Most people associate Greece with white-washed islands forgetting the majesty of its red and gold mountain regions during Fall.

Pelion

Kappa Bridge is just one of the places that the Friends of the Kalderimia hike to

Fall is an ideal time to explore Mount Pelion and its winding donkey trails through chestnut and oak forests. The old mansion houses and friendly villages take a golden hue. While there try some home-made sweets and go on walks with the Friends of the Kalderimia, an expat group that hikes around the region.

Arahova

The mountainous village nests picturesquely at the foot of Mt. Parnassos in Southern Greece. The favorite place for ski lovers is ideal prior to the snow fall thanks to the invigorating mountain air and the nearby ancient site of Delphi. The village has kept much of its character with narrow cobblestone streets, Byzantine churches with well-preserved frescos and kafeneia (coffee shops). The local specialties include formaela cheese and koontosouvli (big hunks of skewered pork).

Kalavryta

A historical town in the mountainous eastcentral part of Achaea in the Peloponnese is the southern terminus of the scenic Diakopto-Kalavryta Railway built by Italian engineers between 1885-1895. The area is also famous as a winter ski resort. The town however is notorious for the December 13, 1945, Massacre of Kalavryta where Nazis machine-gunned down 696 male residents and burnt down the town and the Monastery of Agia Lavra, the birthplace of the Greek War of Independence.

Lake Plastira

Also known as “Little Switzerland”, the marvelous stretch of water is an area of unspoiled beauty. The lake is named after Nikolas Plastiras who created the artificial lake at the site where the Tavropos River once flowed in antiquity. The site has breathtaking beauty all year round, but it is exceptionally haunting when splashed with Fall colors.

Metsovo

A small traditional town of excquisite beauty with mansions flanking stone-paved streets. Hike marked trails are particularly breathtaking in Fall where the crisp mountain air of the Pindos range and sound of crunchy leaves make for an all-encompassing experience.

A video with more Fall colors in Greece –