Crystal Cruises is expanding its roster of active, immersive experiences ashore with 16 bicycle adventures in 2014.  Cycling tours in Northern and Western Europe and the Mediterranean give travelers access to some of the world’s most striking architecture, charming villages, spectacular seaside views and historically profound sites, often best — and sometimes only — accessed on bicycle.  Offered on May–September voyages aboard Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, the half- and full-day excursions include:

• Malta: A 12.5-mile route travels through countryside only accessible by bicycle and along the western coastline toward the highest point in Malta, the Dingli Cliffs, dramatically sheering straight down to the Mediterranean Sea and providing spectacular panoramic views.
• Tallinn: Guests cycle back in time as they ride to the Baroque palace and summer home of Peter the Great, and around the UNESCO World Heritage site that is the city’s Old Town, complete with ancient walls, cobblestone lanes and 16th century architecture, including a pharmacy that has been in business since 1422.
• Copenhagen: In one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities, guests experience the sites as the locals do via a winding, five-mile ride through a forest en route to a 500-year-old amusement park (the world’s oldest), Bakken, where they’ll have time to play and explore.
• Bordeaux/Bassens: Along a nine-mile combination of flat and hilly roads in the quaint village of Saint-Émilion, where the entire wine jurisdiction is a UNESCO World Heritage site, guests enjoy views of beautiful chateaus and expansive vineyards of such premier estates as Château Angélus, Figeac and Cheval Blanc.
• Barcelona: An invigorating five-mile ride through the city’s bustling streets affords the opportunity to admire the profoundly impressive architecture of the cathedrals and other icons, while also enjoying performances from street artists along Las Rambla.
• Guernsey/St. Peter Port: Along a six-mile stunning coastal path, travelers marvel equally at L’Ancresse and Pembroke beaches and the Le Dehus Dolmen, home to Neolithic-era tombs that resemble a miniature Stonehenge.

Crystal’s staff and expert partners ashore arrange all the details of bicycle Crystal Adventures including helmets, bottled water, refreshments in most locales and terrain-appropriate bikes, prices for bicycling excursions in Europe range from $89 to $249 per person.

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