pedelon travels by eBike C R ET

+++E has the beauties of the whole world, therefore the Cretan moon is the most beautiful +++ hundreds of thousands of years of human creation surrounded by the sea +++ eggs and lemons in soups and sauces +++ this Cretan landscape resembled a good prose: clear-cut, sober, free of overload, strong and restrained (Nikos Kazantzakis) +++ Minoans, Mycenaeans, Byzantines, Saracens, Venetians, Ottomans formed ‘s largest island +++ conscientious objectors in Stone Age caves +++ love, hope, sadness, exile, war and blood revenge rhyme for half a millennium to the lyre +++ spring always prevails in Crete, because the earth was poured with the blood of those who fought for freedom +++ Crete is music for me! (Mikis Theodorakis) +++ there quickly brought her son to Lyktos by black night, embraced him and hid him in deep cave () +++ snails in oil and small shoes +++

Our tour through the east of Crete in 7 days, max. 14 people, two double overnight stays.

Hotels  Gastronomy  C R E T A N S E A Culture  Nature  !

Rethymno Malia M O U N Agios T I D A Travel dates 201 Lasithi Nikolaos

E E N GKR1: Saturday, 27-mar to Saturday, 03-apr-2021 - E B S E S S A R A U N T A I N M T I M O GKR2: Saturday, 03-apr to Saturday, 10-apr-2021 D I K by eBike Kapetaniana GKR3: Saturday, 10-apr to Saturday, 17-apr-2021 by bus Lendas GKR4: Sunday, 10-oct to Sunday, 17-oct-2021 L I B Y GKR5: Sunday, 17-oct to Sunday, 24-oct-2021 20 km A N S E GKR6: Sunday, 24-oct to Sunday, 31-oct-2021 A

Traveling price 2021 Price per person in the DR for 7 nights with half-board, eBike, entrance free, transfers, guided tours: 1930 € Single-room surcharge: 420 € Does not include lunch, drinks and your personal expenses as well as travelling there and back.

Crete 2021 pedelon. travels by eBike +49 (0)89 61466980 www.pedelon.com 1 pedelon travels by eBike

Flight Booked by you or on request at daily updated prices by pedelon. The destination airport for arrival and departure is Heraklion.

Car There are motorways that lead all the way to Venice, Ancona or Bari, where the ferries depart to Patras on the Peloponnese. From there, it is a two hours‘ drive to Piraeus and nine hours by ship to Heraklion. The journey from Munich is between 36 and 47 hours, including the two ferries. All in all, this is a rather tedious journey. Surely, it would be more sensible to rent a car, which is rarely more than 120 € per week in Greece, to explore Crete before or after the trip.

Train The best connection leads via Munich, Budapest, Belgrade and Thessaloniki to Athens (about 1,500 km) and from there continue by ferry - a multi-day variant, which should be reserved for passionate train travelers. Further information in specialized travel agencies or under www.bahn.de.

Participation conditions The arrangement contains the above services. Our terms and conditions apply.

With your booking confirmation, you will receive the “pedelon travel information”, which contains useful notes on traveling to Heraklion and other advice around your trip.

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A special eBike trip on the southern edge of the Aegean: windingCRETE trails, picturesque coastal roads, lush olive groves, rugged canyons, high mountain peaks and wide views of the deep blue sea make each of their stages a unique experience. Crete is full of testimonies of Minoan and Mycenaean culture, the cyclist encounters everywhere traces of a moving, fascinating history on his way through the east of the island. The hospitable, warm-hearted population, the traditional cuisine of the local taverns and very good hotels round off the picture of a wonderful pedelon eBike trip.

Our guests will be collected at the airport of Heraklion between 1st day: Heraklion/Analipsi – Sitia, 68 km 5:30 and 6:30 pm on Saturday (end of March and April) and on After breakfast, the escort bus takes the cyclists to the Lasithi Sunday (October). Many fl ights to Greece or Crete are operated by plateau, also called the valley of a thousand windmills, in about the modern fl eet of the Greek airline „Aegean Air“, a member of 40 minutes. After the adjustment of the bikes, the bike route leads „Star Alliance“. It was named the best European regional airline in 2017. Guests who arrive in Heraklion earlier can reach the hotel by taxi in about 20 min. This costs about EUR 35. The „Elysium Boutique Hotel“ allows access to its rooms from 3 pm onwards. The recently opened luxury hotel is located right by

at 800 m above sea level, embedded between more than 2000 m high , over fi elds and meadows always in the fl at to the sea, near Heraklion. With its modern design, it is a very speci- Moni Vldianis. This monastery invites you to visit because of its al inn that stands out architecturally from other resort hotels along history and equipment and gives fi rst insights into the deep religi- the coast, as well as boasting a swimming pool. If you want to go ousness of the Cretans. After a visit, we cycle between pictures- for a walk before dinner, you can take a stroll along the beach que mills, apple and pear trees to the fi rst lunch tavern of the trip. and go for your fi rst swim in the Cretan sea. For the fi rst common Not far from the stalactite cave of Psychro, where, according to Diner one meets not far from the hotel plant in a tavern typical for the myth, , the father of the gods, was nourished as a small country, which is led for several generations by the same family child by the goat Ámaltheia, the pedelon cyclists of Manoli await with much commitment. Here the guest is offered still best tradi- local specialties. A visit to the cave itself is not very rewarding and tional Greek kitchen. would also be associated with an arduous hike.

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After the lunch break, we will leave the plateau and, with a view lunch break and a cycling stage of about one hour you will reach of the Gulf of Mirambello, the bikes will roll downhill on the „Old the monastery of Tolploú. When you approach the complex, the Road“ towards Agios Nikolaos. Before reaching the tourist center abbey with its thick and high walls looks defensively like a medie- in the east of the island, the tour turns south and leads along quiet val castle, almost repellent. Here in this lonely rocky desert, this little roads on the flank of the Massif towards Istro, which is sacred building seems to be a last outpost of civilization. Inside, located directly on the Cretan Sea. Some picturesque places are the visitor is surprised by one of the most beautiful courtyards on the way to today‘s destination. For example Kritsa, a place of the island and in the two nave interior he can admire one of the most magnificent iconostases of Crete. The monks have been self-sufficient for a long time and still today there is intensive ag- riculture, especially olive oil production. In a small store the own products are sold. With fabulous views of the Libyan Sea, we then take a some- what busier road back to Sitia to the Beach City Resort Hotel. For guests who prefer to bridge these kilometers with the escort bus, the pedelon escort driver is available. Dinner in a very good restaurant outside, with a nice terrace di- rectly at the sea.

3rd day: Sitia – Koutsounári, 64 km In the morning after breakfast the pedelon cyclists leave Sitia on with many narrow picturesque streets where local products and quiet side roads towards the south coast. Today we have to cross traditional handicrafts are offered, or the small Kroústas with its a mountain range again - with the eBikes in the morning fresh- picturesque postcard architecture. From Ístro we will bridge with ness rather pleasure than challenge. Soon the height is reached our escort bus a region of Crete, which is rather unsuitable for with a wonderful first view of the Libyan Sea on one side and the our kind of travel due to the topography and the many tourists. Cretan Sea on the other. In the gentle downhill at the foot of the After about an hour we reach Sitia and thus our hostel for the Orno and Thripiti massif with the 1426 m high Aféndis Stavromé- next two nights. The „Sitia Bach City Resort & Spa“ is the best nos, a picturesque change of vegetation takes place in front of the hotel on the site and with its very comfortable rooms ideal for staying here twice. In the evening we have dinner in a very good fish restaurant not far from the busy port, less than ten minutes walk from the hotel.

2nd day: round trip Sitia, 71 km After a first-class breakfast, one of the most beautiful bicycle rou- tes through the far east of Crete awaits you today. Between the mountains, a hardly used side road winds through endless olive groves and picturesque villages to the barren and rugged Arme-

cyclist: sparse maquis and olive tree plantations are replaced by chestnut trees, Aleppo pines and mighty plane trees. At lunchtime we stop at the small picturesque village of Stavrochori to visit this pretty village, which was founded by the inhabitants of the Koutsoura region to protect themselves from the attacks of the corsairs. During the summer months, both locals and visitors from all over the world come here to enjoy a walk in the picturesque nochantrades plateau. With the powerful pedelon eBikes, you can alleys and taste the traditionally prepared specialties in the village also cycle relaxed on the somewhat longer ascent through the square in the shade of the plane tree. The Chapel of St. Constan- magnificent landscape. In Ardravasti, the only village far and wide, tine, with flowers and lush greenery sprawling on its façade, is an you can take a well-deserved break in a rustic tavern. After the attraction for believers and nature lovers.

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The last 20 kilometers of the day are particularly scenic - a small 5th day: round trip Kapetaniana, 52 km mountain road, which always offers magnificent views of the Li- After breakfast on the terrace with a breathtaking panoramic view byan Sea, is our guide all the way to Koutsounàri, today‘s stage of the Libyan Sea, a short transfer takes you down to Loúika and destination. The cyclists are expected at the excellent „Kakkos further by eBike across the Messara Plain to Apesokari. The strik- Beach“, a hotel with modern design and all comfort. Dinner in a ing, barren and fascinating landscape of the foothills of the Aste- restaurant with a beautiful terrace on the beach. rousia Mountains determines from here today‘s stage. The lonely mountain landscape seems endless and you hardly meet a soul. A 4th day: Koutsounári – Kapetaniana, 64 km longer, but easy to cycle ascent ends at a ridge road, which offers Today the day starts with a transfer of about half an hour to esca- wonderful views as far as the Mesara Bay. No less breathtaking pe the hustle and bustle around the town of Ierapetra and a few is the leisurely descent to Lendas. From up here, one seems to annoying climbs. The southernmost city of Europe with its noisy have a glimpse of the Libyan coast on the horizon, the silhouette streets and alleys and its crouching architecture clearly shows of Gávdos, an island off the coast of Crete, is clearly visible. In the its proximity to the Orient. After taking over the bikes, the tour early afternoon we reach Léntas, a colorful oasis in the overpow- continues in a slight downhill to the south coast. ering sea of rocks. There are only a handful of houses that have settled around the „Weeping Lion“, seeking shelter. Legend has it that when Crete separated from Africa, a lion missed the jump and turned to stone from sheer sorrow.

The following cycling stage always stays close to the coast, with The local beach offers a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Here Aléx- many beautiful viewpoints of the Libyan Sea. Fruit and vegetable sis Zórbas and his wife Eleni already bathed naked in 1924 under plantations and sleepy fishing ports line the way. In the small port great attention. Lunch is served in a wonderful tavern a little later of Tsousouros we have a light lunch before the tour starts through before we ride our pedelon eBikes back to the Thalori Retreat the Asterousia Mountains, the southernmost mountain range in Hotel on a hilly route with magnificent views of the Psiloritis, the Europe. The rugged beauty of the region is impressive. Steep gor- highest mountain on Crete (2,456 m). After a day full of impressi- ges, caves and slopes on the south side of the mountains with ons, we have a second delicious dinner at the hotel. sparse vegetation form an impressive scenery here. After 400 meters of altitude difference, which can be overcome either with 6th day: Kapetaniana - Heraklion, 68 km the eBikes in comfortable mountain mode or with the help of the It is with a heavy heart that one leaves Kapetaniana in the mor- escort bus, the Messará Plain is reached. It is 40 km long and up ning, a place to which one should actually return. The fertile Mes- to 12 km wide, countless olive trees and small white villages do- plain is crossed by e-bike, and endless olive, pomegranate minate the picture. Only a few short ascents and wonderful views and orange trees are your companions on the tour to Heraklion in over the plateau and the adjacent mountains make cycling here the morning. Around noon, the lonely bike route winds its way bet- a special pleasure. In Loúika, the destination of today‘s stage, ween the impressive Ida and Dikti Mountains through intensively our escort bus and the hotel‘s Landrover will take the guests in a used landscapes and extensive wine growing areas. Only here the quarter of an hour drive up to Kapetaniana, an idyllic mountain vil- white, sun-blessed grape Kotsifali is cultivated. It is used for the lage, where the rooms are spread over several carefully restored strong, varietal wine of the same name, known for its strong aro- houses. The „Thalori Retreat Hotel“ is a successful combination mas. In a tavern situated in a small valley, which is visited exclu- of traditional hotel business and modern comfort (double night & sively by locals, one can enjoy the Cretan lunch for the last time. swimming pool). In the very good restaurant you can enjoy Cretan Shortly before the day‘s destination the most famous excavation cuisine, which is prepared with passion and fresh ingredients of of Crete is visited. In Knossos, which unfortunately is visited by the region. many tourists, the ruins of the Minoan palace are explained under

Crete 2021 pedelon. travels by eBike +49 (0)89 61466980 www.pedelon.com 5 pedelon travels by eBike expert guidance. If several cruise ships have docked in Heraklion and more than 20 buses are waiting for a visit, it makes no sense to explore this famous excavation. Due to the traffic density in and around Heraklion we will cover the last kilometers by the escort bus and if necessary by cabs.

In the early evening pedelon guests are welcomed by the first class GDM Megaron Hotel not far from the port of Heraklion. The last evening is celebrated in a hidden restaurant with a beautiful courtyard and warm service, the best moment to review this won- derful journey.

7th day: departure After breakfast with a view of the Cretan Sea, our guests are picked up by a local guide who proudly presents the most interes- ting and beautiful places of his city on a 1.5-hour city tour. Back at the hotel, a pedelon eBike trip full of impressions ends. From here it is only a few minutes to the airport, all flight connections are easily reached.

Or you can stay a few more days on this wonderful island and explore for example the equally interesting western part of Crete? In the pedelon travel information for this trip we have collected many tips for an additional stay.

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