HYMETTOS ASCENT
one long fairly steep climb
Road bike ascent.Athens sits in a basin surrounded by the sea and four mountains. To the east is Mt. Hymettos, a region with pine, cypress, olive and eucalyptus trees, herbs and wild flowers, caves, rabbits & tortoises, botanical paths, off road bike trails, picnic areas and Byzantine churches.
In the 15th or 16th century, French visitors called Hymettos Mountain “tres longue” meaning “very long” in French, as it is 1025 meters (3366 feet) high at its apex. The locals thought they were saying Trellos which in Greek means “crazy.” Today Mt. Hymettos is affectionately known as Trellovouna, or “crazy mountain.”
The view from the top is wondrous as it looks out over the entire Attica region below and beyond to the sea with Salamina island on the south side and the airport on the north side. The ride is fairly steep, no turns, on a scarcely trafficked asphalt road. On weekends, Athenians can be seen hiking, running, mountain biking and road cycling.
The ride down is a swift 45 minutes thrilling descent broken up by a stop for sandwiches and beverages at Kalopoula cafe and a short hike to a lovely Byzantine church.
Details
| Dates | choose your date |
| Duration | 3-4 hours |
| Tour Start Point | central Athens |
| Tour End Point | central Athens |
| Minimum Age |
18 |
| Minimum Pax |
1 rider |
| Maximum Pax |
8 per group, multiple groups possible |
| Total Mileage | 34 km, 20 miles |
| Highest Elevation |
3,269 feet, 966 meters |
| Rating | Advanced, see Rating System |
Itinerary
We start in central Athens (or pick you up at your cruise ship) and cycle about 6 km through traffic to reach the foot of Mt. Hymettus. The climb takes about an hour to ascend and 45 minutes to descend. You reach the top when you come to the locked gates of a military installation.
On the descent there’s a stop at Kalopoula cafe for a Greek coffee and snack, check out the turtle pond and take a short hike to a Byzantine church.
If departure from your hotel is at 9:00 am, you should be back by 1:00 pm latest. It is your call if you want to start the ride earlier or later in the afternoon .
Cost
| 1 – 3 riders | 140 euros, |
| 4 – 8 riders | 100 euros per person |
| 9 or more riders | contact us for cost |
Inclusions
Tour Leader / Bike Guide: for 4 or more riders the Tour Leader handles all the tour logistics and cycles with the group. For 2-3 riders, no bike guide / tour leader, only driver who indicates the route (route has no turns).
Support vehicle: for 4 or more riders, (“sag wagon”) with bilingual driver who is also a bike mechanic. Vehicle carries spare parts, spare fully pumped wheels, floor pump, ice cooler, water, nutritious snacks, bike tools, first aid kit, day packs, and gives you a lift if you get tired
Bikes: Specialized road bike or hybrid bike. Triple chain ring, 27 gears. Road bike has carbon fiber fork. Hybrids have front suspension. Electric bike available as an upgrade on request for 50 euros. Regular pedals or toe clips on request. You are welcome to bring your own clip-in pedals and shoes. See Our Bikes and Our Gear
Bike gear: water bottle, helmet, handlebar pouch, odometer
Beverage & snack at Kalopoula cafe
Water
Most everyone taking an Athens Day Tour does so as an add-on to their multi-day bike tour, before or after the tour. The cost of the selected day tour will be added to the final cost of the multi-day bike tour.
If you are only a day tripper – perhaps you are a cruise traveler – you will need to contact us to arrange the date and time you wish to schedule a day tour and we’ll let you know how to make payment.
See details in the Booking Agreement which you must agree as a condition to participation in a CycleGreece tour. Participants are also required to sign a Waiver & Release of Liability.
Hymettus Ascent Photo Gallery
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