Mountain Biking/Cycling in Attika, Mainland Greece.

Destination

Mainland Greece

Area

Attika

 

 

Describe the area in as much detail as possible:

Attika is situated at the southern tip of mainland Greece, surrounding the 3500 year old city of Athens. The region offers the diversity of wild mountains, Byzantine Monasteries and churches, ancient historical and archaeological sites and sandy beaches. The mountains at Parnitha, Pendeli and Ymittos are rich in wildlife, with deserted trails, caves and springs. The Attika coastline offers a wealth of well-kept beaches with water sports facilities, bars and tavernas.

- Terrain

The Attika region features a mixture of flat plateau surrounded by mountains. This means that you can ride from the beach to a mountain peak and back down in a morning! Terrain is generally open and rocky, with some nicely wooded areas

- Riding available

The area of Attika offers a wide variety of riding, from leisurely tours along the seafront and back roads, to lung busting climbs and fast descents, both on road or off road. The mountain areas are rich in off road trails of all descriptions with each mountain range having it’s own character, from wide open fire trails on Pendeli to tight, technical singletrack descents on Ymittos.

- What sort of rider is catered for

The 1:60,000 map of Attika shows all roads and nearly all dirt roads for the tourer and leisure cyclist alike. Families can appreciate the beach front and quiet back roads. For cross-country riders, there are 1:25,000 or 1:10,000 maps of Ymittos and Parnitha showing detail of varying grades of road and path. Roadies will love the sweeping asphalt roads that wind up and down the mountains.

- What are the highlights of this region? (in addition to the cycling)

Being a 3,500 year old city Athens and, in fact, the whole Attika region cannot fail to offer a huge number of sites of historical interest, Byzantine monasteries, churches and numerous Archaeological sites.

There is a lot of opportunity for other outdoor activities, with Horse riding and walking on Parnitha and Ymmitos, watersports at numerous centres around the coast, and plenty of secluded coves for swimming and diving.

Eating out is almost a national pastime in Greece, so there are a huge number of restaurants and tavernas, serving wonderful food. There are also lots of bars to go to for that all important post ride drink…

There is even a Casino at the top of Mount Parnitha, served by a cable car which leaves from the north side of Athens!

- Climate

Attika tends to be cooler than the Greek islands in the height of Summer. You can expect good riding weather from March to November with temperatures rising to a maximum of 39 Celcius in July and August. December to February can be wet with sufficient depth of snow on the peaks for skiing.

- Season

From mid to late March to November. The best times for riding are March to June and September to November. Riding during July and August is feasible, but early starts and higher altitudes are preferable.

 

 

Cycling Facilities

 

- Local Bike Shops

Serkos Bikes, Kinetou 3, Monastiraki, Athens 210 3212 023

Bike sales (Ideal, Trek, GT, Field, Haro), spares (inc. Shimano and Hayes) and servicing.

 

- Bike Hire

Pame Volta - 23, Agathonos str.
Area: Ag. Paraskevi, Athens
Zip Code: 15343
Τelephone: +30 210...
Fax: +30 210 6722242
Email: info@pamevolta.gr

Pame Volta rent touring bikes and provide historical cycle tours around Athens.

- Mountain Bike Guides

www.epicmtbgreece.com

- Cycle — friendly accommodation

Typical accommodation in Attika ranges from Campsites to Self Catering Apartments, Hotels and B&Bs. All cycle friendly and to suit any pocket.

 

 

Transport Links:

 

Nearest Mainline Train Station

Athensis well served by mainline trains from Northern Greece, but there is not a comprehensive rail network covering Attika. There are, however, frequent buses providing the whole area with an inexpensive, reliable service.

Nearest Airport

Athens- Eleftherios Venizelos Airport

Nearest Ferry Port (if applicable)

Piraeus, plus many other small ports serving the islands