Idyllic island cycling holidays

There’s something about cycling around an island that gives us a secret pass into community life. You get to ride alongside local people going about their everyday routines by bike. You can greet children on the way to school, elders on their e-bikes heading home from the market, or even a priest heading off on a spiritual mission. Bikes are levellers, and even more so on islands because, by their very insular nature, there are often fewer cars and so slow travel is the way to go. On our top island cycling holidays below, you definitely get to feel part of the community, while also discovering trails that have been used by local people for generations. It’s also worth noting that all of these holidays have e-bike options and are available to solo travellers*.

Sicily, Italy

There’s the most Sicilian of cycling circuits to be had right up on the Italian island’s north-western tip, over seven days. You start off in Marsala, famous for its wine, and finish in Trapani, at the foot of Monte Erice, in an idyllic coastal location. This week of cycling takes you from glistening salt pans to gorgeous villages, emerald coves and nature reserves, or ancient temples and vineyards. As well as the remote and idyllic island off an island, Isola di Favignana. You won’t believe your eyes when you see how beautiful it is. You can also rent e-bikes on this tour, as if Sicily isn’t sizzling on all cylinders already.

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia is one of Italy’s most sought after islands for cycling, located 200km west of Italy and home to many different cultural influences over the centuries. The mix of Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Spanish have all left their mark on the island’s cultural and architectural landscape. On our eight day island cycling holiday, you cling to the wild and windy trails of the Costa Verde and Costa del Sud. Daily trails include the Roman ruins near Pula, beautiful beach spots as well as the neighbouring island of Sant’Antioco Island. The holiday also includes a first night in the island capital of Cagliari, which has just about everything going on historically and culturally. So you may want to book an extra night here at the end too. Sardinia seeps into the soul, so be warned, this is one of those places that people come back to again and again. They get an appetite for it, as well as its fine food.

Island cycling holidays in Greece

When it comes to island cycling tours, Greece gives out generously, such as the off-road trails on Rhodes, the largest island in the Dodecanese, where you explore ancient sites such as the Acropolis of Lindos or the ruined city of Kamiros. There are also unforgettable velo vistas on the island of Kefalonia which, although it’s the largest of the Ionian islands, is a lot less populated. Cycling along limestone cliffs and cooling down at dreamy beaches such as Myrtos or Antisamos feels like a gift from the Greek gods. Corfu is another Ionian idyll, and one of the greenest of the archipelago. Our self-guided cycling holiday there takes you around vast, varied landscapes that include the likes of Mount Pantokrator, Korission Lagoon, famous for its flamingos, and the plateau that dominates the north of Corfu. With countless beaches for coastal cool downs.

There’s no shortage of salty stops on our Evia Island cycling holiday with ever-changing trails through the ancient coastal town of Eretria, known for its ancient theatre and the Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros. And then pootle through traditional fishing villages, vineyards and ferry rides to other spots across the Euboean Gulf. Whichever one you choose, they all feel like a gift from the gods.

Island cycling holidays in the Azores, Portugal

Cycling in the Azores takes you to an otherworldly archipelago of nine islands which are part of the Portuguese Republic, albeit 1,500km west of Lisbon and far out to sea. Both cyclists and cetaceans seek out this Atlantic wilderness haven in packs and pods, although the former only migrate to the islands of Faial and Pico or Terceira. Whichever holiday you choose, these islands are all magnets for magic. On our island-hopping adventure, which is by e-bike, you follow trails to the UNESCO Pico vineyards, Caldeira do Faial and Capelo and Quinta das Rosas Forestry Reserves. On our Terceira treat, which is categorised as an easy to moderate cycling tour, covering 20-45km each day, the landscapes are dramatic and volcanic, with opportunities to swim in black lava rock pools, visit the steamy landscapes of Furnas do Enxofre and the vast lava tube, Gruta do Natal.

Lanzarote, Spain

This Canary is both blue and green, with the only sign of yellow being the sun’s rays beaming down on the island’s volcanic lagoons (and a few wild flowers), bright white traditional houses and prettiest of playas. Our eight day Lanzarote cycling holiday takes you on a moderate-level velodyssey of this rugged, wild island which has developed a reputation for package tours but which actually proffer perfect pannier tours if you know where to go. Which we do, such as the fishing coves and villages of the north coast, the wild surfing beach of Famara on the west coast, or the turquoise shell-shaped beach at Papagayo. With volcanoes, vineyards and traditional villages in between.

Balearic Islands, Spain

Not many archipelagos have a genre of music named after them, but the Balearic beat has evolved from this Spanish archipelago’s music scene, embracing an eclectic, melodic and electronic beat. Although this genre of music is associated mostly with the club scene in Ibiza, it reflects the blissful Balearic vibe that you get on all the islands. The archipelago is made up of four main islands, namely Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, located in the Balearic Sea, the name given to the part of the Mediterranean that separates the Balearics from the Spanish mainland. Think a few hours east of Valencia or south of Barcelona, and you come to one of these island idylls. On our Balearic Island cycling holidays, you can explore Menorca, Mallorca or Ibiza where the landscapes promise a mega-mix of mountain and coastal trails, dunes and wetlands.

Mallorca

Mallorca is not only the largest of the Balearics, at 3,640km², it’s also the most mountainous, with the Serra de Tramuntana range creating a strong spine along its north coast. This beautiful belt is studded with natural and cultural heritage gems and our more strenuous cycling holidays take it on, but we have a good mix of cycling holidays in Mallorca to suit all interests and abilities.

Menorca

Menorca is like manna from cycling heaven if you want a cruising combo of inland and coastal trails. It’s also the greenest of the Balearics, thanks to its north-eastern location which brings more rain and wind, but with no shortage of sunshine. Stretching for 53km east to west, its most elevated point is El Toro, at 358m. So, the Balearic beat here is most definitely the sound of the waves, made obvious by the word cala or bay appearing just about every day on our Menorca cycling holiday.

Ibiza

Given that the Balearic beat is associated mostly with Ibiza, the largest island in the archipelago, it’s not surprising that this is one of our more chilled cycling holidays. Particularly because it’s centre-based, meaning that you don’t have to pack your bags and panniers every day, but just rest up at a resort hotel with pools, in the coastal town of Santa Eulària des Riua. From here, we have crafted five days of cycling itineraries, through traditional villages, to traditional markets and Port de Sant Miquel. With both traditional or e-bikes available to rent, it’s suitable for people of all levels. With one rest day built into the tour, this holiday is about chilling as much as it is about cycling.

Bike and boat holidays in Croatia

Pedal your way to paradise on our Croatia bike and boat holiday, where you cycle around remote island trails by day, and embark your aqua-accommodation for nights under the Adriatic’s stars. Highlights of these trips include the Dalmatian archipelagic gems of Mljet, Brac and Hvar, as well as the ancient town of Split. We also have the option to use e-bikes on these holidays. In addition, unlike the giant cruise liners that dominate the likes of Dubrovnik or Split, our captains navigate their way to quiet bays rather than massive marinas. With plenty of stops for swimming in secluded places.

Like all of our cycling holidays, these island adventures tap into small communities and take you off the beaten path. If combining culture, community and natural heritage is important to you on your cycling holidays, you may also enjoy our blogs on Everything you want to know about cycling the Ciro Trail, Follow the trail to our mountain bike holidays and Reasons to go cycling in the Baltic States. You can see all of our cycling blogs here and, for information on any of our cycling holidays, please don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists.

*With the exception of this Azores cycling holiday around Faial and Pico which we regret is not open to solo travellers.