Road to Sarajevo

The Acropolis at dawn is the perfect place to begin this first section of the Balkan Odyssey. After cycling through Athens' awakening streets, riders head for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Delphi and a first rest day, with time to explore the 4th-century Temple of Apollo and prepare for the hilly days ahead. Two days of climbing then bring the group to Kalabaka, the base for visiting the extraordinary monasteries of Meteora, perched seemingly in mid-air on sheer rock pillars.

Crossing into Albania, riders rest in Korçë, an important cultural centre, before continuing to the capital, Tirana, for another well-earned break and a chance to explore its colourful Soviet-era architecture. The route then heads north over the border into Montenegro, stopping in Žabljak, the centre of the country's mountain tourism, for a further rest day.

Two days later, after some challenging climbs, the section finishes in Sarajevo, host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics, where riders can explore its historic old town. With five rest days spread across 23 days of touring, there's plenty of time to take in the history and culture along the way. Riders continuing on can join the second section, Dalmatian Coast, to complete the full Balkan Odyssey to Zagreb.

Highlights:

• Start at dawn beneath the Acropolis in Athens
• The Temple of Apollo at Delphi
• The cliff-top monasteries of Meteora
• Korçë and the Soviet-era architecture of Tirana in Albania
• Mountain riding through Montenegro via Žabljak
• Sarajevo's historic old town

Surface and terrain:
Less than 1% unpaved, so almost entirely sealed roads. Hilly and mountainous throughout, with multi-day climbs in Greece and challenging climbs through Montenegro into Bosnia.

Likely weather:
Typically warm spring days in May, around 20–27°C in Greece and lowland Albania. It's noticeably cooler in the mountains of Montenegro and Bosnia, with Žabljak often 10–18°C, and afternoon showers are possible.

Suitable for:
Fit riders comfortable with daily distances averaging nearly 80km over hilly and mountainous terrain, who want history and culture as much as the riding. Touring category, 3/5 difficulty.