Six cycling holidays to get you back in the saddle

This route showcases some of the best mountain biking in the Southern Peloponnese. The trail takes in long, steady double-track climbs, whilst delivering superb vistas with elevations of up to 1000m+. There are plenty of chances to pick up speed along the way and you can choose whether to brave the ridge or follow the contours of the hill above the small village of Nedousa.

You can opt to enjoy the challenging terrain and spectacular views of the ‘Presidential Trail’ circular route, or incorporate the route into a monstrous 55km downhill ride which encompasses a 1600m descent with only 800m climbing.

This route provides just a tempting glance into the excellent riding (on and off road) that’s easily accessed in the area around the Messini Beach Club (which is the perfect base for your cycling holiday).

This is a short, fast-paced mountain bike ride that’ll blast away the cobwebs at the same time as introducing you to the beautiful valley behind Vassiliki Bay and Cosmos Beach Club. It’ll test the thigh muscles as you wind up on a fire-track towards the traditional village of Agios Petras before letting loose on the steep descent. It's a perfect example of the great rides you can expect on our cycling holidays.

After a couple of mellow open turns from the road, the bike trail closes into a tree-lined tunnel, where you’ll be riding on a limestone rock base that wouldn’t seem out of place in the Peak District. There are multiple line choices, but it’s all about staying loose as you head towards the final drop – an 8ft, near-vertical chute!

It mellows a little after this as the track widens. Nice berms, pump corners, and small rock kickers will keep you on your toes as you head back down to the valley floor and the beach for a spot of windsurfing or relaxing!

This mid-distance ride gives a great flavour of Sardinia's tremendous road cycling. It's a ride of two halves: a hilly section with villages and lakes, followed by a blast through a scenic valley and along a super-smooth coast road.

Heading up from the beach, you’ll begin a steady climb through the hillside villages of San Lorenzo, Tamarispa and Brunella. The roads are well-surfaced and the views are great: Sardinia's dramatic landscape is a treat at any time of year. From a high point of around 250m, you begin a swooping descent to the sparkling waters of Lake Posada (also called Lago Macheronis), nestled between the hills.

A flat, speedy ride back to the coast on the valley road will take you through the bustling town of Torpè and onto Posada with its distinctive hilltop castle. Your return to Baia dei Mori is via the smooth coast road, popular with touring cyclists. Before long, you're back on the beach, with a well-earned thirst and 50km under your belt.

We're excited about the biking at Alana Beach Club on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. This 14km on-and-off-road loop gives a great taste of Croatia's unique terrain.

Your adventure starts with a winding stretch of waterside singletrack, following an off-road trail beside the amazingly clear waters of the Adriatic. The beachfront track takes you past the Venetian ruins of Večka Kula tower before you join the smooth road for a quick blast into the local village of Seline. More coastal trails skirt around the Pisak headland, with views across the water to the quiet village of Vinjerac.

Now it's time to head inland with a climb up a quiet lane towards the imposing mountains of the Paklenica National Park. As you gain height, the quiet road narrows and gives way to an impressive off-road cycle route, traversing the hillside, dropping, climbing and winding past one of the national park's dramatic gorges, then another, before it's time to head back downhill to the coast and Alana Beach Club.

Take to the road for this 42km undulating route, which follows the coastline and boasts endless sea views along the way. The pretty beachfront town of Mitikas provides the perfect coffee stop with atmospheric and typically Greek tavernas. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a pod of dolphins making their way towards the nearby fish farm for their breakfast!

After a pit stop, a gentle ride through the town will lead you back onto the main coast road, this time heading up towards the town of Kandila. A detour up a stunning mountain path gives you time to enjoy valley landscapes before looping back down nicely onto the main road. From this point, you’ll follow the same coast road back to Vounaki Beach Club for a second, well-deserved breakfast!

One of the best things about this ride is the fact you don’t need a world of road biking experience to get involved. A reasonable level of fitness will, of course, help, but climbs aren’t extreme and the downhill sections will cool you down a treat.

It’s simple; there are no hidden extras. Mountain biking is an inclusive activity at all our Beach Clubs and this means the bikes (in a variety of frame sizes), helmets, gloves, and water bottles, plus of course the bike guides, are ready and waiting!

It’s not all about mountain biking though…with great climates, carefully selected routes, road bikes and those all-important hills; the majority of our Beach Clubs are heaven for roadies. Head to Baia dei Mori, Vounaki, Cosmos, Messini or Buca for road cycling with expert guiding. Road biking is of course, an inclusive activity on a Neilson Beach Club holiday, so you’ll soon be clocking up the miles without a care in the world.

Once you're finished a hard day of cycling, back at the Beach Club there's a range of watersports to get stuck into.