Chasing the sun in an exhilarating ride from Athens to Milan, Mediterranean Odyssey offers a truly unique motorcycling experience.

Retrace history as you visit the birthplace of ancient civilizations, legendary heroes and classical settings.  Not only are Greece and Italy the cradles of western civilization - they are the source of many of the good things in life that we cherish most - classical literature, delicious cuisine and fine wines.  Ride through these countries blessed by warm seas and a benevolent sun.  Pines, grapes and olives combine with sparkling beaches and beautiful mountains - love is truly in the air as we traverse this captivating area of the world!

Arrival Day:  Athens.  We'll meet you at the airport and escort you to a quiet hotel on the beach of Vougliagmeni where you can enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Saronic Gulf..

A day of rest or discovery?  It’s up to you.  Athens deserves more than one day.  Visit world famous monuments - the Parthenon and the Acropolis, the Agora and the Stoa.  Visit the rich markets or soak up the atmosphere of Plaka or the National Archaeological Museum.  The options for sightseeing, shopping, or simply strolling are abundant and we also offer a full tour of the city by bus.

The work done to prepare for the Olympics transformed the old city into an accessible, livable and exciting new experience.  As noted Greek travel writer Matt Barrett has said: “Athens is not today what it used to be. It is better.”

Day 2:  Athens to Napflion.  Arriving in Peloponnesus we cross another wonder: the Corinth Channel: proposed in the 7th Century BC, dreamed by Alexander the Great, and initiated personally by Nero (who opened the excavation with a golden axe in AD 67). This great project was completed at the end of the 19th century by a French company.  It is cut through solid rock six kilometers long and 90 meters above the water surface: an impressive photo opportunity. 

Then we head for the most spectacular theater of ancient times: the Sanctuary of Askeplios at Epidaurus. The most celebrated healing center of the old world has a theater that represents an ideal specimen of Greek construction in this area.  Acoustics, vision and sheer size make a visit to Epidaurus a unique and incredible experience.  Stop at the city of Mycenae.  This World Heritage Site, discovered by H. Schliemann in Victorian times, follows the “Homer Trail” to the golden masque of Agamemnon, the tomb of Clytemnestra and Aegistus and the famous Lion Gate.  Our destination for the evening is a city dear to all Greeks – Navplion – the first capital of the independent state.  Napflion is only 112 miles away and the distance can easily be done in two and half hours.  We'll arrive in time to enjoy one of its famous beaches.  

Day 3:  Napflion.  Navplion is one of the most elegant and most beautiful cities in all of Greece. The city is graced with accurately restored Venetian mansions and baroque and neo-classical churches and squares.  Above the town, dominating the closed harbor, is the Palamidi fortress, which was built in the 1700s by the Venetians.  It is the best preserved castle facing the Mediterranean Sea and it offers splendid views of the gulf and of the old city.

Day 4:  Napflion to Olympia.  We’ll continue to Sparta, Athens’s bitter enemy and rival.  The two cities represent diametrically opposed concepts of the Greek Polis, the individual relationship to the state.  The rivalry was ideological and cultural.  Sparta embodied a basic way of life where discipline, simplicity and self denial were integral to their culture.  The modern Sparta, on the river Evrotas, is the point of departure for our exploration of several important archeological sites, including the Acropolis and the Theater.  

From Sparta we’ll make an unforgettable ride to Mystras.  Mystras occupies a steep foothill on the northern slopes of Mt. Taygetos.  The castle on top of the hill was founded in 1249 by the Frankish leader William II de Villeharduin.  After 1262 it came under Byzantine control, and in 1448 the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI Palaeologos, was crowned here.  The beauty of the town remains unchanged. Churches, palaces, monasteries and ancient walls create a soft landscape where nature regains control over the human presence.

Day 5:  Olympia to Patras.  We continue along the panoramic coastal road for 100 km to Patras. Patras is our port of embarkation to Bari (Italy). We spend the night on a modern fast ferry with comfortable cabins and complete catering services.

Day 6:  Bari to Matera.  Enter Italy in the early morning at the port of Bari.  From here we ride to Alberobello, the village of the Trulli: conical, stone-roofed dwellings unique to the region.  Probably originating during the local Stone Age culture, the Trulli have been perpetuated as folk tradition, possibly because of local lumber shortage and abundance of stone fragments that must be removed to permit land cultivation.  

We then cross into the Basilicata region to Matera, one of the most fascinating cities in the south of Italy.  In the old part of the city on the slope of the ravine, people inhabit cave-like houses cut into the rock with only an opening for the door.  An historical hotel in town provides our overnight accommodation.

Day 7:  Matera to Positano.  We embark on a transversal crossing of southern Italy with plenty of opportunity to savor the local atmosphere of small villages, mountain passes and unspoiled nature.  From the Mediterranean shores at Salerno we continue along the world famous Riviera Amalfitana. Amalfi was one of the four Matitime Republics of Italy with trading centers spanning east and west of the Mare Nostrum.  The Amalfi Coast road is legend among European bikers and home to some of Italy's most elegant sea resorts.  The village of Amalfi is an ideal place to rest and enjoy two days of exploration and pampering.  The light, the food, the people and the colors are unique, created by a dramatic meeting of wild mountain and blue sea.

Day 8:  Positano - a day of difficult choices.  Remain in Positano and enjoy the peace and comfort of the hotel, strolling along narrow ancient streets full of art, crafts and historical sites… take a tour to the Island of Capri, favored by Roman Emperors, artists, writers and Hollywood stars… ride the Costiera Amalfitana to such places as Furore, Positano, Ravello … visit Vietri sul Mare famous for ceramics … or just wait for the sunset with a frosty glass of Lemoncello in your hand.  We are in one of the magic places of our Mediterranean Odyssey and life is sweet both on and off the bikes.

Day 9:  Positano to Rome.  If all roads lead to Rome, our adventure is no exception. But, before entering the Eternal City, we take an exhilarating ride across the Amalfi peninsula, a golden opportunity for spectacular pictures.  We stop in Pompeii to visit what is considered the best preserved Roman city, built at the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius on a spur formed by prehistoric lava flow.  Pompeii was destroyed, together with Herculaneum, Stabiae, Torre Annunziata and other communities, by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.  Circumstances of their preservation make the remains a unique document of Greco-Roman life.   Pompeii was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. We then move to visit the "culprit" of Pompeii's destruction: Mount Vesuvius (198 feet, 1,280 meters).  We "jump" the traffic of Naples to rejoin our friend, the Mediterranean Sea on the Bay of Gaeta.  The town has a modern appearance outside its old walls, but within, the character of a fortified square is preserved.  Gaeta first came under the influence of Rome in the 4th century BC; a road was built c.184 BC connecting the town with the port, and it became a favored Roman resort.  After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Gaeta remained loyal to the Byzantine (Istanbul) Empire and preserved its independence despite Gothic, Lombard, and Saracen wars and invasions. After this stop the road is wide open to Rome: along the coast or directly via motorway.  We overnight in a hotel on the outskirts of the city to avoid infamous Rome traffic jams and to get a well-deserved and quiet rest.

Day 10: Rome.  Our riders choose between two equally enticing alternatives to explore “The Eternal City”.   The first is a comprehensive tour of the city by bus with an English speaking guide.  Key monuments and famous places are well-represented here from Trevi Fountain, to Saint Peter's Cathedral, from Piazza di Spagna to Trastevere, from the Coliseum to the Belvedere of Pincio.   The second alternative is conducted on bikes by your Tour Leader and covers one of the favorite areas of Romans for week ends: the Castelli Romani (full tour 90 km).

The area to the southeast of the Eternal City has long been the playground of Rome's rich and famous jet set.  Ancient emperors, medieval barons, Renaissance princes and modern captains of industry have all appreciated the many deep blue lakes, dense forests, mild winters and cool summers of this region.  Art, wine, architecture, cuisine, history and nature blend in these hills in timeless perfection. Everyone knows Frascati and Marino for the wines, but the world-renowned Tusculum Villas create an unforgettable platform for a new kind of Dolce Vita. 

Day 11: Rome to Perugia

Day 12: Perugia to Florence

Day 13: Florence

Day 14: Florence to Milan

Day 15: Depart Milan

Map under development

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