Hiking up Mount Zas on Naxos Island in Greece allows you to claim two victories, reaching the highest peak in all of the Cyclades and venturing through one of the most important landscapes in Greek Mythology.
Mount Zas is located on the largest island of the Cyclades, Naxos, and at its peak, it is 3,290 ft tall!
A Litte Greek Mythology
It is also the place where the father of all gods, Zeus, grew up. Greek mythology states that Zeus’s mother, Rhea, stole Zeus away from his father, Cronus, as a baby. She did this to save him from being eaten by his father. Rhea hid Zeus away in a cave to grow up. That cave was on Mount Zas or Mount Zeus. This is where the mountain gets its name.
It is also said that at the peak of Mount Zas an eagle gave Zeus the power of thunder. He would later grow up and use this power to defeat Cronus and become the ruler of all gods and Olympus.
How To Prepare For Hiking Mount Zas
All of that fun stuff aside, hiking to the top of Mount Zas offers amazing 360-degree views of luscious, green Naxos and the surrounding Agean sea. The hike is 4 – 5 hours and the distance is about 5 miles. The trail is moderately trafficked.
I would rate it medium to difficult depending on your experience level. Although we did the hike in our regular tennis shoes I would suggest hiking boots if you have them. Hiking poles could be helpful as well. If you plan on going to Zeus’s cave make sure to bring a flashlight. Your phone light will not be bright enough, it is DARK.
Be sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, and a lot of water as there are no trees for shade or to hide from the sun. If you are hiking Mount Zas during the summer months I would recommend starting early since it can get very hot by 11 AM. We started at about 9:30 AM and it was already 84 degrees, Fahrenheit.
If you are hiking around dusk be sure to bring bug spray. While some vacationers chose to hike later in the day to avoid the heat and see the sunset, I do not recommend this as there are some points where it is a bit of a rock scramble and I would not feel comfortable doing that in the dark. However, if you do choose to go in the evening be sure to bring bug spray and good lighting for your trip back down the mountain.
Hiking Mount Zas Trail
There are a few ways to hike Mount Zas. We started from Saint Marina Holy Chapel, which is a small chapel off the side of the road that goes up to the old Monastery, Fotodoti. There are some parking spots off the side of the road. There is a wooden sign with two arrows that give directions. One arrow points to the old monastery and the other points to the start of the trailhead. They are labeled so follow the sign that says Mount Zas. There is a trail map at the start of the trail as well.
The beginning uphill path is pretty easy to follow, well-marked, and not that strenuous. There are red arrows with #2 on them that mark the path during this part of the hike. Just follow the trail and these trail signs in the beginning. This part took us about 1 hour.
Right before the peak, there is about a 15 minutes climb to the top that involves a lot of rocks. This part will be marked with cairns, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. I would not call it a rock scramble exactly, but I definitely had to pay attention to where I was stepping.
The peak is extremely windy but absolutely stunning! If you are lucky you might see an eagle at the top. We stopped, enjoyed the view, had a snack, and took some pictures before we headed back down.
At this point, if you are up for venturing down to Zeus’s cave keep an eye out for a small trail on your left-hand side (going back down the way you came up) towards another side of the mountain. The trail will be marked with cairns to show the way. You will need to follow these down the mountain and all the way to Zeus cave. The way down to the cave can be tricky and is the most difficult part of the hike. This is because it is mainly all rocks, not well marked, and the path is very small. I would rate this part as difficult.
If you chose not to see the cave, as part of our group did just go back down the way you came. It is still a beautiful and enjoyable hike! Once you get back to the trailhead, if you have time, check out the old monastery! The hike to the old monastery is 1 mile out and back.
Zeus’s Cave
For those going to the cave, it is all downhill and about 30-40 minutes depending on your speed. We saw a few people coming up this way that started from the Aria Spring and that is an option as well. Although they did look very exhausted.
You will see a doorway to Zeus’s cave on your right-hand side as you descend the steepest part of the mountain. Watch your step!
After you are done exploring the cave, continue down the same path for another 10-15 minutes until you see the Aria Spring. At that point, you will walk along the road to your starting point. This part takes about 1 hour.
As mentioned another option for this hike is to start from Aria Spring. There are parking spots near this starting point as well. Beginning your hike from this point means you will pass the cave first and then reach the peak of Mount Zas.
After your hike, head down to the small village of Filoti and enjoy a well-deserved beer at Amvrosia. Their salads and stuffed peppers are delicious as well!
For our tips on what to pack while traveling check out our blog post, 10 Easy Travel Packing Hacks!
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