10 days in Europe, where should I ride

[Athanman]

Its summer time and i assume that you will also like to go for  swimming. A tour at the balkan neighbourhood will also offer you lots of options for touring + enjoy your summer holidays next to the marvelous beaches! Its up to you my friend and if you need any infos please dont hesitate to ask.

[Jyrays]

I am in Seville at riding trip  but I would Recommend Alps too... and enjoy Slovenia, Austria, Italy in same day 

Forget north (Scandinavia) as it is too far!

[MrKiwi]

Well, this has really got me thinking.  I've now suggested to my wife that I will meet in Europe after she has been in the UK for her trip and we can do a 7-10 trip in a car, probably warm places near beaches.  She can then go home and I can hire a bike for three weeks to do more countries - take the time to do a decent tour at a more leisurely pace. 

[zebulon]

It seems to be better, if you have much time , because too much things to discover !
7/10 more days by bike with your wife , will be the best !

[Madero]

Well, this has really got me thinking.  I've now suggested to my wife that I will meet in Europe after she has been in the UK for her trip and we can do a 7-10 trip in a car, probably warm places near beaches.  She can then go home and I can hire a bike for three weeks to do more countries - take the time to do a decent tour at a more leisurely pace. 

Fantastic plan Mr. Kiwi!
 

[JosepM]

Hello,

after a quick reading of this topic, little can I add.

Wherever you go, there'll be people. So, often, you'd better take it easy and have an eye at the landscape and the other at the slow vehicle before you.
Speaking of vehicles, every summer there's a plague of snails in Europe. Motorhomes and caravans crawl their way throughout the continent; they can become a real pain in the arse in these narrow, twisty, steep roads that should be "bikers only" 

I don't know how high passes are in NZ, but from your words I assume you'd like to ride some 2000 m high passes. There are about 20 in the Alps plus 4-5 in the Pyrennees (I went up one, the Tourmalet, this morning for the 6th time  ).
I certainly agree that the Dolomites-Austria is well worth. Besides, Italy is a Mediterranean country and Austria, despite catholic, is not.
And I agree that some "postcard" should be included in the trip: Venice is a unique city, Wien's Schönbrunn was residence of emperors,... Paris is nice, but a bit far from interesting riding areas...

Central Italy, three quarters of France (or the whole country),... there are so many places... The S of the continent can be way too hot to be enjoyed in August, and of course it takes some time to get there. Also Scandinavia is nice, but somewhat remote, and I guess you don't come to the other part of the world just to visit green, tidy, sparsely populated countries... 

Let me add something to Skye's proposal. If you hire a bike in Barcelona, you can ride for a couple of days around the Pyrenees, and can also visit a fashionable "human sized" city, and can take some time to relax in one beach in the city itself, or better 60-100 km N of it (warning: I haven't been to the beach in 25 years, but back then topless sunbathing ladies were not rare, specially nobody-knows-me-here tourists).

One last warning. As far as I can tell, a few consecutive days with storms are not rare in mountain areas. If possible, I'd make sure to choose days with a good forecast.

Greetings,

Josep

[zebulon]

Sure we are not yet in 2015, but the crisis is well here. I am in the Alps and you can ride quietly, without too much caravan or camping cars... Nobody on the roads... Hope it can be your case next year.

[jackyork]

The Zebulizer in the Alps! Were you following 'Le Tour' ?

JK

[zebulon]

The Zebulizer in the Alps! Were you following 'Le Tour' ?

JK

we've seen it one day 

[italy1]

perhaps the first thing you may want to figure out is your staring point and then plan a route from and back to that point......there is so much to see in the old continent that you would be spoiled for choice. If you avoid the really hot season (July and August) I could recommend Tuscany as you are only about 5 hours from the Italian alps. Having said that I just spent a weekend riding the Yorkshire Dales/Mores and north Pennines. The weather was not so good but the biking roads and the scenery were breathtaking. Lovely friendly people all the way and only a short blast from London (250 miles)........
If you ever plan to visit that area and you are camping, I suggest Takoda Camping, Paul (the owner) is a varadero rider and you would be hard pushed to find a more biker friendly campsite anywhere in the world :-)

Whatever u decide, best of luck and ride safe.