Evaluation: This is an easy and not too long walk through the interior of the island, leading to the hilltop with the church of Génnisi Theotókou. Will receive an evaluation of **. 

Estimated time: You first have to walk for about 1h15 until Agios Grigóris, and then it will only take you 25 minutes up to Génnisi Theotókou. For the way back you have to count on 1h25. 
The total actual walking time (AWT) is a little over 3 hours and it is a good idea to picnic at the chapel of Génnisi Theotókou. Our total walking time mounted up to approximately 6 hours. 

Road description: (0h00) You start in the heart of Chorio, on the beautiful square with the long name Platía Ikonómou Spyrídonos Ramfoú, popularly called the "Kámbos", the Field. When standing besides the kafenío O Kámbos and with your back to the church with the blue domes, Agios Spýridoon, you take the main street that runs to the north, on the left of the other white chapel. 

The platía or Kámbos, the central square of Chorió.

In this way you pass the iatrío (the clinic) and some shops. On the square with a well you keep to the right, and you continue in the main street. You pass the bakery, a greengrocery, and another butcher, next to the church with a blue dome of Papadí and Theoskepastí . You then arrive at the post office and the OTE-aerial, with straight across the small pantopolío of Kikí Marináki.

The grocer's shop or pantopolío of Kikí Marináki.

You go straight ahead, you keep to the left and after 7 minutes you get next to a heavy electricity pole with a walking sign that points to the left, to Paleókastro and the Skiádi - see the hikes to the Skiádi. 

The walking sign to Paleókastro and the Skiádi.

(0h07) But this time you take the little road STRAIGHT AHEAD, towards a church with a flat roof. At the church, 1 minute further down, you notice another path that goes to the right - see the hike Chorió-Monastíria-Soúfi and back - but again you go straight ahead, following the street to the left of the church. You climb up steeply and after 3 minutes you get to a path that descends steeply to the right into the valley. You then also see an alóni (threshing floor) - you continue all the time straight ahead on a steep concrete road. You descend a little bit and then you get to the beginning of a nice path between walls. 

(0h13) To the right you have a beautiful view of the coast, with Polýaigos and the island of Sífnos in the distance. About one minute further on you reach a split: to the left, there is a side path to the chapel of Agios Eliónas. Instead, you continue to the right on the main path. Almost two minutes further, your path splits again: the path on the right goes down into the valley (note the beautiful bridge!), and again you go straight ahead (blue dots). The path is rocky, it describes two sharp and steep curves downwards, and then it climbs again on the rocky hillside; you keep to the right of course. Your path is made out of gravel and it continues quite horizontally above the valley on your right; after another few minutes you descend again and you can see the path running far away in front of you. 

(0h21) The stretch that follows is really beautiful, sometimes the path descends, sometimes it rises, sometimes it is paved, sometimes it is stony - an ideal path that is still used quite frequently (there is manure and you also notice footprints). Behind you you have a beautiful view of the Xaplovoúni with the mills. After about 7 minutes you descend into a narrow valley and you can see the beautiful path that rises before you – on the left of the ridge lies the chapel of Mésa Profítis Ilías. 

The path that leads to Agia Ekateríni and Agios Grigóris.

(0h33) After the little ravine follows a splendid climb of 7 minutes – sometimes the path is cobbled, sometimes it is rocky and in the end there are many zigzag curves.

A splendid climb!

When you get to the top you should take a rest: to the left in front of you, you see the chapel of Agia Ekateríni; on the far left, you notice the chapel of Mésa Profítis Ilías, with behind it the peak and the monastery of Profítis Ilías. 
The following stretch of 13 minutes is very nice and easy. 

(0h55) You then arrive at a broad gravel road; the road goes up steeply and then it drops again gently, with a nice view to the right on Polýaigos. Finally, you come to a junction of five gravel roads, with a sign that indicates the directions: straight ahead, the road goes to Monastíria, the road on the far left returns to Chorio (with paths to the Skiádi and Paleókastro) and diagonally to the left, there is a road that leads to Agios Grigóris. Between the road to Agios Grigóris and the one to Monastíria there is also a path that descends towards Génnisi Theotókou. You notice this trail in front of you and this is the route you will take to return. 

You first go to Agios Grigoris and therefore you continue diagonally to the left. The dirt road descends into an impressive amphitheatre, with Agios Grigóris before you; the road turns right, but at the point where it goes further to the right, there is a broad intersection, where you first take a left. 
After 2 minutes you reach a wide gate and in this way you get to the rather picturesque church of Agios Grigóris - which is usually closed. 

Agios Grigóris.

(1h16) There is no shadow, nor an opportunity to sit down for a while, but you do have a nice view on Gennisi Theotokou. 

You return, you go through the blue gate and at the junction you take a left. You descend further, with to the left on the other slope strange shapes that are the result of erosion. You turn right and then left and you can already see the path that climbs up to Génnisi Theotókou on the opposite side of the valley. You pass a small cube-shaped building and a little bit further on (at a path that descends to the left sharply) you see a beautiful trail that goes up on the right - that is the path you will take later on. At this moment you continue along the gravel road, but this road runs into a death end after another 2-3 minutes, next to a well (with the date of 1960). 

(1h29) There are two paths here, and you take the right-hand one, which meanders up straight in front of you. A beautiful climb of 12 minutes follows, mostly on a cobbled path. Just below the summit you do NOT proceed straight ahead, but you take a right to the church of Génnisi Theotókou (The Birth of the Virgin Mary). It is closed, but in the back there is some shadow and there are two rocks on which you can picnic ... (1h41).

Génnisi Theotókou.

From here you have a really beautiful view (you are at an altitude of 280 meters): to the left you see Paliókastro (365 m), to the right there is the valley that runs towards Monastíria, with Sífnos far away, and, in clear weather, you can even distinguish the islands of Antíparos and Páros. Before you the path continues to some ruins and you see a lot of remains of terraces. 

(1h41) For the way back, you go down the same route; the next 11 minutes are very pleasant, with a beautiful view of the other side of the valley, where you will have to go up towards the intersection of the 5 roads later today. You arrive at the well and you follow the gravel road - you now have a beautiful view of the vast amphitheatre dominated by the peaks of (from left to right) the Prínos, the Sklávos (358 m) and the Paliókastro (365 m). 

(1h52) You follow the gravel road for about 3 minutes while slowly rising and turning to the right. After a sharp turn to the right you have to watch out: make sure that you do not miss the path off the left. You can relax for a while – in front of you there is the valley that runs to Monastíria and you also notice the island of Sífnos which seems very nearby - right before you you can distinguish the village of Vathý and also the white spots of the monasteries of Agios Nikólaos T 'Aëriná and Profítis Ilías. 
The climb of 11-12 minutes that follows is magnificent, but difficult. Usually you continue on a cobbled path, and after 4-5 minutes you pass besides a well and next to a little white house. 

(2h08) This brings you to the junction of the five gravel roads, where you – obviously - take the road you came from a few hours ago. You thus continue straight ahead, and after 4-5 minutes the road turns into a nice path - soon you also get a magnificent view of Chorio, with the Polýaigos on its left and then the elongated shape of Sikínos. The next 20 minutes are really beautiful – at first very flat and easy (note the beautifully coloured rocks)!

Your path on the way back to Chorió, with Polýaigos before you.

For a few minutes the path also runs on top of the ridge between two valleys and after about 12 minutes you start a long descent with many turns, until you get to the narrow and green valley. 

(2h31) You climb again, between rust-coloured rocks and with on the left many walls of tumbled-down terraces. Again, you walk on a beautiful path for about 20 minutes – this is really a great trail! In the end, near the bridge at the bottom and on the left, you have a really nice view of Chorio and the mills of Xaplovoúni. 

View on Chorió.

(2h51) After a total of 20 minutes your path becomes a concrete road, and so you walk into the village, past the church and past the fork with the walking sign at the heavy electricity pole. 
Still 7 minutes more to walk in the main street and then you are back at the Platía. (3h04) 

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