ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS
Amarantos Gravel Experience
Two routes, one unique experience! The joy of cycling from the mountains of the Thessalian Agrafa all the way down to the vineyard villages of Thessaly — breathtaking scenery, ever-changing landscapes, unknown dirt roads and unspoilt nature.
The main route of 55+ kilometres will take place this year on Saturday morning, giving us the opportunity to ride for two days:
the following day we'll cycle to the Karathanοs winery, where the winemaker himself will take us on a tour of the estate, sharing the secrets of his wine and aged tsipouro from the local vineyards.
Participants of the first route don't need to register for the second day — they've already earned it!
CLASSIC ROUTE
55km
Amarantos Experience
• 55km,
• 830m elevation
We start from Amarantos Square on Saturday, August 29th, from the courtyard of the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, and descend into the mountainous landscape of Agrafa towards Dafnospilia.
The first section features a relatively steep, prolonged descent through stunning forest scenery. Reaching Dafnospilia, we enter the Thessalian wine villages. We ride through areas of beautiful vegetation and vineyards, passing through Palouri, Melissochori, and Dasochori before arriving at Kallifoni.
From there, the return route back to Dafnospilia begins. The final 10 kilometres are uphill — gentle at first, slightly more demanding towards the end
— but by then we're already close to the finish line, in the welcoming village of Amarantos, for… fruit, loukoumades, and cold water!
Here you can see the 55 km route in detail.
Fun Ride
20km
Amarantos Fun Ride
• 20 Km
560m elevation
Sunday's route is a leisurely ride — or a recovery spin for those who tackled Saturday's course — towards Palouri and the distillery PURO KARATHANOS.
The Karathanos family vineyards have been cultivated for over a century, producing the family's annual homemade wine and tsipouro in their traditional copper still. Much of the tsipouro produced was aged in wooden barrels (mainly oak), developing the characteristic colour and aroma of aged spirits — long before Greek legislation on bottling (1989) and later on tsipouro ageing came into effect.
The outbound leg to the winery is easy riding, almost entirely downhill — which means the return is slightly uphill.
But the short distance and breathtaking scenery will more than make up for the extra sweat.
Here you can see the 20 km route in detail.
