Rakia

This incredible section begins in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital and home to the imposing Beogradska Tvrđava fortress situated at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava rivers. The riders pedal south through the sprawling countryside to the cultural hotspot of Kragujevac before continuing on to Niš, birthplace of Constantine the Great. The route stops in Vranje, once an important Ottoman trading post, before climbing up into North Macedonia. A rest day in its capital city of Skopje allows the cyclists to prepare for the stunning scenery to come.

The route from Skopje takes the cyclists to Mavrovo National Park, home to caves, waterfalls, bogs and plentiful wildlife and then on to scenic Lake Debar, perched at the foot of the Korab and Stogovo Mountain Ranges. A stunning ride through the hills along the Albanian border brings the riders to Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest and deepest lakes in the world, for a rest day. The last stages lead the riders to Bitola, with its covered Ottoman-era bazaar, and into Greece and the city of Thessaloniki on the shores of the Aegean, and the end of this beautiful section.

Highlights

• Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade
• Mavrovo National Park
• Lake Ohrid
• White Tower in Thessaloniki

This is an e-bike friendly tour.