How to Pick the Right Bike Tour
Five questions to ask yourself.
So many factors can go into selecting a bike tour: destination, time of year, desired terrain… We realize there are lots of considerations, so here are a few questions to ask yourself as you try and decide where to cycle next.
Where do I want to go?
Have you always wanted to cycle along Spain’s Costa Brava? Want an excuse to brush up on your German? Maybe you’ve dreamed of conquering the mighty and stunning climbs in the Italian Dolomites. Or perhaps you’ve never been to Portugal! If you’ve traveled by bicycle before, you might share our opinion that the best way to see a country is by bike. Think about places you’d love to fully immerse yourself in and then jump in. To get inspired, you can search by location on our helpful map!
What time of year do I want to travel?
Whether you want to catch the grape harvest in France or Chile or escape to South America next winter, browsing tours by date is always a great way to begin narrowing down your decision for the location of your next cycling tour.
What level of cycling do I want?
Whether you are an experienced cyclist or it’s your first time cycling since riding around the block as a kid, we have bicycle tours that allow every type of rider the pleasure of cycling while you take in the joys of traveling. Searching tours by levels is a great way to start your search knowing you’ll have just the level of riding you’re looking for.
How long of a tour do I want?
In the office we have a bit of an ongoing joke: “No one told me about the Plus!” We offer tours that mainly land between 8 – 14 days. If you only have so many vacation days to work with, you may choose what we often call the “short version” of a departure. If you can manage a longer trip we always recommend – and will certainly tell you about – booking the Plus! This is the extended version of most of our tours and will help you get the full feel for the region you’re exploring. For travelers with an appetite for even longer trips, we also offer ExpeditionPlus! Tours for our adventurous cyclists. Another pro-trip from many of our travelers is to combine two of our tours (and earn a volume discount!).
What do I want to see?
We offer a wide range of tours that can meet virtually every passion: from foodies, to art lovers, to nature lovers… Think about what you would most like to explore as you cycle. Do you want a lot of European history? Would you like to see where your favorite bottle of French wine comes from? Maybe you’re most interested in learning how to make traditional Italian pasta from a local artisan. You can choose a tour with a focus on some of these aspects, or something that gives you a taste of everything! To help you think about different trips based on the experiences they offer, we’ve started a new roundup series of articles that lists our “Top Tours For…” that may help you narrow down our bicycle trips. The best way to find a tour based on your specific interests? Get in touch!
