How hard is the cycling?

This is a level 3 out of 5 tour. Rides run between 9 and 42 km a day with 150 to 450 metres of climbing, on hilly terrain with ascents of up to roughly 250 metres. You should ride regularly and feel comfortable on changing surfaces and in traffic. An e-bike makes every climb straightforward.

Yes. You ride as a guided group with tour leaders who cycle with you. Tours are run bilingually in English and German. If you prefer, you can agree with your guides to ride a recommended route on your own, or skip a day's ride altogether and stay on board to swim.

What kind of bike can I use?

Rental e-bikes, gravel bikes and carbon road bikes are available at a supplement. You may bring your own bike as long as it weighs under 22 kg; own e-bikes cannot be taken on board. Note that on e-bike programmes the group pace is set by the riders on e-bikes.

Yes, helmets are mandatory on all rides. Bring your own well-fitted helmet if you can – rental helmets are limited and must be reserved.

What are the cabins like?

You stay seven nights in a twin cabin below deck with private shower and toilet. Bed linen and towels are provided, cabins are cleaned daily and towels are changed mid-week. Pack in soft, foldable bags – hard cases are too bulky to store in the cabin.

What is included at the table?

Breakfast and one warm meal a day are prepared on board by the ship's chef. Half board starts with dinner on arrival day and ends with breakfast on departure day. Drinking water on board is included; other drinks are kept on a tally sheet and settled with the captain.

Is there WiFi on board?

No. The boats in Greece have no WiFi connection. Free WiFi is available in almost every harbour café or bar.

Children need to be in good physical shape and have previous cycling tour experience; the minimum age is 10. Rental bikes, including e-bikes, require a minimum height of 1.50 m.

Will the itinerary always run exactly as described?

Not necessarily. Wind, weather and organisational needs can change the order of the days, and the route is sometimes run in reverse. The captain has the final say.

8-Day Central Aegean Island Hopping by Bike & Gulet – Plus

Aegean Sea – Dodecanese Islands

8-day-central-aegean-island-hopping-bike-gulet-plus

See all the photos

from€2,549

Bike & BoatE-bikeRoad BikeGravel Bike8 days / 7 nights145 km1/5EasyLoop

Short Description

Eight days, five islands and a wooden gulet that follows you everywhere. You wake up in a different harbour almost every morning, roll your bike down the gangway and ride out into the Dodecanese: the Asclepion of Hippocrates on Kos, the knights' fortress above Agia Marina on Leros, the white alleys of Patmos, the sleepy lanes of Lipsi, the climbers' cliffs of Kalymnos. Distances are short and always finish near water, so most days end with a swim off the back of the boat and a shared dinner under the stars. Guides ride with you and the crew cooks on board, which means the only real decision you make each day is whether to pedal or stay on deck.

Tour Program

Day 1 – Bodrum (embarkation)
You make your own way to Bodrum; a group transfer from the airport to the harbour can be arranged for a supplement. Check-in on the gulet starts at 4 pm. Spend the evening hours in town, order a Turkish tea by the water and meet your travel companions over dinner on board.

Day 2 – Kos Island / Kos Town – 30 km
An early crossing takes you to Kos. You cycle out to the Asclepion, the famous healing sanctuary once run by Hippocrates, then ride back into Kos town. The Roman forum, the crusader fortress and the Ottoman mosques stack up a few hundred metres from each other. The evening is yours among the cafés of the old centre.

Day 3 – Leros Island – 28 km
A morning crossing brings you to green, quiet Leros. Today's ride climbs to the fortress of the Knights of St John above Agia Marina, then winds through narrow lanes down to the harbour and on to the little seaside chapel of Agios Isidoros, perched on its own rock. A sandy beach further along is the natural stop for a swim and a coffee before you rejoin the boat.

Day 4 – Patmos Island – Lipsi Island – 12 km
A short panoramic loop on Patmos takes you past the grotto where St John is said to have received the Revelation, and up to the monastery village of Chora with its whitewashed alleys and dozens of chapels. You coast back down to the port, eat on board and sail to Lipsi. The afternoon is free in the tiny harbour town – the pastry shop is worth the detour.

Day 5 – Lipsi Island – Kalymnos Island – 9 km
A late-morning ride takes you once around Lipsi, through terraced fields and small farms that still feed the island. In the afternoon you cross to Kalymnos and tie up at Pothia, the main port, whose grand old houses were built on the fortunes of the sponge divers.

Day 6 – Kalymnos Island – Kos Island – 42 km
The longest day and the best one: a full loop of Kalymnos, an island famous among rock climbers worldwide. You ride through a surprisingly green valley, past bare limestone walls, with long views over a coastline cut into bay after bay. Back in Pothia the ship is waiting with lunch, then it is a short sail to Kos for the night.

Day 7 – Kos Island – Bodrum – 24 km
Your last ride heads for the Embros thermal springs, where hot water meets the sea and you can soak for as long as you like. Lunch ashore, then the final crossing back to Bodrum. There is still time for a walk through the old town, the castle of the Knights of St John and the remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Farewell dinner on board.

Day 8 – Bodrum (disembarkation)
Breakfast on board and disembarkation. Group transfers to Bodrum airport can be booked on request.

Available departures

Year

Next: 25 Sept 2026 · 1 departure · from €2,809 p.p.

Sept 2026

- Small Double lower€2,809

Tour details

LoopGuidedCouplesFriendsMinimum 2 peopleMinimum age 10 years

✅ What is included in the trip?

🏨 Overnight stay and breakfast
🍽️ 7 dinners (drink excluded)
🏛️ All entrance tickets to archaeological sites
🧍‍♂️English speaking tour guide
📞 Local telephone assistance 7/7

❌ What is not included?

🚎 Transfers not listed as Included
✈️ Journey to/from the starting point
🍽️ Meals and drinks not listed as Included
🖼️ Entrance fees and extras not listed
🛡️ Travel insurance
🌎 Tourist taxes
SGR Insolvency protection (mandatory consumer contribution SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme: € 5 per person

🙋 Common questions

How hard is the cycling?
This is a level 3 out of 5 tour. Rides run between 9 and 42 km a day with 150 to 450 metres of climbing, on hilly terrain with ascents of up to roughly 250 metres. You should ride regularly and feel comfortable on changing surfaces and in traffic. An e-bike makes every climb straightforward.
Is the tour guided?
Yes. You ride as a guided group with tour leaders who cycle with you. Tours are run bilingually in English and German. If you prefer, you can agree with your guides to ride a recommended route on your own, or skip a day's ride altogether and stay on board to swim.
What kind of bike can I use?
Rental e-bikes, gravel bikes and carbon road bikes are available at a supplement. You may bring your own bike as long as it weighs under 22 kg; own e-bikes cannot be taken on board. Note that on e-bike programmes the group pace is set by the riders on e-bikes.
Do I need a helmet?
Yes, helmets are mandatory on all rides. Bring your own well-fitted helmet if you can – rental helmets are limited and must be reserved.
What are the cabins like?
You stay seven nights in a twin cabin below deck with private shower and toilet. Bed linen and towels are provided, cabins are cleaned daily and towels are changed mid-week. Pack in soft, foldable bags – hard cases are too bulky to store in the cabin.
What is included at the table?
Breakfast and one warm meal a day are prepared on board by the ship's chef. Half board starts with dinner on arrival day and ends with breakfast on departure day. Drinking water on board is included; other drinks are kept on a tally sheet and settled with the captain.
Is there WiFi on board?
No. The boats in Greece have no WiFi connection. Free WiFi is available in almost every harbour café or bar.
Can children join?
Children need to be in good physical shape and have previous cycling tour experience; the minimum age is 10. Rental bikes, including e-bikes, require a minimum height of 1.50 m.
Will the itinerary always run exactly as described?
Not necessarily. Wind, weather and organisational needs can change the order of the days, and the route is sometimes run in reverse. The captain has the final say.