Sacred Sites

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!

Honored!

Bicycling magazine selected the Sacred Sites tour as
one of the Best Bike Trips of 2009.  

A slight price increase for hotels may apply in August.

All tours are priced in euros, the currency of Greece.
Click here for daily exchange rates

TOUR MAP

Start/End Points
Tour starts from Piraeus port (Athens' port) where we catch the ferry to Poros, and a second small boat to the Peloponnese mainland. The tour ends with a transfer to either Athens Airport Sofitel Hotel at Athens Airport if you have an early morning flight the next day, or central Athens.

Itinerary

Day 1: 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 2: 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 3: Stemnitsa
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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: Athens Airport Sofitel or central Athens
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. Dinner at a sea side taverna before transfers to Athens Airport Sofitel Hotel or central Athens.   

Day 8: Departures

Mileage
Short route has vehicle transfers to start points. Long Route is all by bike. Support vehicle available for lifts. Additional mileage available for road warriors.
Total Mileage Long Route 358 miles Short Route 237 miles
Average Daily Mileage Long Route 51 miles Short Route 30 miles

Day 1Long 62 miles, series of climbs and a gradual ascent to 1300 feet Short 25 miles with a moderate gradual climb to 1300 feet and remainder all down hill

Day 2 Long & Short 34 miles roundtrip, 1 hour each way, flat until end with 3 km climb

Day 3 Long 65 miles crossing several mountains, 7 hours. Short 30 miles climbing mountains, about 3 to 3.5 hours

Day 4 Long 50 miles, about 3 moderate climbs, long descent. Short 36 miles 1 slight hill, long descent.

Day 5 Long & Short 26 miles, about 3 hours, first part is somewhat steep, then flattens out

Day 6 Long 46 miles hugging a mountain ridge, final hour one long climb. Short 36 miles hugging a mountain ridge, fairly flat

Day 7 Long 75 miles downhill and flat hugging the coast all the way to hotel. Takes about 5 hours. Short 47 miles downhill and flat until lunch stop on coast. Optional 10 miles add-on to Ancient Corinth and Acrokorinthos.