Where to See Spectacular Flowers by Bike

We've picked out the best tours on which to see some spectacular flowers, where radiant pigments and honeyed scents provide the perfect addition to those leisurely hours in the saddle.

With some flowers only blooming for a short period, catching them in the act is all about timing. Many of the tours below have limited departure dates, so if you don't want to miss the show, we'd suggest booking early. Booking online is easy from the relevant tour page, or for more advice from our team, enquire online or call us on +44 (0) 1273 224066 (Mon to Fri 9am to 5:30pm UK time).

New for 2024, our extended 7 night Spring Flowers in Holland Boat & Bike Tour might just be the number one cycling holiday for the pedalling flower enthusiast. On this springtime cycle through the Dutch countryside, you'll see vast, regimented tulip fields blast into a dazzling display of colour as you pedal along flat, excellently maintained cycle paths. And even if you just miss out on the tulips' bloom (hopefully you won't as the departure dates are set to coincide with their arrival), you'll still witness rural Holland blanketed in crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths, which also flower at the same time.

This 7 night trip by bike and riverboat takes you through not only radiant flowering fields but also to remarkable centres of culture including Amsterdam, Leiden, Haarlem and Zaanse Schans, an open air museum with working windmills dating back to 1673. And if you don't quite have the time for a 7 night stint, our Spring Flowers in Holland Short Break Boat & Bike Tour provides a condensed, 4 night version of the same tour.

"Well organised tour with easy cycling through lovely countryside and fantastic tulips. The boat was very comfortable, food excellent and staff and other guests were friendly so a very nice atmosphere throughout" - Diana D'Arcy, UK - Spring Flowers in Holland Short Break Boat & Bike Tour

View tours: Spring Flowers in Holland Boat & Bike Tour and Spring Flowers in Holland Short Break Boat & Bike Tour

The warm air of sub-tropical Madeira keeps the Portuguese island decorated in exotic flowers all year round. Pencil our Madeira Bike Tour into your calendar and you can look forward to imbibing the perfume scents of everything from frangipani to bougainvillea as you ride along Madeira's quiet, panoramic roads whenever you decide to travel.

But if you're anticipating an easy cycling holiday, don't let the sweet aromas lull you into a false sense of leisureliness. Mountainous Madeira offers up some challenging cycling with a few long ascents (the longest of which are softened with transfers). But if you don't think your legs are quite up to it, there's always the handy option of an e-bike to provide some additional propulsion, although you'll still need to be able to confidently handle a bike.

"Lots of Madeira covered in the trip on mainly quiet roads. Beautiful scenery. Hotels good. Distances manageable given the hills. An interesting wonderful island to visit." - Brenda Herbert, UK

View tour: Madeira Bike Tour

From adorning Buddhist temples to being used as a Kit Kat flavour, cherry blossom is roundly loved by the Japanese. Enjoy the bloom of spring while being guided by some of the kindest and friendliest people in the world on our Japan's Cherry Blossoms & Hot Springs Bike Tour.

The punchy pink shade of the cherry blossom cuts through the Japanese countryside like a katana sword. Witness the bloom in abundance as you traverse the coast of the southern island of Kyushu before pedalling inland along the Kuma River to the ruins of Hitoyoshi castle and through rustling bamboo forests and mountain passes.

"Where to begin? This is an unfortgettable and breathtaking tour where every day includes spectacular scenery, amazing meals and glorious hot springs.. a great route which takes in deserted white sandy beaches, bamboo forests, rivers, paddy fields, and of course lots and lots of beautiful cherry blossoms." - Caroline Coleman-Davies, UK

View tour: Japan's Cherry Blossoms & Hot Springs Bike Tour

Okay, so admittedly, our Mallorca Bike Tour is mainly about the sun, and the turquoise seas, and the swimming, and the stunning mountains, oh and the paella, but go during February and March and you can see the island covered in gorgeous almond blossom, which you can enjoy in pleasant Meditteranean conditions even early in the year.

If you pedal to the right places, there are some seriously good gardens to see too. Ses Salines is one such place, with its remarkably large cactus plants, which have been transported in from such distance destinations as Arizona and Peru.

If you'd like to see all this while staying in luxurious 4* hotels, make sure you take a look at our Mallorca Deluxe Bike Tour.

"A thoroughly enjoyable tour around Mallorca, generally on beautiful quiet lanes. The rides each day were satisfyingly long - but with plenty of time for lazy lunches and exploring the pretty villages. There were a few hills, but nothing too challenging. Highly recommended." - Jo Brocklesby, UK

View tour: Mallorca Bike Tour and Mallorca Deluxe Bike Tour

Sometimes, you just want to spend your holiday closer to home (that'll be Britain to most readers) and the Wye Valley has to be one of the most delightful places in the country to spend a week cycling, not to mention visiting some of the UK's most vibrant and innovative gardens on our Herefordshire's Gardens Bike Tour.

The main attractions include Hergest Croft Gardens, Treberfydd Walled Garden and Westonbury Water Gardens as well as a host of castles and historic country houses. How simple is it to cycle this route? Well, pretty easy. We rate the tour easy to moderate, so you'll only have a few gentle undulations to tackle in between turns around the gardens.

"We were cycling in the heatwave of July 2022 yet were able to enjoy the beautiful countryside and visits to the gardens. The water garden at Westonbury is not to be missed." - John Verney, UK

View tour: Herefordshire's Gardens Bike Tour

Feast your eyes on flowers on our Lake Constance Bike Tour. Explore Mainau Island, a small crop of land that's home to nearly 250 rhododendron species, 1,000 varieties of roses, and a huge array of other beautifully arranged flowers. Stroll between the Italian Floral-Water-Cascade, Hydrangea Path, The Wild and Bush Rose Promenade and the Italian Rose Garden - each as gorgeous as their names suggest!

On your first day of the tour, it's more than possible to spend an entire afternoon or even a day exploring Mainau Island. Then you're off for a very leisurely lap of Europe's largest freshwater lake along well-signposted, car-free cycle paths.

"Another wonderful holiday with Freedom Treks, the Lake Constance tour allowed us to enjoy both lake scenery and the countryside views. The holiday left us relaxed and calm as this region is quiet and gentle, even the towns and we returned home feeling the benefits. We tended to buy food for a picnic lunch as the food here is quite heavy. Allow plenty of time if you plan to visit the Island of Mainau." - Suzie Edwards, UK

View Tour: Lake Constance Bike Tour

As I mentioned, many of these tours have limited departure dates specifically to coincide with the arrival of flowers, so if one takes your fancy, it's particularly important to book early.

Booking online is easy from the relevant tour page, or to speak to our team, enquire online or call +44 (0) 1273 224066.

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