CCG180A: From Athens to Dubrovnik
Our last day of the tour takes us out of the mountains and down towards the Adriatic coast. Our first stop in Podgorica allows us to visit the spectacular new cathedral before heading up the sweepers towards Cetinje. Poor weather conditions prohibit us from heading into Lovcen National Park, so we head for Kotor and have lunch in the old town centre. The last ride of the day takes us over last border of the trip and we finally arrive in Dubrovnik, our final destination.
Back into the mountains we go! Heading north we avoid the busy border crossing at Hani Hotit and head into the mountains between Albania and Montenegro. A brand new band of asphalt snakes its way through some of the most spectacular scenery so far, the excellent surface marred only by the occasional rock from the mountains above. Just before lunch we cross the border into Montenegro and race over the Tresnejvik Pass, before arriving in Kolasin just in time for a relaxing visit to the hotel spa!
What A Day! 310km and not a single straight road in sight!. Todays ride is all about the Albanian Alps, full of hidden valleys, tiny hamlets and some of the best, toughest road riding on the planet. And to top it all off, a fantastic sunset as we head into Shkoder, our stop for the night.
Leaving the coastal resort of Sarande behind we head out onto one of the best coastal roads Europe has to offer. 100km with next to no traffic, stunning coastal views and twisties seeminglt designed to burn off the last few chicken strips on our tires. Next we head inalnd as we cross the central plains and head backt into the mountains and cross the next border, this time into Macedonia.
Not many pictures today, as the skies have darkened and we beginour last day in Greece in heavy drizzle and fog. After the first two hours the sky begins to clear and we enjoy some of the best roads so far on the way to coast. After lunch in small harbour we tackle our first border of trip and enter Albania!
It is our first rest day of the tour and it is well deserved. Bur we are not ones to sit around, so out onto the road we go! The morning ride takes us around the Meteora, famous for its fantastic monasteries, perched high up on sandstone coloumns! We visit the monastery of St. Nicholas, then head into the small town of Kalambaka for some excellent (and strong!) Greek coffee. From here we head into the mountains once more, the sound of our engines echoing off the steep cliff faces. After an excellent lunch of venison, hare and wild boar we take in the last few miles back to the hotel. The day ends in a small local taverna where we feast on some of the best Greek food so far.
Today is all about the ride, first through the Parnassus National Park and then up into the mountains arounf Plastira Lake. A heady mix of open sweepers and tight hairpins, full of surprises around every corner.
Another day, another excellent ride. We head into the mountains of the Peleponnes for some backcountry riding, then cross the Rio-Antirrio Bridge for the traditional Edelweiss Picnic on the beach!. From there we tackle the sweeping coastal road along the Gulf of Corinth, arriving in Delphi just in time to visit the spectacular archeological site!
It is another beautiful morning on this short but spectacular riding day. Heading north from the coast we ride on roads drilled into the side of the cliffs, along deep gorges and up steep and twistz mountain passes. After an excellent lunch in one of the many small mountain villageswe arrive in Olympia, birthplace of famous Olympic Games.
It is another beautiful day as we set out from Nafplio. Today is dedicatd to the ride as we tackle the excellent coast roads on the Peleponnes peninsula. 340km and not a single straight road anywhere. This is riding at its finest. Leaving the coast behind we head over Kalamata-Sparta Pass and end the day with a cold beer by the pool overlooking the bay of Kalamata.
Our first day on the ride takes us out of Athens and on the Peleponnes Peninsula. After a small section on the highway we stop for an iced coffee at the Corinthian Canal, then head onto the coastal road towards a fantastic lunch at the seaside. In the afternoon we visit the beautiful ancient theatre in Epidauros before tackling the final miles through the olive groves towards Nafplio.