Greece to Italy
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Greece to Italy
A Multicultural Spin through the Cradles of our Civilization
Highlights
- Compare and contrast ancient and modern Greece and Italy in a single trip
- Stroll the site of the original Olympic games
- Feel the achievement of climbing to the towering Passo L’Inferno
- Discover the famous Cave of the Lakes, a fascinating series of subterranean lakes
- Walk amid the ruins of Brutus’ villa in Velia
- Explore Matera, UNESCO World Heritage Site and backdrop for Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ
- Sample the best cuisine and most authentic cuisine in both countries
Description
From law to literature to language, our culture bears the indelible imprint of the ancient Greeks and Romans. On this all-new Ciclismo tour, your bike becomes a veritable time machine as you pedal to classical ruin sites and pause in villages that hold fast to their old ways. Yet you'll feel at home at every stop of the way, thanks to comfortable accommodations, terrific food, and tour leaders who handle all the details - and plan those little, unexpected experiences that make your trip truly one of a kind.
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Price
Apr: $6,295
May - Oct: $6,395 -
Single Supplement
$1,100
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Ability Level
Expert
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Terrain
Rolling
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Distance
509 miles - Average mileage: 42 miles
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Departing
Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy
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Arriving
Loutraki, Greece
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Bike Rental
Included
- View our Suggested Reading
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Other Trips You'll Like
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Dates
- June 6, 2012
- September 22, 2012
- October 23, 2012
Day 1: Loutraki
We meet at the hotel in Loutraki at 12:30 pm for lunch & introductions, a bike fitting and quick spin to Pechora, followed by a dip into the crystal clear sea.
Day 2–3: Nafplion and Epidavros
Day 2: Experience the thrill of crossing the Corinth Canal on a bike! The 1898 cut turned the Peloponnese into an island. Then on to Ancient Corinth for a visit of its ruins, and a taste of one of Greeces best Frappes.
Day 3: Cycle to Epidavros, the 3rd Century BC health spa, and theatre whose acoustics are so
perfect that it’s still used as a theatre today. Our local Guide Nikki will take us on an unforgettable journey into the past, and explain the history of medicine and how Theatre was considered a vital part to the curing process.
Day 4: Stemnitsa
Today is a great day for cycling, jewelry, and art enthusiasts. We climb several mountains to reach a small village in Arcadia called Stemnitsa, known for its fine gold and silver jewelry school.
Day 5: Olympia
Even cycling gods and goddesses deserve a break, and you'll get one on today's mostly downhill run to Olympia.
Day 6: Lampeia
In the morning, we’ll meet our local guide for a tour of Ancient Olympia. She’ll tell us about the ancient sacrifices which were performed at the sanctuary before the athletic stadium and hippodrome were built.
Day 7: Kalavrita
The highlight of today’s ride is a pit stop at the Cave of the Lakes, a series of subterranean lakes inside a huge cave that you walk over via an extended platform network.
Day 8: Patras and ferry to Italy
We celebrate our time in Greece with a beautiful ride along the sea to Patras where we’ll visit the Acaia Clauss Winery for a taste and a picnic. Then we set sail for Bari on an overnight ferry.
Day 9: Matera rest day
A short shuttle brings us to Matera, the city of caves and one of the most extraordinary spots on Earth. It was the backdrop for Mel Gibson’s Passion of Christ. UNESCO lists Matera as one of its 365 Official World Heritage sites, for its Sassi cave dwellings.
Day 10: Castelmezzano
Today starts as a spectacular roller coaster ride that skirts the Lake of San Giuliano and the Brandano River valley. While riding through this World Wildlife Foundation protected forest of pine trees and eucalyptus, we’ll encounter breathtaking views of the lake and tiny hilltop villages.
Day 11: Padula
We encounter a spectacular descent to our lunch spot in Viggiano. We then continue on flat, virtually un-traveled roads until we arrive at the base of the most challenging climb of the tour, but oh what a climb and what a view.
Day 12: Palinuro
We start on mostly flat terrain in the Tangaro Valley, then from Sanza we start with a climb that begins gently but finishes steep once at the top of Passo L’ Inferno, followed by a long cruising descent to Rofrano. After lunch in Montaro Autila, we descend further to the coast on roads that wind through dense forests of pine, beech-wood, and Chesnut groves.
Day 13: Santa Maria di Castellabate
On our last day of riding, we’ll come full circle by following the Mediterranean coastline all the way to Velia. Continue along the coast of Cilento to Santa Maria di Castellabate, where our farewell celebration awaits.
Day 14: Arrivederci
After breakfast we provide a shuttle to Agropoli train station (20 min) where you can take a train to Napoli (2 hrs) or Rome (4.5 hrs) or other connection points.
Guides for this trip
Related Testimonials
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George B., Pecos NM had this to say about Greece to Italy:
The Greece portion of this tour was fantastic - great cycling and tons of history! -
Harold M., Athens GA had this to say about Greece to Italy:
A lovely trip! Physically challenging and intellectually stimulating. -
Peter B., Hong Kong had this to say about Greece to Italy:
This new tour offers spectacular, remote locations.
