Greece with a motorbike 2006 - Peloponnesia tour

August 2006, we have ... Spain, Croatia or Greece? We decide to greece. We have to be exploited only ten days but will be the most intense of our life tourism.

For information on places qualsiaisi visit you can contact me on my e-mail address: karis1971@libero.it

 

Let's go!

After our coupons Honda CBR Wednesday, August 02, starting from Trani (BA) for the time of Brindisi where to 18.30 after hours, on board the ferry "Erotokritos" the company MY WAY starting at a time of Patras.

Tasting the greek tarmac

Landings in perfect time the next morning in the port to the south of the Greek coast after 18 hours of navigation. Upon landing we know another couple of centaurs Virginia and Marco with whom we share the first part of our journey, We start therefore with the time of Kalavrita, direction and immediately Pirgos key state dell'asfalto greek, that in certain points of the road exceeds even the most vivid imagination as a poor quality and a number of contingencies which we will discuss later, since this constant accompany most of our trip. After a challenging as pleasant succession of ups and tortuous bends that climb up the mountains we arrive just before noon to Kalavrita, cool and quiet in which some adventurous itineraries centaurs found on the Internet indicated that under the tavern on the corner ' Mega Alexandros Hotel as one of those where you eat the chicken soulaki best in the entire region. So we put her research and we find after a few minutes in town. We are served from a greek very kind, that we actually serve the soulaki chicken that are the best sampled during the entire trip, accompanied by an excellent wine of the place, from chips and bruschette tzakiki, a local sauce discover that accompanies most of dishes of Greek cuisine, eating well and paying only € 8. to your head and not just because the greek feels compelled to offer a pleasant digester.
After a brief excursion to the streets of the village start at a time of Olympia stop often to admire the characteristic landscapes of the valleys below. However, the guide is very challenging because the perils of the path are hidden in unexpected forms, such as holes in the center of the trajectories of the blind bends, the asphalt in its bumpy stretches where you need to slow down, for example at curve and in the presence of large stones and fallen on less big lane of travel and due to lack of networks containing clifftop delineating the carriageway, when you do not need to make the slalom between groups of goats and sheep that walked quietly on the road.
Arrived in Olympia in the late afternoon we separate us from our friends who decide to stop for the night, while we continue towards Pirgos on the Greek coast, where newly arrived in view of the sea are not resist the temptation to do the first bath greek. After a pleasant start restorer with direction of travel south along the Greek coast and just before Thol note of the information concerning the presence of some landlords. As dell'imbrunire now we decide to make our first stop and ask at a couple of complex availability of a room or a Domat, receiving in response a "full house". Not discouraged, although fatigue has now largely taken over, we continue towards the sea in the direction of "Zahara beach" following signs of a campsite where we decide to stay for the modest fee of € 10 per night. Assemble our tent two practical and immediately opt for an invigorating shower. However, the quality of the structure is not the best, as opposed to camping encountered later in the trip, all clean, logistically well-placed with strategic proximity to the sea and town and very well equipped, while this first camping not meet any of these requirements. The showers are outside and dilapidated bathrooms, very old and also the cleaning is not the best quality standards, however, since only a short stop for the night logistics at the time that is good. Before bedtime we give a brief walk through the adjacent village of Zahara in a supermarket where we buy some snack and some useful purpose for the trip.

Direction Kalamata. It'll became our strategic headquarters

After a short morning bath on the beach near the camp (nothing exceptional), is again in a southerly direction at a time of Kalamata, which was chosen as a strategic location. Kalamata in fact is in a favorable location in the center of the three fingers of the Peloponnese and decide to get to fix our logistics base from which subsequent raids intended to locations chosen for our daily itineraries.
We arrive around noon after having deviated from the coastline to the left and after a short stretch with a fast mountain road we arrive in the tourist set. A stroll 'to the streets of the center, to be honest very dispersive, and the promenade and begin searching for a camera. We are a couple of addresses at the end of the promenade where we are asking € 50 per night for the rooms small but well equipped and we decide for the cheapest camping. Proceeding on the seafront we always look at that first encounter that proves very nice and even economically, a nice lady asks us € 15 per day all inclusive, but our guide shows how the second best-equipped camp called "camping fare" for which there reserve the right to watch the second before choosing. We find after a few hundred meters ever on the seafront. Find a restaurant in Annexe kind lady who shows us a very pleasant pitch adorned with a pair of palm trees which overshadowed the spot nicely even during the hottest hours of the day. Again, the fee is fifteen €. a night for two people, the tent and the bike. In addition, the facility is well equipped with a kitchen and two refrigerators available to customers, a washing machine, a dishwasher, and overall, well-lit. Also the bathrooms are brand new, excellent finishing with showers that are closed and the whole complex is kept clean. Resolved the doubts we opt for the latter solution and re-assemble our tent two-seater and immediately after we cross the street and give us a refreshing bath in the new location. The rest of the day we pass around the town. We discover the port a major commercial center for toys with very attractive prices where we stop and buy some little toy for our two Monelli of years 3 and 6 in the meantime sent on holiday with his grandparents in Calabria (which parents wicked). In the evening we turn the promenade chock full of local youth clubs, taverns and restaurants with plenty of choice. Opt for one of many with tables right on the sea and we order two pieces of roast lamb, weighing about 400 gr. each served with potato. To drink two beers Amstel eating well and paying about € 10 a head.

Our first finger in Peloponnesia and the Voidokilia beach

Animated by an irrepressible desire to know the beautiful beaches of the region we head towards the first finger of the Peloponnese and in particular towards the beach Voidokilia, north of Pylos and Methoni, which is described by some as a guide of the most beautiful of the region and that we could admire in different cards.
So turn from Kalamata exit in the direction of the country for diverting Messini Pylos after a few kilometers. The road is smooth and without major anomalies in the road we come quickly to Pylos coming from the north where you can admire the magnificent harbor that enters directly into the main square. Also on the same road, but first few miles we stopped several times to admire the beautiful bay below closed at its ends by some mighty stacks. The village of Pylos is really nice and its pebbly beaches are not bad. However, the main goal today and Voidokilia we have said is not easy to reach, thus having some indication on the road from where we came out again from the country in a northerly direction and after traveling about 12 or 13 km., We met left on the first indication of the beach. On the advice of other adventurous travelers who were already there we waited for the second indication of the beach where it was described as "archaeological site" and then we came to a beautiful beach where first we have resisted the call of the sea and we have made an initial fast dip in the crystal clear sea-green with shades of blue, consuming in the meantime a couple of typical Greek Yogurt rice with various spices, really delicious. Unfortunately a few mistakes in following the directions we have made because we did not find just the dirt that was easy as the last stretch of road near the beach but we have ventured (it is better to say) in a dusty dirt track and among the reeds at times with the sand dunes where our CBR was not really at ease sculettando and intraversandosi nervously, but being rewarded at the end because after about a kilometer Paris-Dakar, we have found the easy dirt out that there led to its own parking next to the beach Voidokilia.
Parked our faithful companion, we have direct beach really worth noting that the sentence passed all the vicissitudes to find it, in fact we were in front of a semicircular ring of fine white sand bordered at the ends of two high cliffs around ten meters, with the sea from both sides, to give it nearly the shape of a Caribbean atoll. The shades of color ranged from green to heaven with the navy is transparent in the vicinity of bagnasciuga, who could not understand where to start. On the other end point, at the top of the cliff we found a cave with visitors from a distance appeared as tiny thumbnails that adventurers inside. We held on this beach for the entire morning and part of the afternoon, feeling only the lack of a bar nearby, which unlike all the other beaches visited, although especially in secluded bays or open areas set among the rocks, were all albeit with a minuscolissimo chioschetto note, however, to provide a bottle of water or a snack.
Albeit reluctantly, we left this beautiful beach, to our opinion one of the most beautiful places in the Peloponnese, and we were directed southwards, towards Methoni small fishing village, who unlike Pylos there was less tourist-originating case still not invaded from commercial consumerism. To mention only the small harbor el'omonimo castle perched on the rocks. After a brief stop we direct towards Finikounda, which we appreciated the wonderful coastline and in which we have no hesitations in us yet another rilassatissimo bathroom, at the end of which we direct towards Koroni, a town which has been identified as the Venetian style , we have achieved little later, focusing on the historic center of narrow alleyways fact that recall precisely our lagoon city, and on the small promenade. After a brief stop at the approach dell'imbrunire, we took the road of return back by the path and returning at sunset now made from a piece in Kalamata, where practically worn out joints, we decided to dine in the tavern attached to hotels, that has served us excellent skewers of grilled meat accompanied by a couple of side dishes and a couple of beers, spending in two even ten o'clock €. (for the figure in Italy we do not pay even the covers).

Mani tour

Not yet satisfied the adventure of the previous day, of which both I and my wife still bear the signs on our Chiappetta, in addition to various muscle contractures of the neck and back, we took another trip demanding as that of the turn of the hands, absolutely one of the most amazing that Greece has to offer, especially if you lived with the feeling of complete freedom that only the bike can offer and that our will we fail to complete in a day just for the harshness of the territory traversed. Departure 09.00 hrs to leave the country with a southerly direction heading deep into the second finger of the Peloponnese. Path just a few kilometers along the coast immediately turn left into a steep climb that winds up into a mountainous region. Kardamili is only about thirty miles but this is to make a continuous series of tight bends that alternate with long strips of asphalt in a continuous alternation of ups and also the quality of it is not therefore the best path is very tortuous. Fortunately the road education of those we encounter on our path is an example, just think that motorists who precede us, in the tight curves without unobstructed, we indicate with a gesture of the hand when the road is free allowing us to our time to pass before you will see the end of the curve. As you get closer to Kardamili there are breathtaking views. Arrived in this wonderful center, affecting the air of serenity and composure that you breathe in the streets. We put ourselves in search dell'Aman Cafe which has been reported as a good place to eat a snack and relax, that we have difficulty finding thanks to the support of your driving. The place is really beautiful, this is a beautiful garden adorned with trees by the strange red fruit resembling the pomegranate, whose tables are arranged close to a cliff that overlooks a beautiful blue sea, where the show is well if a small distant island a few hundred meters. The bar is run by a boy of Italian origin who speaks our language perfectly being born in Milan, but moved very young to Athens, and for some years to Kardamili who has sworn not to leave more for the wonderful quality of life, alien stress which pollutes our industrialized megalopolis. And indeed there is to believe given that we consume in a more relaxing breakfast warmly wonder based croissants, butter and honey for my wife and cheese omelette for me. Soon after we resume our march in the direction towards Areopoli. On the way there are beautiful views of the beaches with set among the rocks of a coast frastagliatissima on a blue green sea, where through all'agilità of our bikes have no difficulty in stopping several times, reaching even the most hidden coves you can see from above, for diving in the regenerating waters. Among Kardamili Areopoli and have made at least three or four quick stops with many episodes in the underlying beaches. During the trip we stopped at Stoupa with distinctive seafront content between clubs and some beautiful little house on the left and a beautiful sandy shoreline on the right. The sea manco to say charming as usual. Areopoli heading to the road becomes particularly insidious, there are times when it seems to be literally hanging over the sea. In this stretch the ribbon of black asphalt runs forward close to the point of leaving barely pass two vehicles that were to cross, surrounded by a ridge of rock on the left so sharp that if by mistake a incoccia him well at walking pace goes that everything sfracassa by the sea on the right, without guard rails or a barrier of protection so if you take a curve a little 'long does not simply go off-road, you find me headlong in the overhang with unlikely to be recovered together with the load. As you climb towards Areopoli the landscape just described gives way to a melancholic vegetation made up of olive trees and rocky terrain, from which derives the word melancholy. Areopoli reach around 17.00 discovering a style Mexican village with stone houses, the warm colors and the narrow streets whipped by the wind. The quiet was underlined by the deserted streets and the absolute absence of noise. It will be the time of the siesta? We withhold an hour after we decide it is too late to continue the tour of your hands and begin the road back. As we leave the country note stops outside a supermarket in an old Honda with valigioni side, from the face known. Recognize without a doubt is that of Mark and Virginia friends with whom we shared the first part of the trip until Kalavrita and Olympia. And in fact we find them intent to spending, we warmly welcome and we exchange some travel information on the fly then take the road of ritorno.Poco before 21.00 we return to our strategic basis, where we give a good meal in one of many of the waterfront tavernas, meat grilled, this time cut by a curious Kebab called vertical spit and wrapped in a cone of Arabic bread called "pita" chips and flavored with the famous sauce made of yogurt and cucumber called Tzakiki, all the trimmings and beer usual moderate price.

More and more soutwards, reaching Cape Tenaro

Even today it is again in the direction of the region's hands, well today I decided to complete the entire lap. This time without interruption of the Roadmap is a shot in the true sense of the term until Areopoli over and continue in a southerly direction for a series of villages set in rocky as Pirgos Dirou, Mèzapos, and Alika Gerolimas for a beautiful and rough road, with features from fear of road described yesterday. Some of these are small settlements of fishermen and one of them that not even remember the name the main road continues for several kilometers up to become path that ends in an impasse on a rocky promontory from which a trail for hiking .. We continue to Mezapos who is described as a village that is home to a beautiful beach where we make a brief stop, during which it will reverse out in a small settlement area, a stray dog had the happy idea of biting his foot, attacking a betrayal by the shoulders, with the helmet that I covered the whole visual and therefore preventing a cause of surprise to defend. After a first moment of dismay when the infamous four-legged managed to smear azzannata to the left ankle recklessly discovery because of the fierce heat, I came back determined to get justice only at the expense of the stray, who now sensed the air its not healthy for him this time, had thought of doing away losing their tracks. So there was that resume the march, stopping after a few kilometers in the supermarket met by Areopoli onwards in order to buy some disinfectant procured from the scratches bite, but strange thing there was nothing available that a bland box of patches and I have therefore decided to disinfect my way with a dip in the first bay available. Gerolimenas immediately after is also a fishing village with a marina in a sheltered bay, all very picturesque whole walk so far has been characterized by a succession of enchanting bays that several times circunavigate were descending from the mountains and going up soon have overcome, interspersed among them coastal paths that as you go down south to become more straight. Nell'ennesima escalation has reached Vathia, a charming village made up of tower houses perched on a rocky spur whose shot with the camera looked like a aereoripresa made from an airplane. The tower-houses are real fortresses still inhabited that reflect the belligerent mood of its people descendants of Spartan warriors, who until a few centuries ago, had a habit of assailing them with their neighbors, and characterize some 'the entire region. After a stop in the village we continue the march toward the southern tip of Greece, Cape nership that we reach after a while '. After passing a curve to the right elbow down opens a literally breathtaking scenery, a huge boost from the wind bay is enclosed by two headlands which are shown himself some style sailboats Amerigo Vespucci. Proceed shipped to the impervious path in the last stretch is more suited to goats as a super one we have between the legs, however, until we arrive at the bottom closely admiring the beautiful vibrant colors of these virgin waters. On the bottom of the bay there are two restaurants right on the narrow beach pebbles. Having been enchanted for a few minutes to watch the beautiful scenery we have arranged the first of two restaurants sedendoci facing the sea. The waitress avvicinatasi and watching with eyes amazed as if he had seen on Mars (perhaps not very common in these parts centaurs), just as riconosciutici Italian tourists asked us if we wanted the spaghetti, receiving a clear no, since we were not coming in the most extreme of the mainland Greece to sort of spaghetti (as indeed we have done for the entire duration of the holiday, eating only traditional culinary specialties of the local). So we ordered a chicken preparation as there was still happened to taste, with sweet-sour sauce and a side dish of baked potatoes, a greek salad, which although very common, only on this occasion there was the desire to eat and some of the cheeses place all sprinkled with a good wine. Lunch good but not exalted level as maybe in some other circumstance, it was welcome because it tasted in the presence of a landscape of incomparable beauty. Immediately after the beard in time for digestion, we fired a beautiful diving at sea and after a bit of sun on some beds we set out on a hiking trail type, which after a few hundred meters on the side of the promontory us led at the tip of it, where there was a bell with steel engravings and a small building used as a white orthodox church with some portraits of saints and of the Holy Face inside. Before us only the open sea, whipped by violent gusts of wind that draw large circles on its flat surface and just missed us, if not more because of the good wine we swallow were rolling along the ridge of the promontory. The view however is hardly what you forget, try to believe. After no small consulates for the show had, gratified by the original company made dell'ardua, recharged the batteries has begun the long journey back to our logistics base where we arrived as usual at sunset made for some time already, with the ass that looked like that of apes and not only ....

A day of rest

Penultimate day of holiday. We decide to relax a little 'after the exhausting tour de force of the last few days we spend the day around Kalamata, or in neighboring countries where oziamo along the beautiful beaches drawn to greek roast in the sun or by diving with a mask found abandoned on a beach, discovering all the fantastic undersea world that varied species of fish that escape instead of approaching their curious visitor.

Up on the mountains of Taigeto, Sparta e Mistras.

Tomorrow we start. We decide for the last day of travel to face another route that other adventurous travelers have described as another step in between the most beautiful. This is about 60 km. from Kalamata to Sparta to be addressed through the mountains of Taigeto to the point of step Langada about 1500 mt. share. It starts early in the morning and in spite of the jackets worn can assure you that after about half an hour at the temperature of the checkpoint is so hard that I have frozen hands, without gloves, to the point of feeling a whole piece to begin from the tip of your finger should operate the levers (the difference of temperature with the sea level is truly remarkable). The stage is not without its picturesque landscapes, different from the others so far encountered by the richness of the vegetation of a green. Even in this case is a series of hairpin turns that climb up the sides of mountains to come back down soon after. Apart from some minor irregularities of the road in a curve of input that is slightly blows the way the front is also fairly regularly. Come to Sparta soon after and the first thought is to stop in a small square in the center decorated with benches and a small garden, which is kissed by some rays of sunshine, to restore the bones, that the cold has definitely stiff. With just a few minutes of heating, such as lizards and again today to visit the city of Sparta. The place definitely embodies the virtues and defects of the big city. Surely chaotic than the unspoiled villages visited so far, but with many shops and fashionable clubs. The museum in Sparta is far less interesting than you might believe, the ticket costs € 2 per person, and perhaps after all not much more than the value of the visit. Inside you can see only two rooms with various exhibits in which to display only if a massive bust of a Spartan warrior who, among many other gift shops have provided a copy in miniature. After a short ride to the shops of the center starting at a time of Mistras, the most impressive archaeological site of the Peloponnese, just few kilometers from sparta. We start to climb towards the two entrances to the site a primary and another secondary higher, the latter which seems to be more successful turnout. The site is very large and requires a good half day to visit all. Satisfied we are on the way back again through the mountains of Taigeto, this time with temperatures less rigid and allow you to better enjoy the beauty of the landscape.

Last day of Greece

Having dismantled the tent and remounted our mythical cbr with rucksacks and backpacks, we start at a time of Patras where at 18.30 is the departure for Italy. We have done well in advance because the time for the duration of the holiday we have a beautiful sun, probably sorry for our departure after 100 km of travel has begun to pass on our way a quantity of water of only universal deluge, which has created many problems. Fortunately, though forced to support more we can not drown and reach Patras around noon, even early on for the shipment and take advantage of a brief respite from the storm kindly offered to do the spending that will accompany us on the ferry. Enter the port to verify the boarding pier and we see that in spite of our ferry of Milena MY WAY has not yet reached after acquiring information from people working in about ceck-a delay that leaves growing up to get to 5 hours of delay because Brindisi is salperà for subsequent hours 23.30, with a very troubled trip at reduced speed due to some mechanical tedium of the ship followed by the storm at sea which does not disdain to accompany non-stop until landing in Brindisi (without the intermediate stop Cefalonia instead provided as to the way) at about 14.00 the next day (for which they have already prepared their appeals to the shipping company, we will see if we can not even recover the money for travel).

We go back home

Walk the last 140 km. (total of nearly 1800 routes) that separate us from Trani for half under a shower that right for "playing" with us well into the earth until the Italian when we come home, wet as wet chicks, but full of satisfaction for what was one of the most wonderful vacation of our lives.

Fabio and Paola.