Itinerary

Biycle Journey Around the Peloponnese

The Peloponnese (Πελοπόννησος) is a land of legends. It was here where Heracles strangled with his hands the Nemean Lion who could not be killed with mortals' weapons because its golden fur was impervious to attack. Its claws were sharper than mortals' swords and could cut through any armor.

It was here where the gods descended from the Olympus and intermingled among the mortals. 

It was from the Peloponnese that the Troyan prince Paris seduced the beautiful Helen. And it was from here that the The Argonauts (Ἀργοναῦται Argonautai) sailed with Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece.

These stories and these mythological tales add a charm to the very tangible traces of the successive civilizations that were born there: Mycenaean palaces, classical temples, Byzantine cities and Ottoman, Frankish or Venetian fortresses.

This blog documents our inquest in the Peloponnese in search of ancient tales, myths and stories while we pedal around the Peloponnese contemplating idilic scenes of ocean, mountains and blue skies.

The bicycling journey around the Peloponnese is divided into Four sections:

Section 1.

Day 01. 07-25. Athens AIrport – Sounio – Glyfalda  49.8 Mi – 3,889 ft elev gain

Day 02. 07-26. Glyfalda – Loutraki - 64.3 mi – 6,340 ft elev gain

Day 03. 07-27. Loutraki – Vrahati – 23 mi – 1896 ft elev gain

Day 04. 07-28. Vrahati – Diakopto – 41.6 mi – 1793 ft elev gain

Day 05. 07-29. Diakopto – Kalavrita - 17 mi – 4046 ft elev gain

Section 2.

Day 06. 07-30. Kalavrita – Patras – 46.4 mi - 4781 ft elev gain

Day 07. 08-01. Patras – Kefalonia – Ferry + 25 km – 2434  ft elev gain (78.5 miles                                                                                                                      including Ferry)

Day 08. 08-02. Kefalonia – Archea Olympia – 66 km - 1689 ft elev gain (68.6                                                                                                                    miles including Ferry)

Day 09. 08-03. Archea Olympia – Dimitsana – 36 mi – 5,820 ft elev gain

Day 10. 08-04. Dimitsana – Abelonia – 26.8 mi - 5372 ft elev gain

Day 11. 08-05. Abeliona – Kjyparissia – 33.8 mi – 3,986 ft elev gain

Section 3.

Day 12. 08-06. Kyparissia – Methoni – 37.9 mi – 2,632 ft elev gain

08-07. Methoni – Mikri Matinia – 42.9 mi – 3,153 ft elev gain

08-08. Mikri Matinia – Aeropoli – 34.5 mi – 4,298 ft

08-09. Aeropoli - Porto Kayio – 23.6 mi - 1853 ft elev gain

08-10. Porto Kayo Gaitheyio – 36 mi – 4,631 ft elev gain

08-11. Gaitheyio – Castle of Monemvasia – 43.7 mi – 3,058 ft elev gain

08-12. Castle of Monemvasia – Leonidio – 54.2 mi – 5,548 ft elev gain

08-13. Leonidio

Section 4.

0814. Leonidio – Xirokambi (Sparta) - 43.2 mi – 5,920 ft elev gain

08-15. Xirokambi – Tripoli – 44 mi – 4,327 ft elev gain

08-16. Tripoli – Tegea – Nafplion – 43.6 mi – 2,403 ft elev gain

08-17. Nafplion Mycenae-Argos-Nafplion – 41.6 mi – 2,288 ft elev gain

08-18. Nafplion

08-19. Nafplion -Epidaurus – Palaia Epidaurus – 24.2 mi – 2,1151 ft elev gain

08-20. Palaia Epidaurus

08-21. Palaia Epidaurus - Loutraki  - 35.5 mi – 3,649 ft elev gain

08-22. Loutraki – Glyfada – 59.4 mi – 4,914 ft elev gain

08-23 – Glyfada – Sounio – Varaba Country House (Athens Airport) 50.4 mi –                                                                  3,701 ft elev gain (or 15.9 mi - 1205 ft elev gain)