Top European Cycling Trips For Bike Lovers

Most of you will know I have been living and loving life on two wheels for some time now. I am an avid supporter and voice for all things environmentally-friendly; luckily for me, I live in southern England, home to some of the most beautiful cycling spots, offering keen cyclists some of the UK’s best experience for all levels of cycling, mountain bikers, road and more casual family riders. With the South Downs right on my door step, I feel incredibly lucky to have unlimited access to such beautiful countryside.  What about further afield, as more and more climb on board the cycling trend and get up to scratch with how they can contribute to saving this planet, perhaps a cycling holiday will now appeal to more and more people?

Bike Friendly Travel

For many, a holiday is a time to relax and unwind, the thought of excessive exercise whilst on holiday may put many people off the idea. Have you ever considered that actually travelling by bike is much less tiring on the feet? Why see a city by foot when you can enjoy the fresh breeze and beautiful views from the comfort of your saddle. There are some incredible spots for avid cyclist’s that are not that far for a short trip away, let’s look at the top European cycle friendly destinations.

Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Known for is spectacular volcanic landscape, Lanzarote is most certainly high on my list of places to visit. I have read many interesting travel guides and various friends have told me about their time in Lanzarote, the feedback is always positive. Perfect for cyclists thanks to its smooth roads and minimal traffic. It’s a relatively small island, which certainly attracts tourists with their bikes in tow.  If you are thinking of planning a short trip that does not rack up too much cost, Lanzarote offers cheap accommodation in form of apartments, along with plenty of bike rental shops; this ensures that you can avoid the horrible process of booking a bike spot on your cheap flight. A highly recommend tour, thanks to a close friend of mine, is the El Golfo and Femes. It boasts a total distance of 64km, it’s a good starting distance for those wanting to ease into cycling. The tour ensures you avoid all the busy roads and instead guides you through the wine region of La Geria along the south of the island.

Amsterdam

I am surprised as you are that this was not first on my list. Riding a bike in Amsterdam is an essential experience. You have a lot of options when it comes to getting on two wheels in this city. You can at ease rent your own bike for the length of time you wish or book yourself onto guided tour. I personally always favour going your own way and discovering the city for yourself this way you’re totally going at your own pace and will see more than just typical tourist sites. You’ll find having a bike in this city is an essential way to get around, all the locals have a bike and generally the roads are filled with bikes rather than cars, my kind of place! In fact, a staggering figure shows there are over 800,000 bikes currently in Amsterdam.  Rent yourself a bike and enjoy a leisurely day taking in the relaxed slow place of this beautiful city, enjoy the canals and Vondelpark all by bike.

Copenhagen

The beautiful capital city of Denmark, Copenhagen, is really making a comeback in popularity. Over the last 6 months I have spoken to many who have recently enjoyed a short break there. I was lucky enough to visit once and would certainly love to go back; being a capital city you’d assume it would be incredibly busy and overcrowded, when we consider cycling around London we are perhaps not filled with joy. However, Copenhagen is relatively underpopulated and many locals take a similar approach to cycling as those in Amsterdam, cycling to work and school etc. It really is a must visit for keen cyclists, with beautiful views and a stunning unique harbour-front, architecture and castles, you’ll be welcomed to Copenhagen with open arms. Make sure that you make the most of this free city!

Berlin

Another stylish capital city that is known for its incredibly trendy lifestyle and creative culture, Berlin has also recently witnessed a boom in bike-friendly lanes; it’s now so much easier to leisurely travel and explore the city. A must-see of course is the Berlin Wall along with the lively techno-fuelled night-life and colourful art work that surrounds the city. For your leisure and ease of travel, make sure you rent a bike. Fantastic for finding your way around the city and moulding in with the locals. Also a great opportunity to see the Grunewald forest, located in the western side of Berlin at 3,000 hectares it’s by far the largest green area in Berlin. Many say it’s something they only really discovered thanks to having a bike and definitely managed to see far more by bike than foot. Set yourself up with everything you’ll need for the day, a picnic of course, and enjoy the beauty that is the Grunewald Forest.

France

It’s often said that, for those people living in England, France is the go to destination to travel around by car thanks to its close proximity to the UK, and of course, for being our lovely neighbour. How about next time you cross the channel, or take the Eurostar, don’t leave your bike at home; there is a small extra charge if you plan to take your bike onto the Eurostar, so that’s something worth looking into.  France’s tourist board offers a special welcome to those who are keen to get on the wheels called ‘Accueil Velo’, which translate to a lovely “all cyclist welcome”.

Places displaying the special symbol will provide storage for bikes and happily relay information regarding places to ride as well as other relevant services.  Depending on what your budget is, you can easily ensure your French adventure is feasible and affordable and most of all fun!

Happy travelling guys!