Not only do spring bicycle tour vacations promise wild flowers, fields of green, fewer crowds, and ideal cycling weather, they are also a great way to kick start your base fitness level for the rest of the summer. Here are four bicycle tours guaranteed to kick your cycling season into gear.
Cycling Puglia’s White Villages Plus! the Salento
Beautifully situated on the Adriatic Coast between the spur and heel of Italy’s “boot” lies Puglia. Nestled against the brilliant blue of the Mediterranean ancient Greek and Italian cultures mingle among hillside vineyards, olive groves, and whitewashed villages. Join us as we begin our bicycling journey in Matera, a world renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site, where dwellings carved into limestone caves create an enchanted and ancient stone city. We’ll pedal east toward Alberobello, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, through a landscape filled with unique conical shaped dwellings known as trulli. Continue to the striking “Città Bianca” or “White City” of Ostuni before heading south to Grottaglie, famed for its ceramics, and the important coastal towns of Gallipoli and Otranto where you’ll revel in impromptu stops at some of the beautiful beaches that attract visitors from all over Italy. Our final stop brings us back inland to Lecce, the baroque Florence of Southern Italy where palatial streets welcome us. Along the way you’ll enjoy meals prepared with Italian, Greek, and Middle Eastern influences and discover the warmth and hospitality of Southern Italy’s friendliest people.
A few highlights to look forward to: UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Sassi of Matera and trulli of Alberobello, White city of Ostuni, Cheese tasting, Locorotondo, Ancient olive mill visit, Via Traiana, Otranto, Lecce – the baroque Florence of Southern Italy, The tip of the heel of Italy’s boot, Grottaglie and its ceramics!
Join our 7-day Cycling Puglia’s White Villages or make it a 11-day tour and join Cycling Puglia’s White Villages Plus! the Salento.
Departure dates:
*Interested in this tour? Follow the links for departure dates!
Cycling Puglia’s White Villages (7-day)
Cycling Puglia’s White Villages Plus! the Salento (11-day)
Spotlight: Costa Brava
Home to some of Spain’s most iconic cities and famous characters, Catalonia is a one of a kind destination. With a history as diverse as the territory and a cultural identity and language of its own, this Spanish community will delight and fascinate. We’ll spend our first three nights in the Bay of Roses, (rated in the top 10 of most beautiful bays in the world). Using a wonderful spa hotel as home base you’ll cycle to stunning nearby towns including Roses, Escala and Cadaques. The mornings will be spent cycling while the afternoons are yours to… sit by the hotel pool, schedule a massage, explore Roman ruins, or try a few water sports in the bay. Once our exploration of the area is complete we’ll cycle to Figueres, birthplace of the famous painter Salvador Dali from there we’ll head to our hotel, a 17th century mill that’s been converted into a stunning estate. We’ll spend our final days of cycling exploring quiet towns, and the foothills of the Pyrenees where we’ll taste the regions famous wine and olive oil.
Highlights: Bay of Roses, Catalonia’s medieval villages, Cadaques, Dalí museum, foothills of the Pyrenees, wine country
Departure dates:
*Interested in this tour? Follow the links for departure dates!
Spotlight: Costa Brava (6-Days)
Learn more about Spotlight tour style here!
Cycling Copenhagen to Stockholm
Start in Copenhagen, dubbed the “most livable city and bike capital of the world” and cross from Denmark to Sweden. Enchanting forests, rugged coastlines and quiet country roads will be the backdrop as you follow the Kattegattleden, Sweden’s first national bicycle route from Copenhagen to Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city.
Soak in Sweden as you cycle tranquil roads, passing typical Swedish farms and tour some of its most famous attractions including a private tour of one of the country’s most beautiful castles: Läckö Castle. You will cycle along Sweden’s greatest civil-engineering feat, the Göta Canal and finish with a ride on the S/S Mariefred steam ship which has been taking the same route into Stockholm since 1903.
If you don’t have enough time for the full trip, consider joining us on the first half from Copenhagen to Gothenburg or the second half from Gothenburg to Stockholm.
Highlights: Copenhagen and its bustling bike culture, bike paths, Hamlet’s castle in Helsingor, ride the Kattegattleden route, learn about maritime history in Denmark and Sweden. Guided visit of Gothenburg, Lake Vattern (one of Europe’s largest fresh water lakes), Läckö Castle private visit, Kornettgarden Café Museum, learn about the Gota Canal and its locks, steamship into Stockholm.
Departure dates
*Interested in this tour? Follow the links for departure dates!
Cycling Copenhagen to Stockholm (14 days)
Cycling Copenhagen to Gothenburg (7 days)
Cycling Gothenburg to Stockholm (8 days)
Bike Across Portugal Plus! the Coast
Great cycling weather, check. Excellent (and affordable) cuisine, check. Fantastic wine, check. Exceptional and passionate local tour leaders, check. Portugal offers beautiful cycling terrain with scenic vistas, colorful countrysides and lively cities. Join us to explore Portugal’s south-central interior and west coast with undulating wheat fields, cork and eucalyptus trees, olive orchards and vineyards. As the western outpost of continental Europe, this region combines centuries of ancient, Roman, Arabic, Medieval and Renaissance influences, delicately framed by stunning beaches and endless blue sky.
A few highlights to look forward to: Roman cities, Undiscovered roads, A stay at one of Portugal’s historic Pousada hotels, Active marble quarry, Star-gazing, The ceramics of São Pedro do Corval, Medieval town of Evora, Costa Vincentina National Park, Algarve, Bicycle to the “end of the world”.
Departure dates:
*Interested in this tour? Follow the links for departure dates!
Bike Across Portugal Plus! the Coast (12-day)
Bike Across Portugal (8-day)