Tour Summary
In this tour we will cross a small part of the central Greece and then focus entirely on the southern region called the Peloponnese.
As a destination, the Peloponnese is an all time classic. It combines all the history elements you can get in one trip, together with simply great riding routes. From some of the world’s greatest heritage sites to fantastic beaches, and from coastal winding roads to alpine passes and mountainous country roads. Dramatic landscape changes, empty roads, great vistas, delicious cuisine, excellent hotels.
Start / Finish
Athens
Duration
10 days in total. 8 riding days, 2 rest/free days with options to ride.
Distance
Aprox. 1,140 miles. Daily rides of 110 to 170 miles.
Riding hours
Most days with an average of 4-5 hours on the saddle.
Accommodation
Carefully selected 3 or 4 star boutique hotels, and a mountain resort. All of them offer local flair and beautiful locations.
Difficulty
“Intermediate” level. This tour is NOT suitable for inexperienced riders.
Please read here about how our tours are graded!
Roads
100% paved. A good amount of this tour runs on “challenging” roads: narrow, secondary mountain routes with never-ending corners. Continuous ascending/descending hairpins are often present.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
- 6 UNESCO World heritage sites :
- the ancient Delphi, the “navel” of the world according to ancient Greeks.
- the ancient Mycenae.
- the ancient Epidaurus.
- The byzantine site of Mystras (where the last emperor of Byzantium was crowned)
- the ancient temple of Apollo in Bassae
- the birth place of the Olympic games, the ancient Olympia.
- The old town of Nafplion with its medieval castle of Palamidi.
- the area of Mani
- the medieval fortified city of Monemvasia (“Gibraltar of the East”)
- the subterranean river in the caves of Diros
TYPE OF ROADS
This tour combines all levels of paved roads, but mostly you will be riding on small country side and mountainous roads. We have added the best biking routes of the Peloponnese and connected them with the points of cultural interest that you will be visiting.
The mountain roads are narrow, and most often you will see no traffic!
There are sections with lots of hairpins, some of them tight, so you should be comfortable riding those.
Itinerary
Day 1: Athens – Delphi, 225 kilometers (140 miles)
We exit Athens, heading west. We will soon be riding on secondary country side roads. Our destination for the day, the modern town of Delphi is also home to the ancient Delphi. The ancient Greeks believed this was the center of the Earth. Today, it is a UNESCO world heritage site where we will spend a few hours as we will be visiting the ancient Oracle, the Stadium, the museum and more.
The views from this sacred place to the Corinthian gulf are fantastic.
Day 2: Delphi – Vytina, Arcadia province (2 nights in Vytina), 255 kilometers (160 miles)
We continue riding west and soon we find ourselves riding by the coastline of the Corinthian gulf. A short break in the small medieval harbour of Nafpaktos and then we cross the Rio – Antirrio bridge, one of the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and longest of the fully suspended type.
We intersect with the motorway briefly, then we continue our ride over the the mountains of Arcadia province. The landscape changes and we will be soon enjoying a twisty route all the way until the destination for the day, a mountain resort in the heart of the Arcadia province. The pool awaits for some relaxing time!
Day 3: Vytina – ancient Olympia – Vytina, 195 kilometers (122 miles)
After a scenic ride through small and super twisty country roads we reach the sacred and ancient site of Olympia, the birth place of the Olympic games. A stop and a visit to the cultural site is in order. The site is still used today: every 4 years several months before the Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is lit here. This ceremony starts the Olympic torch relay, which formally ends with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
After our visit to the ancient site, we will continue our ride by returning to Arcadia, following one of the favorite biker’s routes of the region.
Day 4: Vytina – Pylos, 180 kilometers (112 miles).
Even though the distance for the day is rather short, the route runs on small and tight roads, making this a full day if we add the scheduled visits! Along the way we will have a break in the historical village of Dimitsana, which played a major role during the war of independence against the Ottoman empire in the 19th century. Here was produced all the gunpowder that supplied the greek revolutionaries.
Later on, we will stop by the ancient temple of Apollo, an architectural masterpiece of the 5th century B.C. which is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
We continue the ride south, along the coastal of western Peloponnese until we reach the small charming town of Pylos.
Day 5: Pylos – Limeni, 216 kilometers (135 miles).
We visit the medieval castle of Methoni, but only for a short stop. The route ahead is exciting as we ride the Taygetos pass, one of the most loved biking routes of Greek riders.
Over the east end of this route, we will visit the historical site of Mystras, a medieval and byzantine castle town which is enlisted as a UNESCO World heritage site.
We then turn south and reach the secluded bays of the Mani area, once strongholds of pirates and local clans. Our hotel in Limeni, offers some seaside views and is a perfect spot for relaxation.
Day 6: Limeni – Monemvasia (2 nights here), 176 kilometers (110 miles).
We will do a loop, riding the arid peninsula of Mani area, taking views of the old fortress-like mansions from the byzantine times, that are scattered all over the hills of the region.
We pass very near the 2nd southernmost point of continental Europe (an actual visit there would require a 2-hours hike), but we do make a photo-stop near the point where one of the entrance to the underworld was, according to the ancient Greeks!
Picturesque Gytheion will welcome us, and offers a good opportunity for a short break for a coffee or a refreshment.
We continue riding to the east until we reach our destination for the day, the fortified medieval town of Monemvasia, nicknamed as the “Gibraltar of the east”.
Day 7: free day, in Monemvasia
Time to relax by the sea!
Day 8 : Monemvasia – Nafplion (2 nights in Nafplion), 210 kilometers (130 miles)
From the rugged coastline of Mani, we ride over the deep forests of mountain Parnonas passsing through pristine nature. Don’t be surprised if we don’t meet another car for hours!
We will finally reach the east coastline of the Argolis province and head to the town of Nafplion, the first capital of the reborn Greek nation after the revolution war against the Ottoman empire.
Nafplion oozes with charm and will surely make you want to stay here for a couple of days.
Day 9 : Nafplio, free day or local ride, 160-210 kilometers (100 – 130 miles).
Nafplio town invites the visitor to spend a whole day there. The old castle of Palamidi, the old neighborhoods of the fishermen, the narrow, venetian style alleys and streets of the historic center are waiting to be discovered.
But if you feel like riding, then you have the option to do a local loop ride (unescorted) : spectacular vistas and winding routes are in the menu, as you will ride to the Arcadian mountains, approaching Vytina (the town where we stayed 2 nights a few days ago). Pass through the heart of Mainalon mountain and its deep forests, and then turn back and ride to Nafplion as you descend yet another local biker’s favorite road: the Achladokampos route will lure you in a cornering frenzy, while the views to the gulf of Argolis will be tempting.
Day 10: Nafplion – Athens, 193 kilometers (120 miles).
We visit ancient Epidaurus and gaze the marvel of architecture that the ancient theater is. We continue on secondary country roads all the way until the Canal of Corinth where we will make a road-side stop for a famous snapshot. Athens is only 45 minutes away. Once we arrive at the hotel, we renew our appointment for a few hours later, when we have a farewell diner late in the evening.
All good things come to an end! Departure day. We can arrange your transfers to the airport.
Dates
Tour dates:
- Best experienced during May, early June, the 2nd half of September and October.
- July and August can get hot and crowded. The sea will be at its best though, if you decide to add non-riding days!
- In November and March, you are taking your chances with rain. Temperatures at around 15 degrees Celsius (cooler in the mountains)
- Winter : mountain passes can have snow on the road. Also hotels in some destinations (Mani, Pylos) may be closed as they usually operate seasonally. This means we will have to alter the itinerary, probably by a big percentage.
2023 Prices in Euros
| (all prices in euros) | Single Rider, single room | Single Rider, sharing twin room | Rider + Passenger *, double room |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW R 1250 | 3.090 | 2,520 | 3,325 |
| HONDA NT 1100 | 2,890 | 2,320 | 3,125 |
| BMW F 750 GS | 2,730 | 2,160 | 2,965 |
| HONDA NC 750X | 2,470 | 1,890 | 2,705 |
| HONDA CB 500x | 2,310 | 1,740 | 2,545 |
(* Rider and Passenger price is for both people, not per person.)
Booking deposit : 650 euros per person
Remaining amount is paid in 2 parts:
- 50% : 50 days before arrival. If you are placing your booking initially at a date less than 50 days prior to the starting date, the 50% are required as a deposit.
- 50% : the day you collect the bike.
Note: prices shown are based on quotes from hotels offered to us for group tours on fixed dates. Depending on the time of your travel, prices may be slightly different (for example during peak season)
What is Included in the price you pay
– 9 nights accommodation (including the day you arrive to Athens and last night again in Athens) and 11 breakfasts
– Rental of Motorcycle, with side panniers, top case
– 3rd party liability insurance
– motorcycle damage and theft coverage with insurance excess (varies per model)
– 1 GPS device per 4 bikes, with all the routes preinstalled and ready to use
– Tour booklet containing information, maps, routes, waypoints, coordinates, contacts etc
2 helmets, of basic quality, European standards approved. Options available to upgrade to high quality helmets, for an added daily fee.
– Free luggage storage at our premises.
– All taxes
– accommodation in Athens, when you fly in and when you ride back to Athens (we can certainly arrange it if you wish)
– airport transfers (offered as an option)
– Fuel & tolls
– Food, drinks, personal daily expenses & tips
– Fines, tickets
– Entrance fees to local museums, tourist sites
– Ferries, parking
– Personal travel insurance
– Visas (if required)
Please read the Tour Terms & Conditions which include our Cancellation Policy in Paragraphs 12.1 (covid19 related cancellations) and 12.2 (cancellations as per the standard policy).
Check the Frequently Asked Questions.
If you want to see the specifications of the available models, click each model on the pricing table, or head to our rentals page.
For more info, contact Anna Lee directly !