Top Travel Leads

Traveling the back roads of Czech Republic along the Austria border an art connoisseur will enjoy coming across a profusion of small roadside shrines and memorials devoted to Jesus and other saints, built as expression of thanks for being blessed, protected, healed, endowed, in memory of someone’s death, or simply as a gesture of good will. In Czech Republic these shrines are commonly referred to as „Bozi Muka, in literal translation meaning “God’s suffering. “ They were being constructed as early as in the 14th century, however, their golden period of construction begins with the baroque period, from 1600 to 1750, though they proliferated right up to the very end of the 19th century and as late as the period of the Czech “first republic,“ namely in the 1920s. The chapels and monuments were typically constructed along small country roads, forest trails, at crossroads and often under large and dominant ancient trees. Often a time these monuments were also being constructed by the wealthy as gifts to a village or to mark a site, and as their counterparts in Buddhist lands, where mani walls and stupas too were being built to gain merit on the judgment day. Some of the best opportunities for seeing these shrines can be had on the bicycle tours along the Czech Greenways Vienna to Prague and Salzburg to Prague.

If you love bicycling and Italy, taking a cycling vacation in Tuscany or Sardinia is a must. Prefer high mountains, how about Switzerland and riding the Alps? If you love France, bicycle around Provence and climb Mount Ventoux, the Giant of Provence!

Whatever your decision you will find that any one of these trips will be a perfect combination of fine riding in company of like-minded people as yourself, all bicycle enthusiasts, that love riding together and enjoy good food and lodging in charming inns. The trips are designed to appeal to riders who prefer an active cycling vacation but perhaps not overly challenging rides, wanting just as much to enjoy the pleasures of Europe as to ride, as well as those who like to challenge themselves and do not shy away from the most demanding routes.

Cycling trips are in groups of 8 - 16 cyclists and range from 4 to 9 days, from Spring to Fall. There is a tour focusing on rides around the Maggiore Lake in Northern Italy with daily rides of about 70 km each. Lodging base is in Stresa, at the 4* Regina Palace Hotel.

In Tuscany tours start from Gaiole in Chianti and go to the Orcia valley, stop in Rocca d’Orcia (4* Castello di Spaltenna hotel), then take a different route back to Gaiole.

Around Sardinia, an easy tour, “Costa Smeralda Charme”, is six days of cycling, a great tour that includes five rides promising you’ll discover the true beauty of Sardinia (4* Delphina Cala di Lepre hotel).

Raid of Swiss Alps tour, a six days raid through Switzerland departing from Stresa, a thrilling route in the Alps and among the Swiss glaciers. Possible routes include the Susten Pass, the Furk Pass and the well-known passes of San Gottardo and Sempione.

And then there is France, and splendid in mid summer of July it is on a marvelous six days tour of rides with a base in one of the most beautiful locations of Provence, Gordes. The rides will take you along romantic back roads teeming in colors of Provence, the ambiance of the lavender in blossom, and include the rewarding climb of Mont Ventoux.

The trips and locations are selected not only for their unique landscape and natural beauty but above all for the memorable character of the cycling routes, each truly one of a kind that can be found only in these parts of Europe.

For tour details visit www.bikeitaliarando.com

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