Plunge into the Peloponneses! No one comes to Greece without paying homage to at least one ancient ruin, and some of Greece's most legendary ruins lie here in the Peloponnese. Extensive biking enables you to visit a series of sacred sites, including Epidavros Theatre which once was the largest healing center in the ancient world. You also visit the home of the Olympics, a site that will unleash your inner athlete. Nature abounds on this tour that cuts through the Aracadian Mountains where traditional villages steeped in local culture abound. Many say the Peloponnese is the true Greece. Come judge for yourself!
Tour Details
Duration
10 Days
Location
Peleponnese, Olympia
Season
April 28-May 9 and August 25-September 5
Tour Type
Road Touring
Nearest City
Athens, Nafplio
Physical Condition Required
Good
Destination(s)
Peleponnnese, Greece
Distance Traveled
LONG ROUTE: 477 miles, average 47 mi/day. SHORT ROUTE: 322 miles, average 32 mi/day.
Minimum Age Limit
18
Skill Levels Accommodated
Moderate and Challenging
Fully Guided
Yes
Guest Capacity
10-16
Support Vehicles
Yes
Bike Rentals Available
Yes
Bike Brands
Bikes are included in the tour price. No reduction if you bring your own bike, but you are welcome to do so. Fees may apply to transport your bike box to end destination.
Our bikes are Specialized Allez Triple road bikes with feather light aluminum frames, carbon fiber front forks, triple chain ring with 27 gears, 30/42/52. Choice of flat or drop handlebars.
Accommodations
Traditional inns, country lodge, upscale hotel and family-run guesthouses, all with private baths, air conditioning, comfort and hospitality.
Transportation to Start Site
Yes (if in a designated arrival time period). Tour package includes departure transfer to airport.
Dining
All breakfasts at CycleGreece's accommodations. All dinners in traditional tavernas with fresh, homecooked food and local specialities epitomizing the best in Greek cuisine. Vegetarian options galore.
About Liquor
Local Greek wine included with dinner.
Additional Activities
Tour of ancient ruins Delphi and Olympia with professional guide, Epidavros Theatre, ancient Mycenae, cave with underground lakes, overnight at a winery and swimming in the sea.
Rates
$3,429.00per personCurrency Converter (Rates shown are in US Dollars. Rates and terms are subject to change.)
Additional Rate Info
US dollars prices are an approximation only. Tour prices are based on the euro, which is the local currency of Greece. The dollar price of the tour is whatever the exchange rate is to the euro on the date you make a payment. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
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Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Athens The first Sacred Site we bike to is the magnificent Temple of Poseidon in Sounion at the southern tip of the Attiki Peninsula. From atop its promontory the glimmering Aegean Sea is visible for miles. In hugging the Attiki coastline we experience a favorite route of local Athenian cyclists
Day 2: Nafplio Today’s highlight is biking to Ancient Epidavros, Greece largest ancient theatre. This 3rd century BC outdoor wonder seats 15,000 and its acoustics are still so impeccable spectators atop the last tier can hear whisperings from the stage. From here we coast down to elegant Nafplio, modern Greece’s first capital. You've probably never heard of it, but Nafplio will most likely rate as your favorite Greek town.
Day 3: Nafplio An easy one hour ride through orange grove to Mycenae (a/k/a Mykines), a World Heritage Site. You will marvel at the unusual beehive tomb built for the mighty King Agamemnon who launched the Trojan War. Evening boat ride to Bourtzi island for a panoramic view of Nafplio, the Palamidi fortress and the expansive bay.
Day 4: Nafplio The highest and most ascents of the tour. A “bald” tree-less mountain allowing panoramic views of distant mountains misleadingly resembling sea waves (2297 ft). After lunch the terrain turns forest-y, a bit steeper, climbing 4265 ft in the heart of Arcadia to Stemnitsa, a precious mountain village with stone houses and red tiled roofs overlooking the splendiferous Lousios Gorge.
Day 5: Olympia Most of today's route is downhill with detours en route, including to a monastery built into a cliff from where you can see the "secret school" from the days of the Greek Revolution. A pit stop in Langada to buy homemade “sun liqueurs” or hand carved canes with goat antlers. The ride cycles past the Olympia stadium, the ruins lying within a discus throw of our bike route.
Day 6: Lampei In the morning tour Ancient Olympia, the actual grounds where the world's original athletes competed as early as 796 B.C. The modern Olympics were resurrected in 1896. After lunch, it takes roughly three hours to reach a traditional mountain village called Lampei where the loudest noise is simply the clang-y orchestra of goat and sheep bells.
Day 7: Kalavrita We are cycling deep in mountain territory, mostly following a ridge, but a fair amount of rolling ascents and descents make the ride entertaining. The day’s highlight is Cave of the Lakes, a series of subterranean lakes inside a huge cave. Thereafter an hour’s climbing until reaching Kalavrita, a charming mountain village popular for skiing, paragliding and homemade products.
Day 8: Kalavrita Rural cycling in Greece means minimal traffic. Today’s bike ride is to a remote village with a special feature to be discovered upon arrival. We also visit Mega Spili, said to be Greece’s oldest Greek Orthodox monastery and it is located in a cave. Kalavrita is known for its outstanding local products, such as tentura a liqueur that tastes like Christmas!
Day 9: Nemea The last cycling day has lots of mileage but it is most is down hill and flat hugging the Corinth Gulf coast. Lunch in Xylokastro where the pine trees border the beach. Ambitious cyclists can rendezvous with the vehicle at Ancient Corinth and Akrokorinthos Fortress whose strategic height offers panoramic views of surrounding seas. Overnight at a winery in Nemea -- taste & experience vinyard life!
Day 10: departure Tour ends in Nemea where a 20 minute transfer takes you to Corinth train station for hourly departures to Athens (60 minutes) or Athens Airport (90 minutes).
This Package Includes
All Accommodations with Private Bath, Air Conditioning, and Daily Breakfasts
All Dinners with Local House Wine
All Domestic Transportation from Designated Assembly Point to Tour's End Point
Vehicle and Guide Support
Road Bike
Helmet (used by prior clients), water bottles, rack, odometer
Map with Cue Sheets and Points of Interest
Snacks and Water
Private tours with professional guides at Mycenae, Epidavros, Olympia, Acropolis + entrance fees
Gratuities and Tips
A Classic Blue and White CycleGreece Jersey
Notes
Sacred Sites and Spas ride is rated MODERATE and CHALLENGING - it has a long ride, averaging 47 miles and a short ride averaging 32 miles. Additional mileage optional.
Ride Ratings Easy: For travelers who do not bicycle regularly, but enjoy it. They want a relaxing vacation enriched with a modicum of daily outdoor physical activity. Day’s Cycling: three to four hours, up to 25 miles, steep ascents rare.
Moderate: For cyclists who bike regularly, perhaps daily. Bicycle is a primary means to satisfy their frequent outdoor activity. Day's Cycling: four to six hours, between 25 to 50 miles — possibly more, moderate and some steep ascents welcomed.
Challenging: For people who worship the bicycle. These physically fit riders enjoy hours in the saddle and no terrain is too formidable. Day's Cycling: at least six to eight hours, 50 to 75 miles or even a century, capable of repetitive climbs and might even crave steep ascents.
Reservation Policy
Initial Deposit 400 euros per person, approximately $550.
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