Cycling for Softies

This laid-lack tour takes you around the beautiful Lake Trasimeno through rolling countryside, olive groves, vineyards and sunflower fields and taking in ancient Etruscan towns such as Cortona and Casteiglione del Lago. You’ll be able to swim in the lake, visit one of the finest vineyards in Montepulciano and enjoy quintessential Italian cuisine whilst staying in unique and stunning hotels and one guesthouse.

We have offered cycling holidays in this part of the world for over 30 years and can now offer a broader experience with the help of an e-bike. Glide up to the stunning hilltop towns, such as Gordes and Roussillon, and traverse the Luberon valley and Cotes du Ventoux, all with a little extra help to let you focus on soaking up the sights, sounds and sensations.

With spectacular scenery throughout, grapes dripping off the vines wherever you pedal, it’s easy to work up an appetite for the region’s distinctive cuisine - and a thirst for its world famous wines. Fortunately, there are plenty of superb restaurants and rustic wine bars en route, so your cycling effort will be rewarded by the region's sublime gastronomic scene.

We love

• Sampling Riesling wines and sparkling Cremant d ’Alsace,
• Choucroute a L’Alsacienne (sauerkraut and sausages) at Caveau St Pierre, Colmar’s ‘Little Venice’.

The city of Bordeaux, the 6th largest in France, offers a heady mix of rich history, world-class architecture, excellent gastronomy and of course, fine wines. This tour offers the chance to explore this magnificent metropolis and to spend time amongst the region’s finest wine-making areas. You’ll ride a loop from the city through the Médoc and Entre-Deux-Meres regions, taking in famous wine towns like Margaux, Bourg and St Émilion.

Highlights

• Bordeaux City – Its architecture, culture, food and wine.
• The world-class red wines of Pomerol and St Emilion.

Minimum route distance 85 miles (136km) | Average temperature 25 degrees (May to September)

The Tiber valley runs from Mount Fumaiolo, on the Tuscan border with Emilia Romagna, through the Valtibertina and onwards through Umbria, to Rome and the Tirreno sea. On this tour, we show you the Upper Tiber valley as it wends from Sansepolcro, a town with rich artistic heritage, to Assisi, the home of St Francis, and onwards to the wine country of Montefalco. The cycling on this route features a lot of traffic-free cycle paths, which, coupled with the included e-bikes, makes this an excellent tour for those looking for an easy, stress-free ride through the beautiful Tuscan landscape.

What not to miss
Enjoy traffic-free cycling along the banks of the Tiber
Take in the views of Assisi's spectacular skyline
Explore the wine country of Montefalco aboard an E-Bike

Traversing the Cotswolds from north to south, this route blends the historical charm of the region with some of its finest contemporary touches.

Starting in the north, at Moreton-in-Marsh, there is an early opportunity to visit Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, before the route traverses the picture-perfect countryside to the south. On the way, stop in at the beautiful towns and villages, including Bourton-on-the-Water, Upper & Lower Slaughter, Tetbury, Cirencester and Bibury amongst many others. Roll into the Roman spa town of Bath on the final day to spend the last night in one of England’s finest cities.

On this self-guided e-bike tour, you'll ride through a classy corner of Sardinia that is frequently visited by royalty and a-listers.

Once a secret haven of the rich and famous, the Costa Smeralda is developing into one of Europe's premier destinations, with a fantastic array of hotels and restaurants nestled in its coastal towns and tranquil villages. The main attraction of the area has always been its picture-perfect beaches of soft, white sand and azure blue waters and this remains the case. But don't think for a second that this is all that is on offer here. The food, the wine, the history and the landscape itself are all fantastic propositions in their own rights.

We love riding amidst spectacular coastal views and between secluded beaches before a crisp glass of Vermentino post-cycle.

Gianna’s, as we affectionally know this village guest house, is a renovated olive oil mill and tobacco drying tower dating from 1750 offering apartment style accommodation with B&B and half board options.

The garden and pool areas provide views of the village of Lisciano Niccone and the Niccone Valley. The swimming pool area has umbrellas, table, chairs and barbecue for outdoor dining and sunbeds / deckchairs for sunbathing.

Gianna's makes a fantastic base for a week of self-guided walking or you can rent E-Bikes or E-Mountain Bikes during your stay.

There is free Wi-Fi Internet access and car parking.

Gianna’s restaurant is open for lunch and dinner serving a typical local menu and dishes that maintain the simplicity of Tuscan / Umbrian cuisine. When in season try the local pecorino cheese, olive oil, jams, pork sausages and wild boar, or taste the famous truffles and porcini mushrooms.

You can either stick to the cycle paths that are mostly downhill or challenge yourself on uphill routes. Pedal through the Caldaro vineyards, stopping for a wine tasting as well as leisurely lunches in mountain restaurants. We highly recommend taking your bikes on the funicular for beautiful views over the valley and traditional villages below.

La Marine de Loire is a 4 star charm hotel which provides the perfect combination of elegance and relaxation. We invite you to recharge your batteries in the 300 sq m Cinq Mondes spa or to relax in the lounge bar overlooking the secluded hotel garden. 

We highly recommend a stay in one of the four recently renovated self catering guest houses.

Included activities
  Numerous cycle routes, with maps and route notes
  Alternative local walking itineraries

Pre bookable-extras
  One day wine tasting tour
  Canoeing on the Loire and Indre rivers

No pre-booking required
  Châteaux visits
  The Cadre Noir equestrian school in Saumur

What not to miss
  The ancient abbey at Fontevraud, with its mix of historical and contemporary attractions.
  Sampling the produce of the regions different wine appellations in one of the many local caves.
  Paddling along the Vienne river between Chinon and Montsoreau in a canoe.