The very best of the Peloponnese
Routes & Information
“… Leonidio is not flat …”
6 options ideal for a week of cycling
Distance Elevation
Purple 116 km 2100m
Green 111 km 1800m
Yellow 104 km 2100m
Pink 88 km 1800m
Orange 60 km 1490m
Cyan 52 km 600m
Upon Arrival Shuttle & Cycling
Once you arrive we shuttle all the guests from the airport directly to Leonidio.
! Riding Option!
In case the flight lands early, we drop the riders off in the town of Nafplio and they cycle 90 km /750m all the way to Leonidio. Yes! Nobody should miss riding the first
Tsitalia – Fokianios Beach – Kiparissi – Pistamata – Poulithra
116km – 2200m
Leaving Leonidio and moving towards the beachside, the rider looks for a sing to Tsitalia. This one is written in Greek and the letters should look like “ΤΣΙΤΑΛΙΑ”. After a few meters the climb to Tsitalia begins and the rider should expect a 10km long effort, which will make him gain 620m. The climb’s scenery is stunning, with the road to be full of lovely switchbacks. The rugged views with the valley of Leonidio visible in the distant background, creates a unique atmosphere. Tsitalia is a very small village, with the number of its residents not to exceed the 60 persons, therefore expect that there is no rest point.
After the reaching the climb’s highest point, the rider cycles on a wonderful plateau until a road split, where he should go left. At some point, the road gets very narrow and goes by a couple of small villages. We remember that despite the fact of them being profoundly isolated, almost all gardens in house’s porches were very well maintained, with colorful flowers and plants of all kinds, being a perfect embellishment. Such a picturesque scenery that was, created within its own simplicity.
Right after cycling through those small villages, a marvelous descent gets the rider to the other side of the mountain, which faces East, towards the horizon of the Aegean sea. As the altitude decreases, the spectacular view of Fokianos beach with its turquoise waters captivates. Arriving at the beach, signals the end of the descent. It is quite funny to realise that despite the number of times we have covered that particular part, we cannot recall an instance where someone skipped having a coffee break at the cafe found there. We recommend all riders to do the same. A short swim might also be a tempting idea. We leave that to you.
Leaving Fokiano Beach and heading towards Kipparissi, requires the rider to cycle along the coastal road, on tarmac of excellent quality with absolutely no traffic. According to the feedback we get, this part is probably one of the best routes in Greece and, for many cyclists, the best in their life. We cannot find any solid arguments why this cannot be true.
We suggest that once the rider arrives in Kiparissi not to make an long stop there, ideally not stopping at all. On the contrary, we recommend to take advantage of the warmed up legs and cover the extremely steep part (spots with 16% incline) while getting out of the village. Later on, the climb gets smoother offering some stunning views of the rugged terrain; there are parts where the road literally passes under the mountain’s rock formations. The hilly part ends at the small village of Charakas, where you can find a small cafe to refill your bottles. In the case that is not open (maybe the owner has gone to collect his kids from the school 🙂 ) you can find water at the church, which is located a few meters further from the cafe; at the porch – look for a tap, the water is drinkable. Make sure that you have a lot of supplies, food and water, as on your way to Peleta, there is nothing that can offer any of those.
From the crossroad at Pistamata, a gentle hilly road, on excellent tarmac begins. The incline of around 2% – 4% profoundly allows plenty of room for casual talks, or even in depth, philosophical discussions to occur, without pauses for catching up with the breathing. We recall our memories about the laughter and the information we exchanged during our ride there. We were a small group of people and we learned a lot about sports, cooking and oil industry (!). But enough with our blurb now 🙂
Next stop is the Village of Peleta. Right next to the village’s main church there is a small cafe, owned by kind and nice people, where riders can refill their bottles or enjoy a short break. From Peleta Village is only downhill towards the seaside, where you find the village of Poulithra.
111 km / 1800 m
That’s the last ride. 100+ km for you to enjoy those great mountains around the Leonidio region and a stunning village built around a small waterfall. A great complete ride.
Dinner Meal: organized by GrCycling
Poulithra – Kounoupia – Mari – Geraki – Kosmas – Moni Elonis
104 km / 2100m
The route begins with a calming segment, on the coastal road until the village of Poulithra. This is where the first climbing part begins. It is 4.8km long with a total elevation gain of 480m with is first part (500m) being quite steep. The climb offers some seriously stunning sea views intermingled with the ones of the mountain mass around.
At the end of the climb, and after cycling on a plateau, riders pass by the village of Peleta. Right next to the village’s main church there is a small cafe, owned by kind and nice people, where riders can refill their bottles or enjoy a short break.
The ride along the plateau continues for appox. 8 km more. The scenery now is completely changed and the air has become a bit thinner. Later on, a 4 km climb will get the riders 220m higher. The climbing part ends further higher from Kounoupia village without the rider necessarily getting in the village. From there, a joyful descent begins, with the landscape changing once more. Just before descending to the village of Geraki, the rider needs to gain 200m of additional elevation. We suggest to keep the excitement at relatively low levels, since the biggest climbing load of the route has yet to come.
In Geraki, we recommend a stop at the cafe located at the central square. From there, someone can have a great overview of the valley. Soon after the riders leave from Geraki, a 13.5 km long coupled with 900 m or evelavation, will demand a serious effort. One more time and while the altitude increases, the short bushes give their place to spruce trees and once the chilly mountain breeze becomes noticeable, it signals the end of the climb and the arrival at the village of Kosmas.
From there, it is mainly downhill. For the ones who feel that there is still power at their legs, this descent welcomes a faster than just the gravity’s pace, all the way to Leonidio.
Kosmas – Platanaki – Gorge Argiogitiko – Moni Elonis
88km / 1800 m
The ride begins with a 30km long climb towards the village of Kosmas. The elevation gain is approximately 1150m, but due to the long distance, the total incline is on average very pleasant and doable, without pushing the riders to their limits. It will only require from the riders to adopt a steady, comfortable pace, that will also allow all to watch the wonderful surrounding unfolding right in front of their eyes. The climb follows the main river of Leonidio. A constantly winding road gets the riders to the other side of the mountain, where the vegetation and landscape is totally different; from the “typical” reddish, steep rock formations along the river’s banks to a wonderful plateau of spruce trees and thinner air. A coffee break at the Kosmas village’s square is something that comes naturally, no cyclist should resist.
From Kosmas the scenery get completely wild. The road gets significantly narrower and changes character. A series of short, hilly parts gets the riders through the forest and running waters, plateaus and cliff edges. The way and the pace the surrounding landscape changes, had us fascinated and excited. All riders should consider making a stop to the remote village of Agios Vasilios. There is only one traditional cafe, where you can enjoy a coffee break – we believe that talking with the owner in english will not be effective, In that case you stick to hand gestures and say “greek coffee sketo” 🙂 . We also recommend having a short walk in the village and refill the water bottles from its springs of mineral water.
Descending back, and riding along the Agiorgitiko Gorge, is a thrilling experience. Perfect switchbacks, gentle incline, which allows riders to push for more, and amazing views are some of the highlights of this descent.
Note: Looking at the map it is quite obvious that Kosmas and Platanaki is connected with another part of the road network, which unfortunately does not offer the best road conditions. It is a stunningly beautiful road, however riders should remain cautious while covering this part of the forest. We had covered the same with our Roubaix’s using 28mm tyres. It was great!
The Beauty and the Beast
60 km – 1490 m
What a beautiful ride! When first rode on those roads, we have never expected such beauty to be revealed in front of us. The route starts straight from the centre of Leonidio and the riders gain 900m of elevation in 14km. It is demanding, yes! After reaching the peak and once the descent begins, the riders can pay a short visit to the village of Vaskina. In the village’s centre (as the gpx trace indicates), riders can refill their bottles, or even enjoy a short meal, at a small traditional taverna. Important: the taverna is open only from late spring until mid autumn and we cannot guarantee that the owners keep that open every day.
Later on the tarmac ends and the riders have to cover 3-4 km of nicely preserve gravel road. This section of the route raises no safety issues, since the gravel road is very solid, although, in parts, a bit bumpy. Once the gravel part ends, the route continues on a cement road, which will get the riders at an altitude of 950m. That is the highest point, which signals that the rest of the way to Tyros Village, is only a superb downhill. Riders should remain extremely vigilant until the end of this particular descent, since the road has a significant amount of potholes and it is very steep (-22% during some curves). Riders should make sure that their braking system works seamlessly (especially disc brakes) since they will be under extreme load.
At Tyros village riders can enjoy a coffee break at the village’s beach side – Cafe Petra – stays open throughout all year). For the ones who want to enjoy a superb meal, look no further and trust the menu, containing normally fresh fish and traditional “meze” at Akrogiali taverna .
The beauty and the beast: Why the route is named like this? This stunning circle route can be also ridden the other way around. The beginning of the route will be the ideal warm up, whereas after Tyros the climbing is steep…. very! Riding up will require a tremendous effort and focus, as getting off the pedals is not always a options mainly due to the high inclines. That is the BEAST. All the rest is just the beauty. 🙂
Leonidio – Paralio Astros – Leonidio
2 x 52 km / 2 x 600 m
We ride along the coastal road, towards the scenic little town of Paralio Astros. The road requires from the riders to cover multiple segment of power hills. It is a fast route with great views and occasionally a short sprid would be the only thing needed to get to the end of hill. At Paralio Astros, there are plenty of cafes by the promenade. If the weather is good, get into the water without thinking it twice.
Lunch Meals in Leonidio – Please read
The majority of the restaurants do not offer lunch. We understand that this can be frustrating, however, we like it that way. The business owners, normally actively engaged in serving or cooking the food, they do appreciate their time with their families, resulting them to start all the preparations for the day, during late afternoon hours. There are a few businesses that offer lunch options and you can find all about them below.
Mitropoli – map
Tel: +30 2757 029115
Overview: Traditional food made out of the best ingredients. Everything is handmade and this is the place where the locals go to taste some authentic recipes. The owner, known as Dimitris, is the guy that serves the food and he is there to welcome everyone. If the place is busy he might not be as talkative, but this doesn’t mean that you are going to be neglected. Try the green pie, the veal in red sauce and the salads.
Mouria – map
Tel: +30 2757 023292
Overview: One of the oldest tavernas in the area. The owner and cook, is in the business for the last 25 or so years. He doesn’t trust anyone else with the cooking and he i am very particular about the ingredients he uses in his recipes. Try the “Papoutsakia” a traditional plate with eggplant and meat. Yummy!
En Leonidio Pizza n Pasta – map
Tel: +30 2757 022068
Overview: Did that place just come out of a fairytale or what? The restaurant’s old wooden shelves are embellished with items used by the locals at least three generations ago. It resembles a warm and welcoming museum, but that wouldn’t be enough to claim a place in our article 🙂 The food here is simply amazing. The pizzas Kostas prepares are placed on a traditional ceramic owen, heated up with wooden. It is not a simply thing to make a pizza perfect but Kostas succeeds every time. Try also the pasta; huge portions, great taste and quality – do not afraid to order yours al dente.
Myrtoon – map
Tel: +30 2757 051339
Overview: Probably the best dining option in the region. Even though it is located a bit far away from the centre of Leonidio it worths you getting there and enjoy the sea view. We have personally interviewed the owner, mrs Manesis, and we found his standards very high. Those are completely in line with the exceptional food served here and with the reputation the business has among the locals. Do not miss trying the Greek Pasta with fish (Kritharoto). Lunch is also served here.
Prynateio – map
Tel: +30 2757 023150
Overview: Traditional flavours with modern touches and great atmosphere. We liked the salads and the great variety in appetizers. We strongly recommend to fill your table with small plates and share all the tastes. You will be greatly rewarded 🙂
Traditional Cafe Aigli – map
Tel: no phone, but who needs that
Overview: This is a lovely cafe in the centre of Leonidio. Here, you can get a very good idea on how the locals socialise, by drinking their coffee or tsipouro while sharing the news. It is a great option to have a light meal, try their Ntakos Salad, and relax. We normally visit this place right after the ride, to enjoy a few small dishes and drink a beer… or two.
Off the bike?
What else to do in Leonidio
Apart from the great cycling, Leonidi offers a few great experiences you can enjoy during your off-the-saddle time or on your rest days. Below you may find the things that we loved in Leonidio.
Pyrgos Trikalioti (1808): Mr. Tsikaliotis managed to set up a successful business in Trieste, but he didn’t forget his origins. When he returned back to Leonidio, while being part of a secret society, which helped the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire, he had reasons to believe that his life was at stake, or that there were people who were planning to steal from his great fortune. That made him build a phenomenally traditional house, however, it was severely fortified with a number of intelligent tweaks that could keep looters of that time away.
Mrs. Eygenia, the guide of the building, will make sure to provide you with all the information you will need to appreciate the stories behind that special fortified design. There is no cost for this tour and you can book it simply by contacting your hotel’s reception.
Farmer Women’s Association: Someone can easily spot their kiosk with some for the tastiest traditional and most premium homemade products, by the banks of the river at the main bridge (map). Everything here is made by true passion and loyalty to the traditional ways of cooking and preparing those delicacies. The initiative was taken up by 60 women 20 years ago. Since then, the total number of the Association’s members has significantly decreased to 7, which puts a tremendous pressure on the projects prospects. During our time in Leonidio, we had the chance to try pretty much everything those women make. There are also some seriously good cycling snacks there. 🙂 Always feels nice while supporting them.
Weaving: Did you know that there is special weaving technique, which is the same for the last 300 – 400 years? In those times, when shopping malls and cheap fashion still were concepts that seemed impossible, women used to hold bags for moving around their village with their vegetables, their bread or any other kind of personal belongings when attending a social occasion. It was part of the tradition that each woman should weave her own bag. Therefore, and following this special technique, those bags where not only extremely durable, but they were following a colorful pattern, making each bag look differently. Being practical doesn’t mean sacrificing being unique and colorful 🙂 A young lady’s engagement would signal the beginning of an enormous weaving project. She, with the help of other, frequently older women, had to prepare a whole carpet. The longer the carpet and the more complex the drawing pattern was, the more the lady was appreciated by the villagers and the more the blessings were for the couple’s prosperity. Those artworks could reach being more that 5m long (50kg). Today, even by looking at them, it is hard to believe how they managed to make them without any mistakes. Ask your hotel to tell when a local volunteer can show you around those masterpieces.
Monastery of St Nicholas Sintzas (map): An easy, uphill hiking path (also accessible by car) on the southern part of Leonidio, will take you out of the town, to a fabulous olive tree farm. Later on, the path gets a bit steeper, with the first panoramic, wonderful views of Leonidio getting all the attention. The end of the road is where the monastery is located. There is only one female monk, who is taking care of the whole monastery, therefore do not forget to bring her some food or provisions on your way there. She is very kind and her honest, welcoming smile made our hearts warm and loving. Note: She is at the monastery from Greek Easter until the end of October.
Greek Coffee Roasting: While walking in the main road of Leonidio, jump in the mini market of Mr. Ilias, called Cava and found on the main steep (map), and ask him when he plans to roast coffee beans and prepare the famous Greek coffee. The roasting process must be slow and gradual so that the coffee beans realise their unique scent in the air around the mt. Ilias grocery store.
Handmade Cookies: The famous pizzaria of Leonidio (In Leonidio) occasionally hosts mrs. Maria who, using the traditional oven heated by pieces of wood, makes some extremely delicious cookies. The way she prepares the dough is gentle and soft. She takes care that the baking is not too much, so that the cookies are burned, or too short which makes the cookies soft. That might sound like an easy task, however, doing so in a wood oven has some serious challenges. With her smile and years of experience, she makes sure all cookies are perfect every time.
Olive Oil Production: Just 15 minutes on foot, heading from the centre of Leonidio to the beach side, you can visit a small, but quite modern, olive oil production facility. If it happens you to be there from November to January, paying a visit to the facility is something you shouldn’t miss. You will witness families coming for from the villages close by, to patiently wait for the moment to taste the oil olive oil produced by their own olives. They usually bring a few tomatoes, fresh bread, homemade cheese and “tsipouro” (oh yes! you are going to love that) to celebrate the year’s production. Everyone is welcome, as long as all drink the tsipouro! You may also purchase bottles of fresh olive oil. Ask the owner.
The farming zone: Leonidio has a very particular morphology. Even though it is located very close to the sea, the soil is extremely fertile, resulting in an a extremely active agricultural production. Here, the Tsakonian Eggplant, a unique variety of Eggplant, tastes significantly sweeter and it has a better, more filling taste. Due to mild temperatures all year long, there is significant production of tomatoes and lettuce. Hiking through the farm zones of Leonidio, you cannot miss the endless fields of orange and lemon trees. Shall you spot any farmers, do not hesitate to greet them and ask questions on their farming ways. You may also purchase some on their products at very attractive prices, while being ULTIMATELY fresh!
Beach Time: There are 4 spectacular beaches in close proximity to Leonidio. You may click on the url below to see where they are located
Why cycling in Leonidio
What makes Leonidio special and why we, being cyclists, we recommend this particular region of the Peloponnese to the rest of the cycling community?
- authenticity, away from mass tourism
- routes in abundance
- landscapes
- quiet roads & no traffic
- mild temperatures
- good food with many & great options
- rich cultural elements
Photo Gallery
