Kalamata: Athens to Milan On The Olive Route

Athens, Greece to Milan, Italy…

You could drive in 20 hours and 45 minutes.
You could fly in 2 hour and 30 minutes.
You could take the train in 42 hours.

Or you could bike it with us in 4 weeks!

This section of the Olive Route, Kalamata, covers just over 2,000 km and takes the riders through the picturesque Greek countryside and up the challenging mountainous spine of Italy. The historic starting city of Athens is well-known for its famous sights – the Acropolis, Parthenon, Ancient Agora – as is the fashion and design capital of Milan but this section also includes a number of equally amazing attractions. Here are some things for the riders to enjoy on their 4 rest days during the ride.

>>Check out the Kalamata (Athens – Milan) section details

Olympia, Greece

Olympia was the site of the first Olympic Games back in 776 BC and the stadium they were held in eventually held up to 50,000 spectators. The sprawling ruins can be seen to this day. It is here that the Olympic flame is lit before each Olympics in front of the Temple of Hera. Additional highlights include the Altis, the Sacred Precinct of Zeus, and the superb Archaeological Museum. Fittingly, the grounds surrounding the ancient site are filled with vast rows of olive trees!

Wikipedia Fun Fact: The name Altis was derived from a corruption of the Elean word also meaning “the grove” because the area was wooded, olive and plane trees in particular.

Matera, Italy

This fascinating city in southern Italy is known for its unique old town, the Sassi. Considered to be the site of the first human habitation in Italy, the dwellings have been dug out of the soft local rock. In the 1950’s the government decided to relocate the people living there due to the dangerous conditions but an emphasis on the possibilities for tourism led to the city and the old town being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rough Guide Fun Fact: The area was graphically described in Carlo Levi’s 1945 memoir Christ Stopped At Eboli in which the Sassi were compared to Dante’s Inferno, with their impoverished, malaria-ridden inhabitants!

>>Related Post: Cycling Across Italy & France: Milan To Bordeaux On The Olive Route

Sulmona, Italy

Sulmona is located in an area noted for its clear water and fertile soil. It is, famously, the birthplace of the Roman poet, Ovid and there is a bronze statue of him on the main street, Corso Ovidio. A devastating earthquake in 1706 meant it was largely rebuilt in the Baroque style, clearly seen in the Annunziata palazzo and in the striking Gothic Aqueduct crossing the town. It is also know for its ‘confetti’, sugar-coated almonds. Visit the local Fabbrica Confetti Pelino to learn more!

Wikipedia Fun Fact: Sulmona was the site of a POW Camp (Camp 78) in both World Wars. In WWII, it held over 3,000 British & Commonwealth prisoners.

Perugia, Italy

Do you like chocolate? Then you will love Perugia. It is famous for its Baci Perugina, a dark chocolate treat filled with chocolate hazelnut paste, sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts and topped with a whole hazelnut! No wonder the city is home to the annual EuroChocolate Festival which attracts over 1 million people each October. It is also known for its historic walls around the city centre and its 2 universities – the University of Perugia founded in 1308 and the University for Foreigners.

Wikipedia Fun Fact: The Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important venues for Jazz in Europe and has been held annually since 1973.

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Olive Route

The Olive. The food most closely associated with Western European civilization. Olive oil. One of the most important ingredients in European cuisine...