Greece · Central Macedonia · Premium route guide
Agios Nikolaos Naousa to Thessaloniki
The easy one. Coffee under the plane trees at Agios Nikolaos, a slow roll through the Naousa vineyards and the Imathia peach orchards, then the wide open plain back into Thessaloniki. Around 110 km and an hour and a half if you do not stop, which you will.
- Distance
- 109.8 km
- Peak elevation
- 594 m
- Elevation gain
- 171 m
- Best months
- Apr-Oct
The route
Start at the springs of Agios Nikolaos just outside Naousa, drop through Kopanos and the orchards, cross the plain by Alexandreia and Chalkidona, then run the old EO1 into Thessaloniki. Pins are motorcycle-friendly stays other riders have vetted.
Works with Garmin, TomTom, BMW Navigator, Calimoto, Kurviger, komoot, MyRouteApp. Import as a track to ride the exact line. Road data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL); elevation from SRTM.
Track vs. route, how to load this into your GPS
What you are downloading is a GPX track, a dense, road-snapped breadcrumb of the exact line, with elevation on every point. It is not a GPX route (a short list of turn waypoints your device re-plans between). Tracks preserve our road choice; routes let the device pick its own way and can send you down a boring motorway shortcut.
How to use it on your navigator:
- BMW Navigator / Garmin Zumo / zumo XT: import as a track, then Convert to Route (or Trip Planner, new trip from track) if you want turn by turn prompts. Keep Recalculation off so it stays on our line.
- TomTom Rider: import the GPX in MyDrive, it loads as a track / itinerary. Enable Follow the exact route so it does not re-plan.
- Calimoto: open the GPX and choose Import as tour, Calimoto follows the track line.
- Kurviger / komoot / MyRouteApp: open the GPX and pick Import as track to keep the road choice. Only choose Import as route if you want the app to re-plan for your bike profile.
- Google Maps / Apple Maps: these do not read GPX. Use the map on this page for turn cues, or import the file into a GPX capable app first.
Rule of thumb: if your device asks "track or route?", pick track to ride our exact line, pick route only if you want the device to re-plan.
Elevation profile
From ~-4 m at the base to 594 m at the top, 171 m of total climbing across the route.
Nothing technical here. It is a half-day ride you can do on any bike, in any gear, with a pillion who does not love hairpins. The interest is in the stops: the park, the wine, the orchards in blossom, and the last stretch where the Thermaic gulf opens up on your right.
Agios Nikolaos park
Three kilometres west of Naousa, the springs of the Arapitsa feed a shaded park full of plane trees, running water and tavernas. It is the classic Sunday morning meeting point for riders out of Thessaloniki and Veria. Park on the gravel by the entrance, get a coffee, then leave before the family crowd arrives at midday.
Naousa and the orchards
Naousa is Xinomavro country. The wineries around Trilofos and Giannakochori take walk-ins, though obviously you are riding, so plan the tasting for a stay rather than a stop. From April, the road down through Kopanos and Episkopi runs between kilometres of peach and cherry blossom. Late June to August the fruit stalls are on the verge and the peaches cost almost nothing.
The plain and the run into town
After Alexandreia the road goes flat, straight and fast across the Imathia plain. It can be windy in the afternoon and there are farm tractors, so keep something in reserve. From Chalkidona you can pick the A1 for speed or stay on the old EO1 through Gefyra, which is slower but keeps the mountains in your mirrors.
Fuel and food are easy the whole way. Nothing on this route is remote.
What to see along the way
- Agios Nikolaos park, Naousa - Spring water, plane trees and tavernas. The start point and the reason to ride out early.
- Naousa wineries - Xinomavro vineyards on the slopes above town. Best visited from a stay, not mid-ride.
- Imathia orchards - Peach and cherry blossom in April, fruit stalls from late June.
- Old EO1 through Gefyra - The slower alternative to the motorway on the last 25 km, with the Vermio range behind you.
Rent a bike
Rent a motorcycle or scooter for Agios Nikolaos Naousa to Thessaloniki
Flying in? Pick up a bike near the start of the route. We've pre-filled the pick-up city with Naousa - change it if you're basing elsewhere.
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