Cruise The Coast In Sweden
It’s hard to believe that Sweden’s only just opened its first national tourist bicycle route, but boy, it’s been worth the wait. Kattegattleden is an eight-leg 370km route that connects Helsingborg in the south with Gothenburg in the north, hugging the west coast all the way through the province of Halland. There are plenty of picturesque stop-offs for lunch and places to stay and eat along the way – all of which happily play second fiddle to some outrageously stunning views of sandy white beaches, clear lakes, pristine forests and dramatic cliffs. You can organise your own tour via the website, but there are also operators who will do the heavy lifting for you. kattesgattleden.se
Cover The Country Of Ireland
Twelve days, 960km, one entire country. This is the MizMal, the Mizen to Malin end-to-end cycle tour of Ireland that’s guaranteed to chime with all your romantic notions of the island, including the dramatic coastlines, luscious greenery and foot-tapping pub music. Recuperate in local guesthouses and relax (when you’re not sweating your limbs off) in the knowledge that pretty everything minus your dinner has been included in the price. This is definitely one you’ll be proudly boring your co-workers with over the watercooler for months to come. £1,595, wildatlanticcycling.com
Saddle Up For The Sierras Of Spain
Sure, you’ve done Spain. But you’ve never done Spain like this. Prepare your Instagram account for a bashing as you take a leisurely ride through Andalucia’s trio of great cities – Granada, Seville and Córdoba – which all happen to be linked by a purpose-built cycle way that snakes through rolling sierras, olive groves and local tapas bars. This one’s nine days in total, a pretty relaxed two-out-of-five in the difficulty stakes, and hits daily distances of between 21km and 59km, which makes it perfect for the novice cyclist happy to break a sweat. From £1,360, skedaddle.co.uk
…Or Lap Up Some Iberian Luxury, Instead
The stunning luxury boutique hotel Casa La Siesta (from the people behind London-based interiors brand Bert & May) is doing its very best to lure us pedal-pushers to Andalusia with customisable Cycling Safari packages. Take your pick from some top-drawer hire bikes, varying route lengths and destinations, and, most importantly, siesta durations. What does remain constant, though, is the fact the stunning hotel is where you’ll be heading back to each night, you lucky devil you. Not convinced? Click the link, take a look at the jaw-dropping and surrounds, and grab your clicking finger before it books a stay there against all your will. casalasiesta.com
Wind Through Wine Country In France
Woah mama, that’s a real spicy price tag, but what else would you expect from a six-day champagne-fuelled tour? The itinerary of this one reads like a French duke’s brie fever dream, taking in the historic domains of Moët, Pommery, Mumm, and stately chateaux in Épernay and Reims – and all meals are paired with flutes of premier bubbles. Oh, yeah, there’s some cycling too – up to 52km of it a day. $5,595 (approx. £4,350), duvine.com
Brake For Beers In Belgium
We’re going to style this eight-day tour as an educational experience. Beer And Bikes Belgium offers a hands-on experience of world-class trappists, Flemish reds, lambics and other renowned Belgian beer styles, around Brussels, Ypres, Bruges and Oudenaarde. Ride over ancient cobbles and along country routes between beer tastings and brewery visits, and leave with a newfound knowledge and respect for Old Uncle Beer. $3,100 (£2,400 approx) bikebelgium.com
Fly Through Five Nations Of The British Isles
Had yourself a little Macaulay Culkin-style double cheek-slap moment at the bureau de change, didn’t ya? Felt like weeping into your wallet when you worked out just how worthless your English quids would be on the continent, huh? Suddenly the term staycation seems a lot less cringeworthy. Even more so when the home-grown getaways are this good. Wilderness Scotland’s 11-night Five Countries Tour takes you through five different nations of Great Britain and Ireland, across mountains, scenic coastlines, villages, and roads made famous by the Tour de France, Tour of Britain and Tour of Ireland. Reason, if any, to fall back in love with your country. From £2,695, wildernessscotland.com
