We start our bicycle journey from Archangelos taking a back road to Malona, a cheerful town with eye-catching old houses and crusty oven-baked bread. Look for avgoula, a local speciality consisting of a hard boiled egg stuck in the center of a round loaf of bread.

In our 11 kilometer climb to Platania we are surrounded by and immersed in pure nature. The rare automobile on this road will not interrupt the sense of serenity and peace you will certainly feel pedaling across this quiet terrain.

We stop for lunch in lovely Eleousa with its bygone Italianate setting. The arched facades, arcades and plaza built during the Italian occupation are now faded and crumbling, yet they retain a certain elegant charm, like a dignified elderly matron.

Then its mostly downhill toward Seven Springs, a verdant retreat whose highlight is seven fresh water sources flowing into a bubbling stream. Epta Pigi, as it is known in Greek, is a peaceful place where peacocks roam the grounds and footpaths lead you to old mills. It offers a most unusual and thrilling experience: an underground water tunnel that takes about five minutes to traverse barefoot and in complete darkness.

From Seven Springs we cycle toward the sea, reaching the fragrant eucalyptus-lined avenue at Kolimbia. Our ride continues primarily on a beach road until we end our long and wonderfully invigorating day at Faliraki.