Heart of Greece Rick Steves tour May 2025 questions:

I went on this tour in 2022 and loved it. I just wore my New Balance Fresh Foam shoes and felt that worked for me. My friend, who likes more support, wished she brought her hiking boots but she's really picky about her feet. Some of my tour mates wore Tevas or Chaco sandals and I kind of wished I had a pair because it did get warm some days. Since you are fit and active, you will be great. I am somehow fit and kind of active lol and wow did my hips and quads bother me after the tour. It is very active with walking up hills, stairs and trails and not just the sites but some of the hotel and town locations. The hotels in Napflio and Monemvasia come to mind. Regarding poles, you're not really hiking but walking on well tended trails so you'll have to decide if you'll need them. We actually went to Santorini after the tour so all the steps and hills there will prepare you for the tour.

About hiking shoes, and since space and weight are limited when traveling by plane, I take this kind of shoes, which is more than enough. It is light, versatile and perfectly suited for hikes or walks in the Greek islands where the hiking trails are most of the time no more than 10 miles.

https://www.amazon.fr/Columbia-Mens-Crestwood-Hiking-Shoe/dp/B07JWX4V82?language=en_GB&th=1

(I like the Columbia brand)

Folegandros is a small island that you can cross in less than 4 hours and there are not many possible hikes.
If I were you, and since from Santorini you will take a ferry to the Western Cyclades, I would prefer to go to Sifnos which is a paradise for hikers and Cycladic island lovers.

https://sifnostrails.com/

https://www.roomsinsifnos.com/

Why?

Because:

1/ More ferry options from Santorini to Sifnos than from Santorini to Folegandros

2/ More ferry options from Sifnos to Athens.

3/ Sifnos is the typical Cycladic island, still relatively unspoiled and has more things to do and see than Folegandros

I don't hike in Santorini, it's more of an island for instagramers and cruise passengers than for hikers, but I know there are a few.
In Santorini visit the archaeological site of Akrotiri. The wineries are also world renowned if you are a wine lover.

I don't bring trekking poles but they can be very useful. You will be walking on rocky hiking trails and encounter many climbs and descents.
What you should not forget is to bring water, lots of water. Even in June you can experience temperatures over 85F at 10am, and shade is almost non-existent.

I haven't done the Greece tour yet, but I did the Sicily tour and really appreciated the good tread on my low hikers and my sticks on the ancient, uneven walkways.
I imagine Greece is similar.

Congrats on your upcoming trip to Greece and the RS tour. It was my favorite of the 7 Rick Steves tours I've done, with Sicily and Portugal in a tie for second. I wore Hoka trail running shoes on the RS Greece tour. They had sufficient cushion AND tread for walking on slippery marble. I don't think hiking shoes are needed as long as the running/walking shoes you're wearing have tread. But do be careful on marble steps. I don't recall any members of my tour wearing hiking shoes. BUT a few regretted wearing sandals at times.

I did not feel hiking poles were worth the weight in my luggage for the RS Greece tour.

I haven't been to Santorini or Meteorga.

I'm very impressed you hike over 450 miles on the Camino!!!

Wear shoes that have soles with most gripping rubber treads. They don't have to be hiking boots or even trail shoes. Even though I wear small size I would never pack heavy footwear in my carry on. Make sure that the soles don't slide easily on marble. The most difficult and treacherous climb was to the upper town of Monemvasia. It's composed of all manner of stones - some are the large rounded black rocks. I saw several people slipping and sliding on them. The Mystras walk is not as difficult. We had at least 5 people take falls - two were on the very narrow slippery sidewalks in the town of Arachova. One person's tailbone was so injured that she couldn't participate in almost any subsequent activities. I think that poles will just impede you and frustrate the others around you.

I haven't been on this tour but have been to most of the places on it as well as Santorini and Meteora. I really like low cut hiking shoes for the traction and support on uneven surfaces. I would bring both athletic shoes and hiking shoes.