Sports in Athens

Sporting programmes in Athens fall into two unequal parts: what can be done in the city, and what people leave it for. In the city it is the bicycle. Athens stands on seven hills, and the climb to Lycabettus or a circuit of the Acropolis from below on an ordinary bike turns into training; the electric motor makes the same routes available without preparation, while the effort stays exactly as much as you choose to put in.

The routes run through the historic centre, along the seafront to Glyfada, and in an evening version under floodlights. The culinary versions add stops, so the distance falls while the pleasure rises.

Outside the city the real thing begins: a tandem skydive from two and a half thousand metres. The instructor is strapped behind you, free fall lasts about a minute, then the canopy and a slow descent over Attica. No experience is needed and the briefing takes some twenty minutes. Practical notes: bike tours run on the road in general traffic — confidence in the saddle is needed, and helmets are provided. The jump has weight and age limits, depends on the wind, and money is returned on cancellation. In summer everything active is set for the morning.