The Slow Cyclist

Where To Go in May

May is one of the best months for cycling in Europe: long sunny days, spring in full swing and the roads still quiet. Zagori in Greece is at its peak, with wildflowers across the hills. Turkey's Taurus Mountains are in flower too, and the rose fields begin to scent the air towards the end of the month. Closer to home, Herefordshire is in its spring prime.
Apple trees in blossom, orchard of white flowers on trees, Herefordshire, SHUTTERSTOCK

Where we recommend for May

  • Turkey | Classic |

    Taurus Mountains

    From £3,585 per person

    May is peak spring in the Taurus Mountains. The alpine meadows are full of flowers while the highest peaks still hold snow, and the days are mild enough for cycling old shepherds' trails and quiet roads. Towards the end of the month, the rose fields and farms smell wonderful. Mornings at our private tented camp are a highlight, with Turkish coffee, pine-scented air and mist lifting off the valley as the sun comes up.

  • Greece | Classic |

    Zagori

    From £3,445 per person

    The Zagori season starts in May, and it's a great time to be in Epirus in northwest Greece. Snowmelt keeps the rivers full and clear, the forests around the Vikos Gorge are in leaf, and the hillsides are full of wildflowers. Riding between stone villages and 17th-century bridges on empty roads, you'll mostly be watched by locals. It's peak spring here, and the flowers are the reason to come.

  • United Kingdom | Classic |

    Herefordshire

    From £2,990 per person

    May is the best of an English spring in Herefordshire. The countryside is green, and the weather is usually settled enough for long rides between timber-framed villages. Apple orchards are in blossom, and bluebells often still carpet the old woodlands. Roads are quiet, temperatures are comfortable, and there's plenty of time for a pub stop along the way.

Available journeys in May