Evaluation: In addition to the unique walk from the lower monastery of Zoödóchos Pigí (the life-giving source) to the high monastery of Panagía Kalamiótissa, there are some other wonderful walks on the island of Anáfi; they can lead you from Roúkounas to the monastery, either via the Kastélli,or via the coast.
If you want to combine the highlights of these two very beautiful hikes, you can follow the walk described below: you thus depart from the monastery and you follow the coast via Agii Anárgyri until you get to a point just before the plateau of Roúkounas. You then return via the Kastélli and Agios Mámas. In this way you can enjoy the beautiful coastline on the one hand and also admire the magnificent panoramic views between the Kastélli and the monastery.
This walk will also receive the maximum evaluation of ****. 
[Update by Raymond on the 28th and 29th of April 2017.]

Estimated time:  Starting from the monastery, it costs you 1h20 (in AWT) to reach the asphalt road, walking via Agii Anárgyri and the Roúkounas plateau. You have to follow that road for about 4 minutes, and then you can find the path to the Kastelli. It takes only 20-25 minutes to reach the remains of the old Anafè, on the slopes of the Kastélli. It will then cost you 15 minutes to reach the chapel of Agios Mámas. After another - and truly magnificent - 55 minutes you will get back to the monastery. The actual walking time for the whole hike mounts up to about 3h05.
For the total walking time (TWT), you should count on the double amount of time, so about 6 hours.
The total distance of this long walk rises to 17 km.

Route directions: [You can use the car to drive to the monastery, or - only in summer - take the bus from Chóra. Make sure you note the hours of the last bus that returns to Chóra!]

You can first visit the monastery, or you can wait to do this and visit the monastery after your return here. The monastery is usually open from 11am to 1pm and from 6-8pm.

The monastery of Zoödochos Pigí and the ancient temple wall.

According to the legend, the god Apollo had rescued the ship of the Argonauts from a heavy storm, on their way back from Kolchis, and this by letting the island of Anáfi emerge from the sea. By way of thanks, the Argonauts started to build what later would become a temple. According to some inscriptions, also Zeus, Asklepios (the god of medicine) and Afrodite were worshiped over here. A "sacred road" connected the temple with the ancient capital of Anáfe, on the slopes of the Kastélli – see the beautiful walk that leads from Roúkounas via Kastélli and Agios Mámas to the monastery or the equally beautiful walk from the monastery via Agii Anárgyri to Roúkounas, that returns to the monastery via Kastélli and Agios Mámas …
The “low monastery” was built two centuries ago, on top of the remains of the temple. The monastery was restored recently: there is a magnificent templo or ikonostási dating from 1830, a large dining hall and especially the old icons from the "high monastery", now kept in a room of the low monastery – they would date from the 12th century! On the 8th of September, an impressive religious celebration takes place over here, the "panigýri".

The ikonostási or templo in the church of Zoödóchos Pigí.

The beautiful icon of Christ.

(0h00) You start along the facade of the monastery, but next to the two columns, you go straight ahead (hiking sign Chóra 2h15 + [1]). Pretty soon you see the beach to which you have to descend - the path zigzags to the right and then to the left, but it has suffered quite a lot from erosion.

The descent from the monastery to the beach...

To your right, you see the 3-4 summits of the Chalépa 3-4 (393 - 397 m). After 6 little and 4 large curves right and left, you arrive more or less down in the valley and finally you also reach the beach. After only three minutes, you get to a path that goes up on the right, between the first and second large tamarisk.

(0h16) For the following 3 minutes you proceed just above the beach and then you climb to the right on a small rocky promontory. The path goes even higher up and it is now very clear. After a passage between brown rocks, the fine gravel path continues rather horizontally. You get a very nice view on Agii Anárgyri, which lies high on the protruding brown rocks.

View towards the cape and the chapel of Agii Anárgyri.

(0h31) You arrive above the chapel and you notice the path continuing above the coastline: you descend and continue horizontally. You pass above a beautiful but inaccessible beach, and further on above a second little beach. A little bit later, you descend to a third beach and the brownish path continues on the other side. You now reach a beautiful stretch, high above the beautiful coastline. Finally you descend to a fourth little valley, where you cross the river bed some 20 meters away from the waterline.

(0h42) The path on the opposite side is rather clear, but pay attention: when a kind of little road bends to the right, you should follow the path that goes up to the left, parallel to the coast. The following climb is steep with some turns, and in this way you arrive at the highest point of your trip – after about 8 minutes. During the climb you had a marvelous view on the top of the Kálamos.

The beautiful view on the monolith of the Kálamos.

(0h53) From this point onwards you see the entire continuation of your path, with to the far left the tip of the beach Roúkounas, and high up on the right the asphalt road which is your destination. The wide, rocky path continues high above the beautiful coast: two times you descend slightly into a valley, and then you go up again, the third time you descend to the bottom of the river bed. While descending, you can also admire a beautiful country estate.

(1h08) You cross the river bed midst reeds and next to a white little stable. You then get to a climb of 4 minutes – while climbing, you have to cross a little road [1]; a little further, you keep to the right on a vague fork. Above, you can enjoy a nice view over the plateau that lies before the beach of Roúkounas and that is remarkable because of its big cairns .

(0h15) Pretty soon, you get to the crossroads with trail [2], where you should take a RIGHT.

[If, however, you want to visit the plateau and the beach of Roúkounas, you must keep to the left at the start of the green trail (cairn) and then take another left at a well. You then turn to the left around an alóni (threshing floor) and in this way you pass on the left of a large rock and a stable. You walk to the plateau, where you pass on the right-hand side of the little chapel and a ruin. You follow the right edge of the uneven plateau – you can see the big cairns on your left-hand side. At the end of the plateau, it is possible to go down to the right towards the beach...

 

On the plateau with the big cairns...

Most likely, these piles of stones used to be signals for the boats, which could moor over here, close to the ancient city of Anáfe.

Afterwards, you have to return the same way you came: you thus follow the path inland, while keeping to the left of the plateau. In this way you walk on the left of some ruins until you reach the little chapel. Over there you find a white worn away path that continues around the alóni. It then curves to the right, where it turns into a clear path on greenish gravel.]

(1h15) You thus take a right here, coming from Agii Anárgyri - but, if you made the detour to Roúkounas, you do not continue straight of course, but you should take the path that goes up to the LEFT (hiking sign Kastélli 40’ + [2]). It zigzags along some white little poles. After 5 minutes, you get to a gravel road, where you continue straight ahead, until you reach the asphalt road.

(1h22) You take a right (hiking sign Kastélli + [2]), but after 3-4 minutes, past a house with a double vault, a stairs built with bricks goes up to the left (hiking sign Kastélli 20’ + [2]).

The hiking signs at the beginning of walk [2] to the Kastélli and the monastery.

(1h26) The path goes up the slope quite obviously – so, do not go to the left - and runs along a boulder with a [2] on it. After an initial climb you get to a flat stretch, but then you have to go up again. You keep to the right at a bifurcation  (cairn) and the climb is rather steep now; after a few minutes, you go sharply to the right, in the direction of a ruin, and after only eight minutes you thus arrive at the Panagía tou Dókari, situated between a lot of wild flowers (April 23, 2011). Noteworthy is the sarcophagus in front of the chapel, with some beautiful sculpture (you notice a sphinx on the side). Unfortunately, the cover is broken, and the sarcophagus now probably serves as a drinking-trough ...

 

The simple chapel and the sarcophagus.

(1h34) On the right of the chapel, the path continues to climb (old hiking sign Ancient City + Agios Mámas) - 15 meters further there is a [2]. Pay attention: after a few minutes you have to keep to the right (cairn and red mark) and then your path goes up by describing many turns, with cairns in the turns. After 12 minutes you arrive next to a cave with a ruin, which probably served as a stable. This brings you to the old city of Anafè, with still some remains of walls. You keep going up to the left of a heavy wall (red marks) and then you will see to the left a kind of “street” between walls.

Remains of the walls of ancient Anafè...

(1h51) At the top, you veer somewhat to the left and you pass between an alóni (threshing floor) and a nice round marble basin, where you keep a little bit to the right. You go down now, while keeping to the left on a kind of terrace and you reach in this way a passage in a wall, with a [2]. You descend a little on a winding path and then a tub-shaped valley appears in front of you – and you notice the path that runs all the way around this valley. You pass below the top of the Kastélli (325 m), while curving to the right on a very clear path. In the middle of this "amphitheater" you can take a break and shelter from the wind that often blows fiercely on the sides of the Kastélli. It is really a pleasant walk on the flat monopáti, with a magnificent view over the valley and the south coast. About 15 minutes past Anafè you arrive at a gravel road (sign "Ancient City" 15’- Roúkounas 50’). A little bit further, you notice the modest (open) chapel of Agios Mámas.

(2h05) Behind the chapel there is the continuation of the path (sign Iera Odos = Sacred Road / Monastíri 1h05 + [2] and [3]. The path will now continue on the slope of the Chalépa (393-397 m). The next 20 minutes are just fantastic: the wonderful path is flat or slightly rising and it continues as on a balcony. After 15 minutes, you pass next to a building that stands on a first height, and a nice stretch now follows.

(2h27) After in total 22 minutes you arrive at a spot that is jutting out and from there you have an unobstructed view over the entire monolith of Kálamos, with the monastery on the left and the beach on the right – truly a unique panorama.

A unique panorama on the entire Kálamos!

General view of the site of the monastery.

You descend gradually and the path is mostly rather easy; after 10 minutes the path zigzags to the left and the right, but then you continue going down slowly. This descent gets more difficult because of the loose stones, but finally you reach the end of the asphalt road without a lot of problems, - some 52 minutes after Agios Mámas. A few more minutes and then you got back at the monastery of Zoödóchos Pigí. (3h06)

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