- Greece part two - October 9, 2026
- Greece - September 29, 2026
- 14 days with the BMW R1300RT - September 5, 2026
I continue my tour of Greece on day 9. Part one can be read here.
Lefkada
Lefkada is a very touristy place. I was going to ride a loop of the island but it is steamy hot by mid morning. There are so many tourists as well it’s a Sunday. I think it would be a stop start frustrating ride soaked in perspiration.
Instead I opt for a rest day. Found a coin laundry to properly wash some clothes but felt it probably would not work for my heavy Cordura rider gear however they need more than just another spray with Febreeze so I took them in the shower and gave my jacket and pants interior a rinse then hung both up on my balcony in the sun for the day to air and dry.
Listening to the tourists in the laundry chatting amongst themselves they were all here on yachts or heading to the beach – but I have zero interest in either. I just like riding motorcycles.
Quiet day off the bike exploring the narrow lanes of Lefkada.
Lefkada to Aristi
The tour today takes me north to the mountains where I will be based for 3 nights.
I make some alterations to the route which bypassed what is shown as a nice coastal ride on Motorcycle Dairies.
Mostly highway until I reach the coastal area however this road recommendation is a dud. Its busy, slow going with lots of tourists.
I persist until I wind up at walking pace on paths like above.
I know I am in a very small minority of people who like travelling by motorcycle. Also I acknowledge the majority of people desire a seaside or poolside vacation. But WTF do they do all day? Serious question. Ok, sip a drink, take a dip but what then? I tried a resort holiday once and after one day laying about I was bored beyond belief. By day two I was asking the hotel where I might rent a scooter. Anyway I digress.
After this interlude by the sea in sweltering heat I say to hell with this and cut a new route north which turned out to be much better.
Ah, back to the mountains.
The next section of todays route is called the Plakoti Pass and it is indeed excellent. It also was shown as a good ride on Motorcycle Dairies and in this case the listing is correct.
There is even an official sign post with lots of space for bikers to put their sticker. A few bikes out having fun here today.
The hotel is again located remotely. I stop to refuel as advised to in my MotoGreece guide and at a supermarket I get some beer and snacks and drinks as there appears to be very little in the way of shops near the hotel.
Then some fast sweepers and before I know it I am turning off towards the small village of Aristi where I am staying for 3 nights. Superb approach to the village above.
It’s a nice hotel with a great view. Walking into town there appears to just be a single Taverna and one other hotel with a restaurant to choose from.
I would never choose to stay in a place like this if planning a tour. I always stay in large towns with supermarkets and easy options for food but to experience something like this is actually why I wanted to do this tour.
The jaw dropping beautiful Greek village of Aristi. The Taverna (Pub) is to the left behind the tree.
I join what appears to be the other people in my hotel at the Taverna and enjoy a tasty dinner and cold beer.
Aristi
There are two loops suggested by MotoGreece to ride in this area and I made another myself based on info from Motorcycle Dairies but this morning it is raining.
Windy is showing the weather will improve by lunch time so I spend the morning writing up my ride report and editing photos.
The weather clears by 1.00pm, not enough time to ride much but I can do a small loop to the border of Albania supplied by MotoGreece. I decide to reverse it so I can refuel before returning to Aristi as there is no fuel here and if fine I want to do the big mountain loop tomorrow.
Nice sweeping road up towards the border then some very narrow one lane road along the border which is slow going before returning to some nice sweeping two lane road.
I come across an ex air force plane on display which makes for a nice photo opportunity.
After refuelling in Kalpaki I stop at the supermarket just for something to do and decide to have an icecream. Sitting on the bench outside I see off in the distance what appears to be a large statue on top of a nearby hill, so I look for a way up.
It’s a WW2 memorial. Kalpaki is the site of a WW2 battle where the Greek VIII Division held off Italian invaders. A major victory but at huge loss of life. Below this is the memorial for the fallen.
So many names, and this only shows a portion of the columns.
Aristi
It’s a clear crisp morning so I am able to ride a famous mountain loop of this area.
Mostly high backroads all day with grand views right away.
First major stop is Vikos gorge. It’s much deeper than the 23mm lens of my iPhone can convey (and why don’t I have my Lumix with me. Why indeed…) I’m not scared of heights but I must say the ledge you can walk out on with no railing and slightly uneven surface with a sheer drop was a little daunting in motorcycle boots.
Next stop is an old bridge.
Followed by more back roads. Many quite twisty and slow going with switch backs but there is no traffic other than the odd biker.
There has been nothing in the way of services. I stop for a rest at a bench with a grand view where I had another trail bar lunch as nothing open.
Some really remote roads then with lots of land slips and the vegetation starting to reclaim the road.
Wonderful views riding along mountain ridges all day.
Back down to the main road I finally found a coffee shop open and had a ham a salad roll despite it already being 2pm. Late lunch seems to be a theme of this tour but I don’t mind with a big buffet breakfasts each morning.
My 3rd night at the pub and I upset the staff when I can only eat half of the huge meal I am given. I apologize as the food is great but I can’t eat such big meals these days otherwise I get terrible reflux during the night.
Aristi – Pramanta
Today I will ride over the highest road in Greece the Baros Pass.
First I start with a easy flowing highway ride down to Ioannina, a regional city next to a lake.
Then I ride the old highway to Metsovo. This is a fantastic road. Are you starting to recognise how mountainous Greece is?
Metsovo is very touristy. I grab a coffee and a slice of pizza then when returning to my bike I am approached by a group of Greek Aussies, from Melbourne where the largest group of Greek people outside the country have made their home.
The guy tells me he is a rider and pointing to my DJI cam asks do I have a YouTube channel. I say no. Asks me have I heard of IchyBoots. Ha-ha, she must be rolling in cash judging by how many men suggest I watch her (or On My Bike). I don’t follow either but tell Old Mate sure I’ll check it out. It’s easier to go along with people than try explain why I’m not interested and why I don’t shoot video or seek to chase subscribers and money. Time is what I think about. How much I might have left given my medical condition.
Leaving Metsovo is a little confusing, I see in the GPS there is a route just called Getting out of Metsovo (or similar) and wonder should I have used that. But after a couple of missed turns I am on my way again.
“You take the high road and I’ll take the low road”
The initial part of the climb is a very narrow road with broken up surface on endless switchbacks. Fortunately I do not encounter any other vehicles or this would have been a pain.
Then the road suddenly opens up with nice views although the surface is damaged in places.
After awhile I switch to another road and the climb to the top starts in earnest on good surface. There is a heap of other bikers here so perhaps they came up an alternate road to this point.
The climb is superb.
At the top it is a group of bikes but it is blowing a icy cold wind so I ride off to find a wind break where I take in the view.
It is a long descent then to the valley floor before I immediately start climbing again – which is a theme to riding in Greece.
Above; looking back up to the top of the pass.
Then still more nice roads up from the valley floor to the small town of Pramanta.
I arrive at my hotel and it is very nice indeed.
A long way out of town but fortunately has a inhouse restaurant.
I can actually look out on the Baros pass from dinner. The top part of the pass is just to the right of the pine tree.
Pramanta – Meteora
Todays route is more terrific mountain roads all morning.
However I am feeling a bit off so have not stopped as much for photos plus a good portion was more closed in by trees not as photogenic.
Bit of broken surface in places but all well visible in advance. Some tight switchbacks which I still don’t like but on roads with no other cars you can use more of the other lane which helps considerably.
All in all about 3 hours of non stop curves.
A couple of small villages but I did not see any bakeries.
I visit another old bridge with a water fall, the creek is low so only half the waterfall is flowing (sorry trying to do the water blur thing and only half succeeded with this photo).
Getting down from the high mountains the quality of the road surface changes to good hotmix and the surveying becomes more generous with sweepers which are always my favourite.
I arrive at a dam and realise this road was constructed to service it. From here on the riding is excellent and reminded me a little of the dam service roads in parts of Japan hugging the edge of a valley.
Then another mountain climb and scenic descent. I know I’ve said it already – but the riding in Greece is so good.
Try another town for something to eat but the shops seem to be closed or closing. I was feeling a bit down about yet another day without proper lunch when I come upon a coffee shop on the highway and enjoy a nice albeit late lunch which recharges my batteries and lifts my spirits.
By the time I am on the road again the sky has clouded over and I can sense that rain is not far away. The forecast said chance of rain from 3.00pm so I make quick dash on to the famous area of Meteora just as the odd spec of rain is appearing on my visor.
I knew this would be touristy but wow – it’s crazy grid lock with dozens of busses unloading tourists. Lot’s of attractive female influencers with their photographers directing them how to pose.
I hate influencers and crowded places. I make a short loop of the area and then ride to my hotel.
Another hotel some distance from any food and by now it is raining. Nice place with a view of the rocks but it’s a hassle when there is no in house restaurant to not be closer to things. I don’t want to have to put on rain gear and ride to get dinner.
Given this area kind of a tourist trap and it’s wet I decided to have one of my Udon bowls from Japan tonight which will be more than enough after eating lunch at 2.30pm. So glad I thought to buy them and bring my portable kettle this trip.
Meteora – Delphi
Rain is forecast all day. I’ve been watching the modelling on Windy but seems I am going to have a wet ride.
Here is where planning your own ride works better. It’s been forecast as rain for a few days. If just riding my own plan I could have made different arrangements.
Of course there is actually nothing stopping me from throwing away the prepaid hotel for tonight – I have done that more than once before then staying another night where I am however this hotel is not suitable and anyway so far it has only been light mist.
I want to stay off the expressway in these conditions. Light rain becomes huge clouds of spray from vehicles at highway speeds. However despite setting Google maps to avoid tolls it only wants to go via the toll road. I try the Tom Tom but it too wants to go same way.
I decide to ride the alternate route just using the highway number signs as a guide. Google maps decides then to sulk and goes silent for about 20 minutes than chimes back in guiding me along this route – so I figure ok it’s worked out now to avoid the toll road.
There is a lack of road signs so I end up letting Google maps guide me however it takes back to the toll road. Sigh. I find a park with a rotunda and take shelter and compare routes.
The rain has now become steady and so no longer any reason for me to be on backroads. I set Google and Tom Tom direct to hotel with tolls ok. Google then tries to route me off the expressway 16 km later. How can phone navigation be this bad in 2026? Fortunately I can see the map on the Tom Tom and continue on the expressway for about 100km.
Cruise control on giving my gloves alternate breaks from being blasted with water which eventually would likely defeat them. Those small winglets do nothing. The NT1100 deflects very little rain and I wonder how it has sold so well in Europe where I thought that would be important. But then I’m bias towards proper tourers after owning a FJR1300 that I dearly wish I was riding today.
Half way I pull into a highway service centre. There are a few bikers there and we all have same look on our faces ha-ha. But there is hot coffee and I grab a cheese pastry item. I let my gear rest then bid the others farewell and just get on with it.
Once off the expressway the rain eases and I get a nice ride over another mountain range which looks nothing special in this photo above but felt great after all the rain.
The descent is bone dry and a terrific ride yet I failed to get one decent photo. The temperature soared from low teens to high 20’s and I was starting to cook in my rain gear so did not want to stop until I could park off the road and get changed.
Then the ride up to Delphi is of course another wonderful Greek mountain pass. Again I did not stop to photo as the weather that had been sunny down below now was gloomy and threatening more rain.
Delphi is very touristy. I came upon a large group of bikes with Edelweiss stickers on them. Prices have become eye watering for guided tours. Some destinations it makes sense to have some support but I don’t think that is needed for Europe. But if you have never moto toured then a guided tour might be the thing that sparks a new found passion, as happened for me in 2010.
Delphi – Athens
The fine weather Windy was modelling yesterday has not arrived by mid morning so it’s looking like another wet ride.
There are two options for today a longer but nicer route on the coast side of the mountains or the faster route inland. The weather looks less rain inland so I choose the fastest route.
1000’s of tourists at the Delphi ruins. Even if it wasn’t raining I would not be stopping.
However it is a scenic location and would be grand view on a fine day. Shame that patch of blue sky is isolated and I’m riding into more rain but I cannot complain as I have had a very good run with the weather this tour and this being the last day it is mostly about getting back into Athens.
Some high winds in the mountains blowing me around the road. I slow right down until I am past the worst of it. Makes me ponder how bad must it be riding Route 40 in Patagonia with it’s fierce crosswinds for multiple days and much of it on gravel. No desire to ride that.
Nice easy roads once out of the high mountains. I stop for coffee and a bite to eat at my last bakery this tour. The weather is passing showers mostly not too heavy until I arrive at another mountain pass and it’s totally clouded in.
The NT1100 has automatic lights that come on in tunnels which I thought was nice until today when I realise there is no switch to turn on low beam in these conditions only high beam.
But I have enjoyed the NT1100 and the DCT experience. A better screen and grip heaters are needed but not much else. The active suspension is excellent and shifting, power and engine braking can be configured into a custom rider setting if you owned one to get that all working close to perfect.
I’m personally not a fan of parallel twins with perhaps two exceptions. Yamaha’s 700 is very good in its LAMS configuration and BMW’s 800GS I rode in Sardina had a lively feel but I prefer the V-Strom 650 over any mid size parallel twin and if I was shopping for a high riding tourer/crossover bike I prefer the Tracer 9 engine.
Approaching the expressway to Athens I stop and remove my rain pants and mid layer as the temperature has warmed to low 20’s and it appears I am past the worst of it.
A odd bit of light rain but I just ride though it on the expressway. Some GPS craziness then takes me in a loop tour of some laneways before carrying on to a petrol station in the route to refill then to the MotoGreece HQ.
John is there to greet me and wants to hear all about my tour.
I have tried to say how good the riding is and here is a few final thoughts why Greece has been such an enjoyable tour.
- Greece is 80% mountains. You literally ride over one mountain pass after another. There is no filler, its all mountain riding.
- Away from the seaside the roads are empty. Not just few cars but more importantly no motorhomes or busses that clog up the roads in the alps. No hordes of bikers riding stupidly fast and running wide into your lane forcing you to take evasive action.
- No heavy handed speed enforcement like Swiss roads. I was never riding fast but also I never needed to check my speed or have my phone beep me about speed cameras or if exceeding the limit even slightly.
- What drivers you do encounter are not aggressive like those in Italy, Hungary and the Balkans. My ride was never stressful and I had no bullying from cars.
- People are very friendly and welcoming. No one minded I did not speak Greek. Check in was always laid back and friendly. Restaurants serve food from about 6.00pm not 8.30-9.00pm like Spain and dining was always an easy experience.
I lack the writing skills to properly express all the nice moments on this ride but Greece is by far the most underrated riding destination I’ve toured.
The roads are not always perfect like Portugal or as fast flowing as Spain but the overall experience really adds up to make me rate Greece up there with Portugal and Spain as the best 3 countries to ride in Europe.
I can recommend MotoGreece without hesitation. You could easy rent a bike and simply put together a ride yourself with no problem at all.
Europe is such a long journey from Australia. I said it would be my last time in 2025 and needed motivation to fly 30 hours again so I chose a self guided ride designed by John of MotoGreece to give me a different experience and I can also recommend this option if you would enjoy extra assistance and a hassle free tour using local knowledge.
Either way put Greece on your ride list.
