The Odyssey

A 7 week, 3,700 km cycling journey from Athens to Amsterdam, from the Acropolis to the Rijksmuseum. You will spin through 10 European countries, enjoying great scenery, amazing food, incredible history & fascinating cultures. Experience the hilltop Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Greece, old town of Sarajevo, the Croatian coastline, the cycleways of the Rhine river through Germany, and the stunning cathedral of Cologne.

Start your unforgettable European cycling Odyssey at dawn from the stunning hilltop surroundings of Athens’ ancient Acropolis. After spinning through the streets of one of Western civilization’s founding cities, riders will head northwest through the hilly Greek countryside passing through historic Delphi & Metoria, perhaps pausing for some olives, figs and a sip of retsina along the way.

Soon the tour will cross into Albania, an enigmatic land dotted with undiscovered archaeological ruins and blessed with sun-soaked beaches. Next up is 2 days in tiny Montenegro through rugged mountains populated with bears and wolves.

Riders can recover from the climbs in historic Sarajevo; site of some of the worst events of the 1990 Balkan wars and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which triggered World War I. The route in Bosnia then passes the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) in Mostar before turning northward into Croatia along the spectacular Adriatic, bound for a rest day in Split’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Odyssey continues north, island-hopping along the gorgeous coastline before washing ashore in Italy and the city of Trieste, a hotbed of Cold War intrigue. The Alps now beckon on the horizon and the cyclists will put on their climbing shoes as they slowly spin up the mountains past a trio of Winter Olympic cities – Cortina, Innsbruck & Garmisch – before descending into Munich, host of the world’s largest Oktoberfest celebration.

After quenching their thirst with a few Bavarian brewskies, the cyclists will head through Germany’s charming countryside towards the university town of Heidelberg and the start of the Rhine River bike path. Three beautiful days of cycling along one of the world’s great rivers will lead the riders into Cologne and its Gothic masterpiece, the incredible twin-spired Cathedral.

It is now the home stretch as the tour heads north past the Dutch town of Arnhem, the sight of a historic World War 2 battle brought to life in the book and film ‘A Bridge Too Far’. Amsterdam soon glides into view and the cyclists will enjoy spinning into the city on some of its 400kms of bike paths. Coming to a final halt in front of the world famous Rijksmuseum, home to many of Rembrandt’s most famous works, the riders can reflect on their incredible Odyssey and raise a toast to their adventures and memories.