Darryl Parker

I cycle for fitness and enjoyment, plus there’s no better way of exploring. In the last couple of years, I have cycled in the UK, France, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Albania, North Macedonia, and Portugal. Where to next on two-wheels?

I loved cycling the Porto to Lisbon Bike Tour following the Portuguese west coast between the two iconic cities.  Great food (and wine), some stunning coastal bike paths and beautiful expansive sand beaches. Lisbon is the perfect location to finish a trip, there’s so much to do and cycling in felt like a dramatic ending to the week!

Kvarner Bay Deluxe Boat & Bike Tour is a perfect blend of cycling, exploration, and relaxation. The Andela Lora along with the crew & guides were great and made the week very special.

Lofoten Islands Bike Tour is a bucket list location, often referred to as one of the world’s most beautiful archipelagos – the tour looks fantastic.

Travelling around SE Asia solo at a young age, it really opened my eyes to the world and built the love I have today for it.

While backpacking in Thailand I got dropped off by a night bus in the middle of nowhere, with no battery, no local towns in sight and in the early hours of the morning. I attempted to sleep by the side of the road and hitched a ride from a local rice farmer on the back of his scooter in the morning. Still don’t quite know where I went wrong/what happened.

Be patient and flexible. You might arrive at a bus stop that doesn’t exist or still be waiting for a train that should have arrived 4 hours ago. Time works a little differently some places in the world.

Highlights of Albania Guided Bike Tour starts in the bustling capital of Tirana, the first ride briefly goes into North Macedonia (another box ticked) before cycling into the mountains the following days and finishing up along the Albanian Riviera. Epic scenery and fun cycling. It’s a challenging tour with several climbs but the views and lengthy downhills make it all worthwhile. If you’ve not been to or cycled in Albania, I highly recommend adding it to your list.