Beccy Mersh

I'm a keen cyclist here in the UK, and I have pootled by bike overseas too, including the lakes of Bordeaux, Paris, Copenhagen and Northern Italy (including Milan, Iseo, Garda and a trip to Venice to Mantua in summer 2024 with Freedom Treks) - it's the best way to explore!

There are so many incredible-looking tours on offer, I can't single out a favourite. So, here are a few that have caught my eye since I joined in 2024.

One of my favourite countries to visit is Italy, and I recommend it as a serious contender for your next cycling holiday. I've visited many times to many locations, across the northern regions, plus Tuscany, Rome and Sorrento. Everywhere I've been in Italy has given me new and special experiences. I did the Venice to Mantua Boat & Bike Tour, which I adored. And further south (somewhere I'm yet to venture) the Sicily's Baroque Routes Bike Tour sounds beautiful - warm weather, dramatic canyons and lush green mountains - fabulous!

Also, the Bavarian Beer Bike Tour looks like a blast! This region of Germany, with its amazing castles and forests, is like something out of a fairytale. Plus, you must go if you have an appreciation for good craft beer. And lastly, I'd simply recommend anywhere in Croatia! Especially one of our Croatian boat and bike cycling tours - that dazzling turquoise water and gorgeous islands sell the idea to me instantly.

No tours in the diary yet for 2025, but I have my eye on the Best of Slovenia Bike Tour - just look at it!

One of my favourite memories is of Tuscany when I stayed in the beautiful medieval city of San Gimignano. After spending the day in the gorgeous countryside, wandering around the olive groves and admiring the impressive ancient architecture (it's all about the bell towers in San Gin), we rested our legs in the old square next to the Duomo.

As the quell of daytime tourists dissipated, we found ourselves sitting alongside the locals in the evening sunshine, listening to birdsong between the chiming of the bells, while enjoying a delicious glass of red and freshly sliced deli meats and cheese with honey. Sometimes the simplest things are the most blissful.

Put your currency on a travel card. Whilst travel cards are nothing new, they are a good idea if you don't want to carry lots of cash, plus you typically get a better exchange rate than paying directly with your bank/credit card or phone. It's a safe, flexible and accepted in most places. Through an app, you control the amount of currency you load onto your card. If the card is lost or stolen, you can freeze the card and return any unused currency to your bank account. Perfect for when you're out and about, at the shops, down the beach, etc.

I play piano but can’t read sheet music – I pick up the score by ear.