Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Gregoire_500
Posts: 28
Joined: 21 Oct 2010, 8:43am

Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by Gregoire_500 »

Hello,

I'm making hasty if impromptu plans for fleeing abroad due to trouble and strife with both job and wife and would welcome some advice or recommendations as I'm a bit up in the air..

Hope is to find somewhere cheap-ish with better weather and easily accessible, quiet routes for cycling-I do need to try and find other work and have a postgraduate degree I'm finishing off however so not wanting to go touring, but just staying in one place for 2-3 months which isn't the kind of trip I'd normally do.

Spain seems the obvious choice-Girona looks lovely and is very popular for cyclists, but not so keen on Costa del Sol in terms of busyness. Sicily or Sardinia would also tick a lot of boxes, was suggested Corsica but don't know how affordable it is and looks a bit rainier for Nov/December. Seems that for the same money as a small one bed or studio in Malaga, in Sicily you can get a small villa with a garden by the sea which is quite appealing, but I've only ever driven when visiting there and that was scary enough so would welcome others' views.

Intend on getting packed up and moved out in the next week so hopefully just in time to avoid October break hoardes :cry:
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by Jdsk »

The north of Mallorca.

https://www.abc-mallorca.com/mallorca-cycling-routes/

(I've walked the Tramuntana but not cycled there.)

Jonathan
Gregoire_500
Posts: 28
Joined: 21 Oct 2010, 8:43am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by Gregoire_500 »

thank you for the suggestion Jonathan, just had a read and a search and it looks absolutely stunning... the prices seem to reflect that too unfortunately! Will regretfully need to cast my eye elsewhere for this trip but definitely one I'll keep in mind for the future.
nirakaro
Posts: 1578
Joined: 22 Dec 2007, 2:01am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by nirakaro »

Sicily would be nice. When I was there a few years back, I had a week or so cycling, followed by a week with a hire car. Certainly the driving was a bit challenging, but I had no problem at all cycling – Italians, like most continentals, are almost invariably very considerate to cyclists. Italian drivers may be, shall we say, a bit exuberant, but are generally both skilful and courteous, I found, once you grasp that they have a quite different set of unwritten rules to ours.
wirral_cyclist
Posts: 1024
Joined: 17 May 2010, 9:25pm
Location: Wirral Merseyside

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by wirral_cyclist »

We like the Torrevieja area in Feb/March, loads of properties there so prices are very low for duplex apartments ~£150 week for 6-8 week stays
MarcusT
Posts: 443
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 10:33am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by MarcusT »

Apulia. (Puglia). Cheap flights into Bari and there are a few bike tour organizers
I wish it were as easy as riding a bike
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by Carlton green »

The obvious answers might not be the best, but they might be good enough. My attention would be focussed towards coastal Spain, Portugal and Southern France and, of course, somewhere where there are expat communities could have value. You mention work or rather needing to work, I suspect that that’s an area of life that needs at least equal priority in your decision making process. Not all work can be done remotely and sometimes we need to go to where the work that we can do is. Consider local laws on employment and tax too, etc. Do you now need any permits to go and work in other European countries and what European languages do you speak?

Good luck.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by pwa »

Most of the Med isn't reliably warm or dry over the winter months.
oldun
Posts: 54
Joined: 6 Jun 2016, 8:10am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by oldun »

Gregoire 500 ,
Just a little bit further south than Southern Spain and you could have all your requirements satisfied ......Morrocco .....Southern areas , Zagora , Foum Zguid , Tata , Aglou Plage , Ouarzazatte etc etc etc are all great places where you could find lodgings to pass the winter months and do some cycling in warm dry conditions .
Cheap delicious food , cheap hotels & lodgings .
This would be my choice for a couple of months in winter .

Example......Hotel Karim , Zagora ( nice little hotel ) 24 nights £ 407 inc breakfast .

Regards.....John
Last edited by oldun on 6 Oct 2021, 8:12am, edited 1 time in total.
francovendee
Posts: 3148
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by francovendee »

Have you considered Morocco?
I know it's not Europe but it's warm and cheap to live there.
A very interesting country with some lovely coast.
PDQ Mobile
Posts: 4659
Joined: 2 Aug 2015, 4:40pm

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by PDQ Mobile »

just another consideration into the melting pot.
Peloponnese.
The three fingers.

Not guaranteed always warm but the far south often sunny and warm.
Plusses are a very honest people that broadly like the British.
Some of the coast is exceptionally lovely.
And the history and culture fills the place. Methoni. Olympia. etc.
Lots of ferries to interesting islands at reasonable cost.
Driving standard ok.
Fair few potholes.


Litter is sometimes bad.
Last edited by PDQ Mobile on 6 Oct 2021, 8:34am, edited 1 time in total.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by simonhill »

Cyprus could suit. It is reasonably warm in autumn/winter. Plenty of off season accommodation. Popular with Brits so could be useful (or not).

I have been looking and there looks like some decent cycling in the hills.

Also it's not in Schengen yet, so doesn't use up your 3 months in 6 limit.
VinceLedge
Posts: 566
Joined: 12 Dec 2020, 9:51am

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by VinceLedge »

Do you need a country with no extradition agreement with the UK? :D
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mjr
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Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by mjr »

Spain has a problem with victim-blaming cyclist clothing/headgear laws. Morocco has very little safe space for cycling, so you would be almost all on roads (which some here like, some don't). Portugal is more relaxed but its cycleways are Sustrans-like and compulsory in places, but would still be my choice in that area.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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rareposter
Posts: 1992
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Overwintering 'Somewhere' Sunny with Good Cycling in Europe?

Post by rareposter »

A bit leftfield but what about The Azores? Either Ryanair (Stansted to Ponta Delgada) or TAP Air Portugal - with them you may need to do a flight to Lisbon and then change for Ponta Delgada).

Reliably warm(ish) year round, generally pretty decent weather (the Azores High weather system), some amazing cycling (inc gravel routes if you like that sort of thing) and a good mix of town/city and completely rural. Reasonably cheap as well, have a look at AirBNB places in some of the smaller towns.

Gran Canaria / Lanzarote are sunnier and warmer but a lot more expensive.
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