GUEST WEEKS

Penny

Many people arrive at Breakaway Greece (more women than men) and immediately say “I’m rubbish at hills”. Penny, this week was one of them. Last week she had gotten off her bike and walked up a hill in Surrey, but by the end of this week she had ridden over 5,000 metres uphill – the same as riding up Mount Ventoux 3 times.

And now she finds riding on the flat boring :)

Penny (like other guests before her) is leaving here physically knackered but having ridden further and higher than she ever has in her life.

 “I stumbled upon the Breakaway website when looking for a cycling holiday in Greece and can verify that the reality is even better than described here! 

Chris and Helen have cultivated the perfect retreat in one of the most beautiful, historic, and unspoilt parts of the world. Watching the sunrise over the sea from my balcony each morning, followed by a relaxed breakfast in a true home-away-from-home, set the tone for each day. The cycling was challenging but stunning, and the smooth road surface, friendly drivers, local coffee shops and authentic tavernas, not to mention the stop-offs at sites steeped in history and the promise of a dip in the sea and a kilo of wine at the end of the day, made every ride exceptionally rewarding. 

Chris and Helen have immersed themselves so well into the community that I rarely felt like a tourist. We were greeted by locals at every turn, and I was even handed a freshly picked orange by a motorcyclist to encourage me while climbing one of the steeper inclines on a hot afternoon. Evenings were spent in local tavernas, enjoying live music and hearing tales of Epidavros that matched the historic legends of the area. 

Other highlights include snorkelling the sunken city, walking through orange groves, shopping in Nafplio, and taking a break from cycling the Methana volcano by sitting in a natural jacuzzi overlooking the Aegean sea.

This is a retreat to rival the nearby ancient Sanctuary of Asklepios - stunning scenery, nourishing food, great entertainment and company, crystal waters, and unbelievably challenging yet rewarding cycling.  I will certainly be making more pilgrimages here in the years to come!”

Penny Brown