Greece: Sparta, Monemvasia & the Peloponnesian Peninsula
Guided Biking
- Daily Mileage: 7-37 miles|
- Biking: 1-4 hours|
Starting From
10-day Air Package
$5,645
7-day Bike Tour Only
$4,145
Per person, double occupancy
Greece: Sparta, Monemvasia & the Peloponnesian Peninsula
If you’re looking for a Grecian cycling adventure that escapes the crowded tourist centers, this VBT vacation is a breath of fresh air. The Peloponnese Peninsula juts into the azure waters of the Aegean Sea, and here you’ll experience authentic Greece. Cycling from historic Sparta, your Greek trip leaders introduce you to local traditions dating back to ancient times. Discover the region’s important role in the Byzantine Empire as you explore the imperial capital of Mystras with a local archeologist. Learn the art of Byzantine cuisine—passed down through the generations to the local chef who guides your cooking class. As you spin past seaside villages dipping their toes in Aegean waters, you may even feel the heart of western civilization pulsing beneath your wheels.
Tour Highlights
- Uncover the treasures of the hillside medieval gem of Mystras, the Byzantine Empire’s cultural capital for nearly a millennium, with an expert archaeologist-guide.
- Savor the recipes and the flavors of ancient Byzantine cuisine during a special dinner.
- Walk through the maze of alleyways in the medieval castle town of Monemvasia, a crossroads of civilizations with Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman influences.
- Cruise around the monolithic Rock of Monemvasia.
- Join a taverna owner on a shrimp-harvesting excursion, then join him for a cooking lesson and prepare garidopetoules—a savory shrimp pancake.
Positive Impact
VBT is proud to support Wine to Water with a donation on behalf of each guest on this tour. Wine to Water is an international organization providing access to clean drinking water and emergency supplies in water-challenged regions. We believe in giving back to the places that have enriched the lives of our guests. We’re committed to identifying and supporting sustainable initiatives in a variety of areas including education, world health, economic equality, safe drinking water, the environment, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
What to Expect
This tour offers a combination of rolling terrain and moderate-to-challenging hills and is ideal for energetic beginners to experienced cyclists. The majority of rides are on rural paved country roads with some traffic. Our VBT support vehicle is always available for those who would like it.
- Daily Mileage: 7-37 miles|
- Biking: 1-4 hours|
- Max Group Size: 22
Cyclists
Support
Average High /
Low Temperature (°F):
Apr67º/53º
May75º/60º
Jun84º/68º
Jul89º/73º
Aug89º/73º
Sep83º/67º
Oct74º/60º
Average
Precipitation:
Apr1.0 in
May0.6 in
Jun0.2 in
Jul0.2 in
Aug0.4 in
Sep0.4 in
Oct1.9 in
Air Package |
Tour Only |
|
---|---|---|
Roundtrip international airfare |
||
Airport car service for arrival and departures |
||
Two nights in Athens in conveniently located hotels with daily breakfast |
||
6 nights in 5-star hotels and a 4-star historical boutique inn |
||
12 meals: 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners |
Step-Through Electric-Assisted Bicycle (E-bike)
See More >Road Bicycle (Carbon frame)
See More >Step-Through (Mixte Hybrid) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Step-Over (Diamond) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Step-Through Electric-Assisted Bicycle (E-bike)
See More >Road Bicycle (Carbon frame)
See More >Step-Through (Mixte Hybrid) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Step-Over (Diamond) Comfort Bicycle
See More >Biking Packages Include:
Custom VBT Bike and Helmet
Two Local, Bilingual Trip Leaders
Support Vehicle
Luggage Transportation
Ride with GPS and Daily Route Notes
Welcome Reception
Facilitated Cultural Experiences
Your Choice of VBT Branded Gear for Your Adventure
Accommodations (Please Note: Days are based on the Air Package Itinerary. Accommodations may vary depending on departure date. )
Enjoy Your Vacation Longer With Low-Cost Trip Extensions
Air Package Only
2025 Pre-Trip Extension - Santorini & Athens
3 Nights From
$1145
per person, double
occupancy
Single Supplement: From $645
- Roundtrip flights between Athens and Santorini
- 2 nights at the Volcano View Hotel on the island of Santorini
- 1 night at the Electra Palace Hotel in Athens
- Airport car service for arrival and departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.
A VBT representative will greet you at the Santorini airport to start your adventure off right. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming island at your leisure.
Believed by some to be the lost kingdom of Atlantis, Santorini enjoys a legendary setting, perched on the rim of a sunken volcanic crater 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the azure waters of the Aegean. Savor breakfast with stunning views of the soaring cliff of the caldera and the dazzling waters. Later, possibly enjoy an optional morning tour of the highlights of Santorini, where gleaming white houses and blue-domed churches glitter in the sun. After, enjoy lunch and the remainder of the day and evening at your leisure, perhaps treating yourself to a spa treatment or a swim in the pool with sweeping views fit for the gods.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy another freshly sourced breakfast with breathtaking vistas. There’ll be a little time afterward for relaxing or a bit of exploring before your flight to Athens. Upon arrival at Athens International Airport, a representative holding a VBT sign meets you as you exit the baggage claim area. Transportation (about one hour) is provided to your centrally located Athens hotel.
The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore Athens (no meals included).
Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 3:00 p.m., in which case you may store your luggage with the reception desk.
VBT provides city information with recommendations about what to see and do during your stay.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Volcano View Hotel
With breathtaking views of the Santorini caldera as it soars over the azure waters of the Aegean, the Volcano View hotel surely lives up to its name. This small boutique hotel, adorned in the white palettes for which the island is famous, exudes an intimate air and a breezy, casual atmosphere. The hotel is an example of the finest Cycladic architecture, with traditional cave houses in a minimal décor style. Distinctive touches of modernity add to the top-class accommodations of this 5-star hotel. Tradition and modernity are also combined wonderfully in the hotel’s Superior Rooms with breathtaking sea views. Dive into the refreshing waters of one of the property’s three ample swimming pools. Savor a wide range of Greek Mediterranean cuisine in the Caldera Restaurant, offering stunning views to the Aegean Sea, the sunset, and the caldera. And indulge in rejuvenating outdoor massage treatments and massage sessions.
Air Package Only
2024 Pre-Trip Extension - Santorini & Athens
Nights From $ per person, double occupancy
- Roundtrip flights between Athens and Santorini
- 2 nights at the Volcano View Hotel on the island of Santorini
- 1 night at the Electra Palace Hotel in Athens
- Airport car service for arrival and departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.
A VBT representative will greet you at the Santorini airport to start your adventure off right. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming island at your leisure.
Believed by some to be the lost kingdom of Atlantis, Santorini enjoys a legendary setting, perched on the rim of a sunken volcanic crater 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the azure waters of the Aegean. Savor breakfast with stunning views of the soaring cliff of the caldera and the dazzling waters. Later, possibly enjoy an optional morning tour of the highlights of Santorini, where gleaming white houses and blue-domed churches glitter in the sun. After, enjoy lunch and the remainder of the day and evening at your leisure, perhaps treating yourself to a spa treatment or a swim in the pool with sweeping views fit for the gods.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy another freshly sourced breakfast with breathtaking vistas. There’ll be a little time afterward for relaxing or a bit of exploring before your flight to Athens. Upon arrival at Athens International Airport, a representative holding a VBT sign meets you as you exit the baggage claim area. Transportation (about one hour) is provided to your centrally located Athens hotel.
The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore Athens (no meals included).
Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 3:00 p.m., in which case you may store your luggage with the reception desk.
VBT provides city information with recommendations about what to see and do during your stay.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Volcano View Hotel
With breathtaking views of the Santorini caldera as it soars over the azure waters of the Aegean, the Volcano View hotel surely lives up to its name. This small boutique hotel, adorned in the white palettes for which the island is famous, exudes an intimate air and a breezy, casual atmosphere. The hotel is an example of the finest Cycladic architecture, with traditional cave houses in a minimal décor style. Distinctive touches of modernity add to the top-class accommodations of this 5-star hotel. Tradition and modernity are also combined wonderfully in the hotel’s Superior Rooms with breathtaking sea views. Dive into the refreshing waters of one of the property’s three ample swimming pools. Savor a wide range of Greek Mediterranean cuisine in the Caldera Restaurant, offering stunning views to the Aegean Sea, the sunset, and the caldera. And indulge in rejuvenating outdoor massage treatments and massage sessions.
Air Package Only
2025 Post-Trip Extension - Crete
3 Nights From
$895
per person, double
occupancy
Single Supplement: From $345
- Roundtrip flights between Athens and Chania, Crete
- 3 nights at Samaria Hotel in Chania, Crete
- Chania guided walking tour
- Airport car service for departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
Travel with a VBT guide to the Corinth Canal—a 19th-century engineering masterpiece connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Gulf. Today, this dramatic waterway cut into the bedrock remains an international maritime hub and serves approximately 12,000 ships per year. There’ll be time to take in its magnificence and have lunch here before continuing to the Athens International Airport for your late-afternoon flight to Chania, Crete.
Upon arrival at the Chania International Airport, collect your luggage. Exit the baggage claim area and meet your VBT representative, who will be holding a VBT sign. Travel time is approximately 30 minutes to your centrally located hotel in Chania. VBT provides you with city information that includes recommendations on what to see and do during your stay.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Nestled on the northern coast of western Crete, Chania is steeped in Venetian character and charm. This former capital of the island boasts narrow lanes arcing around a scenic harbor that’s graced with a picturesque lighthouse. After breakfast, you meet your guide at 10:00 a.m. in the hotel lobby for a two-hour walking tour. Explore hidden alleys and old Ottoman neighborhoods, strolling past the stunning Orthodox Cathedral, the Yali Tzami Mosque, old townhomes converted into restaurants, and the Venetian waterfront and dockyards. Your guide can recommend restaurants for lunch and dinner and other options for further exploration on your own.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Continue your Post-Trip Extension
Included Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy your morning at leisure. Continue to explore Crete until your departure to Athens.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After an included breakfast this morning, walk across the street to the Athens airport international departure terminal and check in for your return flights home.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Samaria Hotel
Fully renovated and located on 1866 Square in the heart of Chania, the 4-star Samaria Hotel offers a fresh and inviting ambiance amid Old World elegance. The Old Town and the historic Venetian Harbor are a short walk outside your door. Enjoy a relaxing poolside experience surrounded by lush greenery, and savor modern Mediterranean and Cretan cuisine in the restaurant or café. Each air-conditioned room is spacious and offers a sitting area with a sofa and evening turndown service.
Air Package Only
2024 Post-Trip Extension - Crete
Nights From $ per person, double occupancy
- Roundtrip flights between Athens and Chania, Crete
- 3 nights at Samaria Hotel in Chania, Crete
- Chania guided walking tour
- Airport car service for departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
Nestled on the northern coast of western Crete, Chania is steeped in Venetian character and charm. This former capital of the island boasts narrow lanes arcing around a scenic harbor that’s graced with a picturesque lighthouse. After breakfast, you meet your guide at 10:00 a.m. in the hotel lobby for a two-hour walking tour. Explore hidden alleys and old Ottoman neighborhoods, strolling past the stunning Orthodox Cathedral, the Yali Tzami Mosque, old townhomes converted into restaurants, and the Venetian waterfront and dockyards. Your guide can recommend restaurants for lunch and dinner and other options for further exploration on your own.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After your included breakfast you are free to explore Crete on your own.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy your morning at leisure. Continue to explore Crete until your departure to Athens.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After an included breakfast this morning, walk across the street to the Athens airport international departure terminal and check in for your return flights home.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Samaria Hotel
Fully renovated and located on 1866 Square in the heart of Chania, the 4-star Samaria Hotel offers a fresh and inviting ambiance amid Old World elegance. The Old Town and the historic Venetian Harbor are a short walk outside your door. Enjoy a relaxing poolside experience surrounded by lush greenery, and savor modern Mediterranean and Cretan cuisine in the restaurant or café. Each air-conditioned room is spacious and offers a sitting area with a sofa and evening turndown service.
This VBT trip does not disappoint! The attention to detail for every visit and experience was remarkable. I live in the mid-west and don't have many hills to train on so these rides were challenging for me, but doable and once I was done I felt very satisfied. The accommodations were all different and great in their own way. The guides were energetic and informative. I highly recommend this tour - it's a great way to see Greece!
Gorgeous views, rewarding rides and delicious food
The experience with VBT went beyond expectations as did the part of Greece where we cycled. The Peloponnesian Peninsula is a relatively undiscovered biking jewel, I enjoyed it far more than biking various Greek Islands. Accommodations were excellent and Greek food speaks for itself. VBT and the guides went out of their way in providing a 5 star experience. The bikes were new and top quality, the routes were varied and interesting. The guides bent over backwards to please us and provide a great biking as well as cultural experience.
Wonderful trip
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