How to make friends hiking and meet people in Athens

The Pezoparea team · Updated 4 November 2026 · 6 min read

Research suggests it takes about 50 hours together to turn an acquaintance into a casual friend and over 200 for a close friend (Hall, 2018). A group hike gives you 8–10 hours with the same people in one day: coach, trail and taverna. Go regularly with the same group and acquaintances become friends.

Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult?

At school and university you see the same people every day without planning it. After that, work, moving cities and life admin break the routine. It isn't a personal failing; you simply have fewer chances to see the same people again.

You're far from alone. The WHO Commission on Social Connection estimates that one in six people worldwide is affected by loneliness (WHO, 2025). In the first EU-wide loneliness survey, 13% of respondents said they felt lonely most or all of the time, and Greece was among the countries with the highest rates (EU Joint Research Centre, 2022).

How many hours does it take to make a friend?

Jeffrey Hall at the University of Kansas asked adults who had recently moved how much time they'd spent with new acquaintances. He found it takes about 50 hours to go from acquaintance to casual friend, about 90 to become friends and more than 200 to become close friends. Leisure time counted most; hours spent working together counted far less (Hall, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2018).

The right-hand column is our own estimate, based on an 8–10 hour day out door to door. It isn't a finding of the study.

Why are group hikes good for meeting people?

• You have a ready-made topic: the route, the view, your aching calves.
• You walk side by side rather than face to face, which makes conversation easier.
• The day has natural breaks (water stop, summit, lunch), so you can switch people without awkwardness.
• The same clubs head out every weekend, so you keep seeing familiar faces.
• You're there for the mountain, not to impress anyone. The friendships happen on the side.

Tap “I'm going” on an outing and open “Who's going”. People you keep sharing outings with show up in your Crew, along with the hikes you have in common.

How do I start a conversation on my first hike?

1. Sit next to someone on the coach and ask, “Have you been out with this club before?” It almost always works.
2. On the trail, change your place in the line now and then. Walk a bit with the leader, a bit with the back of the group.
3. Share something at the break: nuts, a snack bar. Old trick, still works.
4. At the taverna, sit at a table with people you don't know.
5. At the end ask, “Are you coming to the next one?” That's the most important question of the day.

How do I turn hiking buddies into friends?

Repetition. If you hop between organizers, you'll meet lots of people but never see them again. Pick one or two clubs or companies you like and stick with them for a season. Many Athens clubs also hold talks, film nights or workshops during the week, and those hours count too.

When you click with people, plan the next hike together. In Crew you can send “Hike again” to people you've met, so you can see where each other is heading next.