Where to tour in May? Europe?

[fatbottomedgurl]

Have a big anniversary coming up in March and would DH and I would love to do a self-guided tour using a tour company to provide bikes and lodging and maybe portage. We think the weather would probably be bad in March so would like to go in May perhaps to miss the summer crowds. Initially we consider the old sod- Ireland or Great Britain. But I would totally consider Denmark or Belgium or somewhere like that. Copenhagen is on my list of places to visit someday (and they even have cool daily bike/train rental combos).

I looked at Greece and it's a lot of money.
NZ is a possibility but but the flights are really long and expensive (but fall weather in March).

Any ideas?

[papaver]

If it's cycling you want to do... and lots of it... why not The Netherlands? It's Europe's best country to ride. Belgium is great if you want to see the classics, and try cobblestones and some hills. And throw in some nice historical cities :D. The weather in May can be wet though.
France is a good option too. I love Brittany. Or go more south to the Provence. Some great cycling there too.

Lot's of cyclist from Belgium, Holland, Germany go to majorca (Spain) in may because of the weather but not for the views. ;)

[papaver]

Or combine Denmark with Holland. :D

[sfa]

When I was touring, I was in Italy during May and it couldn't have been more gorgeous. Sunny weather, beautiful scenery, fun cycling, lots of art and culture and history and food. There's some tough terrain in spots, but I think those spots are easily avoided, especially if you do a self-guided tour through a company.

England was fun, too--very accessible with lots of varied terrain. I was there July through October and lucked out with the weather. Ireland would also be good for cycling, I think. I was just there last month and was wishing I was on a bike. We saw a ton of cycle tourists, too, so you'd probably be in good company.

I was the rare cyclist who was NOT a fan of cycling in the Netherlands. Belgium was very nice, but Holland was a) boring (as far as the cycling goes--flat with headwinds wears me out) and b) sandy. My main memories of Holland (besides cold rain, but I was there in November, so that's not fair to compare with May) involve spending inordinate amounts of time removing grit from my equipment.

Have fun planning! I think that overall you can't go wrong--May is likely to be a good time to cycle pretty much anywhere.

Sarah

[Crankin]

We are planning to go to Spain for a tour in May, also for our anniversary (which is actually in December). We will miss the horrible heat, but it also won't be cold. I am only in the research phase, but I am excited about planning this. However, we will be doing a supported tour, since I want total pampering. Several of the companies I have looked at also do self supported options.
I think you are fairly safe weather wise, with Italy, Spain, or Portugal, maybe Germany or Austria, but England or Ireland might be rainy in May.

[tulip]

France is beautiful in May. I was in Brittany last May and the weather was perfect. I was in southern Brittany--Quimper/Pont Aven area. The northern coast on the English Channel will be cooler.

[crazycanuck]

FBG-although it's expensive to travel to NZ, it's worth it! If you want some GOOD mountain biking, then venture on down! Yes it takes forever but from California, you have it made in terms of flights. Check out the Air NZ or Singapore AIrlines sites.

North Island-The Hunuas, Rotovegas, 42nd traverse

South Island-The Queen Charlotte Track & many many more

[papaver]

I also highly recommend this aria in France:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vosges_Mountains

Especially in May it's really beautiful...

[Woodnshoe]

I've done a few tours in Holland and Europe....Holland in early May can be wonderful if you like the flats and, of course, it would be tulip time (April-early May)
Check out the bike barge tours if you don't want distance...but if distance is what you like, try the north part of Holland in May...more countryside...less sand. The most popular tours do s. netherlands, but you may want to go off the beaten path.
Also, France/Belgium is nice in May. Weather could be an issue at any time so prepare for rain riding and escape plans to museums or alternate routes if nec.

If you decide to go in March, consider Portugal...Lisbon has some nice routes tho you can get the winds off the coast ...something to consider...but the weather is very nice in March.

And the s. of france can be warmer in March too.

[Kris]

We loved cycling in the Netherlands, with no particular problems with sand. I guess it depends on where you go.
We also liked the Loire Valley in France.
We used this company, and went the bike-and-barge route, but they also have self-guided trips. Or you could use their itineraries as a guide for planning your own.

www.tripsite.com