VBT Bicycling Vacations

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

• Explore three countries on a single journey—on one memorable day you eat breakfast in Switzerland, lunch in France, and dinner in Germany.
• Cycle through idyllic countryside, framed by the Vosges Mountains, providing a stunning backdrop for your adventure.
• Immerse yourself in the dual French and German culture of Alsace, and learn about the region’s history as a hotly contested territory.
• Behold Eguisheim, one of the most beautiful villages in France. It’s even won awards for its overflowing flower boxes decorating the half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets!
• Stroll through the cobbled streets of Colmar’s old town and embark on a “floating tour” of La Petite Venise (Little Venice) aboard a small boat.

Highlights

• Delve into the imagination of artist Vincent van Gogh on a private guided tour.
• Roll through pastoral landscapes of olive groves, vineyards, farms, and villages, set against the lofty Alpilles.
• Stride across the Pont du Gard, the magnificent, UNESCO-cited Roman aqueduct.
• Join a local guide on a tour of Avignon, the “City of the Popes.”

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

• Delight in the lilt of an Irish brogue as a local expert leads you on a guided tour of The Burren.
• Explore the medieval churches, Neolithic tombs, and sacred sites of Noughaval.
• Marvel at the rugged and magical countryside of Connemara, whose mountains, lakes, and peat bogs have inspired poets for centuries.
• View Kylemore Abbey, the oldest Benedictine abbey in Ireland.
• Listen to crashing surf as you trace the coastline of the unspoiled, tranquil Renvyle Peninsula.

Highlights

• Tour two historic treasures of Santiago de Compostela—the Hostal dos Reis Católicos and the splendidly ornate cathedral, the city’s revered pilgrimage site.
• Cycle the scenic Portuguese Coastal Camino de Santiago, perhaps passing pilgrims along the way.
• Taste the most prestigious wines of the region: Spain’s albariño in Rías Baixas and Portugal’s vinho verde.
• Enjoy lunch as honored guests at a Portuguese Count’s elegant manor house.
• Board a traditional fishing boat and pick shellfish with a local “Sea Woman” in the heart of Galicia’s seafood tradition.

Highlights

• Learn how cider is made during a visit to a family-run apple orchard—and enjoy a taste and picnic.
• Visualize the dramatic events of D-day as you tour Omaha Beach with a local guide.
• Stroll a fairytale setting of ramparts, half-timbered houses, and harbor views on a guided tour of the Breton town of Dinan.
• Savor crepes, a paper-thin-style savory pancake and specialty of Brittany and Normandy during dinner at an authentic creperie.
• Visit spectacular Mont Saint-Michel, the medieval island village crowned by its well-preserved Benedictine abbey.