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Tour of Central Greece
and Peloponnisos
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on your own motorcycle -
(Motorcycle
Rentals are available in Italy for those wishing to rent)
This
tour is designed for our European friends using their own personal motorcycles.
Groups are to meet in Italy (Ancona or other port depending on the group)
and board the ferry to Greece (Igoumenitsa). For those who prefer to
rent a bike, we can arrange it upon request - see at the bottom of the
page for available motorcycles.
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Nafpaktos,
Olympia, Pylos, Mystras, Monemvasia, Leonidio, Argos, Epidavros, Plaka,
Akropolis, Delfi, Meteora, Metsovo, Kerkyra (Corfu).
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With well over a
hundred inhabited islands and a territory that stretches from the south
Aegean to the Balkan countries, Greece offers enough to fill months of
travel. The historic sites span four millennia, encompassing both the
legendary and the obscure, where a visit can still seem like a personal
discovery. Beaches are parceled out along a convoluted coastline equal to
France's in length, and islands range from backwaters where the boat calls
twice a week to resorts as cosmopolitan as any in the Mediterranean.
Ancient Greece has been
hailed as the cradle of Western civilization. Modern medicine,
architecture, mathematics and sciences but more importantly democracy
itself, all have their roots in ancient Greece. Today, Greece is a
modern country but the blood of its ancient inhabitants still runs through
the veins of the modern Greeks. It has been said that Greece is a
country of contradictions; a country whose mind is in the West but its
heart is in the East.
Greeks as people are rather easy going
especially outside the big cities. Greeks as a whole are famous for
their hospitality, outgoing and warm personalities. Don't be
surprised if people just come up to you and strike up a conversation.
And of course there's always the Greek cuisine. Most people that
come back from Greece are equally impressed by the country's cuisine as
they are about its ancient ruins and beautiful landscapes. Which
brings us to Ouzo - Greece's national drink. It is clear with a
liquorish smell that clouds up with water. It is usually served with
"Μεζέδες" (pronounced mezethes), a plate with bite size servings of a
variety of foods. It is easy drinking, especially when diluted with
water but be aware... it'll go straight to your head.
Visiting
Greece is an experience of a lifetime. Doing it on a motorcycle is
the stuff of stories for the grandkids... Riding in Greece is not
any different than riding in any other country. So long as one pays
attention and rides at a reasonable pace one should have no problems.
The route we chose offers excellent riding combined with more
archeological sites and monuments that most people visit in a lifetime.
The route goes over mountain passes and roads by the sea. We have
tried to include the twistiest roads and avoid main highways as much as
possible. For the more adventurous riders a bit of off road is included in
this tour as an option. The off road sections are not very technical
and they can be easily handled with a little bit of dirt experience.
The pace of the tour is moderate. Moderate pace allows the
rider and the passenger to take in all the gorgeous sites, sounds and
smells. However we do understand that not all riders have equal
experience and some may find the pace slow - in which case the riders can
brake away from the group and meet the rest of the group at the next
meeting point. All riders are provided with a detailed map for each
days riding. Our guides are experienced riders and have guided for
many years. They are also multilingual, so between English, Greek,
Spanish and German we will find a mode of communication. Our guides
are there to make sure you have a good time and to make this an unforgettable
experience. |
| Daily
route |
| Day 1. Arrive in Igoumenitsa after a restful night aboard the ferry carrying you
and your bike from Ancona (other boarding ports can be provided depending
on the particular group). Our
destination today is Nafpaktos. This
3500-year-old picturesque town is amphitheatrically built on the side of a
hill, which lies on the sea opposite of the Peloponnese.
Its beauty, harmony and serenity greet its visitors from all
directions. |
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| Day 2. Continuing with our journey through the winding back roads of
this ancient land, we’ll cross a
4-pylon cable-stayed Bridge that has the longest suspended deck in the
world (2,252m / 7,388ft). The main attraction for today is Olympia.
Probably the most sacred place in ancient Greece, the place where
the modern Olympics were born and run continuously, every 4 years for 1200
years. We’ll make sure we
spend enough time here to give this place the attention it deserves before
we move on to our final destination of the day the charming little town of
Pilos. Pilos is known for its
traditional Greek cuisine with tastes as old and complex as Greece itself. |
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| Day 3. Today’s
destination is the beautiful and picturesque little town of Monemvasia.
Time seems to be standing still here, thanks to its strict building
code and preservation efforts. On
our way there we’ll wind our way though the southern part of Peloponnese
riding mainly by the sea. We’ll
visit Kalamata – a modern town with all the charm of old Greece, Mystras
with its breathtaking medieval ruins -
and Sparta home of the most fiercest worriers of all Ancient
Greece. |
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| Day 4. The route today will take us through the small village of
Lonidio, the romantic city of Nafplio full of cafes, restaurants and
bustling with life, and finally today’s destination of Palea Epidavros - A small ancient town home of the
theatre of The Sanctuary of Asklepios.
This is a must see. It is the most renowned and best-preserved
ancient theater in the world. It is constructed of stone and can seat
12,000 people. |
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| Day 5. Making our way northeast
we’ll head towards Athens. We’ll
follow the seaside roads winding our way to the oldest continuously
inhabited city in Europe. We’ll
cross the Corinth Canal and end up in Plaka.
Plaka is the oldest part of Athens. Most of the streets
have been closed to automobile traffic but motorcycles can generally go
through, which is a good thing for us. Plaka is full of outdoor
restaurants and cafes but the best ones remain well hidden - after all who
wants to go where all the other tourists go... Tourist shops are plentiful
and packed with souvenirs. From here the Acropolis is only a short walk
away. |
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| Day 6. Today the road takes us to Delfi – a walk through time. During the Mycenaean period, the
female deity of Earth was worshipped in this small settlement. The
development of the sanctuary and oracle though, began in the 8th century
B.C. with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. The most significant
ruins to be visited are the Temple of Apollo, the Teasury of the
Athenians, the Altar of Chians, the Stoa of the Athenians, the Theater of
the Sanctuary, the Stadium, the Castalia Spring, the Tholos, the Polygonal
wall, and the Gymnasium. We'll arrive with enough time to visit as much of
the ruins as you'd like. |
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| Day 7. Our destination today - Meteora - meaning
‘suspended in air’ is a unique set of rock formations in the middle of
a valley. On top of the rocks
monks have build monasteries dating back to the 14th century. Most of them are open to the public and the old
rope and net used to hoist the monks up the cliffs onto the monasteries
have been replaced by steps carved on the rock it self.
It is a long way up the monasteries but they are definitely worth a
visit. This is a site not to be missed. |
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| Day 8. Heading west on some of the
twistest roads in Greece, we’ll climb the pass of Katara (meaning “the
curse” in Greek). It is an
excellent motorcycle ride climbing its way over 1700m.
We’ll visit the town of Metsovo still picturesque as it was
hundreds of years ago. Good
spot to take a break a break for some traditional Greek coffee. Today’s
destination the beautiful island of Corfu (Kerkyra as the Greeks call it). Corfu is well known throughout Europe for its natural beauty,
Venetian architecture, and nightlife. |
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| Day 9. Today we’ll spend the day discovering the
beauties of Corfu. We’ll
visit the little beach towns of the island, enjoy its crystal clear
waters, and work on our tans. This
could also be a rest day for those who prefer to stretch their legs by
exploring the town of Corfu. A
farewell dinner will be provided for us to say our good buys. |
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| Day 10. Early morning we’ll board the Corfu -
Igoumenitsa ferry on our way to the mainland.
From there our guests and their bikes will board the ferry that
will take them back home. |
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| GUIDED
TOUR |
| Riding
days: |
9 |
| Support
vehicle: |
Yes |
| Hotel
level: |
3-4 star: 9 nights |
| Welcome
and farewell dinners: |
Yes |
| Starting/Ending
in: |
Igoumenitsa, Greece |
| Riding
ability level: |
Experienced |
| Riding
distances per day: |
200-300kms |
| Prices
(Per
person:) |
double
occupancy
single occupancy add |
€ 1295
€ 225 |
| Motorcycles for Rent |
V-Strom 650, CBF600F,Moto Guzzi California 1100, Ducati
ST3, Multistrada, BMW GS1150, RT1150, GS1200 |
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