A bike tour through Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Austria

In July and August 2006. Click on the pictures to get a 16 times larger version (2048x1536 and about 400KB for normal photos). Below the km numbers indicate the distance traveled and the Hm indicate the vertical meters climbed during that day. Overall we travelled 4697 km and climbed 44681 Hm.
2006-07-06
76km 169Hm Wien, Donauradweg, Bratislava

Start

Bratislava

2006-07-07
146km 298Hm Most pri Bratislava (510) Sládkovičovo (75) Galanta, ©al'a, Tordoąovce (580) ©urany, Kalná (51) Levice

Mulberry trees are common in south-eastern Europe

2006-07-08
147km 872Hm (564) Demandice (75) (66) ©ahy (527) Slovenské Ďarmoty [Hungary] Balassagyarmat (22) Salgótarján (21) Bátonyterenye (23) Pétervására

Demandice

Another common sight

2006-07-09
79km 426Hm Egerbakta (24) Eger, Andonajtálya, Mezőkövesd, Egerlővö, Borsodivánka, Poroszlo, Tiszafüred

Camping near Pétervására

Near Eger

Eger

Tiszafüred

2006-07-10
176km 99Hm (34) Kunmadaras, Karzag, Kertézsziget, Szeghalom, Véstő, Doboz, Gyula [Romania] Chişineu-Criş, Nadab
2006-07-11
71km 140Hm Seleuş, Ineu (79a) Buteni
2006-07-12
111km 800Hm (79a) Vîrfurile (76) Brad (76) (7) Deva

One-horse carts are a common sight in Romania; here the pulling horse (white) has a trainee (brown)

Deva

2006-07-13
118km 844Hm (7) Simeria (66/E79) Haţeg, Petroşani, Lainici

Deva

Near Haţeg

The Jiu valley near Petroşani; we traveled down the Jiu until the Danube

The Lainici monastery

View from our room near Lainici

2006-07-14
144km 299Hm (66) Târgu Jiu (66) (6) Filiaşi (6) Craiova

Târgu Jiu

Filiaşi

2006-07-15
137km 703Hm (55) Bechet, Port Bechet [Bulgaria] Orjakovo, Kneľa, Červen Brjag

Craiova; tramways there look exactly like those on Vienna

Landscape near the Jiu

Close to the Danube

Border, Danube, and ferry

Look back from Bulgaria across the Danube into Romania

Červen Brjag

2006-07-16
93km 1635Hm Lukovit (3) Jablanica (3) Dľurovo (37) Etropole, Zlatiąki Prohod {~1400m}, Zlatica

Etropole and surroundings

Zlatiąki Prohod {~1400m}

Zlatica

Our nice hotel, called Komplex Ros Mari

2006-07-17
101km 1123Hm pass {~1100m} (37) Panagjuriąte, Dolno Levski, Eląica, Kalugerovo, Karabunar, Septembri (8) Malko Belovo

unnamed pass (~1100m)

Taking a shortcut on a smaller road

2006-07-18
155km 1716Hm Belovo, Jundola {~1350m} (84) (small road) (19) Goce Delčev [Greece] Káto Nevrokópi

Road closed due to flooding damage, but we got through

Jundola

Prepare for descent

A Czech tourist, one of the few tourist cyclists we saw before Austria

Near the border near Ilinden

Greece

2006-07-19
188km 1426Hm (57) Drama (14) Xanthi (2) Komotini

Káto Nevrokópi to Drama

Between Drama and Xanthi

Xanthi

2006-07-20
Rest day in and near Komotini

2006-07-21
68km 760Hm (2) Sapes, Sikorrachi, Kirki, Alexandroupoli

Alexandropouli

Samothrakis seen from Alexandropouli

2006-07-22
Rest Day in Alexandropouli

Saturday night life in Alexandropouli

2006-07-23
122km 916Hm (2) Ardani (old E90) [Turkey] (110) Keşan (550) Korukköy

Keşan

Gallipoli peninsula

2006-07-24
102km 807Hm (550) Gelibolu (550) Eccabat (Ferry) Çanakkale (530) Gökçali, Troia, Tevfikiye

Across the Dardanelles to Çanakkale with views back to Eccabat

First tire destroyed, and the kind of surface used on that road

Troia

2006-07-25
34km 393Hm Calafat, Tevfikiye, Gökçali (550) Ezine (Bus) Bergama

Tevfikiye

Ezine

Ayran is a nice drink

Bergama (Pergamon)

2006-07-26
26km 316Hm Akropolis of Bergama, Bergama (Taxi) Ayvalik (Ferry) [Greece] Militini on Lesbos (Ferry)

Akropolis of Bergama

The second dead tire, and the culprit

Taxi to Ayvalik

Ferry from Ayvalik to Mitilini on Lesbos

Mitilini harbour and our Ferry to Piraeus

2006-07-27
(Ferry) Piraeus (Ferry) Heraklion

Piraeus

Heraklion

2006-07-28
79km 1388Hm Stavrakia, Agia Varvara, Gergeri, Zaros, Kamares, Vori

From Heraklion to Agia Varvara

From Agia Varvara to Vori

2006-07-29
Rest day in Vori
2006-07-30
Rest day in Vori
2006-07-31
95km 1639Hm Tymbaki, Spili, Ag. Vasilios, Sellia, Komitades

Spili

2006-08-01
103km 2253Hm Imbros{730m}, Vryses, Ag. Panoles, Nerochori, Ramni, Samonas, Kambi, Gero Primos, Skordiliana, Loulos, Aletrouvaia, Vandes, Mounies, Vamvakopulo, Alikianos, Lakki

From Komitades to Imbros, partly through the Imbros Gorge

The Imbros plateau

Lakki

2006-08-02
93km 1545Hm Omalos, Kambanos, Maralia, Rodovani, Kandanos, Dris, Strovles, Kissamos

Lakki

Ascent towards Omalos

The Omalos plateau

The Agia Sophia Cave

... and the gorge near it

2006-08-03
45km 525Hm (Ferry) Antikithera (Ferry) Kithera (Ferry) Gythio, Sparti

Kissamos harbour

Antikithera

Kithera

Gythio

2006-08-04
146km 2061Hm Tripoli, Levidi, Klitoria, Ano Lousi {1170m} Kalavrita

Sparti and its surroundings

Tripoli and its sourroundings

Near Levidi

Siesta in a small park

Plateau near Ano Lousi

Kalavrita and surroundings

2006-08-05
74km 845Hm Manesi, Platanos, Halandritsa, Patra (Ferry)

Ferry from Patra

2006-08-06
133km 1743Hm [Italy] Bari (SS96) Altamura, Gravina in Puglia (SS96bis) Oppido Lucano, Pietragalla (SS169) San Nicola

Bari

Altamura

Gravina in Puglia?

Oppido Lucano

2006-08-07
150km 1662Hm (SS658) Rionero (SS167) Laghi di Montichio (SS167) (SS401) (SS7/dirC) (SS7) Pratola Serra (SS371)

Near Rionero

Laghi di Montichio

2006-08-08
128km 930Hm (SS88) Benevento, Telese, San Salvatore, Puglianello (SS372) (SS158) Alife (SS158) Capriati a Volturno (SS158) Montaquila

Benevento

2006-08-09
128km 1754Hm (SS158) Il Calvario {1112m}, Alfadena (SS82) Paso del Diavolo {1400m} (SS83) Pescina (SS83) Avezzano

Alfadena

From Paso del Diavolo to Marsi area

2006-08-10
164km 1279Hm Magliano de' Marsi (578) Rieti (79) (?) Forca dell'Arrone, Arrone, Montefranco (209) (395) Cerreti di Spoleto (319) Ottagigi, near Orsano

Rieti

2006-08-11
132km 700Hm (319) Casenove Serrone (77) Foligno, Spello, Assisi, Palazzo, Sant'Egidio, Bosco, Umbertide, Citta di Castello, Sansepolcro

Foligno

Assisi and surroundings

2006-08-12
129km 1265Hm Pieve San Stefano, Bagno di Romagna, Santa Sofia, Meldola, Forli (SS9) Faenza

The weather went downhill from there

Faenza

2006-08-13
200km 312Hm Lugo, Argenta, Quartiere, Runco, Voghiera, Baura, Ruina, Zocca, Polesella, Rovigo, Padova (307) (245) Castelfranco Veneto (667) Caerano di San Marco

Faenza

The Po plain

The Po river

Castelfranco Veneto

2006-08-14
136km 2333Hm Cornuda, Pederobba, Fener, Segusino, Trichiana, Sédico (203) Agordino, Cernadoi (48) Passo di Falzarego {2105m}, Passo di Valparola {2192m}, Sankt Kassian

Passo di Falzarego and Passo Valparola

St. Kassian

2006-08-15
142km 1962Hm (244) St. Lorenzen, Bruneck (49) Antholzer Tal, Staller Sattel {2052m} [Austria] Defereggen Tal (B108) Lienz, Iselsberg, Winklern

St. Kassian and Alta Badia valley

Pustatal near Bruneck

Antholzertal

Defereggental

Iseltal

Lienz and the Dolomites

2006-08-16
92km 2044Hm Heiligenblut, Hochtor {2504m}, Fuscher Törl, Bruck a. d. Glocknerstr., Maishofen, Maria Alm

Heiligenblut

Hochtor

Much better weather on the North side

Fuscher Törl

Descent

Toll station

Near the Zeller See

Steinernes Meer

Bicycle maintenance

Maria Alm

2006-08-17
121km 1910Hm (B164) Filzensattel {1291m}, Dienten, Dientner Sattel {1357m}, Bischofshofen (B159) (B99) Hüttau (B99) (B166) Annaberg (B166) (Lammertal) (B166) Rußbach, Pass Gschütt {964m} (B166) Gosau, Hallstatt, Obertraun (Koppenstrasse) Bad Aussee (B145) Kainisch

Hochkönig

Bischofshofen and Tennengebirge

Dachstein

Hallstädter See and Hallstadt

Realistically about 16%

Bad Aussee

2006-08-18
158km 1418Hm (B145) (B308) (R7) Liezen (B112) Admont (B112) Hieflau (B115) (B25) Gams (B25) (B24) Wildalpen (B24) Gußwerk (B20) Maria Zell

Kulm ski-flying hill and Grimming

Grimming

Gesäuse (Enns valley between Admont and Hieflau)

Salza valley

Maria Zell

2006-08-19
136km 1269Hm (B21) Gschaid {970m} St. Aegyd am Neuwalde (B21) Ochssattel {864m} (B21) Rohr im Gebirge, Haselrast, Gutenstein (B21) Pernitz, Pottenstein (B212) Bad Vöslau, Baden, Pfaffstätten (Weinstraße) Mödling (B17) Wien

View from Ochssattel

Vienna basin

Finally back in Vienna


Anton Ertl