Cycling holidays

For an exhilarating outdoors experience that brings you close to the soul of a destination, look no further than a cycling holiday. timeoutdoors’ Travel Editor Tom Le Bas outlines the different options available.

Travelling by bicycle gives you the chance to immerse yourself in your surroundings and appreciate the finer details of the landscape. You will also be able to cover significant distances and thus experience a greater variety of scenery and sights than would be the case on a walking holiday. The exercise is rewarding, and there’s a vast range of individually graded itineraries so it’s easy to find one that’s perfect for you.

You will be provided with a good-quality bike on practically all cycling holidays: many enthusiasts, however, may want to bring their own bike with them to get the most out of their trip. The level of accommodation depends on the destination, but the vast majority include good-quality hotels – and an evening meal – in the price.

The cycling holidays on our site are divided into the following three categories - simply click on the links below for more details and to see the trips on offer:

CYCLE TOURING
On most cycle touring holidays, particularly those at the less physically demanding end of the spectrum, the emphasis tends to be on using the bicycle to experience the destination.

ROAD CYCLING
Road cycling holidays, by contrast, are more about the actual cycling. These specialist trips will focus on riding on smooth tarmac roads and usually include some long days.

MOUNTAIN BIKING
For those who enjoy getting off-piste and heading for the hills, forests and rural trails, there are mountain biking holidays. They are a great way to enjoy the countryside away from traffic.