14 Lakes of Greece

Greece away from the islands entirely. Eight days from Athens, seven nights and around 1,175 miles through central and northern Greece, counting fourteen lakes and four national parks along the way.

Ancient Delphi opens the trip, the site the Greeks themselves considered the centre of the world, and then Lake Mornos leads down to Nafpaktos on the Gulf of Corinth. Lakes Trichonida and Evinos follow towards Karpenisi in the mountains, then Kremaston and Plastira to Neochori, and the roads through this part of the country are empty, winding and almost entirely unknown to visiting riders.

The north of the route is the genuinely remote part. The Tzoumerka National Park and Lake Pamvotida lead to Ioannina, then the Pindos National Park and the stone-built mountain village of Metsovo to Kastoria. Lake Prespa follows, shared between Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, with the monastery island of St Achilios reached across a causeway. The final run passes beneath Mount Olympus itself before returning to Athens by way of the Marathon tumulus.

EAGLERIDER supplies the motorcycle and books all seven nights, with route notes for each stage of the ride. Fuel, meals and insurance are arranged separately. One thing to resolve at booking: the operator’s package pricing on this tour is published in an order that does not match its other routes, so the per-person basis is worth confirming. For riders who want mountains, lakes and almost no traffic at all, mainland Greece is badly underrated, and this route goes straight through the best of it.