If you’d rather compete for the coveted yellow jersey than hit woodland trails, you can join us on our road cycling holidays. Roadies can get in on the action with specially selected routes and great hill climbs and descents along Mediterranean coastlines and across the hilly landscapes of Greece, Sicily and Sardinia.
We offer road bike holidays suitable for all riders, whether you're an absolute newbie or a regular cyclist. Get in touch to speak with our team and book your next adventure with Neilson today.
The best routes and rolling hills for a road cycling holiday are Levante, Messini and Buca Beach Clubs in Greece or Baia dei Mori Beach Club in Sardinia. On a Neilson Beach Club holiday, our bike guides are with you every step of the way, you just need to turn up and enjoy the ride.
As with our mountain biking holidays, if you own cycling shoes with cleats and plan to bring them with you, we recommend bringing your pedals so that they're guaranteed to fit.
The lowdown
Inclusive road cycling
Free guided road rides every day
Strava routes available to download for free riding
Four levels of ride for all abilities
Option to pre-book a premium bike
If you have your own pedals and shoes, bring them with you so they're guaranteed to fit
Inclusive
Where to go
Road cycling holidays in Greece Levante Beach, Messini and Buca Beach Clubs offer some of the best routes. Take on technical climbs and steep descents and discover gentle swathes of winding roads. Or stay at Cosmos Beach Club for Greek Islands exploration against a gorgeous Ionian Sea backdrop.
Road cycling holidays in Sardinia Baia dei Mori Beach Club is located just south of the famous Costa Smeralda and is home to some of the best road cycling.
Road cycling holidays in Sicily At our new club, Neilson x Mangia's Torre del Barone Resort, you can take in the stunning areas that surround the resort of Sciacca, gentle cruises to hill climbs, quiet coastal paths to rolling roads, it's all there waiting to be discovered.
Inclusive
Our road bikes
You need specialist bikes to get the most out of your road cycling holiday and we'll equip you with everything you need. The bikes included in our activity holidays include:
Trek Domane AL4: Featuring upgraded drivetrains, crisp hydraulic brakes and a premium alloy frame, this bike delivers a smooth, easy ride around Levante, Vounaki, Messini, Buca and Baia dei Mori and Mangia's Torre del Barone Resort. The IsoSpeed carbon forks soak up road buzz, so you can ride all day without fuss.
Trek Domane AL5: Available at Cosmos Beach Club in Greece. With a light carbon frame and aerodynamic features, you're in for an all-road riding experience to remember.
Premium bikes for your road cycling holiday
If you plan on spending most of your time riding, Trek bikes with carbon frames in a range of sizes (47, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62cm) are available to reserve for your exclusive use, with a custom set-up and routes uploaded to your Garmin upon request, all for just £95 per person per week and bikes available daily from 8am to 6pm.
This option is available at Levante Beach, Buca, Messini, and Baia dei Mori Beach Clubs. If you have cycling shoes with cleats and plan to bring them with you, we also advise you to bring your pedals so that they're guaranteed to fit.
Inclusive
Guided road cycling
If navigation isn't your strong point – our guided road cycling holidays are the answer. Our bike team has done most of the hard work for you. All our rides are fully guided, meaning you can just turn up and ride. You can focus on your fitness or take it easy while enjoying the view.
Every Beach Club has a variety of rides mapped out and the team will take the time to make sure you're happy and comfortable on the bikes, with guidance on all parts of the ride if you need it. Simply sign up for a ride with the bike team at the welcome meeting, after completing your first ride, more can be booked with the bike team.
Free riding and Strava
Our road bikes are free to use at any point during the day, and one of our team will always be on hand at the cycling centre to give you advice and assistance with routes and bike mechanics.
Strava is the must-have app for anybody heading out free riding. It makes discovering the full potential of the local area around our Beach Clubs easier. All routes are now available through destination-specific Strava pages. This gives you the flexibility to choose routes that have been carefully mapped out by our bike guides. A mixture of road routes is available and you will find most of the information you need within the title of the route itself. If that’s not enough, one of our bike team will happily give you more details on specific routes.
Inclusive
Beginner and improver road cycling holidays
Our green-level road cycling rides start at around 5km with a maximum distance of around 10km. These rides are a great way to ease back into cycling or the perfect introduction to road cycling.
Our bike team have mapped out tried and tested routes to nearby beaches, villages, and tavernas, and don't worry, they know the best coffee and ice cream stops around. If you are new to road biking, our bike team can provide you with riding tips or you can join an introduction session. Our Beach Clubs in Greece, Sardinia and Sicily are perfect for trying out road biking.
For those looking to test the legs and head further afield, our blue-level road bike rides are a small step up from the green-level rides. Blue rides vary from 10 to 25km and will take you inland to villages or along the coast.
Inclusive
Intermediate and expert road cycling holidays
Are you a confident road cyclist who loves climbing and switchback descents through breathtaking countryside? If so, our red rides are perfect for you.
And, for those who crave a longer, more challenging ride, our black rides are guaranteed to make you work hard.
Red and black routes are available at Levante, Vounaki, Cosmos, Messini, Buca, and Baia dei Mori Beach Clubs. Give them a try and push yourself to the limit.
What is road biking?
Road biking is more than just your average bike ride and offers cyclists an adventure like no other. It's all about the thrill of hitting the open road and pushing yourself to meet challenges while taking in the beauty of the surroundings.
Compared to other disciplines such as mountain biking, road cycling is usually on smooth tarmacked roads that allow you to cover longer distances.
Whether you're a solo rider looking to beat your personal best or you thrive on the social aspect of group cycling, road biking is an exhilarating way to experience new cultures and landscapes.
Why choose road cycling?
Road bike holidays provide some of the best 2-wheeled experiences in Europe. The continent boasts mountain terrain, hilly countryside, rolling roads and coastal climbs that are a true cycling paradise.
If you're looking for an active fitness getaway that is physically rewarding and allows you to experience the best of Europe, Neilson road cycling holidays are for you. Couples, solo travellers and families are spoiled for choice with the variety of routes and destinations on offer with Neilson road bike holidays. You'll also find plenty of activities to enjoy alongside cycling. Take your focus off the road for a while and unwind with yoga classes before trying watersports, rock climbing and more.
How can I prepare for my road bike holiday?
Preparation before setting off on your next biking adventure with Neilson means you'll get the most out of your road cycling holidays. Having an idea of what to expect will guarantee you'll enjoy every moment. From route grading and fitness to must-have cycling kit and apparel, getting to grips with the basics before travelling will help build your confidence.
Whatever your cycling experience, we recommend checking out the following guides:
We have over 40 years' experience creating unforgettable adventures across the globe so you're in safe hands when booking road bike holidays with us. We've won consecutive British Travel Awards across a variety of categories and offer essential ATOL protection as well.
You can find out just how much our customers enjoy our holiday packages by checking out the testimonials on our Feefo page. Don't forget to visit the Neilson Hub to find inspiration for your upcoming adventure and read up on all the exciting activities you can expect.
Messini Beachclub is one of our favourites. It's a fabulous, well equipped resort with excellent Cycling, Sailing, Tennis, Gym, a 50m pool, a great sandy beach, and a lovely pool-bar. It's great for...
Messini Beachclub is one of our favourites. It's a fabulous, well equipped resort with excellent Cycling, Sailing, Tennis, Gym, a 50m pool, a great sandy beach, and a lovely pool-bar. It's great for waterskiing in the morning, when the sea can be like a mirror, the wind can get up in the afternoon and is generally on-shore so does mean you get a few waves and a bit of shore-break.
Cycling is fabulous, with plenty of Road & MTB bikes, the guides are amazing and have a wide variety of rides from easy to very challenging.
There's a great selection of dinghies, cats etc. and they're all well maintained by the very efficient beach staff.
The windsurfing can be very good, it's a consistent, clean wind but as it's on-shore, you'll need to be able to deal with a few waves and be able to get up-wind.
PLUS, it's only a 20min transfer from the airport !!
I only have a couple of minor criticisms:
- Windsurf kit is a bit limited compared to somewhere like Vass
- The food selection for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner is amazing, but we found that the desserts were rather dominated by cream. Great if you like cream, but not so great if you prefer the prefer the traditional Greek Baclava etc.
The Cosmos Hotel in Vassiliki is one of the nicest locations along the beach-front. Excellently run by Stelios and his wife Vassiliki, who do everything they can to help you enjoy your time there.
It...
The Cosmos Hotel in Vassiliki is one of the nicest locations along the beach-front. Excellently run by Stelios and his wife Vassiliki, who do everything they can to help you enjoy your time there.
It has long been a favourite for Windsurfers because of the unique cross-shore wind "Eric".
There is also some excellent cycling to be had with a great range of bikes from Neilson and some fabulous road and MTB rides. With the wind generally filling in at around 14:00-15:00, the mornings are ideal for a cycle ride or for beginners to develop their windsurfing in the shallow waters of the very gently sloping sandy beach.
As a Neilson hotel offering, it does differ from the normal Neilson model, it is far smaller and has a more relaxed vibe. Breakfast is the only included meal but the all-day menu at Cosmos is great and good value. There is also the lovely port-town just a walk away with plenty of classic Greek dining and a few Taverners overlooking the sea, less than 100m up the road.
We love Vassiliki and the Cosmos hotel, it is a perfectly chilled place. With cycling, a run or a sea-swim each morning and windsurfing each afternoon, you can get to bed physically exhausted, but with a well-rested mind ! - Isn't that what holidays are all about ?
Buca is an exceptional resort with a huge range of activities to choose from from all watersports ( sailing, paddle boarding, canoeing windsurfing and water skiing) cycling ( road, MTB and electric...
Buca is an exceptional resort with a huge range of activities to choose from from all watersports ( sailing, paddle boarding, canoeing windsurfing and water skiing) cycling ( road, MTB and electric bikes) tennis, pickle ball and loads of fitness classes such as spin, body pump, aqua aerobics , Pilates, yoga and stretch and relax.
All the instructors are knowledgeable enthusiastic and incredibly motivating. There is also an excellent spa and a beautiful glass sided swimming pool.
As Buca has around 50 rooms and is adult only it has a boutique vibe ensuring a relaxed and peaceful holiday.
The staff are fabulous and go out of their way to make the holiday special. Most of the hotel staff are there year on year and meet you like old friends. It’s very special and no wonder there are so many returning guests.
Free wine tasting, cocktail of the day and fresh fruit are bought round daily to the pool side sun beds which makes you feel really pampered. The dining room has a relaxed pleasant feel with proper linen table cloths and napkins at dinner ! Definitely not a cafeteria feel as some hotels but a real restaurant. This year the majority of meals were buffet style and the food on offer had an excellent variety and was of a high standard. Delicious home made ice team and glorious cakes.
We have been three times and will definitely be going again next year if we can get in !!
