One of the best aspects of running a tour company is getting to know small regions of the world really well. I can’t say I know all of Europe or even all of Italy, but in the areas we run tours, we get to know the paths, hotels, restaurants, people, and culture fairly intimately. In Continue Reading →
Category: Italy
The Best Less-Visited European Bike Tour Locations
Taking a bicycle tour in Europe is perhaps the most famous and beloved type of “adventure” or active travel. For good reason – biking through Europe often offers wonderful scenery, interesting culture, outstanding food and wine, and healthy exercise. We believe Europe offers the best bicycle tour locations in the world and have run many Continue Reading →
The Pros & Cons of E-Bikes
On our recent Sicily Biking Adventure (which we rated as Moderate/Difficult, due to the hills), nearly half the group of 22 bikers elected to use an e-bike. What is an e-bike, you ask? The “e” stands for electric. You might imagine a scooter or electric motorcycle, but e-bikes are like regular bikes with the addition Continue Reading →
Important Life Lessons Learned From Italy
Italy is many things to many people – a wine and food heaven, an art and architecture paradise, a cultural delight. To me, Italy is all those things but more specifically it is a place of learning and self-discovery. Last year, I had the honor and pleasure of guiding the Tuscany and Cinque Terre Bike Continue Reading →
5 Interesting Facts About the Island of Sicily
As you may be aware, this year is Zephyr Adventures’ 20th Anniversary and to celebrate we added five new adventures to our schedule, including the Sicily Bike Adventure coming up this fall. As we gear up for our inaugural tour of this iconic island, we thought it would be fun to share a few fascinating facts about Sicily: Continue Reading →
Discovering Sicily, the Pearl for the Mediterranean
“Sicily is the pearl of this century…Since old times, travelers from the most far away country…boast of its merits, praise its territory, rave about its extraordinary beauty, and highlight its strengths…because it brings together the best aspects from every other country.” – Al-Idrisi, Arab geographer, The Book of Roger, 1138 – 54 This September, Zephyr Continue Reading →
An Open Invitation to Explore Your Love of Italy
Buongiorno fellow travelers, lovers of wine, diners of homemade pasta, and of course, those thrill seeking, bike riding, old souls that feel at home where I do, in my beloved Italy. There is a reason Italy historically ranks as one of the top 5 travel destinations in the world each year. This country has given rise Continue Reading →
Exploring Cinque Terre – A True Historical Delight
Known for its slow pace, breathtaking sea views, and lovely and antiquated architecture perched on impossible peaks, Cinque Terre is a little slice of heaven for many a traveler. Kerry Dopler, one of our bright and friendly guides, will be co-leading (along with Giovanni) a group of adventurers on the Tuscany & Cinque Terre Bike Continue Reading →
Biking the Breathtaking Dolomites
Last month, our guides Kris, Giovanni, and Norbert led a fun group of travelers on the Dolomites Biking Adventure. As you can see in the photos, the Dolomites have beautiful paths perfect for cycling for miles and miles that wind their way through beautiful alpine valleys. When we asked our adventurers what some of their favorite Continue Reading →
On the road – Ciao, Puglia!
This first person post comes to you from the Puglia region in southern Italy. Known for its large production of olive oil that actually surpasses that of northern Italy, an increasingly visible wine industry, and a distinctive landscape that combines white washed, Mediterranean style homes and equally white washed beaches. I am here to say Continue Reading →