Cyclades Self-Guided

The most romantic and even swashbuckling destination for an adventure cyclist is the Cyclades, hopping by boat from one island to the next. Like a family with look-alike siblings, the islands share a blue and white appearance: impeccably white-washed houses surrounding by blinding azure waters. But, also like family members, each island has its own personality, attractions and individual quirks. On an eight-day tour, you can acquaint yourself with three or four islands and return home with fond memories of sublime beauty, an easy-going lifestyle and the region’s incomparable light which novelist Lawrence Durrell once described as “the naked eyeball of God.”

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TOUR MAP

Special Note About Cyclades Self-Guided Tours
From a logistics perspective, the Cyclades is a difficult region to arrange bike tours, especially self-guided tours.  This is due primarily to the boats which can have confounding schedules, unconnecting routes between your chosen islands on your chosen dates, some won’t take bikes, or winds can halt all sea traffic leaving you unable to proceed to your next destination.   Flexibility and an unstressed approach are recommended while island-hopping in the truly-worth-visiting Cyclades. 

The Cyclades is Greece’s most expensive region which makes this tour costlier than our other self-guided tours.  Also note that your tour price may be adjusted upwards somewhat if you travel to the Cyclades the peak months of July and August when hotels raise their prices.  Further note that many boat schedules for the new season are not posted until mid-May so firm details might not be possible at the time you book your tour.  

Start/End Points
The tour starts in Athens where you test and fit the bikes. You can either overnight in Athens and take the three-hour 7:30 am boat to Tinos the next morning, or after testing the bikes leave for Tinos that day, two choices: (1) the 5:45 pm boat from Rafina, arriving with enough daylight at 8:00 pm to bike to the hotel, but a transfer fee is incurred to get to Rafina, about 45-60 minutes away; (2) take a 4:45 pm boat from Piraeus but it arrives 9:35 pm at night. The hotel is only about 3-4 kilometers from the port on a partially lit road with very light traffic, yet it will be dark and this should give anyone except experienced cyclists pause. The tour ends in Naxos where you leave the bike at the hotel. From Naxos there is usually an early afternoon flight or boat back to Athens. Most of our clients want to continue on to Santorini. There is a boat at 1:15 pm from Naxos that arrives about two hours later to Santorini. We do not recommend bringing the bikes to Santorini.

Itinerary

Day 1: Tinos
Windmills, dovecotes and chapels are the signature features of Tinos. Dovecotes are tall square structures built to house doves which were imported by the Venetians when they occupied the island. Greeks come to Tinos to make a pilgrimage to a miracle icon. It is a very traditional island with little tourism. You will see a very original, authentic Greece.

Day 2: Tinos
The cycling route takes you to a series of little villages, some barely inhabited, others still lively with folk museums with exhibits from days past.  The most celebrated village is Volax where the art of basketweaving is kept alive by a handful of men, mostly elderly, mostly Catholic as opposed to Greek Orthodox. 

Day 3: Mykonos
Mykonos is famous for its beaches.  You ride to one of the more distant beaches with fewer crowds, quieter, having a sole restaurant offering prosperous fare.  Mykonos town, known as Hora, is small enough to walk its entirety, taking in Little Venice, the graceful 15th century Paraportiani church, Petros the pelican mascot and the windmills at sunset.  Note: Option to bypass Mykonos and go straight to Paros from Tinos and spend 3 nights on Paros or three nights on Naxos.

Day 4: Paros
Leave your bikes behind for a morning boat to Delos island, one of  the most sacred sites in ancient Greece.  A mid-afternoon ferry lands you in Paros at Parikia, a harbor made pretty by the windmill roundabout.  On a back road head to Naoussa where your gorgeous sea front accommodations lie. 

Day 5: Paros
Lots of cycling mileage. Visit the delightful Valley of the Butterflies atop a hill in a surprisingly woody area, a welcome refreshing retreat.  Take a 15 minute boat to Antiparos island where you walk down 400 steps into the bowels of the 300 foot deep Antiparos Cave.   Stop at a traditional bakery for fantastic homemade pasteli, a/k/a the Greek power bar.

Day 6: Naxos
A morning ride to Lefkes, the highest town in Paros and perhaps its prettiest.  Colorful little shops sell handmade and homemade wares.  Time permitting there is a Byzantine path to hike.  A short 45 minute ferry brings you to Naxos.  You see the stunning 6th century marble Portara on Palatia (a semi-islet) where Theseus abandoned his lover Ariadne after killing the Minotaur. 

Day 7: Naxos
The highest and hardest climbs of the entire tour happen today as you venture inland to see an impressive kouros unfinished in its quarry.  Continue to Halki to a famous distillery to taste kitron, a liqueur made from lemon leaves and produced only in Naxos.  Further cycling takes you to Aria fresh water springs and a hike to Za Cave where Zeus supposedly lived.

Day 8: Departure
Whether you are leaving Naxos by boat or air, you have time for a two hour morning ride to Dimitra Sanctuary to see the restored pagan temple with a Byzantine church build atop it.  There is actually enough time to eat breakfast, do the ride, come back and shower before check-out and reach the port or airport in time for your departure. 

Mileage
Total Miles 145 miles, 272 km Average Daily 20 miles, 39 km

Day 2 25 miles, 40 kilometers, highest ascent 1397 ft., steep section for ½ hour.  Additional mileage optional

Day 3 17 miles, 26 km, 2 hours, highest ascent 650 feet, 2-3 very short steep ascents

Day 4 7 miles, 11 km, ½ hour, flat easy afternoon ride to seaside hotel

Day 5 39 miles, 62 km,  two 3km climbs, otherwise fairly flat

Day 6 21 miles, 34km  one gradual ascent 700 ft, then downhill.

Day 7 43 miles, 69 km, 1991 feet climb, tour’s highest ascents.  Additional mileage optional

Day 8 18.5 miles, 30 km, 2 hours, highest ascent 725 feet