4 Great Tours for a Cultural Fix
Bicycle travel is a great way to get a taste for local culture – in its many forms. Here are a few of our bicycle tours filled with phenomenal routes and deep dives into regional character that makes each place so unique.
Bicycling Bavaria’s Back Roads Plus! the Austrian Alps
Bicycling is a huge part of German culture and Bavaria is about as scenic as you can get. Cycle along quiet roads and soak in the history and traditions still thriving in villages sprinkled throughout southern Germany. Explore some of the best-preserved towns and villages from the 15th through the 18th century, as Bavaria lends itself to the many charming German clichés. Along the way you will pass by fairy tale castles sitting in the clouds, cows roaming in green pastures, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself in the company of a gentleman sporting a pair of lederhosen while enjoying a delicious, frothy beer.
Cycling the Camino de Santiago – Roncesvalles to Santiago
With over 1000 years of tradition behind it, the Camino de Santigo is a unique opportunity to experience the rich culture and history on an age-old pilgrimage. While the medieval pilgrim was likely walking the Camino to honor the remains of Jesus’s apostle Saint James the Elder, the modern pilgrim’s reasons for doing the Camino varies widely from religious to spiritual to historical to cultural to sport. No matter one’s motivation, bicycling the Camino de Santiago is a once in a lifetime experience (just ask National Geographic Traveler) that will take you through historical highlights (churches, tombs, vineyards, ruins, palaces, and museums) in some of Spain’s most stunning regions.
Bicycling the Danube Plus! Czech Republic and Prague
Pedal off the beaten track past gently rolling countryside, lakes, and through tiny towns as you bicycle from Passau, Germany through Austria and the Czech Republic ending in Prague. Every day is an opportunity to explore the colorful towns and impressive historical sites including a stop in the town of Melk to visit the Benedictine Melk Abbey, perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river. You’ll get a flavor for the local food and landscape while pedaling past vineyards (and stopping to taste some fantastic wine!), through forbidden forests along the Austrian/Czech border, and into late Renaissance towns unchanged since the 17th century. Gently rolling cycling, bicycle-friendly paths and roads in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic make this region enormously popular for cyclists of all stripes.
Emilia Romagna’s Culinary Delights Plus!Emilia Romagna’s Culinary Delights Plus!
On this popular bicycle tour, you’ll ride through Italy’s premier pasta region. Every meal will include extraordinary local dishes made according to tradition. Every day of pedaling will not only take you on behind-the-scenes visits of parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, and wine makers, but also to ancient castles and World Heritage UNESCO sites. History, art, culture, and tradition conspire to make this tour unforgettable!