Tour de Europe

 

 

 

UP AND DOWN THE DANUBE 

 

No need to feel blue: the Danube is one of Europe’s great rivers, and now you can navigate it without getting your feet wet. The most scenic section is in Austria – pass through Enns, the country’s oldest town; stop off at the castle-like Melk Abbey; and whizz past the picturesque vineyards of the Wachau region before ending up in Vienna for a spot of culture and multiple portions of Sachertorte, the city’s trademark chocolate cake. And the really good news? Start at Passau, and almost the whole journey runs gently downhill. Cycle specialists  Freewheel Holidays offer several Danube options: see freewheelholidays.co.uk.

 

 

 

 

ITALIAN CLASSICS

 

Four hundred miles might sound like a long cycle, but you’ll feel like going back and doing the whole thing again once you finish a Ravennato-Rome ride. Your route takes in the Umbrian Hills, Adriatic coast, tiny hillside towns, and of course the art and history of Assisi, Spoleto and Rome. Given the touristic “big hitters” you’ll be visiting, you might be surprised how easy it is to get around using quiet country lanes and stay at little local joints rather than big hotels. Keep things relaxed with a 40-miles-a-day rhythm and rest days at the ancient hilltown of Spoleto, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, and Lago di Bracciano, perfect for a cooling dip. You’ll need it after tackling the Apennine hills… Well-established cycling holidays company Saddle Skedaddle offers trips all over Italy, including a terrific Umbrian itinerary – go to skedaddle.com for more information. 

 

 

 

 

CASTLES AND CABERNETS IN THE LOIRE

 

 If you want to wring every drop of Frenchness from a five-day bike holiday, it has to be the Loire Valley, where you can hardly pedal a mile without hitting a wine cellar or château. A 100-mile circuit around the Touraine region makes a fine taster in every sense of the word: gentle inclines on quiet lanes link fairy-tale Château d’Azay-le-Rideau (which seems to float on the Indre river), Château d’Ussé (said to be the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty story), 12th-century Fontevraud Abbey, medievalwalled Chinon – and dozens of terrific restaurants and wine bars. “Slow travel” experts Inntravel have a six-night Châteaux of the Loire trip, among others; see inntravel.co.uk.

 

 

ROAM CLOSE TO HOME 

 

Why cycle in Wales? Well, how about romantically ruined castles, time warp-pretty villages, rollingly beautiful scenery – all joined by the peaceful country lanes that the principality does better than almost anywhere else in the world. A one-week tour of the Pembrokeshire National Park adds deserted beaches, towering cliffs and winsome fishing harbours to the mix. And if you finish up somewhere near St Davids, you can cool your feet with a boat trip out to Ramsey Island and a splash with the resident seals. Local experts Bicycle Beano run group or bespoke trips, with lovely accommodation and terrific vegetarian food; see bicycle-beano.co.uk. 

 

 

 

PIG OUT IN PORTUGAL 

 

Take in the sun-washed expanses of Portugal’s southern end with a gentle pedal through the Algarve and Alentejo. Start in Lisbon then take the country lanes towards Faro – as much a culinary journey as a geographic one, thanks to the plump seafood, zingingly fresh fish, pork and distinctive local clams you’ll get as you pass through Setubal, Santiago do Sacem and Vila Nova de Milfontes. The cycling is mostly through rolling orchards and flat river plains, which means you can conquer significant distances fairly easily, though of course there are slopes to be negotiated near the clifftops of the Algarve (most rate the effort level here as “moderate to active”). Exodus Travels offers multiple Portuguese itin- eraries, including a great eight-day Rota Vicen- tina trip along these lines; see exodus.co.uk. 

 

 

 

ON THE TRAIL IN ANDALUSIA

 

Ready for some mountain biking? The lovely foothills of the Sierra Nevada are the perfect terrain for the beginner – or the nervous. You’ll build your confidence on their wide dirt tracks and spacious lanes before doubling down on the narrower rocky trails above. There’s plenty to enjoy even if you never progress to the hairier stuff: long downhill rides, widescreen views out over cool forested valleys and dazzlingly sunshiney peaks in Spain’s southern wilderness. Andalucian Cycling Experience (andaluciancyclingexperience.com) organises trips in the area for every kind of cyclist – with specialist tours for everyone from kids to over-60s “Silver cyclists”. 

 

ED GRENBY

 

Tour de France From Friday ITV4, Eurosport and S4C