The Backpacking Hiker on The Via Egnatia

Via Egnatia. Are you looking for an easy long distance historical hike? Then hiking the Via Egnatia would be the one. This hike can be started from either end, west to east. Durres, Albania to Thessaloniki, Greece or the reverse.

The Via Egnatia was the 1100km ancient road connecting the Via Appia with Byzantium (Istanbul), the West and the Eastern Roman Empire. viaegnatiafoundation.via-egnatia-hiking-trail

The Via Egnatia has now been incorporated into the Via Eurasia www.viaeurasia.org. A collection of long distance hiking routes that run from Canterbury in the UK to Rome, across Italy and the Balkans, through western Turkey to Demre on the Lycian coast of Turkey’s southwest.

The Via Egnatia was built by Roman soldiers between 146 and 120 BC paving the road to make it suitable for walking, riding and pulling carts. The trail is still easy to travel and anybody who is reasonably fit can do it.

I chose to walk the Thessaloniki, Greece  to Golem, Albania section which passes through Macedonia.

You can also begin from Durres, Albania which is where you can buy the very good guide Via Egnatia on foot. 1 Durres – Thessaloniki.

The book can be obtained in Durrës  at Hostel Durrës www.hosteldurres.com (Sheshi Liria, next to central square) and also in the Archaeological museum for (€ 22).

Or you can order it from the Via Egnatia Foundation viaegnatiafoundation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• NAVIGATION
• GETTING TO THE START
• EQUIPMENT
• ACCOMMODATION
• FOOD
• THE HIKE
  • GREECE
  • MACEDONIA
  • ALBANIA
• BORDER CROSSING
• RESOURCES

NAVIGATION

I used Mapsme at the start as a navigational aid until Edressa where I was able to down load the gpx files. If you purchase  the guide you will receive the gpx waypoints.

GETTING TO THE START

I had traveled from Belgrade, Serbia down through Pristina, Kosovo to Skopje Macedonia then by bus to Bitola in southern Macedonia. I hitched hiked to the border and over into Greece and hitched until I reached Florina. This is because there is no public transport to either side of the border. The taxi drivers know that so they try to charge exorbitant rates. From Florina  I caught a bus to Thessaloniki.

EQUIPMENT

I used the same equipment  as for the 500km  Lycian Way in Turkey but this time I used a tent because of a higher potential for rain. thebackpackinghiker/how-we-hiked-the-lycian-way.

I also used the same gas stove i purchased in Istanbul until I finished the gas, then on reaching Elbasan I had to buy  a different type of gas cooker and canisters as they are not the same as I had.

ACCOMMODATION

I had  tent but I also stayed in hostels and small hotels along the route if on the day the village or town was within walking distance. Otherwise I would pitch my tent. It was extra weight but it does give you the option and you are not under pressure to having to find accommodation at the end of the day.

FOOD

Food was easy to obtain as you pass through towns and villages along the way. Water was nearly always available in the villages from the village water points in the central squares.

THE HIKE

I was hoping to pick up a copy of the guide Via Egnatia on foot in Thessaloniki but that did not happen so I caught a bus out to Pella, one of the many ancient sites that are along  the route. Visited the museum and archaeological site while i was there.

From Pella I headed north west and along the way I wild camped in nectarine orchards and on vacant land.

Whilst camped outside of Edressa I received the gpx and Google Earth route for the trail. This helped immensely as I had been spending way to much time on main roads in the heat. This would now get me onto secondary roads and tracks which was far more pleasant.

GREECE

Hiking through the Greek section is mainly through farm land, kilometers of orchards, and hilly sections until before the border with Macedonia the landscape changed to reasonably flat plains. Hiking through the orchards provided a supply of fruit. Even shopping in the supermarket I was given kilos of nectarines as a gift way more than I could eat but much appreciated.

MACEDONIA

The hiking in Macedonia is more varied, farm land, forest, lakes and hills, finally arriving in Ohrid on the shore of Lake Ohrid.  thebackpackinghiker/hiking-trails-in-the-balkans

Ohrid is great place to chill out for couple of days before carrying on, plenty of choices in accommodation, restaurants and swimming. Lots of tourists.

From Ohrid the route follows the northern side of the lake up to the border of Albania which is very pleasant.

ALBANIA

Albania has the nicest scenery on the hike. Once you come down from the border area and through the town of Perrenjas,the road/trail climbs up into the mountains and follows the contours around to Elbasan. Through this area, in particular between Dardhe and Mirake you will be following the most intact part of the Roman road. Lots of bunkers in the hills from the bad old days. thebackpackinghiker/hiking-trails-in-the-balkans

The route after Elbasan varies. It passes through more villages along railway tracks and roads then back up into the hills finally into Golem on the coast where I finished the hike. I decided not to hike the final part to Durres as it did not seem to appealing as it is mainly resorts hotels along the coast. I went south to Himare to relax on the beach there instead.

BORDER CROSSINGS

GREECE/ MACEDONIA

I walked cross the border for the second time in a week. Followed the route towards Bitola all the time trying to hitch hike as generally there are sections that really aren’t that interesting. This is the same in Greece. In Greece people are very reluctant to stop and pick you up. The two very short rides i did have, were by farmers. 

MACEDONIA/ ALBANIA

The border crossing here was pretty easy. It is great to be able to walk past all the cars and buses and go straight to the front of the line. Passport stamped and off again.

WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE HIKE

While the Via Egnatia is historically interesting and well worth walking, a lot of the road no longer exists. There are of course historical relics such as archaeological sites in Pella, Edressa and Hercleria Lynkestis, castles, bridges, churches and other buildings which will keep you busy. 
Albania retains the most remnants of a much repaired road, in particular between Qukes and Mirake. thebackpackinghiker/hiking-trails-in-the-balkans

I met only one other hiker who had started from Durres, this was in August. So you can l be on your own for most of the hike.

If you enjoyed this post how about checking out my other hiking posts hiking-trails-in-the-balkans , lets-go-hiking-on-the-bibbulmun-track-in-western-australia , how-we-hiked-the-lycian-way , hiking-trails-in-the-caucasus-mountains

RESOURCES

• Via Egnatia Foundation viaegnatiafoundation