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Off the Boat, On a Bike: The Best of Both Worlds On Your Cruise

2/9/2016

1 Comment

 
Biking to Russian Bay on Poros in Greece
I had a wonderful day riding a bike around the island when I was in port on Poros in Greece.
By John Roberts

Biking is a perfect way to explore many destinations around the world. I love how we can use a long day of biking to explore a new place at our own pace, while seeing much more than we ever can on foot alone.

Plus, you get the added benefit of exercise!


In Malaga, Spain, we took part in a cool guided bike tour to check out that port city. But many other cruise ports in Europe and elsewhere offer opportunities for active travelers to pedal around on a day of sightseeing, whether you join a tour group or go it alone.


River cruise boats often have bicycles onboard that passengers can sign out for the day, but ocean cruise lines typically have policies prohibiting bringing your own bike along on your sailing. Windstar Cruises, an ocean line, rents bikes on its sailing yachts for $39 to $59. Check with your cruise line on whether you can bring your bike on the ship or whether your river boat offers bikes. Ocean sailings in the Mediterranean and river cruises on the Rhine and Danube offer the best way to explore a port area by bicycle because you usually can find well-maintained paths -- usually not too crowded, either -- within steps of your cruise ship. The river ships, especially, land ashore at biking and walking paths that follow the curves of the waterway.


Not to worry if you arrive at port with no bike. These destinations feature plenty of businesses that rent bikes or have "city bike" rental stations where you can just swipe a credit card, grab your wheels and go.


Amsterdam, Netherlands -- The city has more bikes than residents. Amsterdam is one of the most bike-friendly cities on the planet. You'll delight in wheeling around town checking out canals, historic architecture, restaurants, museums or even zipping into the countryside. I would recommend using a tour guide if it's your first time pedaling around Amsterdam because the maze of roadways and bike paths intersect amid the busy city center with crowds of tourists and traffic, which can all be very intimidating and confusing.


Vienna, Austria -- The city, which sits along the Danube River, contains a network of more than 740 miles of well-designed bike paths, making it easy to venture out on your own to explore the capital city's coffee houses, museums, Vienna State Opera House, cathedrals and more. Need a bike? Find one at any of the 120 Citybike Vienna rental stations (first hour is free, and prices are about $1 to $2 an hour depending on how long you keep the bike).


Bike and Boat Tours -- The best way to ensure you'll get to pedal in every port is to look for a cruise specifically geared to cyclists. Adventure companies like Backroads, for example, create itineraries for active cruisers. The company's upcoming Danube River Cruise Bike Tour on AmaWaterways' AmaViola will take bikers on rides in the Bavarian Forest in Germany, through the Austrian countryside, along the popular Donauradweg Danube bike path and around historic Budapest. Also, look for barge and bike cruises that arrive and ride in port towns in France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Turkey and the Czech Republic. Bikes are provided or you can bring your own.


Thanks for reading, and have fun on your adventures.


JR
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Our Top Travel Destinations . . . So Far

11/29/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
The picturesque village of Kinderdijk, Netherlands, is just one of many captivating spots throughout the fabulous country.
By John Roberts

Writing about travel and being on adventures so often we always get the same question:

"What's your favorite place?"


A simple question with no easy answer for anyone who loves to travel.

So far, I have a handful of destinations that really stick out. Countries with wonderful people, great climates, awe-inspiring nature and Old World architecture.

Here are seven top spots we have been to (simply ranked alphabetically). This list is by no means exhaustive and leaves out many cool places we have been, but these have stood out for the especially outstanding times we have had during our trips. Of course, I'm partial to warm Caribbean destinations because I especially enjoy water and tropical adventures.

Antigua -- This Caribbean island in the West Indies is a gem. Located just north of the equator, the island gets temps in the mid-70s during winter and mid-80s for summer. The waters are warm and blue and fun to explore by snorkeling. The people also are very friendly. We enjoyed inexpensive delicious food and tasty beers during our lazy afternoons after a morning boating and swimming (below). It's also a treat to wander the markets for crafts such as handmade wooden dolls and clothes made with fabrics bursting with colors -- bright reds and tropical flowers. The laid-back feel and low cost make us consider this as a retirement destination some day.

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Bonaire -- A snorkeling and diving paradise. Bonaire, along with Aruba and Curacao, form the ABC Islands that represent special municipality countries associated with the Netherlands. Bonaire is located off the coast of Venezuela and has about 17,000 residents. Though it enjoys a fantastic tropical climate, Bonaire has few of what you would consider typical beautiful stretches of white Caribbean sandy beaches, such as its neighbor Aruba enjoys. But Bonaire is unique because you can pretty much just step off the shore and be in deep water filled with the most amazing coral reefs and colorful fish, rays and sea turtles.
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The snorkeling in Bonaire is the most amazing I have enjoyed so far.
Curacao -- Another great spot for water sports. We've had wonderful outings snorkeling sites of sunken vessels and hiking to visit unique fort ruins. The capital city of Willemstad is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is easily recognized by the row of colorful colonial buildings lining the harbor in its old town. You'll see a palette of pinks, oranges and blues.  

Costa Rica -- The Central American country is so small yet so ecologically diverse, with wonderful water activities, mountains, jungle, all sorts of wild animals to discover, fresh foods (I sample coconut water below) and friendly people. The country's motto is "Pura Vida," or the pure life and the people are proud to have the oldest and most durable democracy in Central America. The nation abolished its army in 1949 and owns a top-notch reputation for its conservation efforts, creating large areas of protected lands to nurture its wonderful biodiversity and sustain a vital tourism industry.

Picture
Picture
A shaman prepares me for my visit to the underground -- swimming in a sacred cenote in Mexico's Yucatan.
Mexico -- With Mexico being a close neighbor, we've been to Cozumel and Cancun several times (among other cities in the country). We've used these locations for home bases and fine launching points for day trips to other villages to seek out adventures. We particularly enjoyed a day in the Yucatan learning about the ruins in Coba, as well as swimming in a cenote (natural underground pit or sinkhole in the limestone). We are inspired by many of our travels to better learn Spanish, and we get plenty of practice and kind assistance from the residents we meet during our trips here. Very fun, indeed.
Picture
The Netherlands -- We have been several times, visiting Volendam, Amsterdam, Kinderdijk (pictured at top of page) and other small towns around the country. The people are unfailingly pleasant, and we enjoyed many nights chatting and laughing over beers and food with natives and fellows travelers. The scenery you witness while moving around the country is just amazing: green farmlands, fields of tulips, canals carving paths along the fields and windmills spinning lazily.

Turkey -- One far-too-brief stop in the country to visit Kusadasi and the tiny village of Sirince (below) has us yearning to return to further explore a nation chock full of history. We made a port stop to see the amazingly preserved ancient Roman ruins at Ephesus, then went to Sirince for lunch. A resident invited us into her home and prepared a meal. After all the wonderful people we met that day and the things we learned about Turkey, we know that we must return. 
Oh man, how could I leave out Tahiti . . . and Ireland . . . and England . . . and Belize . . . and . . .

Sigh!

I told you this was an impossible question to answer.

Let me know some of your favorite destinations!

Thanks for reading, and always travel happy!

JR
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