Cycling around Poros
Poros is the Greek island where a bicycle actually works: flat along the south coast, small, and with beaches every couple of kilometres. Hire from 8 euros a day at the harbour.
There are very few Greek islands where a bicycle is a sensible option rather than an exercise in suffering. Poros is one of them, and it is probably the best way to get to know it.
There are three reasons: the island is small (thirty-one square kilometres), the south coast road is virtually flat, and the distances between beaches are two or three kilometres. In one morning you can swim at four different spots without wearing yourself out.
Where to hire and what it costs
There are several hire shops in Poros town, most of them on the waterfront and on the road that crosses over to Kalavria. Prices have traditionally run between 5 and 12 euros a day for a basic city or mountain bike, rising to 15 or 25 euros for an e-bike.
The electric ones change the game if you want to climb inland on Kalavria towards the sanctuary of Poseidon. On a normal bike that climb is genuinely demanding.
They usually ask for ID and sometimes a small deposit. Check the brakes and tyre pressure before you set off, because in high season the equipment gets a lot of use.
Two routes that work
East route (easy, 10 km there and back). From the harbour you cross the isthmus, pass Kanali, continue to Askeli and finish at the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi with a swim at Monastiri. It is flat almost the whole way, with the odd short rise, and fills a whole morning.
West route (easy to moderate, 12 km there and back). From the harbour towards Neorio, then on to Love Bay and Russian Bay. A bit more undulating than the east route, with one hill before Love Bay that you can walk up without any drama.
The climb to the sanctuary of Poseidon is the only serious part: about five kilometres from the coast with more than a hundred metres of cumulative ascent. On an e-bike it is a stroll. On a normal bike, brace yourself.
Pain points
There is no separate cycle lane on most of the route. You share the road with cars and scooters. Traffic is light outside August, but ride carefully and take lights if you are coming back after dark.
Patchy shade. There are stretches with pines and stretches that are completely exposed. In July and August, set off before ten or after five.
Helmets: Greek hire shops do not always include one as standard. Ask for it specifically.
With children: the coastal routes are manageable from about ten years old. Some shops have trailers and child seats, but you need to ask in advance and they are not always available.
Water: there are no fountains on the Kalavria road. Take two bottles if you are going to be out all morning.
When
Spring and autumn are ideal for cycling here: pleasant temperatures, everything open and empty roads. In April and May you also get the lemon forest across the water in blossom.
In summer, an early start is compulsory. From eleven onwards the tarmac burns.
Alternatives
If cycling is not your thing, the same shops hire out scooters (from about 15 to 25 euros a day) and quads. A scooter covers the whole island effortlessly and is what most people go for.
And if you do not want to drive anything, the bus from Iroon Square covers both coasts every half hour for 3 euros a trip, and the water taxis do the rest. On Poros you can do perfectly well without a vehicle, which is one of the charms of this island.