree of difficulty: 1 (easy) but can be increased to 2 (average) for anyone who wants

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

The trek starts in the foothills of the mountain from the ancient path the goddess Athena is said to have used to climb to the peak where the ancient acropolis of Filerimos is located.
On the way to the peak we stop off at the  fountain above which is the summer home of the island’s governors.
On reaching the peak we visit the ruins of the ancient acropolis and having taken in the view of the island’s eastern and western sides, we begin the ascent to the giant cross at the highest point of the peak.
On the way up to the cross, every 5 m on the right are the ‘Stations of the Cross’ carved on marble columns during the period of Italian rule. The road to the cross shows Christ’s Golgotha.
All around are male peacocks with their fabulous tails.
On reaching the cross we have a 360o view. Looking straight ahead we can see the southern side of the island, the two civilian airports (old and new), on the right is Asia Minor and if you turn around you get a perimetric panorama of the entire island.
Heading downhill there is a continuous view of the island’s NW side which faces the Eastern Mediterranean.