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CCG1801: Greece to Croatia

Saturday, June 2, 2018 | Anthony Fairweather / Thomas Ritt | Europe

Day 12:Kolašin to Dubrovnik

The very first Greece 2 Croatia is over. It was a blast. Very interesting, very intense, quite hot sometimes but always filled with fun and excitement. And with friendship as the group got along very, very well. Thanks everybody for coming, we are looking forward to riding with you again!

Tony & Thomas

Podgorica Cathedral
Lunch: what's more important: menu or wifi code?
View of the Bay of Kotor
Tony in paradise

Day 11: Rest day in Kolašin

A relaxing rest day ride in the beautiful mountains of Montenegro. Blue sky, awesome roads, great scenery. We were so busy riding and taking pictures that we even missed lunch...

The Black Lake in Durmitor National Park
Richard and Paul on the bridge high above the Tara Canyon
Paul, marvelling at the gorge. They say it's the world's deepest. Just like the one in Greece...

Day 10: Shkodër, Albania to Kolašin, Montenegro

The mountains of northern Albania were today's highlight, especially Route 21, a stunning road which until last year was nothing but a rough gravel track. Now it's sealed and we surfed the brand new blacktop all the way up to the border to Montenegro. Simply an awesome ride, probably the best of the tour so far!

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Video by Tommy "the Drone" Hung

Day 9: Ohrid, Macedonia to Shkoder, Albania 

Today we head back into Albania and into the high mountains along the eastern border. This is true Albania, far removed from the cities of the coast, where only the adventurous traveller goes. The roads are narrow and rarely appear on any maps. And the ride is fantastic, full of technical challenges and breathtaking views. After a lakeside lunch we hit the brand-new highway and head into the plains aroud Shkoder, our stop for the night. We enjoy a feast of a meal, then very slowly take a short walk into the town center for some extra dessert. 

On the road to Nowhere (well, Shkoder to be exact).
Let the feast begin!

Day 8: Sarandë, Albania to Ohrid, Macedonia 

Another day, another beautiful morning. We head north along the coast and ride a hidden gem. This coastal route is one of the best in the world, full of stunning views and an exhilarating mix of sweepers, switchbacks and twisties. We climb from sea-level to over 1.000m and back down again, then head inland and cross the border to Macedonia. We stop for the night in the picturesque lakeside toown of Ohrid, where we watch the sun set as we take a cruise to the famous curch of St. John.

The Albanian Riviera
From 0 to 1000 m above sea level in 15 hairpin turns: Llogara Pass
At the top of the pass, waiting for the riders to return from coffee.
A small evening cruise is the perfect waz to end the day.
St. John Church, probably the most picturesque of all the churches in Ohrid.

Day 7: Meteora, Greece to Sarandë, Albania

Our last day in Greece brought more sunshine and blue sky. People in the picture are wearing their rain gear because of a two-minute rainshower high up in the mounatins, honestly! We took some of the smallest, curviest and least maintained roads ever to reach Zagoria, the region "behind the mountains". From here we rode to the border to Albania and entered the country without any problems. It feels great to be here, in this largely unknown country.

One last glimpse of the Meteora Rocks before we disappear into the Pindos Mountains
Chef, Sous-Chef and F&B-Manager, all in one: Tony and his picnic
This girl from Crete wanted to leave her hiking group and join us instead. But she had no helmet...
According to the Guinness Book of Records the Vikos Gorge in Northern Greece is the world's deepest!
South Africans just know no danger!
View from the hotel room in Sarandë
Stunning dinner location!

Day 6: Rest day in Meteora

Meteora is one of the most stunning places on the planet. Words can hardly describe the combination of otherwordly scenery and ancient monasteries that were built on top of those sheer rocks. That's why we posted some pictures...

Welcome to Meteora, a photographer's wonderland!
A traditional monk's cell
Ladies have to wear skirts to be allowed in
"live menu" at our lunch restaurant
The afternoon ride took us to a spectacular mountain road
Behind the rock is a sheer drop, so safety measures had to be implemented to take a picture of this flower...
Beautiful viewpont high above Lake Plastira

Day 5: Delphi to Meteora

Athena Pronaia Temple: the quintessential picture of Delphi
coffee break!
Albert feels right at home here
Pictures say more than words
Chocolate galore!
And even more sweets! Who could possibly resist?
The dam of Lake Plastira
The stone bridge of Pyli: 500 years old, 30 m high
The Superbridge across the Gulf of Corinth

Day 4: Olympia to Delphi

Another fantastic day dawns as we prepare to leave the Peleponnes and head towards the ancient city of Delphi. But first we have some spectacular mountain roads to tackle. It's not long and we have left the tourist buses of Olympia far behind and we are on our own, the only other traffic being herds of sheep along the side of the road. We stop for some iced coffee in a small mountain village, then continue north to the fantastic Rio-Antirrio Bridge, a marvel of civil engineering. Just on the other side of the bridge we find another highlight, a traditional Edelweiss picnic expertly prepared by our tour guide Tom. From here we carry on along the coast, past small seaside villages towards our destination for the day, Delphi. The center of the ancient Greek world, this is a must-see for every visitor to Greece! An we have it almost to ourselves, fantastic!

Sun, sea and a beautiful bridge. Life is good
Floating the bridge pillons out to sea.
Dig in!
Picnic on the beach, what a holiday!
Galaxidi
Remains of Apollo's temple in Delphi
It's only from above that you get to see the sheer size of the temple.
inside the museum
The Athenian treasury in Apollos sanctuary.
Wish you were here!

Day 3: Kalamata to Ancient Olympia

Narrow, twisty roads brought us to Ancient Olympia today, one of the major highlights of this tour. On the way we saw turtles crossing the road, met an American woman who retired to the small town of Leondari, had some great lunch in Lakgadia and also seized the opportunity to buy some award-winning olive oil. Olympia itself was stunning!

The cave church in Dyrrachio canyon
Albert and Jacquen inside the church's cave
Stunning road along the gorge
Another great lunch spot: Maniatis Restaurant in Lakgadia
Destination today: Ancient Olympia. A visit to the archeological site is a must, of course!
This is where the torch relay has started for all Olympic games since 1936
Ready, set, go!
Most of the ancient statues are in the museum. This is Nike, goddess of victory
This is what the monumental Temple of Zeus once looked like. It housed the statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Hermes
One ship, carefully used. For sale.

Day 2: Nafplio to Kalamata

It's a beutiful balmy morning as we leave Nafplio and head south along the coast. A fantastic road, first along the shore and then high into the mountains, gives us ample opportunity to scrub away those chicken strips on our tires. Our highlight of the day is the small monastery of Elona, built high into a sheer rock face. Small single lane roads allow us to cruise through groves of olive trees before finally arriving in Kalamata, famous for the black olives that grow here, our stop for the night.

A modern bike and an ancient monastery. A perfect combination.
It's a long way down to the valley floor, which means an excellent ride for us!
Taking a picture of somebody taking a picture of somebody taking a picture. Edelweiss goes meta!
Albert and Jaquen on their first Edelweiss trip together, welcome!
Dinner at the pool, what a fantastic view.
A long days' ride deserves a cold beer.
Watching the sun set over the Kalamata coastline is a magical experience.

Day 1: Athens to Nafplio

Our brand new Greece-2-Croatia tour is rolling! A group from Taiwan, Canada, the US and South Africa left Athens this morning in bright sunshine and balmy temperatures of 28°C / 83°F. We checked out the famous Corinth Canal, had an outstanding lunch right on the waterfront and experienced the amazing acoustic qualities of Epidauros amphitheater. A stunning first day! Stay tuned for more...

The canal of Corinth turned the Peloponnes into an island
First lunch break at the port of Palea Epidauros
Grilled seafood and Greek salad, a great location, who needs more?
Richard from Quebec is not sure if he made the right choice...
The "Poseidon" is the location of choice
This is the Boss. Greetings to Markus H., Special Ops Manager at Edelweiss HQ!!!!
One of countless beautiful curves we encountered today
Tommy from Taiwan brought his drone...
Stunning views of the Argolic Gulf and the coastline
The famous 2,400 year-old amphitheater of Epidauros
This is Albert from South Africa, standing in the center of the stage and reciting some famous poem
His son, Jacquen, performs the "coin-drop-test"
The fortress Palamidi
Three ladies from Taiwan and the Venetian Lion
Dramatic views from Palamidi hill
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Add a comment Rate this post
Judi
Friday, June 22, 2018 at 09:54

Wow this tour looks amazing!!
Paul Shirley
Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 08:13

Best tour ever,exciting roads, cities, great guides. Never experienced anything like riding in Albania. A must.
Albert Franck
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 07:53

Wow what a stunning tour! Everything from ancient history to mountain twisties. A great group and we are having a great time. This tour has it all and Will become very popular going forward.

@Markus. We still need to show you a couple of Lesotho passes, so hope to see you in RSA soon!
Wish I had time to visit you after the tour but will have to do it next time!
Thomas Ritt
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 21:49

@ Markus: if you go you better make sure you have your passport with you...
Dara
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at 22:41

Amazing tour
Markus Hellrigl
Monday, May 28, 2018 at 17:13

Hi all of you!
Tom can tell how jealous I am and how much I would have loved to guide that tour! In this case unfortunately I'm bound to the office. You are travelling in my favorit area, specially when it comes to Greece. Looks like you are having great fun!

@ the South Africans:
Albert, it is good to see that you and your son are having a great time on this trip. Hope to see you soon, maybe in SA - unless you are coming to Innsbruck after your trip. All the best!

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