River to River, Land & Sea e-Bike Tour

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Cindy

June 27, 2024•

If you’re looking for a completely customized cycling tour, Padraic Doorey of Fresh Eire Adventures is exceptional in delivering bespoke tours in undiscovered locations. My husband and I were intrigued by Asturias, Spain, but found no companies offering cycling tours there. So, we contacted Padraic, who researched the geography, climate, landmarks, and attractions of Asturias. He aimed to combine stunning natural beauty, cycling routes, and rich cultural experiences. Fresh Eire Adventures undertook scouting trips to evaluate routes for difficulty, scenic value, and safety. They carefully selected routes ranging from coastal paths to countryside roads and mountain trails. The team also vetted accommodations and dining, choosing only those with high standards of hospitality and local flavor. From Michelin-starred restaurants to cozy family eateries, every meal was curated to offer a genuine taste of local cuisine. They also included cultural activities, ensuring a well-rounded experience. Our cycling trip in Asturias immersed us in the region’s beauty and heritage, traversing landscapes from coastal views to the peaks of Picos de Europa. We visited historic towns like Ribadesella, Llanes, La Isla, Colunga, and Lastres, and explored cultural sites such as the Centro Niemeyer and Senda del Oso. We enjoyed local cuisine, including seafood, wine, cider, and regional specialties like Fabada Asturiana and Cachopo. Accommodations ranged from seaside hotels to mountain retreats. The trip concluded in Covadonga with breathtaking views of Picos de Europa National Park, and a guided kayak trip down the river Selle back to Ribadesella. From the initial consultation to the on-tour support, Fresh Eire Adventures ensured a seamless experience. With over 25 cycling trips across the globe and experiences with 8 different cycle touring firms, we can confidently say that Fresh Eire Adventures surpassed all our expectations in planning and executing our Asturias cycling adventure.

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W

November 15, 2023•

We spent six days with Padraic biking the Burren and Connemara areas. He is the consummate professional in all that he does. We had interesting bike adventures, terrific hotels, wonderful meals and excellent background information provided by Padraic and Lynn, his associate for our trip. He also assisted in our planning pre and post tour visits to Limerick and Galway. If you are looking for a personalized and professional experience, Fresh Eire Adventures is the best! Now, four years later, after traveling with Padraic to Switzerland, we still think Padraic is outstanding and his customer service is second to none! Time for another trip with Fresh Eire Adventures!

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Chuck

November 14, 2023•

I recently cycled in Puglia, Italy, for a week. I love Italy! The food, the weather, the countryside, the history, the people. My wife and I went with Fresh Eire Adventures, an outfit we’ve used a lot over the years. They use native language guides and provide late model well maintained e-Bikes, hybrids, and road bikes. Puglia’s southern location and seacoast were an ideal backdrop for cycling. We traveled over bike trails and back roads, stayed at spectacular boutique hotels, and dined at restaurants offering Puglia specialties and superb seafood. Our small group ensured we could go places larger groups couldn’t, and since Fresh Eire researches and scouts each trip, each season, our route meshed perfectly with stops for wine tasting, local cuisine cooking lessons, spectacular scenery and local architecture.

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Chuck

October 19, 2022•

I recently cycled in Portugal with Fresh Eire Adventures. A friend asked me for a recommendation on cycling in Europe and Fresh Eire is a no brainer; if you’re a cyclist or you just want a great way to take in a country at a less hectic pace than most other trips. Our trip included three guests. My wife was unable to travel. The other two guests were a couple who we had met with on a previous Fresh Eire trip. Most guest are repeat customers, so this wasn’t unusual. What was unusual was that this trip was in July in the middle of a drought. Fresh Eire doesn’t usually offer Portugal so far into the summer, but the other couple were constrained by their work schedules and Fresh Eire is flexible. I happily signed up to be able to cycle with friends. Fresh Eire staff, took extra precautions in view of the heat. We felt safe at all times and the SAG vehicle which accompanied us provided frequent hydration breaks. They also adjusted the schedule so that we started earlier each day and finished before the mid-afternoon heat. The Alentejo region of Portugal features gentle hills, with farms, forests, and small towns. Orchards of Olive and Cork trees are on much of the farms. We cycled on bike paths and back roads with very little traffic. Our route included small towns, often with beautiful churches and town squares. We stayed at unique hotels, each with full amenities. We spent several nights at Torre de Palma Wine Hotel, a property dating from the 1300s. The rooms have modern amenities, and the restaurant is Michelin rated. At sunset on our first day, we ascended the central tower of the estate and enjoyed a view of the surrounding countryside with a few glasses of wine as the sun went down. At Hotel Marmoris in Vila Vicosa we had dinner in the wine cellar with a unique ambience. The cellar is carved into the surrounding stone. Those nights we didn’t eat at hotel, the restaurants were within walking distance. The food was outstanding, fresh local produce and meat, plus seafood from the nearby coast. What I lost in exercise each day I put back on in the evening :-) Since Portugal is easy to get around in, I visited the city of Porto when I arrived a few days before the start of the cycling trip. Both Lisbon and Porto are great cities, full history and cultural attractions with good pubic transportation. The Portugal trip shared a lot of features standard on Fresh Eire trips. Each trip includes a guide with intimate knowledge of the route. In Portugal on several days our cycling guide cycled the next day’s route while we were at dinner, just to ensure there were no surprises. Fresh Eire Adventures features three bicycle choices: Road Bikes, Hybrids, and e-Bikes. This means folks with quite different cycling experience and stamina can cycle together. If the last time you did any serious biking was decades ago an e-bike will mean you’re not going to struggle to keep up and can enjoy the ride. You’ll get a high-end cycle no matter what you chose, but the destination you decide on should influence your choice. I used an e-bike in Portugal as it was pretty hot, but one of the guests opted for a road bike. Fresh Eire researches each trip, each season, in advance to ensure the route, hotels, and restaurants still meet the company’s standards. Since none of the hotels or restaurants are large chains, this ensures that they still meet the company’s criteria for guest lodging. In Portugal with the exception of the first night in Evora all our hotels had pools; we had time in the afternoon to cool down and relax. I’d definitely recommend the Portugal Fresh Eire trip for anyone who enjoys beautiful countryside, history, and warm weather regardless of their prior cycling experience. cations we've come across.

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Maureen

March 24, 2019•

My husband and I had a wonderful experience in Provence with Fresh Eire Adventures last June. The tour was well planned and well paced with a great variety of rides each day. The hotels were top notch and the meals and wine tastings were the best of local cuisine. The bikes and support were excellent and the guides were ideal for the tour. Padraic worked very well with our travel agent on all the trip details. We look forward to our next Fresh Eire Adventure!