VBT Bicycling Vacations

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

• Explore the walking trails and fascinating exhibits of the highly regarded Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.
• Bike and picnic among the beautiful saguaro cacti of Saguaro National Park.
• Visit the Tumacácori National Historical Park for a self-guided tour, home to three Spanish mission communities and beautiful orchards and gardens.
• Cycle on The Loop, named the number one bike path in America by USA Today, through vibrant Tucson, along the Santa Cruz and the Rillito Rivers.
• Savor local cuisine infused with Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American influences.

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

• 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

• Embark on a guided tour of Cordoba featuring a visit to the amazing Mezquita.
• Ride through olive groves and vineyards along the Ruta del Vino Wine Road.
• Sangria!
• Spin downhill past castles, Roman ruins, and mountain villages toward enchanting Granada.
• Explore the Alhambra Palace—one of Spain’s biggest attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Highlights

• Join a farmer and his trusty dog on a hunt for precious truffles on the trails of one of the last unspoiled woods in the area.
• Enjoy a two-night stay at the historic Tenuta di Fontanafredda, whose winery was founded by a king.
• Sip Barolo where it was born when you head into a majestic underground cellar, named one of the 100 most beautiful in the world.
• Learn to prepare pesto as the locals do during a fun and informative cooking class.
• Relax at the private beach at your Riviera hotel, where you spend three nights.

Highlights

• Savor delicious Mediterranean cuisine, including paella, all flavored with unique Majorcan touches and accompanied with delicious local wines.
• Complement your cycling days with stays in luxurious boutique hotels, each a unique property with its own character and history that embody the region.
• Ride in a cyclist’s paradise of diverse landscapes: turquoise Mediterranean waters, dramatic Tramuntana mountains, coastal wetlands, emerald farmland and vineyards, rice fields, and more.
• Stroll small coastal villages with deep farming traditions, each graced with beautiful honey-stoned buildings and a breathtaking setting of mountains and valleys.
• Meet the owner of one of Mallorca’s oldest fincas and learn how his family has been producing olive oil for 17 generations using the only traditional press on the island.

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.