4 Great tours for first time bike travelers
Whether you are an experienced cyclist at home but it is your first time traveling by bicycle, or it’s your first time bicycling in a while but you’re eager to begin traveling by bike, these Classic tours are excellent introductions to traveling with ExperiencePlus! and seeing the world by bike. Our chalk arrows will have you navigating these stunning landscapes like a local. If you are worried about the hills, or want more miles, our tour leaders will help you make the best of your cycling vacation.
1. Bicycle from Venice to Pisa
Prepare to be romanced. From Venice and its enthralling canals to Florence’s Renaissance art, Ravenna’s byzantine mosaics and Faenza’s ceramics, this tour brings together the best Italy can offer. Cycling through Italy’s pasta heartland with a mix of wetlands, fruit orchards and one stunning mountain climb in the Apennines there is a bit of everything on this trip. What’s your pleasure? Exploring Venice’s artful shops, tiny bridges and magical canals? Or strolling the streets of the UNESCO world heritage town Ferrara? Or perhaps the lush forest of the Apennine Mountains, with the tang of local olive oil lingering on your tongue? Undoubtedly, these magical landscapes will be a gentle yet rewarding start to your travels by bike. This is a Level 2.5 tour Classic tour.
Bike Across Italy – Venice to Pisa (12 Day)
Bicycle from Venice to Florence (8 day)
2. Best of Provence Plus! the Luberon and Aix-en-Provence
Explore the best Provence has to offer, including culinary highlights that make for a splendid Mediterranean feast of Côtes-de-Rhône wines, exquisite olive oil from a local olive press and more Roman ruins than you will find even in Italy. France’s small country roads will lead you to discover the secrets behind the local artisans’ savoir-faire. You’ll also visit the places where Van Gogh and Cézanne painted a majority of their most well-known paintings. For those of you who enjoy architecture, this trip gives you a superb view of both medieval and Roman masterpieces such as the theater and arena in Arles, the impressive Pont du Gard, the ancient Roman town of Aix-en-Provence and the medieval jewel of Uzès. To top it all off, the final portion of the trip includes the small hilltop villages in the Luberon valley that made Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence” an international best-seller. This itinerary starts out at a more relaxed pace with numerous two-night stays, then finishes with flexible days where both short and long rides are possible – including the option to climb Mt. Ventoux if you wish. It is a great bike tour for friends or couples where one partner likes to ride more than the other. This is a Level 2.5 Classic tour.
Best of Provence Plus! the Luberon and Aix-en-Provence (11 Day)
Best of Provence (8 Day)
3. Cycle the Camino de Santiago
Call it the Camino, The Road to Santiago, or St. James’ Path or St James’ Way. Shakespeare postulated a rose by any other name still smells as sweet; the same applies to this soulful synchronicity of bike and route. For the more experienced cyclists, or those ready to truly take a pilgrimage (with some of the suffering) the cycling on this trip is only second to the history. Receive stamps on your Pilgrim’s Passport throughout to document your experiences: the churches, tombs, vineyards, ruins, palaces, museums and traditional foods and wines. There’s a reason National Geographic hailed this route as one of “50 Tours of a Lifetime;” join Cycling the Camino de Santiago: Roncesvalles to Santiago to discover exactly why. Enjoy “The Way” your way and at the speed of a bike. This is a Level 3.5 Classic tour.
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Cycling the Camino de Santiago – Roncesvalles to Santiago (15 Day)
Cycling the Camino de Santiago – León to Santiago (8 Day)
4. Emilia Romagna’s Culinary Delights Plus!
On this popular bicycle tour, you’ll ride through Italy’s premier pasta region. Every meal will include extraordinary local dishes made according to tradition. Every day of pedaling will not only take you on behind-the-scenes visits to parmesan cheese makers, balsamic vinegar cellars, and wine makers, but also to ancient castles and World Heritage UNESCO sites. History, art, culture, and tradition conspire to make this tour unforgettable! This is a Level 1.5 Classic tour.
Emilia Romagna’s Culinary Delights Plus! (12 Day)
Emilia Romagna’s Culinary Delights (8 Day)