Megalopolis Gravel Classic

The Megalopolis Gravel Classic is a weekend-long gravel festival in the heart of Arcadia, built around participation rather than finishing times. It is aimed at riders who value good company, wine, local food and exploration as much as the riding, and the 2026 edition set a participation record, with Olympic road champion Paolo Bettini lining up on the long route.

Megalopolis sits on a fertile plain ringed by mountains, and the routes head out from town through picturesque villages and the Arcadian countryside, including a gentler touristic loop around Lake Trapezounta. The town was long known mostly for its power stations, and the event is part of its shift towards greener tourism that shows off its landscape, history and gastronomy.

It is part of the Greek Gravel Challenge, the series behind The Gravel of Marathon, whose philosophy puts adventure and friendship ahead of competition. Gravel bikes are the natural choice, but MTBs are welcome too, and the weekend fills the main square with a kids' skills track and local products.