Cycling holidays: Take a family jaunt or follow in the tracks of the Tour de France

Published by Independent | By Laura Holt

Exploring on two wheels offers a close-up experience. Laura Holt saddles up.

Watching the world unfurl from the saddle of a bicycle offers the chance to get up close to things you might miss in a car; to pause for lunch in a quiet square, legs aching, body content in the knowledge that it has earned that meal.

From freewheeling through Arctic scenery on Norway’s Lofoten Islands to cycling close to the crater of Sicily’s Mount Etna, the opportunities are endless, whether you’re a Lycra-clad roadie, a mud-ready mountain biker or a more leisurely cyclist. With a network of well-established cycling trails, plus many safe roads, it’s easy to explore Europe on two wheels.

Slow and scenic:
Combining cycling with cuisine or culture is great for those seeking a sedate pace. In Portugal’s Alentejo, a region studded with farms, olive groves and vineyards, Butterfield & Robinson has a new six-day trip that takes you through sleepy villages to the shores of Lake Maranhao and the cobbled streets of Evora. It costs £3,185pp, with hotels, most meals, wine, excursions and entrance fees, but not flights.

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