MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Active Travel, Adventure Travel, bike trips, Cultural Travel, cycling trips, hiking, Uncategorized

Travel Deal: Walk, Hike or Bike to Get 15% Off Tours with Explore Worldwide

June 12, 2024 MoralCompass

*Lisbon, Portugal. Explore Worldwide is offering a limited time, pre-summer promotion on walking, hiking and biking holidays such as Lisbon to Algarve © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Travelers can walk, hike or bike to get 15% off more than 700 tour departures through B-corp certified global adventure tour company, Explore Worldwide, during the 10-day pre-summer promotion starting June 17.

Driven by an increase in demand for active adventures (over 40% increase), Explore is tapping into travelers’ adventurous spirit with a selection of tours in Europe and beyond. In fact, drawing the most attention and gaining in popularity are getaways centered around walking and cycling, with cycling seeing growth of 75% year over year.

Travelers can book these active adventures to trending destinations like the Baltics for guided walking through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, or walking through the Azores. Cycle the Dalmatian Coast or from Lisbon to Algarve with an E-bike option in Portugal. Or trek the Dolomites or week-long trek in Picos de Europa National Park in Spain.

For a full list of tours and insider experiences click: https://exploreworldwide.com/active-travel-sale.

Available for travelers within United States and Canada, the promotion can be booked from June 17-27, 2024 for travel starting this summer through June 30, 2025 on available departures. Rates starting from $1,200. Explore Worldwide offers travel agents 15% commission rate on bookings. (Additional Terms and conditions may apply.)

Explore Worldwide has over 40 years’ experience in crafting authentic small-group travel experiences around the world with a specialty in cultural experience with an air of adventure (from walking and cycling to trekking and more). With over 350 trips in 100 countries, Explore’s expertly crafted itineraries combined with award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and a commitment to responsible travel. Explore has immersive, sustainable travel in its DNA, as a founding signatory of the Glasgow Declaration and with one of the leading Climate Action Plans in the industry. Earlier this year, Explore not only received B-Corp status, but also completed the biggest carbon-measurement project in the industry to date, and is now working towards reducing the carbon emissions of its tours by 50% by 2050.

More information at www.exploreworldwide.com, 888-233-5210.

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bike trips, cycling trips, family-friendly adventures, international travel

Follow the Sun on Freewheel Holidays’ Winter Bicycle Vacations In 4 Sun-Splashed Coastal Europe Destinations

September 2, 2017 MoralCompass

Freewheel Holidays offers a family-friendly biking trip to Costa Brava, Spain in winter.

MANCHESTER, UK– As the long days of summer fade into fall, and avid cyclists can follow the sun south to warmer climates. Freewheel Holidays, a UK specialist in cycling vacations, arranges week-long bespoke, self-guided bicycle vacations in Sardinia (Italy), on the Costa Brava (Spain), in the Algarve (Portugal) and on Lanzarote (Canary Islands).

These four sun-splashed destinations have in common beckoning cultures and cuisines, wave-fringed coastlines with sandy beaches and dependable reputations for showering warmth on vacationers escaping winter’s doldrums.

Following are snapshots of Freewheel Holidays’ 2017-2018 portfolio of Winter Sun cycling vacations. Accommodating parties with as few as two adults, in some instances these vacations can be tweaked to accommodate families who enjoy traveling at their own pace on two wheels.

Sardinia Family Cycle Tour is an 8 day/7 night vacation in Sardinia bicycling over terrain graded “easy” and over distances that can be tailored to meet family needs. Daily rides range from 20km to 36km. The itinerary is also flexible with choices on one day, for example, to ride to a beach famous for its turquoise waters or to board a ferry to a village where locals fish for red tuna and where surrounding lagoons are populated by flocks of pink flamingo. On some days vineyards and olive groves vie for attention with ancient ruins, Roman roads, vestiges of the Phoenicians and always beaches. The per person double rate is from £549; rates for children ages 3 to 12 are available. Included are seven nights accommodation with breakfast, bike rental, luggage transfers, welcome meeting, detailed route notes and maps and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. This tour is offered year-round (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/sardinia-cycling-holiday).

Discover Costa Brava for Families is a 7 day/6 night vacation in Spain’s Catalonia, a distinct, autonomous region in northern Spain known for the beach resorts of Costa Brava and for the Pyrenees Mountains. This flexible trip can also be from two to five days, giving ample time to explore this fascinating area and add on a beach or city break. On two wheels guests discover the unspoiled hamlet of Can Muni, a beautiful coastline, pine forests and the fascinating medieval, Greek and Roman architecture of the region. Must-sees are the world famous Dalí museum in the town of Figueres and the Museum of Empordà which showcases the archaeological finds of the region, including the Hall of Asclepius. Guests can also mix in horseback riding. Ambitious riders can ride up to 56km on a day; but shorter routes halving the daily distances are also outlined. The mostly flat terrain is rated as “easy.” The per person double rate is from £539; rates for children under 13 years of age are available. Included are 6 nights accommodation with breakfast, a welcome meeting, bike rental, GPS with everyday tracks and map, detailed route notes and local information and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. (Offered year-round, for details see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/costa-brava-family-cycling-holiday.)

Guests on the 8 day/7 night Algarve Coast to Coast bicycle vacation enjoy “easy” to “moderate” cycling on the Ecovia do litoral, a dedicated cycle route in Portugal that links Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border with Cabo de São Vicente (Sagres) in the west. This route that requires cycling up to 40km on some days combines trails in nature preserves with stunning coastal views and beach access. There are also linked stretches on traffic-calm or car-free routes. Fishing villages that date to Roman times, Moorish architecture and cafes heralding coffee and wine breaks blend into the horizon that’s the sea. The per person double rates begin at £779. Included are 7 nights accommodation with breakfast, return transfers from Faro Airport, bike rental, luggage transfers, detailed route notes and cycling maps and 24-hour emergency/service telephone access. Departures may be scheduled any day of the year (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/algarve-coast-to-coast-7-nights).

Lanzarote in the Canary Islands may not seem an obvious choice for a cycling holiday, but here’s one island in the Canaries that offers easy access, year-round sunshine, minimal rainfall, some of the most dramatic and fascinating landscapes (think volcanoes) in Europe. Restrained development has preserved the best characteristics of this often-overlooked paradise. Fine beaches and quality hotel and rural villa accommodations are laced into this 8 day/7 night vacation on two wheels. The terrain is classed “moderate” with some daily rides covering up to 58km. Routes can be modified for families. A native son, César Manrique, who fought in the Spanish Civil War, left his mark artistically and in architecture on Lanzarote. Guests have an opportunity to view some of his work. They take in a volcanic cave and another volcanic landscape along a beach, cycle and walk under innumerable palm trees in towns with Moorish names, and they tour the wine-producing area of La Geria. A waterpark and go kart attraction add to the family fun. The per person double rate is from $809. Rates for children are available. Included are 7 nights accommodation with breakfast, bike hire, luggage transfers, detailed route notes & cycling maps and 24hr hotline assistance service. (For details on this year-round, self-guided adventure see http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/lanzarote-7-nights-self-guided).

To check trip availability, make reservations, or to find out more about Freewheel Holidays’ leisure cycling tours call +44 (0) 161 703 5823, email info@freeholidays.com or visit www.freewheelholidays.com.

A division of Sports Tours International, Freewheel Holidays (http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/) specializes in self-guided, expertly supported European cycling holidays that strike the perfect balance between leisure pedaling and immersive sightseeing. The company offers easy to moderate cycling programs designed with special appeal to European and North American travelers. Guests cycle on their own, with enroute assistance and distinctive accommodations expertly chosen and secured by the company. A portfolio of over 40 established European holidays offers riders of all levels a freedom of choice. The company features a range of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 night itineraries to 12 European countries including the UK, Austria, France, Holland, Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Portugal. The majority of tours are self-guided with the exception of a few fully-guided vacation packages in Croatia, France, Italy and Prague to Vienna. The company also offers family-focused, coastal, wine lover and solo traveler holidays.

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See Italy by Bicycle – Freewheel Holidays Offers Weeklong Self-Guided Tours

July 19, 2017 MoralCompass

*Freewheel Holidays is offering a variety of self-guided bicycle tours through Italy.*

MANCHESTER, UK – Inquisitive travelers eager to see the real Italy at the speed of a bicycle can choose among four bespoke, self-guided tours that dip variously in and out of the Dolomites, Lake Garda, Venice, Tuscany and the Chianti region. These seven-day/eight-night itineraries are available through early autumn from Freewheel Holidays, a UK specialist cycling vacation provider offering a 2017 portfolio of more than 40 European holidays on two wheels.

“We are really passionate about Italy as a cycling holiday destination and have selected cycling holidays that really showcase the varied nature of the country,” says Steven Rittey, Freewheel Holidays’ spokesperson. “There’s still time to book a trip this season and to help decide where to go, here are four of our favorite tours.”

Dolomites & Lake Garda begins in Resia (accessed by train from Bolzano) near the Austrian border where Italy’s South Tyrol region combines Italian and Austrian influences. Here at 5,000 feet, a dedicated cycle track winds down through Val Venosta and a collection of small villages as mountains on either side rise up to over 13,000 feet. Merano, a town that pampers people in its spas, is followed by Bolzano, the regional capital. Lake Garda beckons through the Adige valley past apple orchards and vineyards, promising a boat trip from Riva del Garda down the lake to Peschiera, a walled town with a traffic-free center. The Arena di Verona Opera Festival can be the piece de resistance in the city of Romeo and Juliet where this summer’s offerings include, among others, three Verdi favorites: Rigoletto, Nabucco and Aida. Per person double rates are from £669. http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/dolomites-and-lake-garda

Venice Lands – Self Guided is a classic tour between the Alps and the Adriatic that is centered on the jewel of Venice. Cycle tracks and minor roads are generally flat on this tour that begins and ends in Vicenza with its own Teatro Olimpico and an array of historic buildings and cobblestone streets. The next stops are Marostica, famous for its castle and chessboard in the main square, and Bassano del Grappa with a covered wooden bridge and grappa. Another Italian city shares a canal culture with Venice. This is Treviso that follows a downhill run through Prosecco vineyards. This walled city also sports a castle and may be the birthplace of radicchio and tiramisù. The cycle continues into Venice and later along two rivers which carried Venice’s trade centuries ago. The Bacchiglione River leads to Costozza, a small town at the foot of the Berici hills. The cycle path passes in front of La Rotonda, the architect Palladio’s most famous creation. Per person double rates are from £519. http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/venice-lands-8-days-7-nights-self-guided

Tuscany – Pisa to Florence 7 nights embraces the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, enroute exploring an intimate landscape beloved by anyone who has ever visited Tuscany. Travel is on cycle-friendly tracks and minor roads, with two rest days to explore Lucca, a city ringed by Renaissance walls and the birthplace of Puccini. Enroute to Montecatini Terme, known for its spa waters, is a village, Collodi, known as the place where Pinocchio sprang from his creator’s hands. There’s never enough time to imbibe all of the ancient villas and landscapes, but two days in this region affords a fair amount of time for unscheduled pedals led by curiosity. The per person double rate is from £659. http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/tuscany-pisa-to-florence-7-nights

Siena, Chianti Region and Florence brings into the spotlight the history of Palio di Siena, a race held twice annually in Siena with riders representing 10 of the city’s 17 wards and political feuds never to be forgotten. This adventure begins and ends here. The history of the dynamics, again political, between this one-time highly important municipality and Florence begin to sink in, along with ample quantities of Chianti ripe for the sampling. Along with viniculture comes high culture (think Florence), thanks to Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and, of course, assorted Medicis. Siena was also an important stop along the ancient (11^th century) pilgrim’s way (from Canterbury to Rome), the via Francigena. The per person double rate is from £659. http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/tour/siena-chianti-region-and-florence-7-nights

Freewheel Holidays’ (www.freewheelholidays.com) self-guided tours include, among others, inn and/or bed and breakfast accommodations, bike rental, luggage transfers, route maps and notes, services of a tour host including welcome and information talk.

A division of Sports Tours International, Freewheel Holidays specializes in self-guided, expertly supported European cycling holidays that strike the perfect balance between leisure pedaling and immersive sightseeing. The company offers easy cycling programs designed with special appeal to European and North American travelers.

Guests cycle on their own, with enroute assistance and distinctive accommodations expertly chosen and secured by the company. A portfolio of more than 40 European holidays offers choices for riders of all levels. The company features a range of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 night itineraries to 12 European countries including the UK, Austria, France, Holland, Czech Republic, Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Sweden and Portugal. The majority of tours are self-guided with the exception of a few fully-guided vacation packages in Croatia, France, Italy and Prague to Vienna. The company also offers family-focused, coastal, wine lover and solo traveler holidays.

Follow Freewheel Holidays on Social Media
Twitter:           @FreewheelHols
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FWHolidays
Google+:        https://plus.google.com/+FreewheelholidaysCoUk
Website:         www.freewheelholidays.com

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