2026 — 2-Stroke Summer Holiday
Pasta and Gyros
Departure: 10 July 2026. Duration: unknown. Return: when it is done.
Some tours you plan for months. You have spreadsheets. You have a laminated route card. You have a contingency plan for your contingency plan.
This is not one of those tours.
The rough plan is approximately 8,000 kilometres — Sardinia, Sicily, southern Italy, Greece, the Balkans, Romania, Moldova, and home by whatever route makes sense at the time. I leave on the 10th of July. I do not know when I come back.
The Plan — Chapter by Chapter
Sardinia — 1,000 km Loop
First stop after Barcelona: a ferry to Sardinia. I give the island a proper 1,000 km loop before continuing south. Sardinia is one of those places that rewards not rushing. I have no intention of rushing.
Sicily — Palermo and a Co-Rider
From Sardinia, a ferry to Palermo. This is where my girlfriend Martina joins the tour. We ride the southern part of Sicily and then up through southern Italy toward Brindisi — pasta, heat, and the kind of roads that make you forget you are in a hurry.
Greece — Pindos Vespa Ride and a Book
From Brindisi, a ferry to Igoumenitsa. We are heading for the Pindos Vespa Ride — a three to four day event in the mountains of northwestern Greece. I will be presenting my book there in Greek. Which means I will be standing in front of a crowd of Greek Vespa riders trying to look like I planned this all along.
A Birthday Under Olympus
I turn 50 this July. I plan to celebrate it somewhere in the vicinity of Mount Olympus. The gods can make of that what they will.
Thessaloniki — Martina Flies Home
A few days after the birthday, I drop Martina off in Thessaloniki. She flies home. I continue east and north — alone, which is when things tend to get interesting.
The Balkan Capitals
From Thessaloniki I head toward the Balkan capitals — most of them, in whatever order makes geographic sense. Skopje, Sofia, Bucharest at minimum. The Balkans are full of places that nobody visits on a Vespa, which is exactly why I should.
Transfăgărășan and Transalpina
Romania. Two of the greatest mountain roads in Europe. The Transfăgărășan crosses the Carpathians at 2,042 metres and was built by Ceaușescu as a military road — Top Gear called it the best road in the world, which I choose to verify personally. The Transalpina reaches 2,145 metres and is less famous, which usually means better.
Both. In the same week if possible.
Chișinău, Moldova
The eastern end of the route. Moldova is one of the least visited countries in Europe and one of the few I have not yet crossed on a Vespa. That ends in 2026.
The Return — Alps Optional
From Chișinău the route home is not yet defined. One option: if the weather cooperates, I ride back through the Alps and attempt 10 to 20 of the highest passes before dropping back into Barcelona.
That would add several thousand kilometres and an unknown number of days to a tour that already has no fixed end date. Sounds about right.
This is Not a Micro Adventure
The Balearic Islands in May — 1,000 km, five days, home for dinner — that was a micro adventure. Anything under 5,000 km. This tour at approximately 8,000 km qualifies as a medium adventure. The real thing starts at 15,000 km — and I have done that too. But 8,000 km across nine countries with a departure date and no return date is nothing to apologise for.
The Machine
Valentina — my 1967 Vespa GS150 with a PX 200 engine. The plan was to take an old PX. The plan changed. Valentina will carry two people across nine countries instead. She has done harder things than this. Probably.
Status
Departing 10 July 2026. Follow the journey on Facebook and Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 Balkans Vespa tour start? The 2-Stroke Summer Holiday departs on 10 July 2026 from Barcelona. The return date is open — the tour ends when it ends.
Which countries does the Balkans Vespa tour cover? The route covers Sardinia, Sicily, southern Italy, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and returns through Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy back to Barcelona — approximately 8,000 km across 9 countries.
What is the Pindos Vespa Ride? The Pindos Vespa Ride is a 3-4 day Vespa event in the mountains of northwestern Greece. Markus André Mayer presents his book there in Greek in July 2026.
What are the Transfăgărășan and Transalpina roads? Two of the highest and most dramatic mountain roads in Romania. The Transfăgărășan reaches 2,042 metres and crosses the Carpathians. The Transalpina reaches 2,145 metres. Both are on the 2026 route.
What Vespa is used for the Balkans tour? Valentina — a 1967 Vespa GS150 with a PX 200 engine, ridden two-up with Martina for the first part of the tour through Italy and Greece.