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The Best of Greece BOG2302

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 | Jan Van der Jagt / Thomas Fellechner | Europe

Welcome to Greece!

A country with a very interesting history, geat food, lovely drinks and off course: great riding conditions! We will take you to famous places like Delphi and Olympia. We will also visit monasteries, several seas and mountain areas. 

Thomas in the spotlight, getting every exited!

Riding day#1 Athens to Arachova

a first taste

 

This first day already had a lot in store for us. An ancient monastery and the even much older site off Delphi. 3000 years ago the Greek came here to ask the oracle for advice. Now it's our turn...

the day starts with Jan's briefing
New Greek friends at our first coffee stop
Dark Fader
An adventures lunch in a little Greek village
Thom and our charming waitress
The monastery off saint Luke
The Gulf off Corinth
The final highlight off the day, Delphi!
Amphitheater in Delphi
the ruins of the Apollon temple in Delphi
Sunset over the vally off Delphi

Riding day #2: from Arachova to Kalyvia

curves and views

 

Ride day number 2 is coming up, after we got to know our bikes a little better yesterday and inhaled a lot of Grieschiche history and culture. Stands today completely in the sign of riding. Almost 300km are to be mastered today, and almost always on winding and narrow mountain roads. Here, however, the rain of recent weeks has left its mark. While some sections of the route are wonderfully speedy to ride, it is in many other places "caution". For all those who love technical riding a dream. The almost empty roads wind through forests, small villages and impressive mountain landscapes. At the end of the day, a fabulously beautiful hotel at Lake Plastira awaits us. What a day.   

This day starts with Thomas's briefing
countless curves allready in the morning
First stop of the day. it locks like this place is made for us.
Shanique find a new friend. He likes her...and the sandwich.
Bruce and Jim
nice and cosy place for lunch
view to the Pindos mountain range
view from our Hotel today

Riding day #3: from Kalyvia to Metsovo

the monesterys

 

Again we have a nice relaxed riding day. Leaving the mountains off Kalyvia, entering the valley towards Metsova. Visiting the famous monasteries, taking a lot off pictures and finishing the ride thru the mountains off Metsovo.

Sunset at Kalyvia
The daily brieving, just before start our lovely riding day!
And there is our first highlight of the day, the stone bridge of Pyli
Over 500 years old and still standing as if it was built yesterday
A smaller version, but just as lovely
A terrific lunch at the base off Meteora
Created by the wind it is a unique place in the world
A visit to Meteora is not complete without going into one off the monasteries
One off the little streets off Metsovo, the town were we will be staying two nights
That's what happy bikers do after a great day off riding: enjoying the view, having a well deserved drink and airing the boots

Restday#1: Metsovo

take it easy

 

Today is our rest day, which of course does not necessarily mean that we want to lie on the lazy skin all day. In Mesovo there are many small stores and cafes so that one is certainly not bored. And of course there is also the possibility to ride a small round motorcycle. Besides ancient bridges, there is also one of the deepest gorges in the world to admire.

nice and cozy coffeplace in the middle of nowhere
Tommy, Bruce and Walter @ one of the ancient bridges
the Vigos gorge
be carefull Jan
another very greekish lunch
and again Shanique has a new friend

Riding day#4: Metsovo to Lefkada

greek backroads

 

Another day in paradise today. That a little adventure also awaits us makes this day even better in the end. Directly in the morning we go without delays into the mountains. The Mparos Pass, after all 1950m high wants to be conquered. The roads are empty and full of curves. Even in this area, the weather of the last few months has not passed without a trace. And so we have to do it again and again with small surprises. For example, with stones on the road, which Jim should finally give a flat tire. The damage was unfortunately too big to fix it on the spot, but that's no problem. Without further ado, the tour guide shuttles us to the next coffee shop while Jan arrives with the van for the recovery. After this short adventure we can continue the day. Our next stop is supposed to be the Kipinas Monastery. A piece of Greek cultural history carved into the rock 800 years ago. Countless curves later, in the middle of nowhere we have another traditional lunch. The roads widen again and we finally reach the island of Lefkada. With a last coffee we decide to explore the hinterland of the island before arriving at the hotel. Another unforgettable day comes to an end.

surprise, surprise
view down from the Mparos Pass on 1950m
and again... surprise, surprise!!
the pindos mountain range
The Kipinas monestery
Joni is exploring the monestery
cozy living room, Joe likes it
the pack @ our Lunchplace in the middle of nowhere
a view from one of the backroads @ the island of Lefkada

Riding day #5: from Levkada to Vytina

Interesting roads and places

 

Levkada is a peninsula where many people spend their holidays enjoying the nice beaches and calm sea. Our route today brings us over the Famous Río Antirrio Bridge to the pennepoleses. Again many nice curvy roads and some impressive highlights

Just before sunrise
Our first coffe stop in a little fishing village
Fishermen just arrived with the catch off the day
The legendary Rio Antrion bridge
Off course we do a group picture there!
Another catch off the day, a little salamander
Church in a tree, unique in the world
The little Chapel next to it is very impressive
With century old frescos
And a large collection off incense bowls
Another Greek traffic jam
Our stop at the place off sacrifice in Kalavryta was impressive

Restday #2: Vytina

Olympic curve games

 

Rest day number 2 is coming and with it again the agony of choice what we will do. The world famous excavations of Olympia are only 1.5 hours away from our hotel. And definitely worth a visit. Allso up on the bike and nothing like there. The roads here are in almost perfect condition. And so the ride is once again a pure pleasure. After we have marveled at the millennia-old ruins of Olympia, we meet Jan, who is waiting for us with a picnic at a small chapel. After a fantastic lunch we separate. Some go back to the hotel while others with our guide Thomas plunge into the maze of curves. Of course, some culture should not be missing. Another perfect day draws to a close.

the excavation of Olympia
Joe, Terri and Tommy in Olympia
Jan is waiting for us with a picnic
look @ this view, look @ this road. welcome to bikersheaven
last coffeestop of the day in a typical greek mountain village
we also visited this very interesting waterpower museum
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we've been lucky we could admire the mechanism in aktion

Riding Day#6: Vytina to Areopoli

from the mountains to the coast

 

New day new luck... or sometimes some bad luck. Our day begins again on small back roads. Here there is also the one or other pothole. As we quickly learn it is better to avoid them. Because a bent rim forces us to an involuntary break in the middle of nowhere. But no problem within half an hour Jan is there with the van. We exchange the bikes and then it goes on. Back in the plain we make a few kilometers on the highway. To leave this finally in Sparta. Sparta? yes correctly read, unfortunately the Spartans have left here no traces. But their descendants are still very good at erecting statues. After a short stop we drive up to the Langada Pass, the road itself is as spectacular as the view. A dream for all bikers. After another traditional lunch, it goes down to the coast. Past Kalamata the city of olives. We follow the spectacular coastline to Areopoli, our destination for today. What a day.

cause and...
...effect
Whatever the two have discussed there
THIS IS SPARTA!!!
the Langada Pass road is waiting for us
the road winds through the gorge for 60kilometers
and the view`s are spectecular
another nice Lunch
The view down to the coast is beautiful, isn't it Joni?

Riding day #7: from Areopoli to Monemvasia

caves and beaches

 

It took millions of years for the caves off Diros to be greater. And we are fortunate enough to visit them! The rest off the day we'll be riding along the sea, dive into the rugged countryside and will have lunch at the beach next to the dimitros schip wreck 

On a boot thrue the cave
Very impressive, pictures don't really capture it
After exciting the cave we had this beautiful view
Not a bad location for a coffee stop
Tommie and Joey are excited!
The sea is so lovely! And warm!
Just one off the many stunning views off the day
the pack is enjoying its lunch
The wreck of Dimitros. The story goes that it was left there by sigarette smugglers
Walter almost went in for a swim!
A typical view one gets at the penepoles
Here is another one, at our final coffee stop
A very bicker friendly café
With a old and open minded bar tender
Walter and Jimmy, the owner
And a great outdoor dinner to top it off

Rest day #3: Monemvasia

a perfect day in paradies

 

Rest day number 3 is approaching. And what can we say the options are many. We can simply enjoy the peace and beauty of our hotel, explore the area by motorcycle or stroll through Montemvasia. You know what, we do everything. After a short ride in the morning we will take a cab into Monemvasia. We will explore the city and have our dinner there. Live is good

the riding option today offers only 90km, far enough to get a good taste of this beautifull area
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sharing the road
Walter, Bruce und Joni. In the backround you can see the Island where Monamvasia is.
Nice coffeestop @ the coast
after our nice little ride. Bruce is having his cooldown in the pool.
beautifull city of Monamvasia
And of course, a good day ends with a nice dinner

Riding Day#8: Monemvasio to Nafplio

greek curves salad

 

After our very relaxed rest day yesterday, we have a long day of driving on the agenda today. Almost 300km of curves are waiting for us. Mountains and coasts. There is almost no traffic when we start in the morning. And so we make good distance. Unforgettable will be the moment when we drive down this narrow road coming from the mountains and the view of the sea opens up to us. Simply magical. Our first coffee stop directly at the sea seduces some of us directly to a jump into the refreshing water. After that, we follow the spectacular coastal road for a while, only to turn off into the mountains once again. Up here there is still a lot to see. The roads are mostly in good condition and a feast for every motorcyclist. After the ups and downs of the mountains it goes back down to the coast where countless more curves are waiting for us. After a final coffee stop 2 steps from the sea, our destination for today awaits and Nafplio

The whole pack say goodbye to the maybe nicest place of the whole tour
see if you can find the road
Terri went for a swim right after we arrived @ the Ocean
Joni and Bruce
Joni infront of the spectacular costalroad
Tommy is good in making new friends
The Elone Monestery hiden in the mountains
Little chappel inside the Elona Monestery
Our last coffeestop directly @ the sea. In the backround you can see Terri having a swim again.
and for dinner we have live musik from a brother of Walther

Riding day #9: from Nafplío, back to Athens

the last mile

 

Our last riding day. In a way a bit sad, bit dont worry: a worthy finish to a great tour! In the morning a visit to castle Palamidi, experiencing the acoustics at the empheatheatre of Epideurus and enjoying the canal off Corinth. And some lovely riding!

Sunrise in Nafplío
Walter is directing the orchestra at the empheatheatre
One off the last picture stops
At the canal off Corinth
A big boat passing!
And slowly...
The bridge is returning
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