Route advice needed UK to Greece

[Tonibe63]

I'm currently trying to piece together a 3 week trip from UK to Greece starting out Mid September and after some help from a couple of forum members (thumbs) I've got a rough route down to Kotor Bay Montenegro.



Now I need some advice of places to visit/must see views/Mountains/Pass's/Gorges etc etc between Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Greece.
Please post anything at all for me to do some further research on as this is an area I know nothing about.
At the end of the 3 weeks my Wife is going to grab a flight back home whilst I find a way back on my own hmy: :unsure: .
This is potentially a 'once in a lifetime' trip and outside my comfort zone so any help will be much appreciated

Thanks, Tony

[SteveW]

Great route so far buddy. Just a though about your solo return leg. I've used the ferry from Ingumenitsa(?) Greece to Venice in the past. It's 24 hours and like a mini cruise really, ideal if you fancy a break from the bike for a day.

[Tonibe63]

Thanks for the suggestion Steve (thumbs) .
Ideally I would like to go East via Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary etc but it will be 2nd week of October by then so will very much depend on the weather or more specifically snow blocking the Pass's :unsure: .

[Barnman]

Hi Tony

Two of us are catching the Ferry from Ancona, arriving in Igoumenitsa on the 20 Sept. We will then be finding the trails in Albania. Working our way up through Greece, Albania, etc up to Split or Zadar over 3 weeks, where we will catch a ferry back to Italy

Sources of inspiration have been;

Louisdut of the parish - Ottoman Trail
Off-road Touring, Beautiful Balkans
Rally Albania - Albania Rally video and Raid Albania Raid

Found this book which looks a good resource, so have ordered it. Trail Guide


Still researching maps, track logs, etc but looking forward to it and happy to share info etc. We may find ourselves in the same area so would be good to meet up and maybe ride a little

[Tonibe63]

Thanks Branman, I'll keep in touch as the rough planning develops but it sounds like we will be in the same area at some point, probably end of the month time and we do enjoy some scenic trails.
Have a good trip if our paths don't meet (thumbs)

[Kev63]

Where abouts are you heading in Greece ?

When heading from Kotor to Albania you could head down the coast or via a great road that climbs out of the bay over to Cetinje . It has fantastic views of the bay with 29 hairpin bends. From their the outskirts of Podgorica before heading to Shkoder. The road on the Albanian side is pretty new with a great surface.

I would recommend the road along the coast of Albania from Vlore and enter Greece at Sagiada.

In Northern Greece you could possibly checkout the Vikos Gorge and the Monasteries of Meteora before heading up to Macedonia. Meteora does get busy however its worth it for pics etc.

If its off road you want then sorry but all of the above are on tarmac . We were on a 955 Sprint which coped ok however lets just say long travel suspension might have helped in a few places in Albania. Which by the way has some of the craziest driving I have ever seen.

[Tonibe63]

Where abouts are you heading in Greece ?

Thanks for the suggestions Kev, I have pencilled in the route (thumbs).
Nowhere in mind for Greece, although The Vikos Gorge was a name I recognise, so any further suggestions gratefully received B) .
Originally we had this romantic notion of riding to Turkey but then thought we would end up rushing the earlier part of the journey just to tick a box plus there could be all sorts of paperwork and border issues to contend with.
We go to Turkey on holiday most years and hire a bike when there so Greece is a doable destination without compromising the rest.

[SteveW]

Just a thought for any future plans you have regarding taking your bike into Turkey. Don't be put off by paperwork and border issues. It's straight forward, you fill the documents at the border and pay a small fee. The Turkish border guards were the most friendly I've ever encountered, very helpful and intrested in bikes.

[Kev63]

Hi Tony

We went to Turkey the route you plan to come back through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. We crossed to Greece via Rhodes. We then spent time in the south before heading north and crossing the bridge at Patra.

So as for suggestions it depends on how far you are travelling in Greece.

Whilst on our way from Meteora to Vikos we did visit the caves just outside of Ioanina. They are the deepest in Greece and were discovered during world war ll as locals his from the bombing. I have seen better but Yvonne thought they were great. Cost 7 euro for 45min guided tour.

By the way if travelling between Vikos and Meteora the road is superb so no need to use the motorway.

We can recommend a small hotel in the Vikos area. Its called Hotel Ladias in Monodenti. Cost about 40 euroes which for the location was pretty good. They will also advise on routes in the area plus if you want a day off the bike you can walk the length of the gorge and they will pick you up from the finish.

I am sure its been mentioned before however it did cost us 12.50 euro for insurance at the Albanian border. As for Turkey very friendly at the border but it still took us 2hrs to get in and we were there first thing in the morning.

[Tonibe63]

A week to go so I best get my sh*t together :blink: .
I really need to get some breakdown cover sorted but reading some reviews it seems an absolute minefield, some proving to be worth less than the paper it's printed on. I know my way around the bike, have changed the tyres, brake pads, oil/filter, gearbox oil, final drive oil etc etc ready for the trip and carry a couple of important spares+puncture repair kit but I really need cover for anything major that can't be fixed where we+bike need to get home. Help! Any recommendations PLEASE?