pedelon travels by eBike PEL OP O +++ Blood feuds, pirates and a blue lighthouse at the entrance to Hades +++ These trees doNNESE not tolerate a lesser sky, these stones refuse the strange step, this landscape is as hard as the silence (Jannis Ritsos) +++ Spartan double kings and war heroes in honey +++ The Divine, it is on the abyss +++ Rough as their nature is the story of the Mani +++ I do not want wreaths in the apron or red eggs in the basket, only justice for my son, the leader of the Maniots – stab to death all the Turks and burn their castle. (Death suit around 1780) +++ Holm oaks and oleanders, olive trees and scrub, withered by the summer sun +++ Byzantine power under Franconian walls +++ Where the mountains separate Laconia from Messenia, Zeus and Leda have fathered the Dioscuri +++ Mycenaeans , Dorians, Achaeans, Spartans, Macedonians, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines, crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans in the shadow of the defense towers +++ where oranges fl avor sausages and lemons belong in tomato sauces +++ Our tour through the Mani, the middle peninsula of the Peloponnese, in 7 days, a maximum of 10 people, two double overnights. Hotels ***** Gastronomy *** Culture **** E S E P O N N L O Nature ***** ! P E Sparta Kalamata Travel dates 2019 Mystras GPP1: Sunday, 31-mar-2019 to Sunday, 7-apr-2019 GPP2: Sunday, 7-apr-2019 to Sunday, 14-apr-2019 Arna GPP3: Sunday, 14-apr-2019 to Sunday, 21-apr-2019 Agios GPP4: Sunday, 6-oct-2019 to Sunday, 13-oct-2019 Nikolaos Gythio GPP5: Sunday, 13-oct-2019 to Sunday, 20-oct-2019 GPP6: Sunday, 20-oct-2019 to Sunday, 27-oct-2019 Areopoli by eBike Traveling price by bus Exo Nimfio Gerolimeras Price per person in the DR for 7 nights with half-board, eBike, 10 km entrance free, transfers, guided tours: 1890 € Vathia Single-room surcharge: 410 € Does not include lunch, drinks and your personal expenses as well as travelling there and back. Peloponnese 2019 pedelon. travels by eBike +49 (0)89 61466980 www.pedelon.com 1 pedelon travels by eBike Flight Destination airport Kalamata from/to Munich (as there are rarely flights, we have a fixed contingent of 10 seats/trip): 360 €/person Flights from other German airports or from airports in Austria or Switzerland on request. Car There are continuous motorway connections to Venice, Ancona or Bari. From there, there are ferries to Patras in the Peloponnese. From Munich you need between 24 and 36 hours driving time, including the ferry. Car parking is possible during the bike trip at Kalamata airport (80 € for 8 days). Participation conditions The arrangement contains the above services. Our terms and conditions apply. After the booking confirmation, the “pedelon travel information” is sent, which provides useful information regarding your travel to Kalamata or Mystras and other tips for the journey. Peloponnese 2019 pedelon. travels by eBike +49 (0)89 61466980 www.pedelon.com 2 pedelon travels by eBike PELOPONNESE With the eBike in an unrealistic realm of rocky bays, bare mountain pyramids, huge sea and glistening light. Endless expanses of rock, thorny deserts, olive groves in archaic solitude. The second southernmost mainland point in Europe, on historic routes to Cape Tenaro past monasteries, Frankish fortresses, Mycenaean tombs and picturesque harbor towns. Every little turn will surprise the traveler with a picturesque Byzantine chapel, a hidden waterfall or a secluded bay with a wonderful tavern. The Peloponnese transforms the astonished cyclist into a pilgrim, a traveler, an explorer. Best hotels in historical ruins, traditional cuisine in authentic taverns and restaurants. eBikes on the Peloponnese, the Mani, an unforgettable experience. Our guests will be picked up at Kalamata Airport on Sunday at dy at the beginning of the journey, here the prejudice is con- 4.30 pm. The Aegean Air fl ight leaves Munich at 12.40 pm and vincingly refuted that the Greek kitchen is rather monotonous. reaches without changing fl ights the economic center of the During the trip GPP5 the pedelon guests stay in the outstanding southern Peloponnese in the afternoon at 4.05 pm (Greece has Pyrgos de Mystra, a stylish mansion built in 1850, which today no summer time). Aegean Air is a member of the “star alliance” serves as a charming four-star hotel. and was voted with its modern fl eet to be the best European re- gional airline in 2017. 1st day, Monday: Mystras – Sparta – Mystras, 45 km After a rich breakfast with regional products such as mountain honey from the Taygetos massif and organic jam from the hotel’s own garden, the bicycles are adjusted in front of the hotel. With plenty of time, the pedelon eBike and its correct use are explained by our tour guides. In the “Mazaraki Guesthouse” the rooms are available as of 2.00 pm. The newly opened luxury guest house is located near Mys- tras and is a successful blend of historic buildings and modern design (swimming pool). If you want to stretch your feet befo- re dinner, you can walk 1.5 kilometers to a spectacular van- tage point with stunning views of the region and historic Mys- tras. For dinner with local specialties in the immediate vicinity, The fi rst day’s stage is short-lived, and after only a few minutes, you are invited to the excellent restaurant “Chromata”. Alrea- the entrance to Mystras, the famous Byzantine ruined city, is re- Peloponnese 2019 pedelon. travels by eBike +49 (0)89 61466980 www.pedelon.com 3 pedelon travels by eBike ached. Its story began with the construction of a hill fort by the area. Fir and black pine forests, apples and walnut trees thrive Frankish crusader Guillaume de Villehardouin in the 13th century. here at an elevation of 750 meters. A pleasant contrast to the The Frankish reign did not last long, Byzantine regained its pro- often barren, karst coast of the Mani. Completely traffic free and vinces, and Mystras became an important economic and spiritual mostly downhill are the last kilometers to the “Aliston Hotel”. The center of the Byzantine Empire. Numerous churches, chapels and comfortable and very tastefully decorated four-star house was monasteries are witnesses of this era. The end of this heyday born from the ruins of a former estate and is isolated in a large began with the Ottoman takeover and culminated with total de- olive plantation that belongs to the house and produces high-qua- struction during the Greek War of Independence in 1825. After a lity organic olive oil. Dinner will be in the very good restaurant of detailed visit, our ride will take us slightly downhill to Sparta. The the hotel. lively town can look back on a great past. In antiquity, it was the capital of the Laconia landscape and for centuries the strongest military power of ancient Greece. The Spartiates formed as elite 3rd day, Wednesday: Gythio – Gerolimenas, 78 km fighters the backbone of the Spartan army. Its military strength After breakfast, Gythio is reached in less than half an hour. In allowed Sparta to exert great influence on the fortunes of Gre- the small lively harbor town are many colorful fishing boats, and ece for a long time. Unfortunately, there are hardly any remai- the taverns around the bay are well visited throughout the day. ning remains to visit from this golden age, so that a short stay The octopus hung on dry linen hangers in the harbor are just as is enough to explore the well-preserved amphitheater and the typical a symbol of Gythio as the very well preserved ancient the- remains of the old center. After an hour of “cycling in” with the ater. Gythio can look back on an eventful history as a war port of corratec eBikes, around 1 pm a local tavern will be reached in a the Spartans. Later, the Romans used the place for their exports. small mountain village. For larger commercial or cruise ships, the bay is now unsuitable After lunch, it is two hours back to Mazaraki Guesthouse, mostly because of the depth, so that the port is now, besides small fer- on lonely streets in a hilly area with stunning views of the fertile ries, only used by fishing boats and private yachts. We continue plain of Lakonia. For dinner, you will meet in a restaurant well with the eBike, always in the immediate vicinity of the coast. The frequented by locals in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. traffic gets noticeably less – the further you follow the east coast of the Mani, the smaller the streets and the more magnificent the landscape. More and more residential towers – the landmarks 2nd day, Tuesday: Mystras – Gythio, 58 km of the Mani – meet the cyclist towards the southern tip of the peninsula. Some are up to 20 meters high, all with a square floor In the morning, Mystras is left on small back roads, olive groves and small picturesque villages are the constant companions at the foot of the Taygetos mountains. The name of this legendary ridge goes back to the ancient nymph Taygete, the daughter of the Atlas. The highest point of the Taygetos massif is the 2404-meter high Profitis Ilias. In the late morning, today’s bike tour makes a detour into the foothills of the mountains. A small, always uphill but easy to cycle road leads to small tranquil villages, hamlets that nestle like swallows’ nests on the mountain slopes. With the pedelon eBikes and a smaller gear, it is a pleasure to master this slope. In the small village of Arna, known for its ancient, protected plan, with a wall depth of up to 1.5 meters.