Tour Summary
The “Central and Northwest Greece Motorcycle Tour” aims to show you some of the country’s less visited places which are, from a rider’s point of view, simply amazing. You have to ask yourself. What are the elements that make a ride in the countryside unforgettable? Stunning landscapes? Check! Roads with consecutive bends & corners that seem to never end? Check! Little to none traffic? Check!
You will see natural wonders, such as the Vikos Gorge which is considered the 2nd deepest in the world. Or the limestone pinnacles of Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will find yourself under thick tree canopy, where the sun never touches the ground. You will ride over the highest paved mountain pass of Greece, where you will think that you have been teleported to the Alps. About one third of this tour runs through regions that are commonly considered as the most wild, rugged and unspoiled of Greece.
And then, you will spend a day relaxing in Lefkada, the island with it’s world known beaches, such as the “Porto Katsiki” or the “Egremni beach”.
We have added some elements of popular & historic interest, such as the ancient site of Delphi and the monasteries at the location of Meteora. Last, but not least, you will have a chance to relax by rafting on Europe’s clearest river!
This tour, due to a) the extended diversity of the areas visited, b) the long distances, c) the remoteness of some areas and d) the narrow roads, is considered by most riders as “Advanced“.
Start / Finish
Athens
Duration
12 days in total. 9 riding days, 1 rest/free day and 2 days accounted for your arrival to and departure from Greece.
Distance
Aprox. 1,900 kilometers (~ 1,190 miles). The average daily distance is 210 kilometers. The longest day is 390 klms, the shortest is ~100.
Riding hours
A couple of days with 6-7 hours on the saddle (depends on your experience level). Most days with average of 4-6 hours on the saddle.
Accommodation
Boutique & traditional guesthouses, a mountain resort, and a luxury hotel.
Difficulty
“Advanced” level for most riders. Please read here about how our tours are graded!
Roads
100% paved. A large amount of this tour runs on “challenging” roads: narrow, secondary mountain routes with never-ending corners. Continuous steep hairpins are often present.
Review of this tour on TripAdvisor
Rebecca S., from Australia, wrote on TripAdvisor:
“A trip of a lifetime!!
We recently did the Central-Northwest Greece tour with MotoGreece and it was amazing! John was a great guide, the riding was fantastic and challenging and the locations, accommodation and sightseeing were all outstanding.
Seeing this part of Greece that is not on the typical tourist trail with MotoGreece was a once in a lifetime experience! We can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed the tour and we are already planning our next tour with MotoGreece. Thanks to John and the team and see you again soon!”
Date of experience: September 2019
- The monasteries of Meteora and the imposing limestone towers, a UNESCO world heritage site.
- The villages of Zagori (also Zagoria or Zagorohoria) in the northwest. Traditional stone built settlements full of character and beautiful architecture.
- The gorge Vikos, a breathtaking vista. Listed as the 2nd deepest in the world (and in some references, as the absolute deepest, in relation to its width!)
- The clearest river of Europe, Voidomatis. The colors of the waters will enchant you!
- The villages of Tzoumerka built by stone in steep gorges and on edges of cliffs.
- The archeological site of Delfi with the Oracle of Apollo, one more UNESCO World Heritage site.
- The magnificent island of Lefkada, with the turquoise colored beaches.
- The medieval coastal castle of Nafpaktos.
LET US TEASE YOU !
a TASTE of what you will see :
This tour will take us mostly to mountainous regions and secondary roads, where traffic is often absent. We have included the most scenic routes, with the most amazing vistas, those that are considered by the local riders’ communities as truly the best of Greece in terms of scenery and landscape.
But this comes at a cost! A lot of stages of the tour run through continuous narrow winding roads, with little room to spare. You will ride as much as 100 kilometers of such roads in one single take! Successive ascending or descending tight switchbacks/ hairpins are often present.
There are occasional rough sections, with potholes or scattered stones dropped from cliffs on the surface, especially at the most remote mountainous roads that we pass. Also, on those remote roads, due to extreme weather conditions that might have preceded during the winter period, there might be damaged sections that are in a state of repair. This means we might encounter short stretches (i.e. 10-50 meters long each) with dirt or gravel.
Day 1: Arrival to Athens.
We will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel. Late in the evening the group will have a welcome dinner and we will also do some briefing and discuss the tour.
Day 2: Tour commences, ride to Delphi
The group assembles and we leave busy Athens. Through country roads we take the first day relatively easy. We arrive in late afternoon to Delphi with plenty of time left to visit the historic sites of this place.
Day 3: Thessaly & Meteora.
We ride through central Greece, amidst lush vegetation, natural springs and rushing rivers, on narrow winding roads. As we will be approaching the town of Kalambaka, the “gateway” to Meteora, you will be stunned by the dominant view of the massive detached stone pinnacles, 400 meters above the ground. We ascend to the top to gaze upon the vistas. The Meteora is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are feeling religious or just want to indulge to Byzantine history, pay a visit to one (or more) of the monasteries that are perched on the summits.
Day 4: Enter Zagoria !
Today we enter the NW territories of Greece. We ascend to the “Katara” Pass and not long after we reach the wider region of Zagoria. The route of the day from that point on, is on endless curves and corners, passing by alpine meadows. The first villages of the Zagoria appear in front of us. We reach our stone-built boutique hotel, at a tranquil site. Time for “meze” and “tsipouro” (local spirit)!
Day 5: Zagoria exploration
Time to explore the wider region. We will present you with 2 options. The primary option is an eastbound loop ride, taking us through the Valia Calda natural reserve, perhaps the most beautiful forrested landscape of Greece paved & passable by motorized vehicle . The eastbound loop is a long one though, the riding will be completed after a whole day! As a “reward” you will have ridden on a route that some riders say is the best in Greece. The secondary option, if you are feeling less energetic, is to do a westbound loop of the Zagoria region, which is shorter and easier, yet still offers beautiful landscapes and riding.
Day 6: Zagoria exploration, part II
After 4 days of intensive riding, today is time to take it easy! Few kilometers are in schedule, just to explore neighbouring villages of Zagoria. You will stand in 2 panorama locations to see the Vikos Gorge, the 2nd deepest in the world and admire nature! You will visit the twin villages of Megalo (Big) and Mikro (Little) Papingo located below the great limestone “Towers of Astraka” on the north side of the Vikos Gorge. There, at the village’s natural swimming pool you might want to have a dip and a break! If you are up to it, it will be time for some easy rafting in Voidomatis river, with the clearest waters in Europe. The activity lasts about 2 hours and is offered by professional rafting instructors who accompany you all the way.
Day 7: enter Tzoumerka !
We leave the region of Zagori and have a stop-over in the city of Ioannina for a coffee on the shore of the lake. We approach Metsovo and then we enter the majestic Tzoumerka mountain region, the wildest and most remote mountainous area in the country that is passable by paved roads. We ascend to the highest paved mountain pass of Greece at 2,000 meters altitude. The descend offers breathtaking views until we reach our hotel, a luxury mountain resort at the heart of Tzoumerka mountain range.
Day 8: crossing Tzoumerka, getting to Lefkada island
We continue riding through the Tzoumerka region. We go deep in the Kalarytiko gorge where the views are spectacular and the villages are built on top of cliffs. Exiting this beautiful area our ride gets smoother and much easier as we head to the plains of Arta and then on a relaxed easy-going pace we finish our day at the island of Lefkada, which is accessible by road, so no need to take a ferry here!
Day 9 : Rest at Lefkada island
Lefkada is a beach paradise. Probably you will have a hard time leaving this place behind!
Day 10 : Evritania area, Nafpaktos
We head to Nafpakos for the day, but we do so by following the “long” route though the country side roads of Evritania provinces. Once again, gorges & lush scenic landscapes are on our way, making this a favorite ride.
Day 11: Return to Athens
We follow the coastal road until Itea, from where we ride continue on secondary country roads all the way until Athens, but after we do a stop at a sea-side village for a final snack. At Athens, we renew our appointment for a few hours later, when we have a farewell diner late in the evening.
Day 12: your flight back home
We suggest that you make arranges for departure on day 11 and not on day 10, so that you will have an easy-going return to the end point of the tour.
2025 dates
- 16 – 27 June: Bookings deadline: February 10, 2025
and on demand : any dates with a minimum of 4 riders signing up. Confirmed bookings must be received at least 4 months in advancee
2026 PROVISIONAL dates
June. Exact dates to be announced soon. Expect the starting date to be in the 2nd or 3d week of June, as always
Prices (in Euros)
2025 Prices
| (all prices in euros) | Single Rider, single room | Single Rider, sharing twin room | Rider and Passenger *, double room |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW R 1300 GS | 7,210 | 6,275 | 8,725 |
| BMW R 1250 GS | 7,105 | 6,170 | 8,560 |
| HONDA NT 1100 | 6,885 | 5,950 | 8,340 |
| BMW F 750 GS | 6,760 | 5,820 | 8,215 |
| HONDA NC 750X | 6,500 | 5,560 | 7,955 |
| HONDA CB 500X | 6,340 | 5,400 | 7,795 |
(* Rider and Passenger price is for both people, not per person.)
Booking deposit : 850 euros per rider and 500 euros per passenger
Balance : split in 2 partial payments. First is due 60 days prior to tour start. 2nd is due 15 days prior to tour start.
Prices shown reflect a minimum participation of 4 riders. For a smaller group the cost is higher. Please contact us for a quote.
Maximum size of group: 8 motorcycles.
What is Included in the price you pay
– 11 nights accommodation in 3 and 4 star hotels (including the day you arrive to Athens and last night again in Athens)
– 11 breakfasts
– 10 diners, including welcome and farewell diners in Athens (alcoholic drinks excluded)
– Airport transfers to and from Athens Internat. Airport, on arrival and departure
– Experienced lead guide on a motorcycle, English speaking.
– Driver and support vehicle for luggage (1 per person) and passengers (2 seats)
– Rental of Motorcycle, with side panniers and top case, and GPS.
– Road tolls
– 3rd party liability insurance
– motorcycle damage and theft coverage with insurance excess (varies per model)
– Tour booklet containing information, maps, routes, waypoints, contacts etc
– All taxes
– Fuel
– Lunches & snacks during the riding hours & all alcoholic drinks
– Personal daily expenses & tips
– Fees for local museum/site guides (to archeological sites, museums, outdoors activities)
– Entrance fees to archeological sites and museums
– Cost of optional side-activities (rafting etc.)
– Personal travel insurance
– Visas (if required)
– Anything else not described as “included”.
This tour is also offered as a “self-guided tour”. See the details of it here: https://motogreece.gr/self-guided-tours/10-days-central-northwest/
We can also adjust the tour to fit your preferences. Add or remove days, see more destinations, or ask for different dates! Perhaps you feel that you don’t need the services of a support car and wish to do the tour without one to lower the cost?
For these parameters or anything else you might want to change, contact us!
Go back to our Tours Overview, or read the Tour Terms & Conditions, or check the Frequently Asked Questions.
STAY UP TO DATE!
Subscribe to our newsletter to know about changes in this tour, offers, or new tour announcements!