Deluxe ship Erato
The elegant motor sailer Erato, painted in Bordeaux red, offers an ideal base for your journey by bike and boat in Greece with its comfortable and luxurious furnishings. The 6 teak-lined cabins with ground-level beds are 10-12m² in size and are located below deck. They are equipped with shower/WC,
air conditioning and hairdryer. In the outside area of the ship you will find enough seating and sunbathing places to end the day comfortably and relaxed. Or perhaps you would prefer to start the evening in the salon before the friendly crew spoils you with typical Greek food?
Tour
Individual arrival in Athens and transfer to the marina Marina Zeas (Thalassa) or Marina Alimnos/Palaia Faliro (Erato), which is part of Piraeus and approx. 25 km from the airport. Check-in from 14:00. Dinner on board and overnight in Athens.
In the morning you cross over to the island of Poros. Before you dock in the island capital of the same name, make a bathing stop with the ship. In the afternoon you cycle almost completely around the island. Just before your tour ends, you'll arrive at Russian Bay, where you'll have the opportunity for a swim in the sea. In the enchanting port of Poros town with its clock tower towering over all the buildings, you can end the day in a typically Greek atmosphere.
In the morning you take a small car ferry from Poros to Galatas in the Peloponnese. A panoramic tour takes you through fertile agricultural land to the small coastal town of Ermioni. Back on board the Thalassa, enjoy lunch and a crossing to Porto Heli. If the weather conditions are good, you can take a long bathing break along the way.
In the morning you cross over to the island of Spetses and start with a long swimming break in a picturesque bay. Before lunch, stroll through the pretty streets of the old town. On the "Island of Spices" as Spetses was already called by the Venetians, you cycle along an almost car-free panoramic road with the most beautiful views of the turquoise blue sea. In between you always have time for longer bathing and coffee breaks. After the bike tour, explore the old port by bike before boarding the ship again.
In the morning, drive to Hydra Island in two hours. Donkeys are the only means of transport on the car-free island. After the film "The Boy on the Dolphin" was shot on the island in 1957, it became an artists' Mecca. Explore the port on foot and then continue to the Methana Peninsula. You will immediately notice the volcanic origin because the air is full of the smell of sulphur. The peninsula is characterized by more than 30 volcanoes and thermal springs, some of which are still active and some of which are also used medicinally. In the late afternoon you go on a bike tour with beautiful panoramic views and a relaxing coffee break in the picturesque fishing port of Vathy.
After breakfast you take another bike tour on Methana and then cross over to Aegina in the afternoon. The island of Aegina is famous for its very good pistachios. In the old town of Aegina you can buy all kinds of pistachio products while strolling through the lively streets. Alternatively, you can embark on a bike ride along the coast to the fishing village of Perdika.
Today's bike tour takes you to the sanctuary of the goddess Aphaia. The very well preserved temple towers high above the sea. From here you have a fantastic view of the Aegean Sea. On the way back via the pistachio island you will cycle past the monastery of Saint Nektarios to Aegina town. Here you board the Thalassa again, where you are already awaited for the last crossing of the journey with a final evening.
After breakfast, your beautiful bike and boat trip ends with disembarkation at 9:00 a.m.
Any necessary changes to the itinerary due to wind, weather and nautical peculiarities are reserved to the skipper as captain of the ship!
map
Prices / Dates
Services/Infos
- 8-day cruise on a crewed motor yacht
- 7 nights in a double cabin below deck with shower/toilet
- 2 x full board and 5 x half board on board
- Guided bike tours and visits according to the programme
- Overview maps for the individual cycling stages on board
- Entrance fees for museums and archaeological sites visited together
- Bottled drinking water on board and during all activities ashore (2024)
- bed linen and towels
- German and English speaking tour guide
Below you will find specific information about the trip Peloponnese & Saronic Islands: Bike & Boat with the deluxe ship Thalassa. If you have any further questions about this trip, simply give us a call: Tel.: +49 (0)6421 - 886890.
Arrival by plane
Arriving by plane is the fastest, cheapest and most comfortable way to get to Greece. There are flight connections to Athens from many airports in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Athens Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) is approximately 25 km from the port of Piraeus, the start and end point of the trip.
When booking your flight, please choose a return flight that departs in the midday or afternoon, if possible, to ensure a stress-free return trip to Germany. You can research and book flight offers, for example, at www.opodo.com, www.skyscanner.de.
We are happy to organize a transfer for you from the airport to the ship and back to the airport or a hotel in Athens on the day of disembarkation. Price on request.
Port of Embarkation Athens (Marina Zeas/Piraeus)
If you arrive by car, rent a car in Greece or organize your own transfer to the port after the flight, here is the information about the port of embarkation:
Your port of embarkation is Marina Ueas, which is part of the Athens port of Piraeus. As a rule, your ship docks here in the part of the marina called pasa Limani. You can check in on board from 2 p.m. on the day of embarkation.
Requirements
The cycling stages require participants to have a certain level of fitness, which should be acquired through regular cycling. The daily stages of 17 to 40 km and 400 to 700 vertical meters per day lead partly through hilly and mountainous terrain. Longer inclines are also driven, but pushing is definitely allowed. The roads are mostly paved.
This tour is primarily designed as a guided group tour. After prior consultation with our tour guides and the selection of a suitable route, nothing stands in the way of individual cycling. Instead of a bike tour, you can spend half a day or a whole day on the ship at any time.
On a trekking bike tour, the guided group pace is based on the trekking bikers. If you rent an e-bike on a trekking tour, you are asked to be considerate of those who ride without electronic support. Thank you for your understanding.
Available rental bikes
There are unisex electric bikes with 11-speed derailleur gears and a low step-through step, or somewhat sportier unisex 9-speed hybrid e-bikes with a slightly higher step-through step.
The bikes are each equipped with an Ortlieb pannier
Helmet obligation
Helmets are compulsory on the bike tours. Please bring your own well-fitting helmet. A limited number of rental helmets are available (reservation required).
Catering
The accompanying cook prepares the extensive breakfast and one or two warm meals daily. Boarding begins on the day of arrival with dinner and ends on the day of disembarkation with breakfast.
Children
Basically, we are of the opinion that only children with good stamina and a minimum age of 10 years can complete the bike tours on their own. Please note that we can only provide trekking rental bikes from a height of 1.30 m and rental e-bikes from a height of 1.50 m.
Changes
Due to different wind and weather conditions as well as organizational needs, we reserve the right to change the route.
Taking your own e-bikes with you
It is not possible to take your own e-bike with you due to safety regulations on the ships and to protect the health of the tour guide. If you would like to ride an e-bike, we are happy to offer it to you for booking.
Passport and visa requirements
For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.
Travel insurance
The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.
Velociped can withdraw from the tour twenty-one days before the starting date of the tour, at the latest, in case the minimum number of participants stated under the tour description is not attained. You will duly be informed without any delay in case of a withdrawal. Velociped will of course refund the paid tour price immediately. Please note our General Terms and Conditions.
I provide you with advice and assistance
Anja Benndorf