The Slow Cyclist

Where To Go in September

September might be the best-kept secret in the cycling calendar. The heat has eased, the crowds have gone home and in many places the harvest is under way. Quercy has warm rivers for swimming, the Basque Country has mellow late-summer light, and Abruzzo has quiet trails. The mountains of Zagori, Turkey's Taurus and Armenia are comfortable for riding. No wonder our regulars favour it.
Cyclist on the road, forest and mountain background, Spanish Basque, Spain

Where we recommend for September

  • France | Classic |

    Quercy

    From £4,395 per person

    September is the best time to visit Quercy. The French school holidays are over, and the cliffside villages and valley roads empty out. The heat of July and August softens into a golden late summer. The Célé and Lot are at their warmest, so a mid-ride swim is very much on the cards, though the water cools quickly in the second half of October. Grape picking is under way around Cahors, and the markets are full of end-of-summer produce.

  • Italy | Classic |

    Abruzzo

    From £3,595 per person

    Abruzzo empties out again in September. The coast quietens and the hill villages feel like they are all yours. Days are still warm enough for a swim on the coast, and evenings are more comfortable than in August. If you'd rather have Abruzzo's mountain roads and trails to yourself, this is the month to book.

  • Spain | Classic |

    Basque Country

    From £3,585 per person

    The Basque Country in September has warm days, a sea still holding its summer heat, and a more local feel as the beach crowds thin. The food is at its best once the season settles, from pintxos to Ossau-Iraty cheese. The spring rains are well behind you, and a ride through the green hills ends naturally at a bar.

  • Turkey | Classic |

    Taurus Mountains

    From £3,585 per person

    September in the Taurus Mountains has the warmth of the Turkish summer with a hint of autumn. The Turkish coast and Islands can still be busy, but up in the mountains the heat softens, and the roads through cedar forests and limestone gorges are comfortable for a day in the saddle. Evenings are cool, the roads are quiet, and the fruit harvest in October is just around the corner.

  • Greece | Classic |

    Zagori

    From £3,445 per person

    Zagori in September has the last of the Greek summer warmth with a touch of early autumn. The heat eases, which makes riding between the stone bridges and slate-roofed villages comfortable, and the light turns golden over the Vikos Gorge. The summer crowds have gone, so the villages are peaceful, and the locals have time to look after you.

  • Armenia | Classic |

    Armenian Highlands

    From £3,595 per person

    Many people consider September the best month for Armenia. The heat of July and August fades, leaving warm days and dry mountain roads and trails. The hazy skies clear too, which gives you the best chance of seeing Mount Ararat sharp against a blue sky. The grape harvest is under way in the valleys, and the village markets are full of late-summer produce, so the food and wine taste even better after a day in the saddle.

Available journeys in September