Mega Nero to Megali Amos and Paliokalyva

This medium-difficulty walk on Alonissos packs a lot into roughly 9 km / 5.6 miles, with about 300 m / 985 ft of ascent: shaded inland paths, old waymarked tracks, a rugged west-coast bay at Megali Amos, and the atmospheric remains around Paliokalyva. The route sits within the wider hiking landscape of Alonissos, where marked trails link olive groves, pine woods, chapels, farm tracks and remote coves. The trail is generally well marked, with older direction signs from the island’s historic walking network, numbered yellow markers, and newer red waymarks, but it still helps to carry the route in HiiKER because junctions on Alonissos can be easy to misread when several old paths and dirt roads meet. (topoguide.gr)

The start is best understood as being near the Mega Nero spring/well area, a known walkers’ landmark inland from Patitiri and the Old Village on Alonissos, rather than a formal trailhead with major facilities. Mega Nero itself is a natural spring that has long served as a local water source and rest stop, and it is one of the most recognizable landmarks on this side of the island. (alonnisostravel.gr)

What the route feels like

Expect a varied outing rather than a single sustained climb. The first part usually follows easy-to-moderate paths and dirt lanes through wooded country, with the scent of pine and low Mediterranean scrub. As the route trends toward the west side of the island, the terrain becomes rougher and more exposed, especially near the descent toward Megali Amos, where the ground can turn stony and uneven. The municipality describes this side of the route as particularly scenic but notes that sections of the ravine and coastal approach can be rugged and rocky, making grippy footwear important. (alonissos.gr)

With 300 m / 985 ft of climbing spread across about 9 km / 5.6 miles, the effort is moderate rather than extreme, but the footing is what tends to define the day. Hikers should be prepared for loose stones, short steeper pitches, and sections where progress slows well below normal walking pace. In warm weather, the exposed coastal stretches can feel significantly harder than the numbers suggest. (alonissos.gr)

Landmarks, views and points of interest

Mega Nero is one of the route’s key early landmarks. From there, paths and small roads thread through forest and clearings toward the island’s western side. Nearby trails in the same network pass old chapels and monastic remains, and this part of Alonissos is known for scattered religious sites tucked into the hills. One nearby pair of churches on the Mega Nero side includes one structure dating to roughly the 15th–16th century and another built after the Second World War, with remains of a small monastery in the same area; even if your exact line to Paliokalyva differs, that gives a good sense of the historic fabric of these hills. (alonnisostravel.gr)

Megali Amos is the dramatic centerpiece of the walk. This bay is known as one of the more inaccessible beaches on Alonissos, and that relative isolation is part of its appeal. The coast here is steep, wild and less developed than the island’s easier-access eastern side, with small beaches and coves backed by rough slopes and pine-covered hills. Views open across the Aegean, and on clear days the outlook can extend toward neighboring islands. (kalispera.se)

Paliokalyva adds a more historical and pastoral note. The name suggests an old shelter or old hut area, and places like this on Alonissos often reflect the island’s older agricultural landscape of seasonal use, terraced ground, goat grazing and small rural structures. Even where only traces remain, they help explain how the island was worked long before hiking became a visitor activity. This fits the broader character of Alonissos, where trails connect old farm country, chapels, and former working landscapes rather than purely recreational footpaths. (visitgreece.gr)

Nature and wildlife

Alonissos is one of Greece’s standout islands for nature. The island lies within the setting of