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Cycling Tours You Can Take in Europe

Looking to cycle Europe? Travel through endearing villages, past fairy tale castles and colourful orchards, and over mountain passes that reward with views galore – all under your own steam. Talk about rewarding! Here are some cycling tours you...
09 October, 2018Cycling the trails

Looking to cycle Europe? Travel through endearing villages, past fairy tale castles and colourful orchards, and over mountain passes that reward with views galore – all under your own steam. Talk about rewarding! Here are some cycling tours you can take in Europe.

Cycling France

Pedal your way through the scenically charming landscapes and townships of France on a guided cycling tour. Jump in the saddle in Blois and cycle the Loire Valley past vineyards, commanding châteaux, rich pastures and flower meadows rippling in the wind. Experience rural Gallic charm as you stop in at countryside villages and towns along the way, including Chenonceaux and charming Tours. Check out the town squares and shop the markets to pick up some fresh produce for a picnic by the river en route to your next stop. Steep limestone cliffs rise up around you between Chinon and Samur before you arrive at your last destination of Angers, where you can reward yourself with some of the indulgent French cuisine and wine that the Loire is famous for.

Provence, France

If it is wine you are after, then you really can’t go past cycling Provence. Throw yourself into wine country in the south of France guilt free as you pedal along the trails from Avignon to Arles. Enjoy a vineyard visit in the famous wine region of Chateauneuf du Pape en route to Orange, visit the towering aqueduct Pont du Gard, and explore the boulevards and café scene of Uzes. Rest your legs in Saint Remy and see why Vincent van Gogh found inspiration during his time here, before jumping back in the saddle and winding through olive groves and vineyards to Les Baux. Finish your exploration amidst the historic sites of Arles where you will bid farewell to your two-wheeled chariot.

Up for a challenge? Perhaps enjoy your very own ‘Tour de France’ as you navigate the 21 hairpins of the Alpe d'Huez and conquer the climbs of Croix de Fer, Col d'Izoard and Col du Galibier. Cycling the French Alps is as rewarding as it is challenging, as you pedal in the shadows of the Jura Mountains, follow the Isere River, and take on a series of breathtaking climbs and descents through the Alps. Views of soft meadows, small villages, serene lakes and snow-capped peaks unfold before you as you pedal your way through this itinerary from Aix-les-Bains to Braincon and back to Chambery.

Alpe d’Huez, French Alps, France

Cycling Italy

Ahh Tuscany! Rolling verdant hills, neat vineyards, picturesque olive groves, and produce that will leave your mouth watering. What’s not to love? You can choose to cycle from Florence to Pisa, taking in the charming town of Vinci, indulging in a traditional Tuscan dinner in Barga, and sampling the specialities of historic cake shop in Garfagnana, where they have perfected their chocolate-making since 1885. Lucca awaits with endearing cobblestone streets and plenty of outdoor cafes to try before heading off along the banks of the Serchio River to Pisa. Alternatively, make the hilltop town of Chianciano Terme your base and spend your days exploring the surrounds on day rides as you spend a week cycling Tuscany. Take a Tuscan cooking class, cycle through the hillsides and visit the medieval town of Montepulciano, pedal your way around the Tuscan lakes, and perhaps soak your muscles in the thermal pools Bagno Vignoni. Bellissimo!

Tuscany, Italy

Cycling Spain

Spain leaps to life around you as you cycle Andalucia invigorated by the scenery and fuelled by tapas. Saddle up in Seville and head off across southern Spain, winding through whitewashed villages steeped in Andalucian charm. Cycle the Via Verde de la Sierra, an old railway used now as a trail for hiking and biking through the Spanish countryside. Zahara de la Sierra awaits with an imposing castle adorning the hilltop, Ronda’s beautiful bridges are draped over breathtaking sheer cliffs, and the Natural Reserve of the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra boasts a flamingo colony that calls it home for long periods of the year. The trail is stunning with wide meadows, lush valleys, and mountain passes that are sure to impress, and the towns you come across in between will charm and delight. Perfecto!

Seville, Spain

Cycling the Danube

Follow the Danube River as it winds through Austria, Slovakia and Hungary connecting their charismatic capitals. Explore the winding streets of Vienna by bike, sightseeing the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Hofburg Palace and all that the Ringstrasse has to offer. Slovakia showcases cosmopolitan Bratislava and Budapest awaits with a vibrant food market and spas to soak your weary muscles. These cities will take your breath away, as will the stretches of countryside between them. Cycle the Danube past fairy tale castles, important archaeological sites, quaint villages, dense forests, and the Basilica of Esztergom perched atop the banks of the Danube Bend, humbly nestled between the lively cities.

Cycling in Budapest

Cycling the Baltics

Traverse a patchwork of cultures and countrysides as you cycle the Baltics through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Stay in a farmhouse on the island of Saarema and devour a local dinner with your hosts after a day on the bike. Follow the coastline of the Baltic Sea as you cycle into Latvia where the village of Ainazi, the Central Market of Riga, and the white sand beach of Jurmala await. Lithuania showcases forested areas, sand dunes and beaches aplenty in the World Heritage-listed Curonian Spit National Park, and the old town of Vilnius will leave you wanting more as your tour draws to a close.

Riga Old Town Square, Latvia

Cycling Croatia

Explore the Dalmatian coastline as you island hop and cycle Croatia. Spend a week gliding between islands and along bike trails, soaking up the sunshine and feeling the wind in your hair. You’ll be whisked over azure waters by ferry and catamaran and through vineyards, olive groves and cypress forests by your own fervour. Pedal around the largest island in Dalmatia, Brac, stopping to drink in views of the Adriatic and the produce of the famous Stina Winery. On Hvar Island sightsee the old town of Stari Grad and vibrant Hvar Town, and on Korcula enjoy dinner and wine crafted from ingredients found on the local farm where you’ll dine. Finish your Dalmatian discovery in Dubrovnik exploring the ancient city walls and enjoying this Adriatic gem oozing historic charm.

Korcula, Croatia

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