Cycling in Kastoria – so much variety in one day

I have to laugh at the Mesopotamia sign. Mesopotamia in Greece has nothing to do with the region in the Middle East, which includes parts of present-day Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Syria and Turkey. It reminds me of Donald Duck stories, in which Mesopotamia was sometimes mentioned as being ‘very far away’. Donald’s adventures in ancient Asia were pure delight. You often see places in the world that have the same name. Often it is due to colonization drift. Mesopotamia means ‘land between the rivers’ in Greek (loosely translated). If you look at the map, you see that this piece of land is surrounded by the Ladopotamos and the Aliakmonas. It is therefore rightly the land between two rivers. If you go cycling in Kastoria, you are close by!

North Greece at its best

We were already traveling in Northern Greece at an earlier stage. I already wrote about the routes to the Prespa Lake, A must-see for everyone, and the climb to Lake Vegoritsa, to Panagitsa. This is a kind of commune where you can eat well. The region of Northern Greece, Macedonia, has much more to offer. On the last day of our trip, we head southwest, towards the gorge at Nestorio and Kotili. That eventually ends at the park of Ontria. What a beauty of a route. And along the way? I’ll tell you more.

Nestorio

What place names say about a region. Nestorio, our next stop on the route, has its own story. The nestor is usually the oldest of the group and is therefore considered the wisest due to his experience. There are hilarious passages about Nestor in various descriptions by Homer. Of course, in the contemporary Asterix and Obelix, the same role is also reserved for the character Nestorix. Back to Nestorio, because according to tradition Nestor fled there along with Orestes. Where one was the founder of Nestorio, the other founded Argos Orestiko. Today, little remains of this historical event in Nestorio. The village with just under 3000 inhabitants seems more like a ‘drinking village with a fishing problem’. Its location at the beginning of a climb makes it an ideal starting point.

Changing landscape

Everyone thinks of Greece when they think of the beach. Or of barren forests. No one thinks of a landscape that is much more like ‘four countries in one day’. One moment you’re driving through a gorge that’s very much like the Ardeche. Just a moment later it’s so green that you could be in Northern California or Oregon for the same money. The yellow markings on the road and the absence of people also help with that. Then you look around again and you’re in Northern Spain, the Basque Country. It really is a gem, if I may say so. The climbs we cycle are well-organized.

Pause

We are taking a break on the south side. My traveling companions need more rest than I do. Perhaps the heat is an indicator. It is the beginning of summer and the temperature is already rising quite a bit. You have little protection from the trees. Tips for cycling in the sun, I ignored that for a moment. My support team provided a good lunch. Lambros, our driver, kept staring at me in amazement: ‘Are you really going to cycle?’ He is happy with his position behind the wheel, but also with his role as the ‘rule-breaker’. Without Lambro, it wouldn’t have worked out. Nick and Kostas get back in the car again and off we go!

What a view

We continue on, towards Kastoria. We head towards the park of Ontria. We turn and head back up the hill. Near here is the Vrachos Dam, which is also a must-see highlight. But from the top of the hill, the view is more than beautiful enough. I once again lose myself in my dreams and think about all the good things about this region. What a treat to be here. Along the way, we stop briefly at a water station to get some drinks. There are plenty of them along the way, but my tip is to bring plenty of water. It’s sparsely populated here and there aren’t many ‘coffee stops’.

Back to Kastoria

Back home, that’s how it feels. The road here is quite wide, but also quite busy. We have to be careful. We still have to go over the hill before we can descend to the lake of Kastoria, to our hotel. On the hill it’s still a bit of a walk from the bike, for a photo and a bit of video. The view of the town on the water invites us to get off the bike and enjoy a drink. That’s what we’re doing.

Tips

If you are going cycling in Northern Greece, here are some more tips for you:

1. Take Kastoria as a base. Our hotel, the Orologopolou Mansion is a top place. Right on the square, close to the exit route, and they are very bike-friendly.
2. Bring enough food and drink for the journey.
3. Pay attention to the cars and the traffic. Keep cycling in a neat line.
4. The road can be bad at times. Rest assured, it’s only for a short distance, but keep in mind changing conditions. So always bring enough spare supplies with you.
5. Lunch/eating at Prespa Lake is a must do. The view is fantastic.
6. Are you near Florina? Then stay at the Lynx Mountain Resort
7. Mechanical problems? Filippos in Kastoria is the best mechanic. That's it.

Cycling route around Kastoria and Nestorio – Northern Greece