Amazing way to holiday, on a bike - busy but slow paced. The itinerary for each day was a great mix of cycling and activities to do along the way. Plenty of time to enjoy the sights. Loved it being self guided and at our own pace. Easy instructions and maps. Accomodation great.
Very much enjoyed our cycle ride in Sardinia. The bikes and accommodation provided were of a good standard. The route and distances provided a moderate challenge which was expected. Plenty of points of interest to visit along the way including the beautiful beaches for swim breaks.
This gentle and unhurried cycling holiday follows a triangular route through the heart of the great Loire Valley. Highlights include the majestic chateaux of Amboise and Chambord, and the rich Renaissance splendour of Chenonceau. You'll pass vineyards, sunflowers fields and pretty, sleepy villages, before pedalling gently along shady riverbanks and out through open countryside abundant with wildlife.
On each cycling day, you'll have the opportunity to taste dozens of different wines - stopping at big wineries or village vineyards as the mood takes you - in a wine region more varied and diverse than any other in the world.
Enjoy the sweet and peaceful 'Art de Vivre' in boutique hotels and relax with a glass of local wine by the pool.
Our second trip with Explore, and both have been Fantastic. We had an excellent group to ride with, the bicycles were great, and the location, Provence, was amazing and beautiful. But what really pulled it together was our great team leader, Erwin. He was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, provided excellent guidance throughout this journey. And beyond that, he has a passion for Provence, its people, and its history, that he was able to effectively share with the group. He clearly spent the time researching and exploring the area to ensure we had the very best experience! We hope, and would feel very lucky, to ride with him again! Thanks!!!
We loved everything about this trip! We did it in the relatively cooler month of late October and it was perfect! We arrived to pick up our bikes and were issued bikes in excellent condition, with great instructions and repair gear and we had no issues at all with them. The accommodation organised for us was as described; not 5 star but always cute and very clean with great breakfasts provided and lovely people meeting us at the end of each day. Our bags were always there when we arrived. The navigation app was fantastic; we had a bit of a learning curve on Day 1 but then no problems at all. The loop we did was amazing. Would highly recommend the Sierra De Grazalema - gorgeous villages, amazing views, and minimal traffic. We would highly recommend this trip. It exceeded our expectations.
Trip was well paced. Accommodations were good. Plugged shower drain in two locations one with a good response, another with a bad response. Food was good. Good view of rural France.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, The Way of St. James, Le Puy-en-Velay, Auvillar, Armagnac, Aire-sur-l'Adour, Maslacq, St Palais, Saugues, Aumont-Aubrac, Estaing, Conques, Figeac, Bouziès, Cahors, Lauzerte
My first cycling trip was a great experience ! All the accommodations were top notch. The sites visited and routes taken were fantastic. Riding level was challenging but never excessive... enough coffee and strudel breaks to keep you energized ! The tour leader made this trip so good, as did the diverse group of cyclists all sharing this common interest!
Massimo was a fantastic leader and the combination of itinerary and his knowledge gave us a uniwue experience and insight into this lovely partbof Italy.
As we were following the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic coastline) it was a beautiful part of the world to visit, see, experience. Would totally recommend it.
An exhilarating cycle along the full length of the Via Francigena from the St Bernard Pass on the Swiss border to the Eternal City of Rome. The Via Francigena is far more than just a pilgrim trail. Those with more time can discover the full route, cycling this exhilarating and moderately graded bike ride from the Alps to the Eternal City of Rome. Starting from the Great St Bernard Pass on the Swiss-Italian border, you will discover a huge array of spectacular scenery and impressive towns. The route will take you through the vast and fertile Po River plain, across the fast flowing Dorea Baltea river, through stone walled country lanes as you exit the Aosta Valley, over the hills and vineyards of Tuscany, through beautiful Umbrian countryside, down to Lake Bolsena, and finally along ancient Etruscan roads to the impressive city of Rome and St. Peter’s Square. You will discover historic and culturally rich towns of Vercelli, Pavia, Parma, Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena, Viterbo and Sutri, just to name a few. On the way, take time out of your cycle day to visit imposing castles, churches, roman ruins, hilltop towns and vineyards. A trip to Italy would not be complete without delighting in the local food, and this trip does not disappoint. You will eat and drink your way through the best of northern Italian cuisine, visit the gastronomic heaven of Parma in Emilia Romagna, sample the wines and olive oils of Tuscany and indulge in cheese produced in the zones of the cacio di Pienza.
Wonderful trip. It was amazing to be able to travel from one hill town to another, each one so different from the others.
Highlights of our trip included an art exhibit in Perugia on how medieval artists perceived nature - absolutely beautiful and we had the place to ourselves, quite a contrast to the crowds at the Uffizi; staying in a 14th century pilgrim guest house in Assisi; walking out to the aqueduct bridge in Spoleto; hearing all the bells in Narni suddenly start ringing when the new Pope was elected and running outside along with everyone else to find out what had happened; and, my husband would say, the wild boar stew he ate that evening at a restaurant in the square.
Logistics were well organized and the routes well planned. It was a challenging route, however, with many steep climbs. We were glad we reserved e-bikes. There were also a number of places with poorly maintained roads, quite a bit of springtime road construction, and some areas where the route took roads with heavy traffic. Italian drivers were quite considerate, though.
We had a great time and were sad to go home. We could have stayed in each town longer, and will hopefully return to Italy soon.
This was the first time that this trip had been run using E-bikes, so everyone was keen to see how the trip would unfold. We were introduced to our bikes on the first evening, and because of a change of hotel we had the opportunity to cycle into Monopoli, and return in the dark after an amazing first meal. When I checked the itinerary I could see that the first two rides were going to be the most challenging in terms of ascent and distance, but I quickly realised that E-bikes are a great leveller. There are four levels of assistance, with turbo being the most powerful. The motor rewards effort, the faster you peddle, the more assistance it gives you, up to its maximum speed - these bikes are not chipped like the delivery cycles that whizz around around our streets bringing takeaways to the masses. Each person in the group decided how much effort to put in, getting up the many hills, but hats off to the one person in the group who rode the whole way on an ordinary bike . . . . and he was not at the back. Respect!! With uphills come downhills, and there were plenty of those. Long sweeping downhills that went on and on. Great fun. We were well fed and watered on this trip, both at lunchtime and in the evenings, and for the most part the weather behaved itself.
Rich with medieval villages, historic castles and churches, Catalonia (Catalunya) is contrasted with an impressive rocky coastline, dotted with pretty fishing villages, crystal-clear waters and beautiful golden sandy beaches. Steeped in culture and history, Catalonia's traditions date back over thousands of years.
