Best Destinations for Climbing
The ultimate destinations for cyclists who love climbing. Epic mountain passes and legendary cols.
Adelaide & South Australia
Australia
Adelaide: Tour Down Under host city, Willunga Hill, Norton Summit, Corkscrew Road — the compact climbing zone that opens the WorldTour season every January.
Aegean Coast
Turkey
Aegean Turkey: EuroVelo 8 coastal routes, Çeşme and Bodrum peninsula climbs, Dilek Peninsula switchbacks to 780m, and ancient Ephesus as a backdrop to rolling olive-grove riding from Izmir.
Algarve
Portugal
Portugal's sun-drenched playground for cyclists. World-class winter riding, the Serra de Monchique, and the Volta ao Algarve's iconic roads.
Alpe d'Huez
France
Cycling Alpe d'Huez: the most iconic ascent in the sport. 21 numbered hairpins, 1,071m of climbing, and Tour de France legend at every bend.
Andorra la Vella & Central
Andorra
Central Andorra: Port d'Envalira — the highest paved pass in the Pyrenees — Collada de BeixalĂs, and the Bici Lab gateway to every climb in the principality.
Antalya & Southern Coast
Turkey
Antalya: HC climbing from Mediterranean sea level — Babadağ 18.9km at 10.3%, Tahtalı to 2,365m, Saklikent Gorge canyon road — and the spring training camp destination for WorldTour squads who need Pyrenean gradients in March sunshine.
Ardennes
Belgium
Cycling in the Ardennes: Liège-Bastogne-Liège terrain, forested climbs, and the oldest monument in professional cycling on roads you can ride the next morning.
Avenue of Volcanoes
Ecuador
Avenue of Volcanoes cycling: Cotopaxi at 4,500m, Chimborazo to 5,000m, Riobamba — hometown of Olympic champion Richard Carapaz — and the Ruta de las Cascadas above Baños.
Bavarian Alps
Germany
Cycling in the Bavarian Alps: Rossfeld's summit panorama above Berchtesgaden, the Oberjoch's 106 hairpins, and the mountain roads of Germany's finest cycling region above Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Bieszczady Mountains
Poland
Bieszczady Mountains: wild eastern Carpathians with brown bears, European bison, and the quietest cycling roads in Poland — a 200km loop through remote mountain passes at the Polish-Ukrainian-Slovak border tri-point where English-language cyclists have simply never arrived.
Bogotá & Cundinamarca
Colombia
Bogotá: the world's greatest cycling city — CiclovĂa closes 120km of roads every Sunday, La Calera rises to 3,200m on the eastern ridge, and 2,640m altitude makes every ride a training camp.
Boulder & Front Range
United States
Cycling in Boulder & the Front Range: altitude training at 5,300ft, pro team roads, and Rockies climbing that reshapes what hard means.
Boyacá & the Central Andes
Colombia
Boyacá: the heartland of Colombian cycling culture — Nairo Quintana's home roads, the Alto de Letras world record, colonial Villa de Leyva, and altiplano climbing to 3,700m.
Canterbury & Southern Alps
New Zealand
Canterbury cycling: Arthur's Pass Trans-Alpine crossing, Aoraki Mount Cook approaches, Banks Peninsula coastal roads, and the turquoise glacial lakes of the Mackenzie Country.
Cape Town & Cape Peninsula
South Africa
Cape Peninsula: Chapman's Peak Drive on Atlantic cliffs, Kloof Nek to Table Mountain, the 109km Cycle Tour circuit, and Cape Point — world-class cycling concentrated into a single mountain peninsula.
Cappadocia & Central Anatolia
Turkey
Cappadocia: volcanic tuff cone valleys, fairy chimney routes through Göreme and Uçhisar, and the Erciyes HC climb from Kayseri — 22km and 2,100m of gain to a summit above 3,000m with near-zero traffic before 08:00.
Coastal Descents & Pacific Approaches
Ecuador
Ecuador coastal cycling: the greatest altitude descent in South America from 4,000m Andes to sea level, Machalilla National Park coastal roads, and the Cajas plateau above Cuenca.
Costa Almeria
Spain
Europe's driest cycling paradise. Desert landscapes, winter sun, and the mighty Alto de Velefique — Almeria's answer to the cols of Mallorca.
Costa Blanca
Spain
Cycling the Costa Blanca: Europe's premier winter training base. Quiet inland roads, punchy climbs, and 16°C January sunshine.
Crete
Greece
Cycling in Crete: Mediterranean island cycling at its most dramatic — White Mountain passes, Minoan plateau roads, and warm winters on Europe's southernmost major island.
Cyprus
Cyprus
Year-round cycling in the sun. Troodos mountain climbs, quiet coastal roads, and warm winters that draw European cyclists to Cyprus.
Dalarna
Sweden
Dalarna: Lake Siljan meteorite crater, 882 cycling routes around Siljansleden, Nipfjället — Sweden's hardest climb at 14.4km and 513m — and Vasaloppet cultural heritage.
Dalmatian Coast
Croatia
Cycling in Dalmatia: Adriatic coastline, island climbs, and the raw mountains of Biokovo rising 1,762m from the sea — Croatia's most dramatic cycling terrain.
Devon & Dartmoor
United Kingdom
England's cycling heartland. Dartmoor's savage moorland climbs, empty lanes, and a coastline that rivals anything in Europe.
Dilijan & Northern Armenia
Armenia
Dilijan cycling: "Armenia's Switzerland" at 1,500m — forested mountain roads, Haghartsin Monastery, and the Pambak ridge climbs through Armenia's most beautifully wooded landscape.
Dolomites
Italy
Cycling the Dolomites: UNESCO peaks, legendary Giro d'Italia passes, and the Sella Ronda. The ultimate mountain cycling playground.
East Fjords & North Iceland
Iceland
Eastfjords: Iceland's most dramatic fjord cycling, Seyðisfjörður pass above the blue-church village, Egilsstaðir base. North Iceland: Akureyri fjord rides, Mývatn volcanic craters, Öxnadalsheiði pass.
Finnish Lakeland
Finland
Finnish Lakeland: 180,000 lakes, Koli National Park 347m summit with panoramic Pielinen views, Punkaharju glacial esker ridge, and the quietest touring roads in Scandinavia. Bases at Jyväskylä and Tampere.
Flanders
Belgium
Cycling in Flanders: the cobbled bergs of the Spring Classics, cycling as a national religion, and roads where Merckx, De Vlaeminck, and Van Aert became legends.
French Pyrenees
France
Cycling the Pyrenees on roads Tour de France legends were made. Col du Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden, Hautacam — this is where champions are forged.
Garden Route & Eastern Cape
South Africa
Garden Route: 300km of Indian Ocean coastal cycling from Mossel Bay to Storms River, Outeniqua Pass through indigenous forest, Knysna lagoon, and Tsitsikamma's cliff-edge national park roads.
Girona
Spain
Cycling in Girona: Europe's pro cycling capital. Medieval charm, world-class climbs, and the cafe culture that draws the WorldTour.
Gran Canaria
Spain
Cycling in Gran Canaria: the miniature continent. Five climate zones, volcanic peaks to 1,949m, and world-class climbing without the crowds.
Grossglockner & Carinthia
Austria
Cycling in Grossglockner & Carinthia: Austria's highest mountain, Europe's most spectacular toll road, and Giro d'Italia passes through a landscape of glaciers and alpine lakes.
Hokkaido
Japan
Hokkaido: Japan's cycling wilderness — rolling lavender farmland at Furano, volcanic mountain passes through Daisetsuzan, near-zero traffic roads, and the solitude of the northernmost point of Japan.
Innsbruck & Tyrol
Austria
Cycling in Innsbruck & Tyrol: the 2018 World Championships host city, Alpine passes rising above 2,500m, and Austria's most developed cycling infrastructure.
Isle of Wight
United Kingdom
Cycling Isle of Wight: a compact island of surprising climbs, military road coast, and the UK's most celebrated cycling festival.
Istria
Croatia
Cycling in Istria: Europe's fastest-growing cycling destination, hilltop medieval villages, truffle forests, and Adriatic coastline on roads that barely know rush hour.
Japanese Alps & Mount Fuji
Japan
Japanese Alps: the Norikura Echo Line to 2,702m, Mount Fuji ascent roads, Hakone pass, and 48-switchback Irohazaka — Japan's most concentrated high-altitude cycling zone, two hours from Tokyo.
Julian Alps & Lake Bled
Slovenia
Cycling in the Julian Alps & Lake Bled: PogaÄŤar and RogliÄŤ country, Vrsic Pass's 50 hairpins, and the highest paved road in Slovenia above an emerald Alpine lake.
Kakheti Wine Region
Georgia
Kakheti cycling: 8,000 years of wine culture on roads through vineyard valleys, the walled hilltop town of Signagi above the Alazani plain, and the semi-desert monastery approach to David Gareja — Georgia's most accessible and longest-season cycling zone.
Lake District
United Kingdom
Cycling the Lake District: England's steepest passes, 30% gradients on Hardknott, and mountain scenery to rival the Alps in drama.
Lake Sevan & Gegharkunik
Armenia
Lake Sevan cycling: a 260km circuit around the world's most beautiful high-altitude lake at 1,900m, with Vardenyats Pass (2,410m) and Sotk Pass (2,506m) rising from the shore.
Lapland & Northern Finland
Finland
Lapland & Northern Finland: midnight sun cycling above the Arctic Circle, Ylläs fell 718m, Pyhä 540m, Saariselkä plateau, and Oulanka National Park — the most remote and spectacular cycling zone in the Nordic region.
Limburg
Netherlands
Cycling in Limburg: the Netherlands' only hilly province, home of the Amstel Gold Race climbs — Cauberg, Keuteberg, and Vaalserberg — bordering Belgium and Germany.
Luxembourg Ardennes
Luxembourg
Cycling in the Luxembourg Ardennes: the country's hardest terrain — Mont St. Nicolas, Vianden castle climbs, deep river valleys, and 482 catalogued routes on empty roads.
Mallorca
Spain
Cycling in Mallorca: the world's premier riding island. Legendary Tramuntana climbs, 300 days of sun, and routes for every level.
MedellĂn & Antioquia
Colombia
MedellĂn: the City of Eternal Spring at 1,495m — Colombia's cycling training ground for Rigoberto Urán's generation, where Alto de Palmas begins daily before breakfast and Alto de Minas reaches 3,650m through cloud forest.
Melbourne & Great Ocean Road
Australia
Melbourne: Beach Road bunch rides, Dandenong Ranges rainforest climbs, and the 243km Great Ocean Road — Victoria is Australia's cycling heartland.
Moab & Southern Utah
United States
Cycling in Moab & Southern Utah: red rock gravel, national park roads, and desert canyon climbing in the most photogenic landscape in North America.
Mont Ventoux
France
Cycling Mont Ventoux: the Giant of Provence. Three routes to a 1,912m lunar summit and the Tour de France's ultimate pilgrimage.
Moselle Valley
Luxembourg
Cycling the Luxembourg Moselle: 42km of vineyard-lined river roads through Remich, Ehnen, and Wormeldange — Luxembourg's most accessible cycling with wine-cave stops along the way.
Mullerthal & Little Switzerland
Luxembourg
Cycling in the Mullerthal: Luxembourg's Little Switzerland — 112 catalogued climbs through limestone gorges, ancient beech forests, and rock formations on perfectly surfaced roads.
Nice & Cote d'Azur
France
Cycling the Cote d'Azur: sea level to 1,500m in under an hour. Pro training climbs, three corniche roads, and year-round Mediterranean sun.
Ordino & the Northern Passes
Andorra
Ordino: Andorra's highest-concentration climbing zone — ArcalĂs, Port de CabĂşs, Coll d'Ordino, and the Bici Lab museum, all above 1,900m.
Peak District
United Kingdom
Cycling the Peak District: Britain's most accessible riding. Dark Peak moorland epics and White Peak limestone dales, an hour from Manchester.
Peloponnese
Greece
Cycling in Peloponnese: ancient ruins on empty roads, the savage Mani Peninsula, and Arcadian mountain passes where the only audience is olive groves and Byzantine towers.
Portland & Hood River
United States
Cycling in Portland & Hood River: year-round riding culture, Columbia Gorge roads, and Mount Hood climbs within an hour of a great cycling city.
Queenstown & Central Otago
New Zealand
Queenstown cycling: Crown Range — NZ's highest sealed road — Coronet Peak, the Otago Central Rail Trail, and lake and mountain scenery that stops you mid-climb to stare.
Quito & Northern Highlands
Ecuador
Quito cycling: UNESCO World Heritage old town at 2,850m, Sunday Ciclopaseo, equator crossing, TelefériQo to 4,050m, and Papallacta Pass on the descent to the Amazon.
ReykjavĂk & Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Iceland
ReykjavĂk cycling hub and Snæfellsnes Peninsula: Kirkjufell mountain, Snæfellsjökull glacier-volcano, Golden Circle from the capital, and the best-supported cycling infrastructure in Iceland.
Ring of Kerry
Ireland
Cycling in Ring of Kerry: Ireland's iconic 180km circuit through mountain passes, Atlantic coastline, and the wild beauty of Killarney National Park.
Sardinia
Italy
Cycling Sardinia: Giro d'Italia roads, Gennargentu mountain climbs, and 1,800km of sun-drenched coastline with almost no traffic.
Scotland
United Kingdom
Cycling in Scotland: wild Highland passes, the North Coast 500, and Bealach na Ba. Britain's most raw and remote riding.
Shimanami Kaido & Shikoku
Japan
Shimanami Kaido: 70km of dedicated cycling lanes across six Seto Inland Sea islands — follow the blue line from Onomichi to Imabari on the world's most celebrated island-hopping cycling route.
SkĂĄne
Sweden
Skåne: Sweden's climbing heartland. Four ridge systems — Söderåsen, Hallandsåsen, Romeleåsen, Linderödsåsen — with 9%+ gradients and beech forest descents from Malmö.
South Coast & Highlands Access
Iceland
Iceland's South Coast: black sand beaches, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls beside the Ring Road, Þórsmörk valley, Hekla volcano approaches, and the gateway to the Landmannalaugar Highland interior.
Southern Passes
Andorra
Southern Andorra: Coll de la Gallina — the hardest climb in Andorra at 8.7% average — plus Creu de Batlle and gravel into the Spanish Pyrenean frontier.
St. Moritz & Engadin Valley
Switzerland
Cycling in St Moritz & the Engadin: four Alpine passes at 1,800m. Albula, Julier, Bernina, Maloja — Swiss perfection and glacier views.
Stellenbosch & Winelands
South Africa
Stellenbosch Winelands: Helshoogte Pass through Kanonkop and Delaire Graff vineyards, Du Toitskloof mountain barrier to 820m, Bainskloof Pass on a 200-year-old mountain road — passes earned between Chenin Blanc and Pinotage.
Stelvio Pass
Italy
Cycling the Stelvio Pass: 48 hairpins, 2,758m, Italy's highest paved road. The bucket-list climb every cyclist must ride.
Sudetes & Karkonosze Mountains
Poland
Sudetes & Karkonosze: Sniezka at 1,603m on the Czech border, Szrenica ascents from Szklarska Poreba, EuroVelo 9 through the Giant Mountains, and Wroclaw's 500km+ urban cycling network as a base — southwestern Poland's cycling offer in full.
Surrey Hills
United Kingdom
Cycling the Surrey Hills: London's riding heartland. Olympic-grade climbs, legendary cafe culture, and world-class routes from the capital.
Svaneti & Western Georgia
Georgia
Svaneti cycling: medieval stone towers above 2,000m, glacier valleys that look Himalayan in scale, and the approach through the Enguri Gorge — Georgia's most remote and spectacular mountain cycling zone.
Tasmania
Australia
Tasmania: kunanyi/Mount Wellington from sea level, East Coast wilderness roads, and the quiet roads that produced Richie Porte — Australia's most complete cycling landscape.
Tatras & Zakopane
Poland
Tatras & Zakopane: Poland's highest cycling, limestone peaks rising to 2,499m, the Morskie Oko car-free road, Tour de Pologne mountain finishes, and Podhale plateau approaches with Tatra panoramas — the defining mountain cycling area of Central Europe's most underrated destination.
Taupo & Volcanic Plateau
New Zealand
Taupo cycling: Lake Taupo circumnavigation, Tongariro volcanic backdrop, the Timber Trail through native forest — and the Taupo Cycle Challenge, New Zealand's biggest cycling event.
Tbilisi & Georgian Military Highway
Georgia
Georgian Military Highway cycling: 212km from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda crossing Jvari Pass at 2,379m — one of the world's great road cycling corridors, with Ananuri Fortress at the reservoir, Gudauri ski resort, and Gergeti Trinity Church above Kazbegi at road's end.
Tenerife
Spain
Cycling in Tenerife: ride from sea level to above the clouds. Volcanic roads, year-round sun, and altitude training that rivals the Alps.
Transalpina & Parang Mountains
Romania
Transalpina (DN67C): Romania's highest road at 2,145m summit — longer and wilder than the Transfagarasan, with near-zero traffic, genuine Carpathian solitude, and an HC 39.5km approach from Novaci that accumulates 1,680m of gain through alpine meadow and limestone ridge.
Transfagarasan & Fagaras Mountains
Romania
Transfagarasan: Romania's most famous road, 22.4km HC south approach to 2,042m at Balea Tunnel — declared the world's best road by Top Gear, open late June to October, with the glacial Balea Lake at the summit plateau and near-zero traffic before 08:00.
Transylvania (Brasov & Sibiu Region)
Romania
Transylvania cycling: Brasov and Sibiu bases with direct access to the Bucegi Plateau HC climb (1,180m gain to 2,086m), Piatra Craiului limestone ridge approaches, Bran Castle road circuits, and the Prahova Valley corridor — medieval Saxon towns as rest stops between Carpathian mountain approaches.
Tucson & Sedona
United States
Cycling in Tucson & Sedona: desert climbing on Mount Lemmon, red rock gravel, and the most reliable winter training base in North America.
Tuscany
Italy
Cycling in Tuscany: strade bianche gravel, Chianti wine loops, and medieval hilltop towns. Where riding meets la dolce vita.
Verbier
Switzerland
Cycling in Verbier: where WorldTour teams come to suffer. Croix de Coeur at 10% average, the Grand St-Bernard, and Alpine altitude.
Vermont
United States
Cycling in Vermont: covered bridge lanes, Green Mountain gap climbs, and the finest autumn foliage roads in North America.
Western Fjords
Norway
Cycling in the Western Fjords: Trollstigen's 11 hairpins, Dalsnibba's glacial plateau, and Norway's most dramatic mountain roads carved into vertical cliff faces above UNESCO-listed fjords.
Wild Atlantic Way
Ireland
Cycling in Wild Atlantic Way: Ireland's most dramatic coastal roads, Atlantic-edge passes, and the raw beauty of Connemara and the Dingle Peninsula.
Yerevan & Ararat Valley
Armenia
Yerevan area cycling: iconic Ararat backdrop at Khor Virap, the Garni Gorge Symphony of Stones, and Noravank's blood-red canyon — all within 100km of the capital at 1,000m.
Yorkshire Dales
United Kingdom
Cycling the Yorkshire Dales: Tour de France-tested climbs, quiet moorland roads, and stone villages. Britain's most dramatic riding.