Bike Tours: Ratings 1 to 5

Van support:  All of our bike tours except for the Croatia Cruise & Bike are van supported. This means that your luggage is transferred for you and the van sweeps the route, so you can choose to get off your bike at any time (circumstances permitting, of course!). This also means that every bike tour can become an easy bike tour if you are happy to ride in the van.

Optional extensions: All of our bike tours feature optional longer or challenging rides, so strong cyclists can adapt even our easiest tour into a challenging one by simply adding mileage or challenging climbs.

Activity Level 1 = Easy:
In general: This tour is easy for anyone who can bike for an hour without stopping.
Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain with little or no ascents or descents
Actual Biking time: Between 2-3 hours per day
Distances: Between 25 and 40 kms/15 and 25 miles
Surfaces: Asphalted roads and paved bike paths 
Specifics: Detailed on each tour.
Compared to the Tuscany Bike Chianti: This tour is significantly easier than our Tuscany bike trip.
Other: This tour is appropriate for first-time “bike tourers”
Easy Tours: NONE of our bike tours are rated 1, but all of them can become truly easy if you make use of our support vehicle. You can bike as little or as much as you like and then simply get in the car or van when you like. We’ve even had non-cyclists join the trip so they could travel with their cycling friends or partners, and they saw the same scenery from the van! 

2 = Easy to Moderate:
In general: These tours are for fit cyclists, and would be do-able with some effort for not-so-fit cyclists.
Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain with the occasional short, relatively steep climbs and descents, but nothing longer than 20 minutes of sustained climbing or descents
Actual biking time: between 3-5 hours per day, mostly in the morning but some also in the afternoon.
Distances: Usually between 45 and 60 kms/28 and 37 miles
Surfaces: Asphalted roads and paved bike paths 
Specifics: Detailed on each tour.
Compared to the Tuscany Bike Chianti: This tour is significantly easier than our Tuscany bike tour.
Other: This tour is appropriate for fit first-time “bike tourers” although you should be used to pedaling and sitting in the saddle for several hours per day.
Easy to Moderate Tours: Innsbruck to Verona Bike, Venice to Bologna Bike, Mallorca Bike

3 = Moderate: A mix of flat and rolling terrain with frequent sustained climbs up to 6 kms as well as short, steep sections. Daily activity is usually 4 to 5 hours. Max distance 70 kms. 
Tours: Dordogne, Provence, Puglia & Basilicata, Tuscany Coast

4 = Rewarding: Rolling terrain with only occasional flat stretches. Frequent hills, some up to 10 kms long, and elevation gains of 500-1,000 meters (1,500 - 3,000 ft). You'll find wInding, mountainous roads, so good bike-handling skills are required. Daily activity 4 to 6 hours. Max distance 75 kms.
Tours: Tuscany Chianti, Umbria, Andalusia, Slovenia, Crete, Sicily, Piedmont

5 = Challenging: Rolling terrain with sustained climbs and descents with only occasional flat stretches. Frequent hills, some being up to 20 kms long. You'll find winding, mountainous roads, so good bike-handling skills are required. Daily activity 5 to 7 hours. Max distance 120 kms with challenging elevation gains.
Tours: Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, or any of our other tours with customized extended rides.