Cycling holidays for gourmets
Fine, delicious and wonderful
Fine wines, delicious food, wonderful cycling
What a thoroughly enjoyable combination! And who wouldn't agree that these things go well together: after all, those who cycle well should also eat well and taste fine wines.
The centre of Germany
We offer these wine and gourmet tours from Velociped in various regions. You can do something good for your body and soul in Germany, for example, on our winegrower tours:
- On the most beautiful section of the Main Cycle Route through the Franconian wine country, this cycling tour takes you to Franconian wine, Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau and, of course, Silvaner, one of the national drinks of Franconia. You can taste it in the architecturally remarkable wine shops or directly at the winery. So don't lean too much into the curve in the Main loop.
- At the Moselle river, it's more about Riesling. Here you will even stay in a wine hotel and, of course, visit many wineries and have three wine tastings on the programme. In addition to fine wines, there is also Muselfisch (Moselle fish). Bon appétit!
- Why is it so beautiful at the river Rhine? Because you can take a round trip here, during which you will even stay twice directly at the winemaker's, cycle through three wine-growing regions (Middle Rhine, Rheinhessen, Rheingau and Nahe), and three wine tastings are also included. At the tasting booths, which can be found at almost every boat landing stage on the Rhine promenades in the various villages, you can also get a 0.1 litre glass of wine. People stand there together and discuss the latest news of the day. ‘Have you heard?’ ‘No, tell me!’ While a coal ship ploughs past on the Rhine.
Southern Germany
- The Palatinate region is almost like the south and very Mediterranean: fruit orchards with lemons and kiwis, oleander and palm trees along the roadside, vineyards and plenty of sunshine. Here you can go on a radial cycle tour and stay at the elegant 4-star Kurpark Hotel Bad Dürkheim in the former Leiningen Castle. Enjoy the Palatinate wine. The Dürkheim giant barrel is considered the largest barrel in the world, and there are also numerous wine festivals, such as the Vineyard Night in Bad Dürkheim, the largest open-air wine tasting in the Palatinate.
- You will visit two countries, Germany and France, on the following cycling tour along the Palatinate Wine Route and the Rhine Cycle Route. You will start in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Neischdadt an de Woischdrooß, the wine capital of the Palatinate. So it's no wonder that you'll want to sample a glass or two as you stroll through the narrow streets. Heidelberg at the Neckar, a place of longing and a symbol of romance both then and now, is home to Germany's oldest university, founded in 1386. To this day, there are many student pubs and wine bars. ‘Supervised drinking’ is written above one of them. The former student detention room is open to visitors. If the graffiti on the walls is to be believed, things probably weren't too strict here: one person complained that the sparkling wine wasn't chilled. Here, too, there is supposedly the largest barrel in the world: seven metres in diameter, 221,726 litres in volume and 9.6 metres long.
France
When you think of France, you naturally think of Alsace when you think of good wines, excellent food and beautiful cycling routes. In Alsace, you can enjoy a charming round trip, which means you will stay in carefully selected, beautiful and romantic accommodation. Picturesque wine villages and half-timbered towns with colourfully painted, beautifully restored half-timbered houses line the route. Many of them were built during the Renaissance and are adorned with richly decorated bay windows, gables, balconies and arcades. In the evening, charming hotels await cyclists, as do the culinary delights of the formidable Alsatian cuisine! A Flammekueche here, a Baeckeoffe there, the Alsatian ‘national’ dish, in one of the pretty half-timbered pubs make the bike tour perfect.
Enjoy the French-Alsatian savoir-vivre and visit one of the numerous wine festivals on the Alsace Wine Route. Of course, a glass of Alsatian wine made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay (used to make Crémant), Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Sylvaner, Riesling or Gewürztraminer grapes tastes great. But there are also plenty of tasty beers from small Alsatian microbreweries.
Wine tastings, culinary highlights, beautiful cycle routes. What more could you want?
Italy
In Italy, we offer a round trip and a radial cycle tour in Piedmont. Whether it's truffles in Alba, spumante in Asti, or Barolo and Barbaresco at a wine tasting, this region is all about indulgence. Whether you embark on a round trip from beautiful Turin or set off on radial bike tours from an 18th-century villa in Romano Canavese, one thing is certain in this region: you'll be treated to plenty of Piedmontese delights! In addition to wines and culinary delights, you should not overlook the coffee. Do as the Turinese do and retreat to one of the venerable establishments for a coffee. Bicerin, a local speciality made from coffee, chocolate and cream, is a must-try. ‘Or would you prefer an aperitivo, signora?’ Turin is considered the capital of aperitifs. Vermouth was invented here in 1768, and it was also the first capital of Italy. Today, it is the capital of Piedmont.
Austria
There is something very special to discover in Austria's Mühlviertel region: an organic culinary tour starting in Linz. In the Mühlviertel organic region, you can visit Austria's largest organic medicinal herb garden in Klaffer, for example. Let yourself be enchanted by the flowers and scents! At the Schlägl Abbey Brewery, you can sample locally brewed beer and perhaps even beer soup at the adjoining inn. Along the way, you will visit a cider cellar, a mountain herb cooperative, a brewing commune, a distillery, a weaving mill, many inns and organic farms whose credo is: eat and drink regionally and seasonally. So take your time and enjoy, and don't rush!
Portugal
Last but not least, we would like to recommend the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Douro Valley in Portugal. Deep dark red wines and port wines are the hallmark here. You start and end your cycling tour in Porto, where the houses of the port wine companies glow in the evening sun across the Douro River. So head straight to one of the port wine cellars to try your first sip. In the Douro Valley, you will have plenty of opportunities to taste the wonderful wines that grow on the steep slopes to the left and right. This cycling tour clearly offers something for the eyes and the palate.
