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Top cycling holidays for 2013

31st January 2013 Print
Mare e Monte

Renting a bike and taking to the beautiful off-road routes on holiday is a great way to combine enjoyment and exercise as well as the ideal means of seeing the otherwise hidden areas of a destination.

Inspired by Team GB’s cycling heroes, villa holiday specialist CV Travel, with individual and luxury villas in Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the UK and the Caribbean, has come up with its top properties for cycling enthusiasts in 2013:

Corsica, France - Celebrating the Tour de France in 2013

Celebrating its 100th event in 2013, the Tour de France will, for the very first time, feature and start in Corsica. The first three stages of ‘The Grand Depart’ are on 29th June 2013 (from  Porto-Vecchio south to Bonifacio then north to Bastia), on 30th June 2013 (from Bastia to Ajaccio with steeper challenges), and on 1 July 2013 (from Ajaccio to the finish in Calvi).

CV Travel’s Villa Mare e Monte is a magnificent hillside property, located on the south coast of Corsica just five minutes from the start of the Tour de France in Porto-Vecchio. The property has its own heated swimming pool, modern gym and hot tubs. For arrivals on 23rd and 29th June 2013, the villa price is £21,565 per week, sleeping up to 10 guests, and includes maid service and welcome provisions.

Also in Corsica is CV Travel’s Villa Arinella, just 8 km from the 3rd stage’s finish in Calvi. This charming hillside property enjoys a private infinity pool overlooking stunning panoramic views across the Bay of Calvi and the picturesque village of Lumio. For arrivals on 23rd June and 29th June 2013, the villa price is £4,510 per week, sleeping up to 8 guests, and includes maid service and welcome provisions.

Return flights, car hire and transfers can be arranged on request for both villas.

France, Provence - Country house with private pool, sleeps 10

La Goultienne is a gorgeous family sized villa with a heated, fenced-off private swimming pool surrounded by picturesque villages overlooking the Luberon Mountains and the Plateau de Vaucluse. The region is the epitome of Provence with its lavender fields, vineyards and contrasting landscapes. For guests with an interest in cycling, the villa is just 30 km away from the department of the Vaucluse, a mecca for cyclists with its backbreaking climb of Mont Ventoux, of Tour de France fame.

A week’s stay in La Goultienne with CV Travel costs from £3,355 for up to 10 guests sharing and includes maid service, welcome provisions and a house manager that can organise bikes for guests to use freely. Return flights, train tickets, car hire and transfers can be arranged on request.

Dordogne, France - Magical cycling in beautiful countryside

The Dordogne is famous for its cycling routes through undulating countryside and stunning villages, a landscape of fabulous views dotted with extraordinary châteaux, and a majestic river.

Guests staying at CV Travel’s exquisite property, La Pommarede will have full use of bicycles with helmets to take advantage of this spectacular region of south west France, including the Dordogne River which runs through rich, green countryside, ancient monuments and medieval towns.

La Pommaradehas beautiful gardens with sweeping lawns and a large swimming pool and can be booked from £2,120 per week in 2013 for up to 11 guests, including maid service and a welcome hamper. Return flights, car hire, train tickets and transfers can be arranged on request.

Corfu, Greece - Cycling and villa living in north east Corfu

With such gorgeous cycling routes suitable for all ages and abilities, the north east coast of Corfu is the ideal destination to spend the day sightseeing by bike, the afternoon relaxing at a villa by the pool and the evening enjoying delicious local cuisine in one of the many welcoming tavernas. Full or half day mountain bike tours can be organised to explore the dramatic scenery of Corfu through lush olive groves and traditional villages, with views of the coastline and the mountains.

CV Travel’s range of luxury villas on this north eastern hotspot include Villa Giorgos, a hillside property that sleeps up to 6 guests with a private pool near popular St Stephano, and Villa Aktea, a seafront property that sleeps up to 8 guests with a private pool in Kassiopi.

Villa Giorgos can be booked from £885 per week and Villa Aktea can be booked from £2,280 per week, including car hire, maid service and welcome provisions. Return flights, mountain biking tours and complimentary use of bikes can be arranged on request.

Tuscany, Italy - A spectacle for enthusiasts

The Cycling World Championships will be held in Tuscany this year between 21st and 29th September 2013, and is an effectively free road race for cycling enthusiasts to view from the streets of Lucca and Florence. For those wanting a piece of the action, there are wonderful opportunities to explore Tuscany by bicycle, leisurely taking in the undulating green hills, olive groves and cypress-lined byways of this iconic countryside. For non-cycling enthusiasts why not simply relax in the comfort of a holiday villa.

Located just a short distance from Castelvecchio di Compito in the rolling hills between Lucca and Pisa are CV Travel’s two gorgeous properties, Casetta Compito and La Mezzaluna.

Casetta Compitosleeps up to 5 guests and costs from £2,460 per week for arrival on 21st September 2013, including maid service. La Mezzaluna is located in the heart of Lucca, sleeps up to 5 guests and costs £1,345 per week for arrival on 21st September 2013. Return flights, transfers and car hire can be arranged on request for both villas.

Portugal, Alentejo - Simply cycling to suit all

Cycling routes in the Alentejo offer fantastic views, including the extensive coastline which has some of Portugal’s best west coast beaches, the spectacular fortifications of Elvas, and the hilltop sites of Monsaraz, Evora-Monte and Marvao. Moinho do Montemornovo is a new property to CV Travel’s Portugal portfolio, located in the heart of the Alentejo, and is just five minutes from the nearest town of Montemor-o-Novo. For those looking for less exerting cycling, this small working farm of 12 hectares has bikes for gently cycling around the grounds, and there are opportunities for horse riding and river boating too.

Moinho do Montemornovohas beautiful gardens, a large swimming pool and can be booked from £5,805 per week in 2013 for up to 16 guests, and includes complimentary use of bikes, maid service and a welcome hamper. Return flights, car hire, train tickets and transfers can be arranged on request.

For more information, visit cvtravel.co.uk.

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Mare e Monte