Balkans Cycling Tour: Dubrovnik to Istanbul

Starting in the Jewel of the Balkan Crown’ City of Dubrovnik we head south to the world famous Kotor Bay in Montenegro and onwards to Shkoder, known as the ‘Cycle City’ in Northern Albania. When you arrive you’ll know why! The bells ring here like the bicycles in Beijing! You have a day off and we miss cycling through the bustle of Tirana although you can opt to stop here for a few hours to explore the sights of Albania’s capital city. We stay over in Elbasan and you cycle across the border to the breath-taking beauty of Ohrid in North Macedonia. TWe head east through Bitola and Veles where you spend the night. In the morning it’s a short bus ride to Kochani to cycle over the mountain across the border at Delchevo into Bulgaria. From the University city of Blagoevgrad we then take you to the ski resort of Bansko at the foot of the Pirin Mountains. We breathe out here then head south freewheeling to the beach in Greece with a worthwhile detour to a ‘tour within a tour’ trip round the island of Thassos … from whence we make our last ride east across the Nestos Delta via Komotini and Alexandroupoli into Turkey and down the western side of the Dardanelles Strait ferrying to Cannakale then heading east to Can before taking a bus to bandirma to cross the Sea of Marmara by ferry to Istanbul, the historical bustling ‘gateway to the east’.

It is an exciting journey in this enthralling part of the world. Much of which is emerging slowly enough as tourist destinations so as to continue to retain much of the natural beauty, uniqueness and charm of the countryside and villages.

Highlights

• Kotor Bay and The Serpentine Climb in Montenegro
• Views from hotel in Shkoder and the hills in the north of Albania
• The beautiful Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia
• The Ciflik Winery in Bitola
• The Climb from Delchevo to the Bulgarian Border crossing
• The mountain town of Bansko in Bulgaria
• The freewheel down the River Mesta towards the Greek Border and into Gotse Delchev
• Thassos Island
• The ride through the Nestos Delta in Thrace national Park in Northeastern Greece
• Crossing the Turkish Border
• The Ancient City of Troy in Canakkale
• Crossing from ;The East' to 'The West' then 'West' to 'East' by ferry on our final day in Gelibolu (Gallipoli)
• Our hotel with its terrace overlooking Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

The first 6 days are the toughest from Dubrovnik to Ohrid with an average of 99 km and 1,877 metres of climbing per day.
The 11 days from Ohrid to Istanbul (Bus and ferry transfer to Istanbul from Gelibolu) average 96 km and 987 metres of climbing per day