A cycling holiday does not need to be all about hills, Lycra and sweat. Instead, it can be about gentle bike rides on flat routes and with your only concerns for the day being where to buy the next ice cream and when to top up on the sun lotion.

Who are cycling holidays for?

An easy cycling holiday is for all types of people. For example, you could be a family with young children or a couple who are new to cycling. On the other hand, perhaps you're already an accomplished cyclist, but you would like an enjoyably active holiday. Easy-graded cycle tours have the benefits of only short daily distances or long days of cycling but on flat routes. Many leisure cycling tours will follow a river or canal routes along flat paths or towpaths. For example, the Danube Cycle Path offers a cycling holiday that is about as flat as possible, so there is no need to worry about exhausting your leg muscles!

The benefits of cycling

A cycling holiday offers the fantastic benefit of returning home fitter than when you left for your holidays. Check out our blog about cycling benefits.

Self-guided but signposted

Easy cycling tours will rarely require a great deal of navigation. However, if you are worried about visiting a new country and exploring on two wheels, the perfect tour for you is easily navigated and regularly signposted. Our macs app and information pack will detail each daily route, so you'll find a great deal of comfort in following well-established signposted routes.

Luggage is not your concern

A supported cycle tour offers the bonus of being luggage-free. Your tour company will take your luggage from each overnight accommodation to the next. This leaves you free to enjoy pannier-less cycling, which means you'll easily cover the daily mileage. In addition, some holidays are based in just one or two places, or uniquely on a boat, such as the Danube Bike and Boat trip, so that your luggage stays in one or two places or onboard the vessel that you meet at the end of each cycling day.

Take the days as they come

Another advantage of most easy cycle tour holidays is the opportunity to take each day as it comes. You might wake up in the morning and decide that you are full of energy and would like to cycle for many hours. But you might also be keen to spend some days not cycling or cycling for only an hour or so. Most easier-graded cycle tours have lots of flexibility built into them to cater for all fitness levels and aspirations.

No need for Lycra

Many people are put off cycling and cycle tour holidays because they think they will need to wear Lycra padded shorts. While padding in shorts is a bonus for longer cycling outings, most people will be perfectly comfortable in general sports clothing or outdoors trousers and tops. Stretchy materials are great for cycling, but you do not need to be kitted out head-to-foot in tight clothing!