Amanda travels to Greece to find dry trails, fine wine and perhaps a hint of divine power on the trails of Mount Olympus.

WORDS AMANDA PHOTOGRAPHY MANFRED STROMBERG & CREDITED

Do you ever find yourself torn between a mountain bike holiday that’s all about the riding, and a relaxing seaside break with sunshine, historical landmarks and plenty of tourist attractions? Me neither… I’d always go for a riding holiday.

Most of the places I’ve ridden abroad have that activity holiday’ vibe in the towns. You’re in the mountains and are there to explore, as is everyone else usually. Even during your downtime you find yourself surrounded by hikers, climbers, bikes, and the temptation to not have a rest day. There’s rarely a beach resort or a busy and exciting city right next door to the trails, but wouldn’t that be nice for a change?

Knowing that it’s not just about the trails when choosing a destination — the food, scenery, town and local people all play an equal part in the experience — let’s take a brief look at Thessaloniki, Greece. A port city with clean, peaceful beaches for some R&R. An exciting city centre full of traditional Greek markets offering every shape, size and marinade of olive you could wish for. Baklava, if you have never tried it, is the crack of the pastry world. Greek wine is really good. Greek coffee is, well, subjective. And the highlight for me is it seems that wherever you are, if you look through a gap in the buildings or trees, you will find a mountain towering over you.

Getting to your destination is also an important factor. Thessaloniki has an airport, a really efficient one at that. It’s here I was greeted by George Nanos from Outline Adventures, a mountain bike guiding and holiday company based in thecity centre, covering various areas in Thessaloniki, from entry- level gravel days out to full enduro on Mount Olympus.