VBT Bicycling Vacations

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 Banff National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and Canada’s first national park.
• Spin downhill along the magnificent Bow Valley Parkway, a stunning wilderness corridor.
• Observe wildlife from the saddle–including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and even black and grizzly bears.
• Pass panorama after panorama of jaw-dropping alpine splendor as you cycle in Kananaskis Country.
• Hike the trails of Ptarmigan Cirque to an alpine meadow with epic views.

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

• 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 baroque Scicli with a local guide, and venture outside the city to the lovely Noto Valley.
• Tour an organic winery and olive maker in the canyons of the Iblean upland.
• Join your hotel chef for a hands-on demonstration of Sicilian cooking.
• Discover the fishing village of Marzamemi, recently restored to its 17th-century glory.
• Complement your cycling with basking in the sun or swimming at the beach.

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

• 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.

Highlights

• Ride along Rockefeller’s historic, car-free carriage roads through Acadia National Park
• Browse Bar Harbor’s enticing shops, art galleries, and seafood bars
• Ride through a refreshing and unspoiled landscape of rugged coastline, forested coves, and idyllic fishing harbors
• Pause at Jordan Pond’s pristine waters reflecting the beautiful curves of the Bubbles, two of Acadia’s distinctive small peaks
• Sample the Pine State’s famous mouth-watering scones, pies, cobblers, and martinis infused with Maine blueberries