The Best Spring Bike Tours in Europe

Below, you'll discover holidays in locations as varied as the canals of the Netherlands, the Dalmatian coast and the mountains of Albania. All of these tours run during the months of April and May, so whether you're tied to Easter school holidays or have a more flexible schedule, you'll find departure dates that work for you.

If the thought of heading for some pleasant weather cycling appeals to you, now's the time to spring into action! You can book online, or for additional information on any of our holidays, just contact our friendly team. Enquire online or call us on (+44) 1273 224066 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm UK time).

by Catherine Gray, Head of Freedom Treks

It's no surprise to us that our Puglia Bike Tour was one of our top five most popular tours in 2023 and a 5-star rated hit with our customers. Picture yourself in a bright and pretty port town, looking out to sea with a delicious plate full of cockles, clams and calamari plucked straight from the Adriatic or Ionian and you'll have a good idea of why Puglia is a destination in demand.

Puglia prices are generally cheaper in spring than in summer months, so take advantage of lower costs as well as cooler temperatures by booking your tour for April or May. Our Puglia Bike Tour fills up fast, so if you want to spend your spring pedalling through olive groves in southern Italy, make sure you book well ahead!

Freedom Trekkers say: "This must have been our best ever Freedom Treks trip. We cycled along very quiet country roads and walking/cycling paths, air laden with scent and eyes feasting on a profusion of wild flowers. Spring has to be the right time to go... White medieval hill towns and beautiful blue waters along the coastline make this a lovely route for cycling." - Clare Herd, UK

View tour: Puglia Bike Tour

Spend a leisurely week aboard a luxury motor yacht floating through dreamy coastal waters on our Dubrovnik to Split Deluxe Boat & E-Bike Tour. Along your route, you'll disembark to cycle on pristine islands and discover spectacular scenery and pretty ancient towns along the coast of Croatia. Travelling during the months of April and May, you'll have fewer crowds to contend with in popular places such as the historic centre of Dubrovnik and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Split.

With the milder temperatures, tackling the ascents on this tour is easier than during the height of summer. Plus, using an e-bike cancels out the huffing and puffing as you pedal your way up to stunning hilltop views.

Freedom Trekkers say: “... Everything was superbly organised and managed. The boat was beautiful and very comfortable, including excellent air conditioning in the cabins. The food was very good and plentiful. The two guides were very professional and a lot of fun too. It was my first time on an e-bike and I absolutely loved it. It takes all the stress out of it and this trip would have been very challenging on an ordinary bike as they hills were very long and very steep. Croatia itself is beautiful and every day provided superb views. Swimming in turquoise waters off the boat was an added bonus. ... I would definitely recommend this trip!” - Helen Banerjee

View tour: Dubrovnik to Split Deluxe Boat & E-Bike Tour

Albania is a little-known gem when it comes to cycling holidays. Here you can expect extraordinary landscapes, delicious local cuisine and unique wildlife. Our 10 day Highlights of Albania Bike Tour takes you to three UNESCO World Heritage sites - Ohrid is a particular highlight on day two, with its church spires and lakeside cafés.

Why cycle this tour in spring? This is a challenging route with some serious ascents and you'll need a good degree of fitness, but the climbs will feel all the more manageable in cooler weather. Be prepared to pedal for your photo opportunities, and the views of the valleys of the Grammoz Mountains in bloom will feel richly deserved.

Freedom Trekkers say: "This is what we wanted out of our trip - cycling through mountains & the coast. The last day of cycling is the toughest with climbing but what an achievement! Amazing views as well. Our guides were great - always available to help."... "We all bonded as a team and laughed all the way. The food was amazing. Albania is a hidden gem." - Sally Sheehy, UK

View tour: Highlights of Albania Bike Tour

With its famously flat terrain, the Netherlands is your best pick if you're looking for easy spring cycling. On our Cities & Countryside of Southern Holland Boat & Bike Tour, you'll pedal along flat, well-maintained cycle paths through rural Holland and visit the cultural powerhouses of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and Haarlem as well as see the stunning windmills at Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans. Travelling at this time of year means that you'll have a good chance of seeing the amazing tulip fields at Zaanse Schans as they come in to bloom!

The Netherlands is a popular destination during springtime and accommodation options can be limited in the major cities. That's why we recommend a Boat & Bike tour. After your hours in the saddle, you'll relax on board your floating hotel, De Amsterdam, and enjoy the impressive facilities including a spacious restaurant, lounge, bar and a roofed sundeck from which you can enjoy the passing scenery.

Freedom Trekkers say: “Wonderful holiday, Holland is very beautiful and so accommodating for cycling. The towns and villages are unique and full of interest. Easy cycling and enough time to pace yourself and take in some of the sights. The signposting and GPS were fantastic.” - Dorothy Burns-Brown, UK

View tour: Cities & Countryside of Southern Holland Boat & Bike Tour

Discover the delights of Italy's South Tyrol region on our family-friendly Bolzano to Lake Garda Leisurely Bike Tour. With short daily rides between 15 and 28 miles, you and your children can pedal at your own pace and take your time exploring the charms of northeast Italy. You'll see vividly coloured, blossoming orchards around the city of Bolzano, cycle along the rapidly flowing Adige river and take in stunning views at Lake Garda, where spring temperatures are pleasantly mild and perfectly suited to cycling.

There are bike hire options for children of any age including child seats, trailers, FollowMe bikes and three bike sizes. In addition, if you or the youngsters really don't fancy the whole ride, there are plenty of opportunities to shorten the various stages of your trip by taking the train.

Freedom Trekkers say: "What a fabulous trip! We were not expecting the tour to be so great. We had two 15yo’s and we are 60ish, and we had no problems. We all had a fabulous holiday. Going by bikes lets you see so much more. We stopped en route in quaint little villages for gelato, that you may never have visited if you were driving on the highway. Also, this particular part of Italy has bike paths everywhere, which means you barely have to go on roads, and never on highways. The trails are all separate from roads." - Carolyn Rogers, Canada

View tour: Bolzano to Lake Garda Leisurely Bike Tour

Spain's Conquistadors & Paradors Bike Tour is a unique route in western Spain's remote Extremadura region. You'll pedal from parador to parador - luxury hotels located in restored palaces, castles or monasteries. Cycling from the ancient castle of Oropesa, you'll pass granite peaks, green foothills and rugged farmland brimming with wildlife to reach beautiful cities such as Trujillo and Plasencia - home to elegant mansions and monuments left by the Spanish Conquistadors.

This tour is without a doubt one you'll want to do in spring. In fact, the tour only runs until the end of June because July and August are just too hot! Happily, departure dates are available from 01 March, so there's plenty of time to pedal here before the temperature picks up.

Freedom Trekkers say: "Our mid-May e-bike tour of Extremadura "Paradors and Conquistadors" was a fantastic experience, combining historical towns and buildings with marvellous mountain scenery, wonderful flora and picturesque wild birds and occasional deer with domestic cattle, Iberian pigs and sheep living in olive groves which stretched for miles..." - Caroline Finlayson, UK

View tour: Spain's Conquistadors & Paradors Bike Tour

See the best of the beautiful Ionian islands on our 7 night Ionian Islands Boat & Bike Tour where highlights include cruising into Kefalonia on a traditional Greek boat, exploring small villages on the island of Meganisi, and cycling through dense olive groves on Paxos. This tour takes you along picturesque coastal stretches that can be demanding at times, but with spring temperatures and a sea breeze keeping you cool, you'll have it easier than in summer months.

Just because you're on an active holiday doesn't mean you can't relax as well - there is plenty of time to recline on the sundeck of your boat or swim in tranquil waters off quiet beaches. Meganisi and Paxos are the best places to do this!

It doesn't end there - this tour benefits from £100 per person savings on 25 April, 13 & 20 June departures in 2025. Result!

Freedom Trekkers say: “The cycling was great but challenging... The guides Demitri and Jacob were wonderful - patient, fun, entertaining, full of interesting stories and information wherever we went. They really went out of their way to make things special… The food on board was fabulous, really fresh Greek food. All the crew were really helpful and friendly… I am now definitely hooked on the boat and bike experience! My daughter wants me to take her with me instead of my husband again next time!” - Anonymous, UK

View tour: The Ionian Islands Boat & Bike Tour

On the island of Sicily you can discover beautiful Baroque towns, green rolling hills and deep canyons carved by fast-flowing rivers riding our Sicily's Baroque Routes Bike Tour. You'll soak up astounding natural beauty as you pedal past vast orange and lemon plantations, stopping off for a creamy gelato or cappuccino along the way.

Benefiting from a southern latitude, Sicily offers warm weather for most of the year. The tour itself runs from March onwards when the temperature is just right for cycling with average highs of 18 Celsius. Exploring the churches and forts of exquisite hilltop towns like Buccheri, Ferla and Noto is a far more enjoyable experience when you aren't red in the face from too much sun.

Freedom Trekkers say: "My wife and I recently enjoyed the Sicily - Baroque Routes bike tour. To review it in a single word, we would simply say fantastic!" "We had such a good time and we absolutely love Sicily. The landscape is beautiful and the people are very friendly. I wish I could have bottled the gorgeous smell of the orange blossom!" - Claudio Lordello, Canada

View tour: Sicily's Baroque Routes Bike Tour