VBT Bicycling Vacations

Highlights

• Sample delicious sparkling wines at a cantina in Franciacorta, Italy’s “Champagne” region.
• Cycle the scenic lakeside bike paths around Lake Iseo, made famous when the artist Christo installed his “floating piers” here.
• Marvel at breathtaking scenery when you ride the UNESCO-listed Bernina railway, then cycle among the splendid Bernina peaks.
• Ride the easy bike paths of the Valtellina valley, blanketed in vineyard terraces among miles of dry-stone walls.
• Taste delicious Pizzoccheri pasta and local cheeses only found in Valtellina.

Highlights

• Marvel at the scenic alpine vistas that surround you as you cycle easy bike paths
• Gain a rare glimpse into the ancient Ladin culture, and feast on mountain specialties
• Thrill to a 1,900-foot (580-meter) descent along the Val Venosta Bike Path
• Enter into the dual Austrian-Italian culture of South Tyrol, as you explore the little city of San Candido
• Explore the beautiful cathedral, cloister, and palace of Bressanone on a guided walking tour

Highlights

• Cycle along tranquil rivers and past meadows, dairy farms, quaint villages, and polder countrysides.
• Get acquainted with local people—and local life—during a visit to a family home.
• Join a local guide for a boat tour of Ghent, whose history dates to around 600 AD.
• View the famous Kinderdijk windmills, a UNESCO Heritage site.
• Sip authentic Belgian beer during a special tasting on board.

Highlights

• Learn about the personal life of artist Salvador Dalí during a visit to Púbol Castle.
• Pedal a rural landscape past fields of sunflowers, fruit orchards, and rice fields.
• Enjoy lunch at a typical mas—a small Catalonian farmhouse—featuring dishes crafted from our hosts’ organic farm.
• Admire one of the finest amphitheaters outside of Rome on a guided audio tour of the Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries.
• Enjoy a scenic private cruise along the Costa Brava.

Highlights

• Indulge in luxurious accommodations where you can relax on a private sandy beach, soak in natural Etruscan hot springs, dine on elegant meals, and more
• Visit the home of a longtime VBT friend and founder of Cooking in Tuscany, then cook a traditional Tuscan meal with her
• Learn about different olive oils by taste with the family that owns the Fonte di Foiano olive oil mill as your guide
• Cycle past Bolgheri’s Super Tuscan vineyards and along its famous cypress-lined avenue, a prelude to the stunning medieval towns of Castagneto Carducci, Sassetta, and Suvereto
• Explore the fascinating Etruscan city of Populonia, a bustling port in ancient times, and take in breathtaking views of the turquoise waters of Baratti Bay.

Highlights

• Cycle from one small alpine city to another, taking in rich cultures steeped in remarkable histories.
• Ride the diverse landscapes of the Dolomites, from vineyard-blanketed hills, emerald-green valleys, and sylvan forests to dramatic foothills and a 7,000-foot mountain pass.
• Coast down a mountainside from Pordoi Pass, navigating 33 switchbacks as you descend for six miles along roads made famous by Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi.
• Revel in some of Europe’s best-maintained bike paths, stellar routes that comprise 90% of this itinerary.
• Sample the culinary delights of South Tyrol, from alpine cheeses and speck (cured ham) to pinot noirs along the Wine Route.

Highlights

• Experience three countries—Germany, Luxembourg, and France—up close, by bike.
• View quaint villages, lush vineyards and forests, and fairytale castles as you roll along a scenic river.
• Explore the ancient Roman and medieval treasures of Trier.
• Enjoy a private wine tasting.
• Relax on your barge and sip Germany’s finest Rieslings and beers.

Highlights

• Enjoy a wine tasting at a mountain hamlet famous for its Gewürztraminer.
• Savor house-made specialties from the gourmet restaurant of your 5-star hotel in a ski-resort town beloved by celebrities.
• See spectacular mountains rising around you as you ride through dramatic canyons and ravines.
• Cycle a Mediterranean-like paradise on the shores of Lake Garda.
• Explore the old town of Bolzano, where you can marvel at the museum’s renowned glacier mummy, Oetzi the Iceman.