Although the majority of our cycling holidays are self-guided, where you cycle from one hotel or guesthouse to the next, and have your luggage transferred for you, we also offer a growing collection of centre-based cycling holidays. These are usually in places where there are so many trails just outside your bedroom window, that you can just have one central sleep spot. Places where you can just about fall out of bed onto your bike, and back into the same bed that night. Happy that you’ve experienced a new adventure on your doorstep. And with no packing and unpacking every day, this gives you more time to pump it up, get down some flow trails or just take much longer lunch breaks in little pockets of pedalling paradise. Here are some of our favourites.
Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
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, staying at a relaxing resort hotel with pools, in the coastal town of Santa Eulària des Riu. 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.
Marche region, Adriatic Coast, Italy
Marche, pronounced Mar-kay, is one of Italy’s lesser-known but stunning coastal regions. On our centre-based cycling holiday there, you stay in a four-star hotel in the small coastal town of Gabicce Mare. This is a quick hit of cycling, as it’s only a five day tour, but with natural heritage highlights including San Bartolo Natural Park’s clifftop trails, and cycling greats such as the Gabicce Mare to Saltara stage in the Giro d’Italia, there are plenty of trails to toast. And you’ll have no shortage of opportunities to do so, as this is one of Italy’s great wine regions too, with some of the most famous being Verdicchio, Montepulciano and Sangiovese. The Sangiovese Route is on day three of this tour, with a recommended wine tasting at Winery Enio Ottaviani en route. This centre-based cycling holiday is accessible by train.
Rimini, Adriatic Coast, Italy
Although Rimini is only 26km from Gabicce Mare, the cycling trails emanating from your base are quite different. This is a journey into Emilia-Romagna, again staying in a 4-star hotel just outside Rimini, but on the sea. Starting with the Roman, Renaissance and ravishing town of Rimini, this five day cycling holiday takes you into some historic spots. Such as an inland cycle to the fortified medieval town of Santarcangelo di Romagna, or Roncofreddo which is one of many villages of the 12th-century Malatesta Lordship, with ancient fortress and castle remains, as well as two fine 18th-century churches. The cycling highlight is the Sogliano Route, famous for its challenging ascent of 19 hairpin bends to Santarcangelo di Romagna. Luckily our seafront hotel where you are based has a heated outdoor saline pool and hot tub, so you can warm up or cool down before or after your rides. This centre-based cycling holiday is accessible by train.
Penedès Wine Region, Catalonia, Spain
If you want to escape the crowds of the Catalan capital, spend four days based in a boutique hotel in Vilafranca del Penedès, cycling through the heart of the Penedès Wine Region. This is a quick hit of Catalan culture, with two full days of cycling through ancient villages, churches, monasteries and mountain landscapes. All by e-bike, so you can pace yourself to all the beauty spots, but power through some of the more beefy ones. This is also a region to combine wine with wilderness of course, and there will be no shortage of bars and pintxos spots to raise a glass of the goodies emanating from the vineyards that you pass on your cycling trails. One of the cycle trails even takes you to Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, which is Cava’s capital. This centre-based cycling holiday is also accessible by train, so many of our adventurers can bring a few bubbles home with them too.
Wachau Wine Region, Austria
The Wachau Valley, on the banks of the Danube, is a region that’s not only famous for its wines but also medieval castles and monasteries. It’s this combination that has earned its protection as a UNESCO Cultural Landscape. All linked by the iconic river, and of course wine. You can easily spot the winegrowers’ farmsteads which are all typically U-shaped or L-shaped – layouts that date back as far as the Middle Ages. Our five day centre-based cycling holiday there is as sweet as strudel, based in Melk on the River Danube, just 90km from Vienna. Melk is famous for its 11th-century monastery and a golden dome glowing from on high above the town. The cycling trails on this holiday also glow as you cycle through vineyards, along both the Wachau Valley Cycle Path and Pielach Valley Cycle Path, as then swap bikes for a boat journey to the Sandgrube 13 Winery and tour. This is another centre-based cycling holiday that’s accessible by train.
Umbria, Italy
On this centre-based cycling holiday, you spend five days on adventures in and around your base in Assisi, where a whole palette of prettiness awaits. Umbrian trails include ancient towns such as Montefalco, renowned for its wines, and Trevi, on the slopes of Mount Serano. As well as to Mount Subasio Nature Park, which is a part of the Assisi-Spoleto Cycle Trail. And to top it all off, at night you park up at your four-star hotel in Assisi, famous for its outstanding churches, palaces and ancient architecture. And, in the case of our hotels, the pool, gym and sauna are all pretty striking too after a day on the hills. This centre-based cycling holiday is accessible by train.
Alsace, France
This is another wine region cycling holiday that’s reachable by rail, so you can pop a few bottles in your pannier after your Alsatian adventure. The Alsace Wine Route heads from north to south for 170km, and there are more than 1,200 winemakers along the way, and most of them are families who have carried on the tradition for generations. On this holiday, you are based in the beautifully-preserved town of Colmar, which is considered the capital of the Alsace Wine Region. And also one of Europe’s most stunning cycling stops. With three full days of cycling, explore the famous wine villages of Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Riquewihr and Kientzheim, the historic town of Munster, famous for its cheese, and also hop over the German border to Breisach am Rhein.
Lazio, Italy
Last but not least of the Italian representatives on our centre-based cycling holidays leaderboard is Lazio. This five day cycling holiday is available all year round so you can flee to Fiuggi, a medieval thermal spa town, in the foothills of Lazio’s Ernici Mountains whenever you see fit. Staying in a wellness hotel, it’s the perfect base for cycling in Lazio’s luscious landscapes, valleys and vineyards. And then relax in the spa, or replenish with the region’s fine food and wine. It’s hard to believe that you are only 60km from Rome here too, as you cycle in the foothills of Colle Cimetta or Monti Simbruini, which are part of the Apennines. Although you do get a sense of the proximity as you cycle along the former Rome-Fiuggi railway line.
If centre-based is your chosen way to adventure, you may also enjoy Our top centre-based walking holidays blog, and for all our other cycling blogs, see here. And if you’d like to travel to these centre-based cycling holidays by train, check out our blog, How to book cheap train tickets. In the meantime, our adventure specialists are always at hand to share more details about our centre-based or self-guided cycling holidays, so please don’t hesitate to contact them.
Related tours
The Adriatic Coast: Cycling in Marche (Centre-based)
Cycling in Catalonia: Penedès Wine Region (Centre-based)
Cycling in Austria: Wachau Wine Region (Centre-based)
Cycling in Umbria (Centre-based)
Cycling in Alsace (Centre-based)
Cycling in Lazio (Centre-based)
Cycling in Liguria (Centre-based)
