The family and I are doing a western Mediterranean cruise July 15 - July 22. Ports include Barcelona, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence/Pisa), and Nice. The girls enjoy bus tours and I dread the thought.
Is anyone familiar with these ports? If so would you know if there are any guided “day” bike tours that originate from them. I’m looking for a decent ride where I can get a good workout rather that a pedestrian pace. I’m bringing my pedals, helmet, and seat since after the cruise I’m doing a bike tour that follows the TdF through the Pyrenese. Better yet, anyone live there and wants to act as a bike tour guide - the day would be on me ($$$). Also, I’d need a bike.
I’m really stoked and hopefully I can avoid pedalling indoors on the boat.
The family and I are doing a western Mediterranean cruise July 15 - July 22. Ports include Barcelona, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence/Pisa), and Nice. The girls enjoy bus tours and I dread the thought.
Is anyone familiar with these ports? If so would you know if there are any guided “day” bike tours that originate from them. I’m looking for a decent ride where I can get a good workout rather that a pedestrian pace. I’m bringing my pedals, helmet, and seat since after the cruise I’m doing a bike tour that follows the TdF through the Pyrenese. Better yet, anyone live there and wants to act as a bike tour guide - the day would be on me ($$$). Also, I’d need a bike.
I’m really stoked and hopefully I can avoid pedalling indoors on the boat.
Cheers,
Hans
Except for Messina it is the same as the cruise my wife and I went on for our honeymoon. That being said you have limited time and access and, I assume you want to see the cities, so I would say doing anything more then just a cruiser tour of a town is probably going to be a no go.
I don’t know what your family situation is, but it seems to me you really need to get your priorities straight. You are going on a family vacation and then want to ditch your family and go bike riding. Perhaps, your wife and kids are really understanding, but I suggest that one week isn’t really going to kill you in terms of training. Perhaps spending some quality time with your family is more important, or, maybe not. Like I said, don’t know your family situation. You can always get some treadmill runs and/or lifecycle workouts on the cruise ship.
Why don’t you take your family vacation for what it is, a chance to see some new and interesting locales and spend it with your loved ones. I am sure when you are at home, you spend a lot of time training and away from your family, why not earn some points now and just devote your time to them.
Chill on the obsessive need to work out. This is a time with your kids you will never get back. You should be eating your way through every port town, not cycling. If you need a cycling tour, go on one after your family vacation. I never met a father who said he wishes he spent less time with his kids. Find a driver from a cab company and pay him to be your guide all day in a mini-van, it’s way better then a bus full of blue hairs anyway.
Thanks for bringing up the family situation and priorties. Now maybe you can help answer my question and not play Dear Abby. We’ve been faithfully married for 24 years (first marriage) and have a 16 year old daughter. There are many things we enjoy doing together - resturants, theater, gardening, daughters activiteis, dogs, etc. There are some activities we do not share in common - physical activity, shopping, sightseeing. What makes our relationship work is respect for what makes the other happy. I go back to "faithfully married 24 years"!! After 30 years of being together and many international trips we know how to get the most out of our trip and ensuring we all come home saying “wow that was great”. For me there is no better way that pedalling the countryside, meeting locals, and working up a sweat. I have a passion for cycling and travel. This combines the two. My wife and daughter absolutely do not enjoy physical exercise. They prefer shopping and guided tours. Oh sure they would join me if I insisted, or I would join them if that’s what they really wanted. But you see, that’s been tried, and in the case of travel it doesn’t work for us. For some things it has worked. I thought I’d hate theater but tried it, now we’ve got seasons tickets!
So please answer the freaking question, stop giving advice on relationships, and stop play Dear Abby. Hmmm, how many successful fullfilling relationships have you been in??? No response required.
Norwejian Jewel? That’s the ship, and exact same itinerary, that my wife and I took last July. I didn’t attempt what you are considering, and that was my only time in Europe, but I will say a couple of things:
It seems that Naples would be the most difficult (read “dangerous”) city to ride in, as the car drivers seem to drive somewhat recklessly, at least by American standards. It would be incredible to ride along the Amalfi Coast, but very risky. I did find a bike shop in Sorrento while shopping with the wife, and bought a local jersey as a souvenir. Sorry, don’t recall the name of the shop, and don’t know if they have rentals.
If you rode just one day, do it on the Florence day. Going to Florence itself was 1.5 hours+ each way, with a few transfers involved, so it was the toughest day to sightsee. If you can get a bike in the port town, it might work best on this day, though I have no idea where to actually ride.
Have you considered using your own bike? Not sure if the cruise line would allow it, but it would seem to be a lot better than trying to find a bike in each port…
I love it! great response Hans. We are all a little obsessive compulsive, one has to be to fit in all the training and still have a job, family etc. I think its healthy and amazing that your wife “gets you” and is secure enough to let you do your thing for a few hours while on vacation.
I’d be more worried about getting a noravirus than not working out for a few days! Tha would screw you over mor than not working out for a few days. Wash your HANDS a lot HANS and enjoy the McTour!!!