CCG1802: Dubrovnik to Athens
Our last riding day takes us east towards Athens. But first, culture! The fantastic Asklepion of Epidauros offers the largest and best preserved amphiteatre of the tour, with unbelievably good accoustics. One can literally hear a pin drop. From here we climb back over the mountains towards the coast for a relaxed lunch at the seaside, then make our way to the famous Corinthian Canal, another must#see on anz tour of Greece. Finallz it is time to say goodbye to the mountain roads as we hit the highway and end up in Athens, the end of a fantastic adventure!
Unfortunately the day starts off with a dissapointment, as the workers for the Ministry of Culture have gone on strike and all the archeological sites and museums in Olympia are closed. Instead we head into the mountains in the centre of the Peleponnes and explore some of the fantastic single lane roads that can be found here. An early arrival in Kalamata is also great opportunity to unwind at the pool with a fantastic view of the bay.
Another fantastic riding day through the mountains and, finally, an Edelweiss picnic! What more could you wish for for.
It's a beautiful autumn morning as we head out for another excellent ride in the mountains of Northern Greece. We visit the stone bridge of Pyli, then head out onto the single lanes surrounding Plastira Lake and finally climb Mt. Parnassus. After arriving in Delphi we explore the ancient ruins of Delphi, including the famous Temple of Apollo.
Meteora is a highlight of the tour, full of spectacular scenery and beautiful monasteries. We head out early and are almost the first people on the road. We give our cameras a full workout as we try to capture the amazing atmosphere of the mountains and then visit the beautiful monastery of St. Nicholas. After a quick coffee in the nearby town of Kalabaka we head out in to the nearby mountains for an epic rollercoaster ride. A day well spent!
Sarandëz is just a few miles from Greece but before we tackle the final border crossing of our tour we visit the ancient city of Butrint. Nestled on a small peninsula and hidden amongst the trees we have the Roman ruins to ourselves. After a remarkably relaxed border crossing we feast on fantastic grilled fish in a small, seaside taverna and then go play in the mountains on our way to Meteora.
Goodbye Makedonia, hello Albania! Another border crossing and we head back towards the Adriatic. The tough riding on the the way towards the coast is more than made up for by the fantastic coast road towards Sarande!
Ever wondered what the Albanian Alps look like? We are about to show you. Deep ravines, sheer cliffs and small mountain hamlets make up most of the scenery on yet another fantastic riding day. We hop on the highway on our way into the mountains along Albanias eastern border and then tackle some decidedly not highway roads as we head south towards Makedonia and Lake Ohrid, our stop for the night.
Another day, another country. We say goodby to Montenegro and enter Albania. Today is marked by some of the best riding so far as we head downhill towards the plains of Shkodra and take a hidden side trip up mountain roads that make the Dolomites look like the super-slab. Unforgettable!
Our first rest day of the tour and we have come to ride! The road up Tara Gorge, the deepest gorge in Europe, is a motorcyclists dream, full of exciting turns and spectacular views. We stop at the top of the gorge for a coffee and pictures, then head north into the high plateaus of Durmitor National Park. After lunch the roads narrow down into single lane trails, perfect for riding. Not a bad day at all!
After a night of spectacular thunderstorms we set of on our first day of the Dubrovnik to Athens Adventure! We brave the last remnants of rain as we make our way to the border, the first of many on this tour. After a much appreciated coffee after the formalities we hop on the 10 minute ferry ride across the Bay of Kotor and then venture into the old town of Kotor for an excellent lunch on the town square. The weather contiunally improves and soon we find ourselves in Pdogorica, where we visit the spectacular Orthodox cathedral and then begin the long climb up into the mountains of Montenegro towards Kolasin, our stop for the night.