There's something wonderfully sensorial about cycling during a vacation. Of course, there's the exercise and wellness component, allowing you to add an hour or two of fitness between those delectable regional meals. But you also get to experience more of a destination without feeling separated by a motorcoach, taxi or chauffeured vehicle. You hear the local rhythm of a community: merchants at the market square, children playing soccer or a cathedral's aged bell. You smell the scent of a garden, brewed coffee or breads of a bakery. You feel the smooth modern pavement or the vibration caused by ancient cobblestone. These sensations are complemented by the picturesque settings of European cities, such as London, Amsterdam and Paris. Here are several locations within each city that you can enjoy during your next holiday abroad.
CYCLING THROUGH LONDON
No matter where you travel, every city or town tells a story through its fascinating landmarks, landscapes and architecture. In London, this is conveyed through routes such as Battersea Park to Greenwich. For about 10 miles, you'll peddle along the Thames River to behold a "who's who" of London architecture, while burning a few calories along the way. See highlights such as the London Eye, the gigantic Ferris wheel; Shakespeare's Globe Theater, an oak-and-thatch replica of the original; and the Tate Modern art gallery, Britain's national gallery of international modern artwork.
For something a bit simpler, there's the Tower of London to Big Ben route, at approximately three miles, by way of the river and the Victoria Embankment. Check out the Tower of London, a castle of royal history and intrigue, ride onto Lower Thames Street and past the Neoclassical Somerset House before continuing along Victoria Embankment. Before you know it, you'll see Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster.
