A woman walks along a trail pushing her bike

Self Guided Cycling Holidays

What is a self-guided cycling holiday? Find out what to expect from a self-guided cycling holiday in Europe.

Your Accommodation

When you book with a provider on a self-guided cycling holiday you can expect that you will be based out of a single location for the duration of your stay. You may have options for the “board basis,” which may be classified as:

  • self-catering, meaning you are responsible for all your meals;
  • B&B, meaning you get a bed and breakfast but that the rest of the meals are up to you to arrange;
  • half-board, meaning you will get breakfast and one other meal, usually in the evening;
  • full-board, meaning you are fully catered throughout the day.

Many providers will make a packed lunch for you, if you ask (and pay a small additional fee).

Finding Your Way on a Self-Guided Cycling Holiday

With a self-guided trip you will be provided with the ride details each day and riding alone or with your group. The organiser will most likely be on hand to provide support or “rider rescue”, should you need it, and will give you everything you need to navigate your way around the route(s). This will most likely include:

  • A GPS file of the route
  • A printed map of the route
  • Information about where to stop along the way – for refreshment, sight-seeing, etc.

Some providers will provide the map and route info in a pre-loaded GPS device, such as a Garmin or Wahoo. Others have their routes online using an application like BikeMap.net, Komoot, or Ride With GPS, so you can download them to your phone or personal GPS device and use those for navigation.

Additional Services

Because you will be staying at a fixed base for this kind of holiday (versus a bike tour) you can expect to find additional services tailored to cyclists and nice to have for anyone on an active holiday. These may include:

  • secure bike storage
  • access to a bike workshop
  • afternoon tea
  • a pool or hot tub
  • a “day off” for another activity or just a rest day to do what you like

The advantage of a self-guided trip is, if you do decide to take a day off or have a more restful day you can do this. Your host will know their local area well and will have plenty of suggestions about how to make the best of your trip.

If you need a break and fancy a spa day half way through, they’ll be able to recommend that for you.

Perhaps you’re with some non-cyclists and want to incorporate other activities into your holiday? Again, a host with local knowledge will be able to advise.

Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Guided Cycling Holidays

Do I need to take my own food on rides?

Whether you are provided with food (or not) will depend on the board basis of your holiday. Many providers will supply a packed lunch on request. If not they will be able to advise on suitable stopping points for meals along with opening times, prices, etc.

Some providers may also give you a snack pack to take out each day. This may include water bottles, gels, or other high-energy foods to keep you going between meal stops.

Do I need to take my own bike?

When you are planning your holiday you should talk to your provider about bike hire options. You may want to bring your own bike but find that there are some excellent hire options locally which will reduce the hassle and cost (and risk) or transporting your bike and can be a nice opportunity to try something newer or better than your regular ride.

Will I get lost on a self-guided cycling holiday?

The answer to this is… it depends! If you have a GPS and are used to following digital maps or physical maps then you should be fine! A provider offering a self-guided cycling holiday will usually have gone out of their way to make sure every possible issue you could run into has been addressed and given you detailed information to help you get around. Sometimes, however, things don’t go quite how you expect. Maybe you miss a turning or sign is missing, in which case of course it is possible you’ll lose the route! In this situation there are various ways to get back on track.

Most providers will include rider support in their self-guided packages. You’ll have their phone number handy and will be able to reach them. If you’re in a remote area and find yourself without a phone signal, then the best thing to do is ask a local! If you don’t speak the language you can show your map and gesture. A good rider pack will include some useful phrases to help you in this situation!

Why choose a self-guided cycling holiday?

A self-guided holiday is a nice way to ride on your own terms and discover hidden roads and trails known mostly to the locals. While you can DIY your cycling holiday a self-guided package from a fixed base gives you access to this insider info and you can set off knowing that you are following a carefully curated route at a level suitable for you.

Another advantage of a self-guided holiday is that you can usually arrange it for any time that suits you, as there’s no requirement to work around a guide’s availability or dates scheduled for a group. You can do it as a solo rider, a couple or a group of friends or club riders, and explore new places with the security of ride support and being able to return to your base each day with some (usually) or your meals taken care of.

A Selection of Self-Guided Cycling Holidays in Europe

Here are a selection of self-guided cycling holidays you can book via Cycling Holidays Europe. If you are interested in any of the cycling holidays listed below, just click the Contact This provider button at the bottom of the holiday description page and you can start a conversation with them directly. When you find a holiday via our site you know that you are talking directly to the provider without any third-party adding expense or commission along the way.

Cycling from Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands
€375 (per person) / 5 nights / B&B

Listed on our site as a tour but falling more into our definition of a holiday you’ll stay at a hotel in Central Amsterdam and ride a different circular route to explore the surroundings each day.

Spread the love

Similar Posts