4 Tours for Island Lovers
Find yourself daydreaming of warm weather and coastal rides? Take a look at these tours with a perfect mix of sunshine, sea breeze, and coastal views.
An island of beauty, Corsica is also an island of delightful surprises for the touring cyclist. Geologically, Corsica is more closely related to the Alps than it is to its larger, southern neighbor, the Italian island of Sardinia. But culturally and linguistically this birthplace of Napoleon is all Mediterranean. Palm-lined streets bustle with colorful marketplaces and the island’s official language, French, mingles with a variety of exotic dialects brought here from northern Africa, Italy, and the rest of the Mediterranean basin.
Highlights: Extraordinary mixture of mountains and coastline scenery, French and Mediterranean food, picturesque villages, beautiful Pisan and Genoese churches, fabulous beaches, impressive watchtowers along the coast.
Grand Cycling Tour of Sicily
This bicycle tour of Sicily explores traditional southern Italy and the heart of ancient Magna Grecia. Beginning in Siracusa (Syracuse), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 3,000 years of Mediterranean history you’ll discover the interior towns in the Valle di Noto. You’ll visit four of them, Ragusa, Scicli, Modica and Valle di Noto. All four are listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and each one is spectacularly beautiful. Your journey will continue to the coastal town of Trapani known for its seaport and tuna fishing. Explore the medieval village of Erice with its narrow stone alleyways, and the hilltop town of Caltabellotta. You’ll also visit Marsala and sample its fortified wines, and discover some of the finest classical Greek temples still in existence at Selinunte and Agrigento. The diverse terrain offers a rewarding cycling journey through beautiful regions rich in vineyards and agriculture, and picture perfect coastal views.
Highlights: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the vale di Noto, Syracuse, Rural countryside accommodations with pools, Olive oil tasting, Beaches and swimming opportunities, Agrigento, Lunch at Caltabellotta, Guided walk of Selinunte, Castelvetrano, Marsala wines, Erice, Trapani, Archaeological site of Cava d’Ispica, Noto guided visit.
Read the full itinerary here
Bicycling Sardinia – Alghero to Cagliari
The Italian island of Sardinia is renowned for its rich history, colorful handcrafts, and endless miles of undisturbed beaches. Our tour gives you a chance to discover this Mediterranean jewel that is often overlooked by American tourists. Spend 11 days exploring breathtaking coastal roads, pedaling ancient forests, and hiking to ruins that predate Roman civilization by more than 1,000 years – all while enjoying traditional Italian meals and wine. Other highlights are a visit to an excavated Roman town, a fabulous shepherds’ barbecue, and swimming in pristine waters.
Highlights: Quiet country roads, spectacular mountain vistas, great food, stunning coastal bicycle rides, traditions dating back to pre-Roman times, Cabras Archaeological Museum, guided hike, mask museum.
11-Day itinerary & departure dates
Bicycling the Islands of Dalmatia Plus! the South Coast
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast has been a favorite seaside destination among central Europeans for over a century. Join us as we explore this spectacular limestone coastline by bicycle! We begin near Split where you’ll see Diocletian’s 3rd century palace still inhabited by descendants of the Romans who settled this area and where we’ll visit the waterfalls of Krka National Park. On our ride we pedal three of the Mediterranean’s most picturesque islands -Brač, Hvar and Korčula – spending time in the picturesque rural areas, ports, and fishing villages. We’ll explore the Medieval and Renaissance cities that were so important to the Greeks, Romans, Venetians, Austrians, Hungarians, and Croats. We’ll also pedal to the remote interior of coastal Croatia before shuttling you to the beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik, long considered the jewel of the Adriatic.
Highlights: The Dalmatian Coast, Islands of Brac, Hvar and Korčula, Medieval and Renaissance towns and villages of Primosten, Trogir, Split, Skrip, Pučišća, Stari Grad, Ston, Mali Ston and Dubrovnik, Krka National Park, Dubrovnik.