American travel bloggers Jake and Brigitte from Nothing Familiar set sail on an unforgettable adventure through Greece with Boat Bike Tours. Seasoned explorers with a love for culture, nature, and active travel, they’ve already journeyed to 25 Greek islands and embarked on three Boat Bike Tours, making them the perfect guides to share insider tips.
Their latest voyage took them through the Peloponnese and Saronic Islands, on a trip that combined scenic cycling, captivating history and the laid-back charm of small-boat sailing. In their guest post, they reveal their top 7 tips for making the most of a Greek islands cycling and sailing trip.
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An experience of a lifetime
Can you think of a trip more unique and exciting than sailing through the Greek islands? It certainly sounded like a dream to us! So we flew to Greece and hopped on a beautiful sailboat with just 14 other guests. Over the course of a week, we biked our way through the Peloponnese and Saronic Islands for an experience of a lifetime. Here’s our top seven tips to know before you go on a Greek Islands cycling and sailing tour.
Why Choose Boat Bike Tours Greece?
Believe it or not, this was actually our third trip with Boat Bike Tours! However, the first two were river cruises through Germany and Southern Holland.
We’ve spent many years traveling in Greece, and have now been to 25 magical islands. When we found out Boat Bike Tours had launched routes here with Islandhopping, we knew we had to do it!
While the idea of the bike tour was the same, this would be very different from cruising down the Moselle River or through the canals of the Netherlands. So what exactly do you need to know before taking off on your own Greek islands cycling trip?
1. Picking Your Route
For our first Greek Islands biking tour, we decided to take on the Peloponnese & Saronic Islands. Surprisingly, we don’t often hear much about these beautiful islands that sit so close to Athens!
Their close proximity to the capital city made them easier to reach, as we could fly in and out of Athens where the tour began. We’ve also spent time exploring the Peloponnese and were so excited to get back to this amazing region of the mainland. The Peloponnese & Saronic Islands Tour combined both, as you can see with our itinerary below. Just know it would change slightly due to the weather (more on this later).
- Athens
- Island of Poros
- Galatas – Ermioni – Porto Heli
- Island of Spetses
- Island of Hydra
- Methana Peninsula
- Island of Aegina
One thing that was special about the islands compared to our previous river cruises was that we actually spent time on the boat while it was moving. It was fun to be out on the deck sailing between the Greek Islands rather than only spending time on the boat after cycling, when it stays moored in one place. We picked this specific route because it started at the end of April when we were heading to Greece. Another Boat Bike Tour that we would recommend checking out is the Mamma Mia Cruise, which goes through the stunning Sporades Islands. These islands are currently at the top of our Greece bucket list!
2. Get ready for the hills
If you’ve found the perfect boat bike tour and are ready to book, there’s one more thing to consider! These cycling tours are rated 1 through 3 on difficulty level.
Our first two cruises were level 1, which meant mostly flat riding and easy cycling on bike paths. When we saw our Greek Islands cycling trip was a level 2, we weren’t exactly sure what to expect. We had e-bikes, after all, so how hard could it be? Well, the difference between level 1 and 2 became apparent quickly. The hills of the Greek islands were massive, especially on islands like Poros and the Methana Peninsula of the Peloponnese.
Luckily, our e-bikes had four different settings, and we definitely utilized turbo mode on the big mountain passes. Be aware you will have to peddle quite a bit even with the assistance! If you’re an active cyclist, it shouldn’t be an issue for you. The other positive thing is that you’ll get some incredible views at the top of the peaks. Of course, it also makes for some fun downhills when you’re coasting back to sea level.
3. Delicious Greek Food
One of the best parts about this Greek islands bike trip was the food! On past cruises, we’ve enjoyed a mix of local and traditional meals from around Europe.
However, on this tour, our Greek chef really rolled out all the hits. He made some of our favorite dishes from Greece including moussaka, spinach pastries, fresh tzatziki, and even the delicious pasta giovetsi.
Another nice thing about this cruise is that we had three nights to have dinner on our own. We enjoyed breakfast and lunch on the boat every day, but also had time to roam the island towns and find our own local restaurants.
This differs from our other boat bike tours, where we would take sandwiches made at breakfast and eat them along our bike rides. Ultimately, the food was definitely another highlight, and we were always very fueled up for our rides!
4. Prepare for weather
If there’s one thing that holds true on any vacation, it’s that you can’t control the weather. Yet, this is something you’ll definitely want to take note of on a Greek islands cycling tour.
The Greek islands are known for being very windy! Unfortunately, on our trip in late April, we would have some wild weather roll through. Not to worry though; our captain was all over it. He warned us from the very beginning that he was going to have to change our route a bit, but would do his best to make sure we didn’t miss any rides. We did have plenty of opportunities to swim when the sun came out. Be sure to pack for any changes in weather and bring some warm layers in case of windy crossings. It’s safe to say that the challenging weather became a part of the adventure on our island-hopping tour. Even when we had to return to Athens a day early, they treated us to a full city tour complete with a professional wine tasting!
5. Small boat life
Something else to consider on a Greek Islands cycling trip is the actual boat! We’ve been on cruises of all sizes now, from small barges in Germany to large ships out of Amsterdam. Still, the Erato was our smallest yet! The 27-meter-long boat has seven cabins with a capacity of 19 passengers. There was also a crew of four aboard, including the captain. This created a fun and intimate setting where it was easy to make friends. We really enjoyed sharing meals, reliving the day’s ride, and socializing with fellow passengers around the bar area. The cabin itself was larger than we expected, with one big bed and a smaller one. We slept in the larger bed together and used the second for extra space to hold our things. Cruising around the Greek Islands on a small sailboat was so extraordinary. We highly recommend trying a ship like this for a once-in-a-lifetime trip!
6. Packing essentials
What should you actually pack for your Greek islands cycling tour? There are some very obvious things to bring with you that you would on any bike trip. You’ll want to have normal active wear that’s comfortable for cycling, such as padded shorts and loose fitting shirts. Most passengers wore normal clothes to meals, so you don’t need to bring anything extravagant. Boat Bike Tours also provides the bicycles, helmets, water bottles and pannier bags that clip to the bike to store your things while you ride. We brought our own covers that went over the bike seats for extra padding. Another thing to consider would be a clip-on rearview mirror. This can help you see the cars behind you on busy roads.
7. Endless history
Our last tip for a Greek Islands cycling trip is to get ready for the amazing history! More so than anywhere else we’ve been in Europe, Greece has endless historical sites to experience.
From the moment you arrive in Athens, you will be drawn in by the Acropolis and legends from the past. Our guide was very informative about what we saw, and even told us tales from Greek mythology. However, doing some light research beforehand really helped us understand the background of what we’d be seeing. On our last day, we visited the 2,500-year-old Temple of Aphaia! The history was another fun aspect that added to the natural wonders and beaches of the Greek islands. We hope you’ve enjoyed these tips for your Greek islands cycling tour! For more helpful guides, you can follow along with our travels at nothingfamiliar.com.
Inspired to start your own adventure?
To plan your own bike and boat adventure, call us at (203) 814-1249. You can also send an email to info@boatbiketours.com if you prefer. Either way, we’ll be happy to help. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on our latest tours and special offers. We’d love to welcome you on board!
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