Bike Tours & Bicycle Trips In Europe & Beyond

I had spent a very enjoyable time in Heidelberg while I was in the army, and wanted to show its many charms to Dana. From there we took a train to the south of Germany, where we cycled around Lake Constance, or the Bodensee. This is a large lake which joins the borders of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and has a bike path along much of the shore. Sometimes the route you want will be wonderfully close to a straight line, but other times it will seem like you have to zig or zag at every country crossroads. On these occasions it may be best to look for a possible path that goes out of the way in one direction, then bends back towards your goal, in each case following a straighter line than the zig-zag alternative.

But even if you don’t speak a lick of anything other than English, you can still get by pretty easily. In countries such as Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium, a large part of the population can easily speak conversational English. France is a bit more challenging, although many workers in the hospitality professions and younger people will still speak at least passable English. We found Italy to be the most difficult, with fewer people who speak any languages other than Italian.

Choosing A Country And Objectives

Each bike tour on our website has information on the type of terrain you will be covering. Some tours go onto roads, but mostly quiet country roads. Check your itinerary or ask us () if you require further information.

6 European trails that provide a ‘sense of achievement’ – one of the main reasons people embark on an active holiday in Europe. Gordon cycled, walked and sailed the beautiful islands of Croatia with his family. Here he provides his verdict on the Croatia Family Adventure tour. See our list of undiscovered walking and cycling trails in Europe that will exceed your expectations. An active Centre Based holiday can provide you the best of both worlds. Unpack just once then head out each day to experience something …

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Nor do you want to plan a bike tour in Holland in October. And by November the days get very short no matter where you are in Europe. Unless you are planning to ride through very hilly terrain, a hybrid or touring bike will suffice. The medium-width tires make for a comfortable ride no matter what the road surface is, and a back-rack plus a front pannier facilitates you to carry your “day-stuff”. Watch out for hidden costs, such as surcharges for the bicycle. Leaving the Bodensee, we’ll start our climb into and through the Austrian Alps.

We got to see lots of the city we wouldn’t have by car and really enjoyed it. The Versailles Bike Tour was a highlight of our trip to Paris! We LOVED the incredible market filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, cheeses, bread and flowers, and exploring the grounds of Versailles was such a memorable and special experience. Watch a video of our signature cycling tour through Portugal and Spain. I want to thank Holland Bike Tours for setting up my self guided tour with very short notice.

Other Apogee Tripsyou May Consider:

Luggage is transferred from hotel to hotel (Wow! This is so good!) so all you do is enjoy your day – at your own pace on a self-guided tour, or with a guided group. Take lunch and a few snacks, a bottle or two of water, your well-developed maps and route descriptions, any ferry, train or bus tickets included in your bike tour, and anything else you may need for the day. Before buying yourself a packed lunch, check your itinerary for the day to see if there are cafes and bistros marked where you can stop and have a leisurely break. Your multi-lingual local cycle guide is with you from the time your cycling tour commences until it concludes. They’ll help adjust your bike correctly, provide you with daily trip briefings, and work tirelessly to tailor the trip to your interests while also ensuring that your cycling holiday runs smoothly for everyone.

Quench your thirst for Europe’s best beer, cider and wine trails! Walk or cycle your way through some of Europe’s most scenic vineyards and … Here are some of our favourite tours taking in the very best of Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia & more… Have you been planning a cycling in Italy break this year and it hasn’t happened yet? The Tour de France route for 2020 has been released and it’s been labelled ‘one of the toughest’ as cyclists compete over the southern …

United Kingdom: Peak Tours

They made the trip very easy and all we had to do was concentrate on riding our bikes. I must admit that whether I use hostels or not depends largely on if I’m traveling alone or not. When you are touring by yourself, there is certainly no less expensive way to go, and the hostel can provide company after a day on the road by yourself. Some European hostels do have assigned chores, which may be a surprise if you’re used to big city hostels with professional staffs. I used hostels for about half the nights I was in Holland and Belgium – basically, whenever there was one where I wanted to be. Check if the tour is guided, has an option for guided, or is self-guided.

Our original plan was to train from Mons, Belgium to Rotterdam, but someone we met on tour told us we should visit Brugge, so we made a detour which was very worthwhile. Brugge is sometimes called a ìcity as museumî, and is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in all of Europe. Rotterdam was very different; it is the world’s busiest port with an average of 200 ocean-going ships passing through every day, not to mention the barge traffic on the Rhine. It has the most urban pace of any Dutch city, and some fascinating contemporary architecture. Also, it is the original departure point for the Pilgrims, and we visited the church in the old port where they held their last service before sailing for England. The section of the Rhine we took the boat on is the most scenic and storied vineyards climbing the slopes on both sides and castles perched seemingly every few miles.

Greek Isles Yacht + Bike Tour

Small group cycling adventures are offered in Italy’s Amalfi coast and the Cilento National Park. Backroads organizes events in Europa and the rest of the world. Click the orange button below to start browsing our tours by country or tour type, or get in touch with us – our team of specialists will help answer your questions and help you find the right tour. Where to travel – browse the website and you will find a variety of destinations to dream about in our country pages. When to travel (spring and wildflowers, summer and the cooler Alps, fall cycling among vineyards or along Mediterranean coastline…).

Secluded mountains, rambling valleys, spa stops and slopes that give way to glorious sights – it’s no wonder Andorra is rumored to be cycling’s best kept secret. Thanks to its prime position, a custom cycling tour of Andorra can easily be blended with a beautiful bicycle tour in France or Spain. We’ve walked across Greece with a donkey, bicycled from Saint Petersburg to Istanbul, hitchhiked across Turkey, driven across North Africa, cycled the Camino de Santiago, and chased the pro-cyclists through France. Our style of travel is one where we provide all the services of a fully supported tour, and then get out of the way to let you enjoy it. Our signature chalk dust arrows allow cyclists to ride at their own pace and yet still feel the comfort of knowing where to go without having to worry about whether they made the right turn. We don’t ride our bicycles only because we believe in travel on 2 wheels instead of 4, but because we strongly believe in doing what is right for the environment.

Holland + Belgium Bike Tour

Epic cross-country trail riding and a world-renowned bike park make this a bucket-list destination for mountain bikers. After all, what could be more magical than taking a spin around the Champagne region of France, visiting some of the domaines that produce your favorite bubbly? You’ll begin your journey in Reims before venturing out to the countryside to see historic World War I sites before arriving in Épernay, where Moët et Chandon is produced. Afterwards, your route winds through the Marne River Valley to see elegant châteaux and eventually stops in Hautvillers, home of Dom Pérignon. Ask your tour guide on where to park your bike while visiting attractions. Stay in charming cottages and guest houses as you explore Shakespeare country in England.

The Eurovelo website though, doesn’t really constitute a complete guide about cycling in Europe, and we can tell from first hand experience that sticking to the Eurovelo routes might result boring and dull for many. Along the dikes of the Elbe River the North Sea in Schleswig Holstein, across central Jutland, and around northern Zealand. Seaviews, farmland, forest, ancient towns, lake district resorts, art colonies, Hamlet castle, Louisiana Museum. While trip-planning, ensure you have enough free space to carry extra food with you.

Verona Family Bike + Adventure Tour

Discover Europe’s rivers, canals & seas with our self-guided & guided cycling barge holidays & sailing trips. The Old World is ever new when you explore Europe on a VBT bike tour, walking vacation, or bike and boat trip. Cycle easy bike routes through magnificent alpine vistas or chateau-dotted valleys. Drift by barge along tranquil, windmill-dotted waterways, disembarking to coast into charming villages. Given a rating of Challenge Level 9 , we consider ECC to be an advanced cycle-touring trip.

Jamie was extremely knowledgeable, with great tidbits of information on both the history of beer and the culture of beer drinking in England. He was captivating with his stories, attentive to the questions posed by those on the tour, and simply provided a wonderful and unique experience. I cannot more highly recommend this tour for anyone traveling to London and looking for something unique and fun to do! All guided tours include a custom Easy Rider cycling jersey. Gouda is famous for its cheeses and also its historic town center.

Netherlands & Belgium Bike Tour

Do you know the difference between your hybrid and road bike? Here’s a simple guide to the various bikes we have on offer on … Trek Travel organizes tours in France, Italy and Norway. Multi-day tours are on offer in other countries as well.