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Travel report: Bike and boat - On the road in Greece's mystical island world
From Radweg-Reisen Managing Director Simon Mink
The first flight after 15 months of the pandemic. How complicated will it be? Entry form with QR code, vaccination certificate on the cell phone, boarding pass. But then nobody wanted to see anything at first. Then came the next surprise - the flight from Zurich to Athens was fully booked, and on a Thursday evening. When we arrived in Athens, we were told: Show your vaccination certificate, welcome to Greece! Done.
Because of the flight connections and because I didn't know Athens yet, I had booked two nights in the center of the Greek capital beforehand. The ticket counter for the express bus at the airport was so well hidden that nobody could find it. So a little time went by and, together with the time difference (one hour) that I hadn't taken into account, ensured that I got off at around 10:30 pm at the central Syntagma Square, near where my hotel was located.
On embarkation day, I had plenty of time until I could check in at around 2 pm on the MS Thalassa, so I took the bus to Piraeus and walked to the marina where the ship was moored. Beautifully situated and very large, it took me a while to find the ship - a wooden, very elegant three-master. I wanted to have a look at the ship and try out the bike and boat trip around the Peloponnese and the Saronic Islands to decide whether we would include it in our program. This is the best part of the job.
The ship had a small weakness for me personally beforehand: due to the design, all the cabins are below deck. For me, who doesn't like air conditioning, this was a limitation. Let's see how it sleeps with the portholes open.
The ship: Three-masted motorsailer Thalassa
At around 14:00 I moved into my cabin and spent the afternoon on board, as I had already seen the marina and Athens. During the afternoon, six more guests arrived from the USA and dinner was served on board at 20:00. Anyone who only knows Greek cuisine from Germany will be surprised at how varied and delicious the food in Greece is. A paradise for gourmets! After dinner, our three tour guides Catharina, Kristopher and Costas introduced us to the crew, a well-rehearsed team. The undisputed king of coolness is the chef. After the meal, Thomas joined us as a late arrival and was also fed. And now we were complete.
Show more Show lessSunday:
After breakfast, it was time to cast off and with 35 degrees and a cloudless sky, the crossing to the island of Poros was a wonderful start to this bike and boat trip around the Peloponnese and the Saronic Islands.
Poros town is a very nice little harbor town, with the landmark of Poros, the clock tower, perched on the hill. The lively promenade promised a nice nightcap after our wonderful dinner in a taverna by the sea. But first on the agenda for the afternoon was a short but very nice bike tour across the island and to a monastery.
Simon on the road on the island of Poros
Monday:
After realizing on the first night that sleeping without air conditioning at 28 degrees wasn't really restful, I slept on the sun deck from the second night onwards. Even under a light sheet it was still very warm. But what a wonderful experience to sleep under the open sky. As soon as the sun came up, however, it got hot, so I didn't need an alarm clock to get up on time. After breakfast, we cycled a few meters to the ferry dock, from there it was just a few minutes to the mainland, the Peloponnese. Once there, we started our beautiful, unspectacular but enjoyable bike ride to Ermioni. On the way, we stopped for a coffee and a swim with freshly squeezed orange juice and Greek coffee. Luckily there was always a breeze, because it was starting to get really hot. The weather forecast predicted a heatwave of 42 degrees on Friday. The number of e-bike riders increased with each passing day, as even 30 kilometers was sport at these temperatures.
Beautiful resting place on the Peloponnese peninsula
In Ermioni, where we were supposed to board, it was so windy that the captain had problems mooring. But you could tell that the crew were professionals. The crossing to Nafplio was wonderful, with a thick layer of sun cream on our skin, the trip on the sun deck was a pleasure. Nafplio is a very beautiful fortress town and was the Greek capital for a short time. Today it has an incredible number of beautiful stores in the countless alleyways. A very beautiful little town.
Nafplio
Tuesday:
Today it was warmer again and so the bike ride through the flatlands towards Mycenae wasn't too much of a highlight for me. Without the wind, the heat became exhausting and just before Mycenae there was another climb. However, visiting the ruins of the ancient city is almost a must. In the afternoon, we crossed over to the island of Spetses, where we stayed overnight.
On the island of Spetses
Wednesday:
After breakfast, we set off on what was probably the most beautiful bike tour of the trip. Around the island of Spetses, a great tour! And the stop at the beach bar was perfect.
On the island of Spetses
In the afternoon, the increasingly strong wind made it necessary to reschedule. Instead of the Thalassa, we took a hydrofoil to the beautiful island of Hydra because the Thalassa could not dock there in these conditions. There are only three cars here. Otherwise you have to walk or hire a donkey.
Time stands still in Hydra Town, a charming little town. You can't stop taking photos. At around 8:30 pm, our hydrofoil left for Poros, where the Thalassa was waiting for us and I wanted to eat something beforehand. But dear me: the power suddenly went out all over the island. So me and the guides (the others had eaten before the power cut) had to drive hungry to Poros, order souvlaki from the inflatable boat delivery service and eat on board the Thalassa. It's great how the guides improvise! As the winds were forecast to pick up again the next day, our captain decided to make a late evening crossing to Methana instead of taking the risk of being stranded the next day.
On the island of Hydra
Thursday:
After a stormy night, it was time to get on the bike after breakfast. A round trip on Methana (mief 😉 - the name comes from the escaping gases) was on the agenda. The initial ascent was not without its challenges in the heat - the thermometer was already showing 37 degrees at 09:00 in the morning. But I wanted to cycle and so I continued to resist the temptation to switch to an e-bike.
At lunchtime, we were supposed to head to the island of Aegina with a swim break in between, but unfortunately there was a hydraulic problem on board. So we set off a little later with the Thalassa and sailed directly to our last island (Aegina), where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner on the beach. The Greek cuisine is incredibly good.
On the Methana peninsula
Friday:
After breakfast, we started our last round trip. It was getting really hot and for the first time on the tour the wind was gone. So the tour was a real challenge. But it was worth it. After a climb, we reached a temple with a great view and an adjoining café. As Aegina is the island of pistachios, we had pistachio ice cream. The descent to Aegina Town felt like a rollercoaster ride through a convection oven at 40 degrees in the shade, an incredible feeling! This is pure summer. Just what I was looking for after this long, cold winter and spring. In the afternoon, we unfortunately set off again for the last crossing to Piraeus. After a wonderful last evening on board with lots of ouzo, it was time to say goodbye the next morning.
On the island of Aegina
Saturday:
The cabins have to be vacated by 09:00 in the morning. The crew only has a few hours to get the whole ship back in shape. A great achievement. At 10:30 a.m., the transfer driver was ready at the pier right on time and took us to the airport. Fortunately, I had booked a flight to Santorini so that I didn't have to end my trip to Greece abruptly. Normally overcrowded in high season, I wanted to take the opportunity during the pandemic to see a quieter Santorini. The Theoxenia Hotel in Firá, recommended by my colleagues, was perfect. Fortunately, I had booked a superior room with a view of the caldera. What a dream! Admiring the sunset every day from my own terrace, while streams of sundowner pilgrims passed below the hotel room in search of a free spot.
In Santorini
My conclusion:
Great tour, beautiful, very cozy ship. Due to the design, there are no upper deck cabins, which can be a drawback for fresh air lovers. The bathrooms are all-in-one solutions, which you should be aware of. The weather in Greece is dry and hot, and the wind often forces changes to the program. Tour guides and crew: super professional!
Tip: take an extra bath towel for the beach and a light sleeping bag so you can sleep on deck. Extra nights in Athens and/or Santorini are recommended. Domestic flight Athens - Santorini in around 45 minutes for usually less than 100 euros, alternatively by speedboat or ferry in 4 to 9 hours at similar prices.
