Pýrgos - Pánormos and back

Evaluation: This is a really beautiful and not too long hike from Pýrgos, the ‘marble village’ – according to experts one of the three most beautiful villages in Greece! – to the pleasant bay of Pánormos. This hike combines a marvellous village, a nice beach and some great trails and really deserves an evaluation of ***.
[Update by Raymond on May the 2nd, 2016 and on June the 1st, 2022.]

Estimated time: From Pýrgos to Pánormos, a hike of 2,31 km long, the actual hiking time is about 45 minutes (AWT), the return route follows the same way and requires 50 minutes. This will bring you to a total actual hiking time of 1h35; with a long lunch break in Pánormos, we hiked from 11am to 4pm.

Route description: [If you stay in Pýrgos, there is no problem; if you stay in Pánormos, you can first follow the second part of the description. If you stay in Chóra, you first have to take a bus, which leaves you little time to hike and to enjoy the landscape and the beach. It might be more interesting to rent a car and to park on the square on the outskirts of Pýrgos.]

Panoramic view on Pýrgos, the marble town.

(0h00) You depart from the small parking lot at the edge of Pýrgos, where you find the war monument and the little marble building with three arches, in honour of the war victims. Next to this building you take the paved street on the other side of the asphalt road (there is a sign "mousía" and hiking sign “Pánormos 1h / 2,5 km”) and after a short while you continue straight ahead on the narrow street – you DO NOT take a left in the direction of the large white church! A little further you follow the sign pointing to the right, to the "platía" – this is the second street on the right.

The sign "platía" points to the right...

You walk through the beautiful marble main street and you thus reach the charming little square with some pleasant outdoor cafés – this will be a great spot to take some rest at the end of the hike. 

A white shining street...

... and the very attractive platía.

(0h03) On the right of the marble fountain with two arches (road sign “Museum marble Crafts”) you go up the large, white staircase in the direction of the beige church. Before you get to the church you take a left, the street becomes wider and immediately past the cemetery you leave the asphalt road by taking the staircase off the right (sign Museum + [9]). After about 1-2 minutes you cross the asphalt road and straight across, on the left of a tall wall, you follow a nice paved trail (sign Museum + [9]). You descend on the left of the ultramodern museum into the valley [9] – on the opposite side you can already spot the row of mills you will pass later on. After two more minutes you arrive at a T-junction, where you go right (hiking piquet E2 Pánormos 45’ and =).

(0h10) Further on you descend to the left (==) and you go down until you reach a small bridge; you keep to the left and in this way you cross the bed of the valley (there is a blue arrow PAN). You climb out of the valley to the right (=) and you keep to the right. You climb up on a beautiful rocky trail or on steps between tall walls and ruins, until you reach the crown of the hill – almost above, you keep to the left (=). On top you veer to the right (=), towards the mills and then you proceed on the left of the mills (=).

The beginning of the path to Pánormos.

(0h16) A little further you keep to the right (=) and you continue on a very nice and flat trail – look at the countless terraces and little walls to your left! You pass a path off the left and you gradually curve to the left towards the next hill crest. Almost on top you keep to the left on a triangular junction (=) – you have a nice view now on the range of hills with the mills, where you were just a few minutes ago. Immediately thereafter you take a right (=) and very soon you get a magnificent view on the deep bay of Pánormos.

View on the bay of Pánormos.

(0h22) The path descends slowly – you can also see it continuing in front of you. After 5-6 minutes, the descent becomes quicker, then you continue straight (=) on a flat path again; you keep to the right at an overgrown trail and the flat trail more or less keeps following the crest of the hill. You curve to the right, but some 3 minutes later you arrive at a junction where you descend on the left (=). You get a splendid view on the bay and to the right on a kind of rock bridge to an islet.

(0h34) After a short while you first veer to the left (=) on a rocky ground, then to the get right and you now descend straight to Pánormos. The brownish, rocky trail begins to descend to the right in wide zigzags and meanders down the rocky slope. After a little more than 8 minutes, you arrive near the first houses (hiking piquet).

(0h41) You follow the concrete street that descends to the right, then the concrete staircase between the houses and finally the meandering paved street until you reach the water.
The beach with tamarisks and sunshades is situated on the left. There is a changing cubicle and you also notice quite a bit of litter and seaweed, because the beach is oriented towards the northeast.
(0h46)

The little harbour of Pánormos.

(0h46) You return exactly by the same way: so you take the narrow paved alley just past the tavern O Márkos. Then you go up, NOT on the first staircase nest to the chapel, but on the white concrete staircase at the far end of the street. This staircase becomes a concrete little street between the upper houses, and so you go up to the right of the last houses.

(0h51) Beyond to the latest house, you see the path going up to the left between walls (hiking piquet E2 Pýrgos and =). The walls diverge and the rocky and brownish trail begins to meander in wide zigzags - 3 times to the left and 3 times to the right. Towards the end, you go up the stairs next to the right wall.

(1h00) The walls converge and you continue to climb the stairs, with a beautiful view of the bay behind you. You veer slightly to the right, you reach a nice trail (blue signs) and you keep to the right (=) in order to follow first the right slope of the first hill - Pánormos disappears. You then descend into a depression, you go up on steps and you continue almost flatly on the next ridge; you climb slowly and the bay of Pánormos reappears on your right.

(1h11) You arrive at the top, the mills of Pýrgos are already close on the next hill; you veer left, then right (==) and you go down a bit. You then gradually veer to the right between the walls - a magnificent end with all these terraces and walls all around you!

 

The path runs between the countless terraces!

You pass below the first two mills, you keep to the left 10 meters before a stable and you go up to arrive on the right of the mills. There you go to the right (=), you go down a bit and the museum and Pýrgos appear in front of you. After 2 minutes you take a right at a T-junction (=), then you go down quite a long way on beautiful rocky steps, straight towards the museum. Almost at the bottom, you continue to descend to the left and you veer right and left to cross a small bridge. You climb the beautiful staircase which veers right and – pay attention - near the high wall, you have to keep to the right.

You take a left on the path (hiking piquet) to pass by the museum.
You keep to the right next to the museum and you cross the asphalt road. You go down the stairs, you pass to the right of the chapel and you continue to descend. Then you take the cobbled street on the left and you arrive in this way next to the large church.
Next to the church, you go down the large staircase to the right until you reach the platía. (1h32)

Here you can taste in the kafezacharoplastío "To Kentrikon" or in the café "O Platanos" or in "O Megálos Kafénes"   the delicious galaktoboúreko. There is a sign telling you that the plane-tree was planted in the year 1859...

(1h32) Finally, you continue straight on the main street, but you turn left next to the white building with 4 arcs - and so you reach the main road and the parking lot. (1h35)


Gpx-files:

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/tinos-pyrgos-panormos-122239525

 
https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/11977639/hiking-route/tinos-pyrgos-panormos

 

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