Why Bike Trips Are Better
By Heather Burke— Travel Writer, Explorer, Self-Professed Cheese & Chocolate-Fueled Cyclist
In Europe, it’s far better to explore the beautiful countryside, canals, and medieval cities by bicycle than by rental car, cruise ship, or train — and here’s why…
First: on a bike, you feel the journey. You smell the wildflowers and salty sea breeze, hear the muse of sheep and horses, and even notice the flutter of a butterfly’s wings. You’re not just watching the scenery blur past a window — you’re in it.
Second: you skip the stress. No traffic jams, no parking battles, no GPS shouting “recalculating.” Just you, two wheels, and the freedom to kick stand your bike, wherever the spirit strikes — a café for coffee and a pastry, a vineyard, a castle, or a sweeping canal view. Europe’s bike infrastructure is a dream compared to much of the U.S. In picturesque European countries, “bike lane” doesn’t mean a narrow shoulder beside honking cars; it means a dedicated, paved, wide cycling path, shared only with fellow bikers, a gentleman walking his hound, occasional a horse or two. In cities like Amsterdam and Brussels, bikes even have their own traffic lights, bridges, and roundabouts — it’s two-wheeled bliss!
Third: cycling is the perfect balance of exercise and indulgence. You can pedal 20 or 50 miles — whatever feels right. Distances between European villages are delightfully manageable, so your daily rides lead naturally from one magical town to the next. In Belgium, we averaged about 25 miles a day, pedaling from Brussels to Antwerp, Ghent to Bruges, indulging guilt-free in Belgian frites, chocolate, and beer. Along the Danube River from Passau, Germany to Vienna, Austria, we rode for just a few hours each day — yet each ride offered fairytale scenery and ended with a new riverside village to explore.
And oh, the rewards: biking through France’s Loire Valley meant wine tastings, cheese pairings, and four-course dinners — without gaining the pounds. Our Holland’s cheese route through Gouda and Edam? Heaven on handlebars.
Fourth: there’s a deep sense of accomplishment when you arrive somewhere beautiful under your own power. Cycling evokes the romance of old-fashioned travel — moving slowly through the landscape, watching a distant castle grow closer I feel like a Renaissance princess – only more fit. Crossing an ancient wooden drawbridge over a moat though a medieval stone gates like Zierikzee, feels timeless and precious, like slipping through the pages of a storybook.
Bike trips are also sustainable, affordable, and adventurous. You can rent a bike for a week or two and use intuitive route apps like Komoot to navigate. Or, if you prefer someone else do the planning, and you get pampering, tour companies like Backroads or VBT will plan everything — routes, luggage transfers, a van if you “tap out”, lodging and meals.
I’ll admit, before my first big bike trip, I was terrified. I wasn’t an experienced cyclist — not even close. I worried about my fitness, my luggage weight, keeping up, falling over! But a bit of pre-trip training and learning how to pack a pannier (traveling light is liberating) worked wonders. Now? I’m hooked. Bike trips are the best kind of adventure: immersive, freeing, and full of delicious, well-earned rewards at every stop. Sure beats rolling off a cruise ship, being amongst a bus load, searching and paying for parking.
For years we loved boating trips, chartering a yacht to sail the Caribbean, to ply a centuries’ old canal in France on our rented Le Boat, or cruise the Chesapeake and boat Maine’s beautiful islands and harbors. While we still love sailing and boating adventures, we feel a bit slovenly after a week sitting on a vessel, enjoying cocktails and snacks at any hour on our voyage. Biking takes the activity level up a notch, or two- on your two-wheel tour!
We still love our ski trips, that’s an ideal blend of action and adrenaline, alpine scenery combined with the pull of gravity down a beautiful snowy mountain, and time for fun après ski exploring an entertaining ski village – yes ski trips are still “cool’ with us literally! See out top Alps ski destinations for luxury ski trip
See our curated bike itineraries through Austria, France, Belgium, and Holland, each with scenic routes, charming inns, and fabulous local dining.
See more Bike Trips and Itineraries l How to Pack for a Bike Trip
Loire Valley Bike Tour l Danube River Bike Tour l Netherlands Friesland Bike Tour l Netherland Cheese Bike Tour l Southern Holland Sea-land Bike Trip l Belgium Bike Tour
Next up? We’re cycling Scotland’s Outer Hebrides — the “Golden Road” of white beaches, misty glens, waterfalls, castles, and a few well-earned Scotch tastings. Stay tuned — the wheels are already turning.
“Life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
