European cycling holidays map & highlights

Our map and highlights of cycling in Europe explore what we consider to be some of the best routes around from central and southern parts of Europe to Scandinavia. We look at what you can expect from cycling in a number of our most popular destinations, and what we think makes them so special for the two-wheeled traveller.

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European cycling holidays map & highlights

Cycling in Europe can take you all the way from the fjords on Norway’s Arctic Coast to the Moorish fortresses and sun-scorched foothills of Andalucia with a great deal of asphalt, gravel, tarmac, lakesides, towpaths, and forest trails in between. France alone boasts an enormous number of cycling trails with Alpe d’Huez, Burgundy and the riverbanks of Lot and Loire providing perfect pedalling all the way to Mont Blanc. Italy is just made for cycling with a huge range of gradients and gastronomic rest stops leading south to Cilento National Park on the Amalfi Coast and over to Syracuse and Agrigento in Sicily. Other notable cycling spots include Croatia, Montenegro and the Baltics, with the Peloponnese, Catalonia and Portugal’s Alentejo region conjuring coastal trails that lead to fishing harbours, sheltered beaches and well-earned drinks at sunset.

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1. Albania
2. Baltic States
3. Central Europe
4. Croatia
5. France
6. Greece
7. Italy
8. Montenegro
9. Norway
10. Portugal
11. Spain
12. Sweden

Albania

1. Albania

Steady climbs and high plateaus provide cyclists in Albania with a decent workout, the Gramos Mountains offering lengthy descents towards Adriatic beaches. Aside from ocean breezes, cyclists can enjoy numerous waterfalls and thermal springs, with the national parks of Butrint and Llogara proffering the perfect marriage of black pines, freshwater lakes and archaeological sites.

Albania

Baltic States

2. Baltic States

All three Baltic States feature cycling-friendly coastline, with Latvia alone boasting 500km of windswept dunes interspersed with beach resorts and fishing villages. Inland pungent pines are permeated with lakes and rivers. Estonia’s Lahemaa National Park is criss-crossed by cycle paths breaking up a 10-day, tri-country route between the capitals of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.

Central Europe

3. Central Europe

Cyclists explore Central Europe from Prague to Budapest, via Vienna and Bratislava, well within a two week time frame, against a back-story of Bohemian and medieval kingdoms. Following the Vltava and the Danube allows for effortless cycling with forest trails and wetland areas, including Austria’s Danube-Auen National Park, providing shade amongst cultural highlights.

Central Europe

Croatia

4. Croatia

Island-hop and cycle on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Here, the Adriatic islands of Korcula, Sipan, Hvar and Mljet feature ancient villages and Roman ruins en-route to sheltered beaches and overnight accommodation. Public ferries whisk cyclists to the Peljesac Peninsula, Dubrovnik and the hillsides of Konavle where sheer cliffs stand in contrast to agricultural landscapes and views over the Adriatic.

France

5. France

Cycling tours of France offer exceptionally rewarding perspectives of countryside and coast. Routes from Avignon to Nice, and throughout Burgundy and Brittany, are beautiful with canal and river paths and peaceful country lanes. Typical daily distances range between 30 to 45km, whilst for those seeking a challenge, the Alpe d’Huez will leave you breathless, in every sense.

France

Greece

6. Greece

Travel from the Greek mainland to the Peloponnese and you’ll discover some excellent cycling routes leading to Epidaurus, Nafplio, and the archaeological sites of Mycenae and Sparta. Cycling the Peloponnese, in particular the Laconia region, takes you over flattish gradients for distances of between 30 and 60km with gorgeous beaches, peaceful harbour walls and grilled fish suppers.

Italy

7. Italy

Cycling tours of Italy are great fun, with routes from Pisa to Florence the epitome of undulating enjoyment for many an Etruscan exercise enthusiast. Delve a little and you’ll find Umbria, the Dolomites and the northern lakes vying for attention with lesser-known trails from Abruzzo to Puglia and along the Amalfi coastline all well worth paying attention to, if you know who to ask.

Italy

Montenegro

8. Montenegro

Cycling through the karst plains surrounding Montenegro’s second city of Cetinje on your way to the largest lake in the Balkans, Lake Skadar, is just one of the routes that makes cycling here such a pleasure. Ancient olive groves and rural villages lead towards the Med with the Bay of Kotor, Budva and the old town of Bar providing cyclists with cultural sightseeing as well as Adriatic delights.

Norway

9. Norway

The Norwegian coast just to the south of the Arctic Circle promises sublime scenic therapy for cyclists with mountain peaks reflected in glacial lakes to be found via quiet roads, island bridges and public ferries. The lack of traffic conjures colonies of puffins, deserted beaches and weathered fishing villages from where to rest your legs after suggested daily distances of between 30 and 60km.

Norway

Portugal

10. Portugal

Cycling the Alentejo and Algarve regions of southern Portugal is fantastic either side of summer with fair to moderate gradients covered in olive, cork and citrus groves. Pretty much all roads are asphalt with achievable 30-40km daily distances enabling a balance between exercise and sightseeing with Moorish castles, seaside towns and wild beaches presenting just a taste of things to come.

Spain

11. Spain

Ask us about cycling in Spain and we’ll naturally nudge you towards the golden Catalonia countryside, which might have been designed expressly for the purposes of cycling. But you can also explore the vineyards of La Rioja, the Moorish architecture and quiet backroads around Murcia, the peaks of the Pyrenees by e-bike, and even tackle the Camino de Santiago by bike.

Spain

Sweden

12. Sweden

The islands and countryside southwest of Stockholm are cycling heaven with Stendorren Nature Reserve creating tranquil trails over suspension bridges and through pine forests en-route to seaside towns like Trosa, just 43km from the capital. Lakeside towns, such as Mariefred, offer plenty of sightseeing potential with Stockholm's Ecopark a must for cyclists looking for urban options.

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TYPES OF CYCLING HOLIDAYS IN EUROPE

Don’t think cycling holidays are just for fitness fanatics – our range of holidays has just as many options for the casual cyclist as it does those looking for a challenge. Choosing a small group tour will place you amongst like-minded individuals with similar fitness levels, likes and dislikes. Self guided tours provide the cross bar between independence and guided trips, and ensure you won’t get lost or have to worry about carrying heavy bags, or stressing about where to sleep. Off road or on; cultural or gastronomic; long distances at altitude or Sunday morning pedals to the bakers; we help you choose the type of cycle tour that suits you both on and off the gel seat.

Small group

Joining a small group in France, Italy, Spain or Albania is ideal for cyclists who like to just relax and enjoy the ride, with someone else leading the way and support vehicles around if something goes wrong (or you just fancy a rest). Our small group cycling holidays aren’t races, they’re a chance to share the experience as you follow a tour leader who assists with languages, accommodation and tickets, and helps you escape the more touristy areas.

Self guided

Our self guided cycling holidays give you freedom to roam with the extra peace of mind of hand-picked accommodation, luggage transfers, detailed notes and a support service, just in case. This is a great way to take the stress and planning out of independent cycling and also ensure you won’t miss any major or secret sites en route. Everywhere from the Alsace and Andalucia to Sweden, the Swiss Alps and Umbria are covered in our self guided cycling routes with plenty more options to be found throughout the rest of Europe.

Road (touring)

Classic road routes include Prague to Budapest, Lake Garda to Venice and through the Cilento National Park on the Amalfi Coast, with tarmac and asphalt creating a comfortable cycling surface over a variety of gradients. Support vehicles mean you can dip out of steep climbs if you prefer although a reasonable level of fitness is required to ensure you get the most out of the experience. Another great area for road touring is Portugal’s Alentejo and Algarve regions which feature a great asphalt road system as well as some sublime scenes over cork and coast.

Off road (mountain biking)

Finnish Lapland, Montenegro and Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park are all splendid locations for mountain biking holidays in Europe as the terrain, the trails and the endurance levels are all perfectly suited for those who favour cycling off road. Portugal’s Costa Vicentina National Park is also an awesome option for MTB enthusiasts, as are the hills, valleys and forests of Wales. Luggage transfers and organised accommodation and back up services taking the hassle out of off-road cycling, leaving you free to concentrate on the lumps and bumps.

Combined tours

Although cycling amongst some of Europe’s most amazing countryside is an absolute joy, you may not want to spend every day of your holiday in the saddle. Combining cycling with, perhaps, archaeological sites in Greece or Sicily, traditional food and drink producers in France or Italy, or other activities, like kayaking and hiking in Croatia or Montenegro, is a great way to ensure time off the bike is time well spent.

Go electric

If you’re unsure of fitness levels or your partner tends to be a little faster out of the bike blocks then why not consider giving an electric bike a whirl? There are numerous European destinations where the views are fantastic although the climbs are quite a challenge with longer daily distances a lot more achievable on an e-bike. A selection of tours, especially self-guided options, allow you to go electric with luggage transfers and emergency back-up adding to the comfort of fully sustainable pedal power. Get in touch to find out which of our European cycling holidays offer electric alternatives.

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Written by Chris Owen

European cycling holidays map & highlights