7 of the best bicycle tours in Europe

Cycle touring is one of the best ways to explore a country. You can cover enough distance in a day that you can be somewhere completely different each night, but you can also travel at a pace which lets you absorb your surroundings, take in the beauty of the landscapes, and stop to experience the culture of towns and cities.

While there’s some great multi-day cycle routes here in the UK, I don’t think I’m being unpatriotic by saying that our neighbours on the continent have us beat. From thousands of kilometres of traffic-free, paved cycle paths to stunning landscapes, diverse cultures, and plenty of sunshine along with great food, Europe is one of the best places in the world for cycle touring.

We’ve put together seven of the best bicycle tours in Europe which all take about a week to complete, from cycling through Greek islands to exploring gravel trails in Slovenia. There’s also something for every ability, whether you’re looking for family-friendly adventures on flat trails to technical alpine tracks.

Once you’ve chosen your tour, we suggest checking out Cycling Holidays Europe, which offers self-guided tours of each route. Each tour includes a carefully curated route that you can follow using GPS, every night of accommodation, luggage transfers, and support, meaning you can just relax and enjoy every pedal.

Read on to discover seven of the best cycle tours in Europe.

Danube Cycle Path: Passau to Vienna

The Great Gravel Loop of Slovenia and Italy

If you’re after an active cycling holiday and love gravel trails, this loop through Slovenia and Italy is perfect for you. Covering rugged terrain, challenging climbs, and technical downhills, this nine-day route will take you through alpine paths in Slovenia’s karst landscape and raw, remote tracks in Italy.

Apart from the thrilling riding itself, highlights include Lake Bled, the Vršič Pass, the Zelenci Nature Reserve, and the buzz of Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital.

It’s an epic ride that’ll test your endurance but offers massive rewards in scenery and satisfaction.

Find out how to ride the Great Gravel Loop and discover the best Slovenia cycling tours.

Tuscany Tour

Tuscany is tailor-made for cycle touring, and it’s especially good for gravel bikes. Explore the agricultural heartland of Tuscany as you wind through olive groves, rolling wheat fields, and stunning villages.

You’ll be riding along some of the famous ‘strade bianche’, the white gravel roads from which the famous cycle race takes it name, and sampling plenty of the region’s cheese, wine, and meals as you visit iconic places like Montepulciano, Siena, Val d’Orcia, and Chianti.

Discover Tuscany by gravel bike along with more great bike tours in Italy here.

Split to Dubrovnik Bike Tour

Croatia is renowned for its coastline, where the red-tiled roofs of medieval towns rise out of the sparkling Adriatic. This week-long cycle tour is set between two historic and beautiful Croatian cities, Split and Dubrovnik.

After you leave Split, you’ll hop between islands, exploring olive groves, lavender fields, fine wineries, and vibrant towns like Hvar, with stunning blue sea stretching our to your right and rolling countryside to your left.

Not to be missed along the way are fresh oysters, world-class wines, and exploring the bustling markets and medieval town centres.

If you want to cycle the Croatian coastline, and discover more cycling holidays in Croatia, click here.

Douro Valley Bike Tour

To the east of Portugal’s second largest city, Porto, lies the Douro Valley, a charming and rustic region of sun-drenched vineyards and serene hillside villages.

Cycle along quiet, winding country lanes, you’ll discover terraced vineyards (with plenty of opportunities for wine tasting), historic farming villages, and delicious culinary experiences to accompany the rewarding cycling each day.

You can find out more about the Douro Valley Bike Tour and cycling holidays in Portugal here.

Holland Family Bike Tour

The Netherlands is one of the most bicycle-friendly places on the planet, and this family-friendly, seven-day itinerary is the perfect way to explore the peaceful countryside.

You’ll pass colourful windmills and rows of tulips as you cycle along traffic-free paths and canals that are perfect for all ages and abilities. Alongside the peaceful countryside, you’ll experience sandy coastal rides, lively village markets, and historic canal routes.

Make sure you stop at the Alkmaar cheese market for a traditional treat.

Find out more about cycling tours in Holland.

Cycling Holidays Europe

For more self-guided cycling tours right across Europe, head over to Cycling Holidays Europe.