The volcanic landscape is ideal for hiking in nature or relaxing in the thermal baths. No, this is not the famous Santorini, but methanesurprise place recommended The newspaper “New York Times among the best for 2023.

If the NYT wanted to create a buzz and find something more alternative than mass tourism, they certainly succeeded, placing Methana 39th out of 52 destinations for travel for this year. In fact, this is the only Greek destination on the list.

As noted, the closest active volcano to Athens, Methana, is located on the peninsula of the same name, almost 50 kilometers from the Greek capital.

The reason why methane is released? “Although the area is generally unknown to tourists, it is slowly developing, in part because it is becoming an increasingly popular hiking destination.”

It is noted that in recent years, groups of local residents have managed to rediscover and map old routes, some of which date back to the Mycenaean era, creating hiking trails that attract tourists from all over the world. At the moment, more than 30 kilometers of trails are open.

“The Methana Volcano Challenge, first organized in 2021, is a trail that traverses the sloping landscape of the peninsula,” according to the NYT.

Finally, the thermal springs of the volcanic peninsula are also mentioned. “The most interesting of them is the old and recently restored, known as Loutra Pausania, near the village of Agios Nikolaos,” the newspaper notes.

52 NYT destinations for 2023

The NYT list contains many destinations and options based on food, culture, adventure options, or simply natural beauty. London, UK dominates the top spot.

1. London
2. Morioka, Japan
3. Monument Valley, Navajo National Camp, USA
4. Kilmartin Glen, Scotland
5. Auckland, New Zealand
6. Palm Springs, California
7. Kangaroo Island, Australia
8. River Aoos (Viosa), Albania
9. Accra, Ghana
10. Tromsø, Norway
11. Lencois Maranhensis National Park, Brazil
12. Butane
13. Kerala, India
14. Greenville, South Carolina
15. Tucson, Arizona
16. Martinique
17. Namib Desert, South Africa
18. alaska railroad
19. Fukuoka, Japan
20. Flores Island, Indonesia
21. Guadalajara, Mexico
22. Tassili n Agher National Park, Algeria
23. Kakheti, Georgia
24. Nimes, France
25. Ha Giang, Vietnam
26. Salalah, Oman
27. Cuba
28. Odense, Denmark
29. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
30. Boquete, Panama
31. Tarragona, Spain
32. Charleston, South Carolina, USA
33. Cayo Cochin, Honduras
34. Beer road in Burgundy, France
35. Constantinople
36. Taipei, Taiwan
37. El Pomblato, Medellin, Colombia
38. Lausanne, Switzerland
39. Metana, Greece
40. Louisville, Kentucky
41. Manaus, Brazil
42. Vilnius, Lithuania
43. Macon, Georgia, USA
44. Madrid
45. Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
46. La Guajira, Colombia
47. Bergamo and Brescia, Italy
48. Prairies of Montana, USA
49. Eastern Townships (district in the province of Quebec in Canada)
50. New Haven, Connecticut, USA
51. Black Hills, South Dakota, USA
52. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina