Grecia

Greece rewards climbers with roads that thread through mountain passes rather than assault soaring alpine walls. Across the country there are six catalogued climbs, none of them hors catégorie, with the highest summit reaching 1710 metres. That makes for a destination where the gradients are honest and sustained, the air thins gradually, and the effort is measured in patient kilometres rather than brutal ramps. It is climbing at a human scale, with long views opening across ridgelines as you gain height.

The marquee ascents give the country its character. The Katara Pass is the headline climb, joined by the Slimnitsa Pass, Beli preseki and the Seli Ambelou pass. The Klidi Pass and the Rupel Pass round out the set, carrying riders up toward the borderlands. Together these six climbs offer a compact but rewarding tour of Greek mountain roads, well suited to cyclists chasing quiet passes and a summit that tops out just past 1700 metres.