Italy, August 2015: Over the last decade, Britain has become a nation of cycling enthusiasts, spurred on to take to two wheels for environmental reasons, and the success of Brits at the Olympics and in the Tour de France. Our love of the bike has led to a huge surge in cycling holidays, which can offer an opportunity to unearth hidden corners of our chosen destination, a chance to meet others (as cycling is so often a group activity) and an excuse to drag the kids away from their iPads.

Recognising this trend, Adler Spa Resorts (www.adler-resorts.com/en/) – a group of four, family-owned hotels in Italy – make sure they have plenty of biking options for their guests, providing access to road bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes, which means that they can cater to all ages and abilities of cyclist. With three hotels in the Dolomites and one in Tuscany, Adler Spa Resorts also offers the chance for serious cyclists to train at altitude, pushing themselves up steep mountain roads, while others might prefer the gentler slopes of the Tuscan hills.

Adler Dolomiti (www.adler-dolomiti.com) has a particularly strong cycling focus. Situated in the heart of Ortisei, it's the perfect base from which to explore the 30 attractive and well-signposted trails for all abilities, at altitudes between 700 and 2,450 metres, which are to be found in Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi. The longest of these trails is the 1,000 kilometre, world-famous Sellaronda, which has always been well-known by skiers, but only recently opened as a summer circuit for mountain biking.

Apart from the physical challenge, this region offers mountain bikers a unique experience in terms of natural scenery: nowhere in the Alps does the scenery compare with that of the Dolomites. In addition, riders will find cosy mountain lodges at which to stop and enjoy gourmet pleasures to renew their energies for their onward journey or simply relax after a long hard ride. Adler Dolomiti has its own mountain biking guide, Verena, who helps guests explore the region – one day it might be “Bike & Hike” (when the group bikes as far up the mountain as the bike will take them, before hiking to the top), the next a downhill evening tour with an “aperitivo” afterwards. These daily tours are offered on a complimentary basis to all Adler Dolomiti guests.

An example of a bike offer at Adler Dolomiti is the five-night Bike & Wellness PLUS package, which is valid between 13 September and 11 October. It includes:

• 5 nights' half-board accommodation
• 3 guided mountain bike tours
• 1 Sellaronda mountain bike tour (lift pass excluded)
• 1 sports massage
• 1 session in the Salt Grotto
• Participation in the complete ADLER sports & active programme 

It costs from Euros 852 (approx £600) per person on a half-board basis, with free use of the hotel's own mountain bikes. Book online at https://www.adler-dolomiti.com/en/dolomiti-sport/mtb-special-deals/

Meanwhile, in southern Tuscany, sister property Adler Thermae is located in the Val d'Orcia (another UNESCO World Heritage Sites recognised for its outstanding natural beauty), which also provides visually stunning and ideal conditions for bike touring, thanks to its gentle rolling hills.

Around the Adler Thermae, there are over 200 kilometres of hiking and cycling trails, as well as more than 1000 kilometres of GPS guided trails for mountain bikes, e-bikes and racing bikes. With the ADLER THERMA app, riders can navigate safely and easily through the countryside, at the same time receiving lots of information about conditions, altitude, the length and duration of routes, and much more.

The hotel has mountain bikes and e-bikes available to guests on a complimentary basis, and up to four times per week a professional bike guide takes riders out into the picturesque landscape, revealing insider tips and hidden gems along the way. So highly rated are the hotel and its bike offering that it's been classified as a “PRO” Hotel and “Excellent” by Road Bike Holidays.

And, of course, biking conditions remain perfect later into the year in this part of Italy. Adler Thermae's “Biking Break in Tuscany” package is valid till 20 December 2015 and includes:

• 5 nights in a superior double room with beautiful panoramic view on a half-board basis
• 3 bike tours with a professional bike guide, as follows
                         1) “Val d'Orcia Classic Tour”, 23 Km (easy/medium), with mountain bike: fascinating discovery tour of the scenery around Pienza, UNESCO World Heritage
                         2) “White Roads”, 30 Km (easy/medium), with e-bike: discover Val d'Orcia's most amazing country tracks
                        3) “Over the Hills of Brunello Wine”, 45 km (challenging) with mountain bike: discover the homeland of one of Italy's most famous red wines around Montalcino with short visits to the medieval hilltop town.
• 3 sport massages – to relief and regenerate the body after the bike tours
• unlimited access to the spa (indoor & outdoor heated thermal pool, sauna, Turkish bath, herbal caldarium, fitness centre)
• private transfers from /to the airport (Florence, Pisa or Rome)
• free internet access

It costs Euros 1354 (approx £965) per person and can be booked online at http://www.adler-thermae.com/en/sport-outdoor/cycling-in-tuscany/

Ends

Notes for Editors

Adler Resorts (http://www.adler-resorts.com/en/) is a bijou collection of four Italian properties owned and managed by the Sanoner family.  On 9 January 1810, Josef Anton Sanoner acquired the first property – a small tavern called Daverda, which he renamed Gasthof zum Adler (Eagle's Inn). That property, now known as the Adler Dolomiti, has been passed down through the family, and is currently managed by the seventh generation of the Sanoner family. There are currently three other hotels in the collection: Adler Balance And Adler Mountain Lodge, also in the Dolomites, and Adler Thermae in Tuscany.

Timeline
1810 – Josef Anton Sanoner acquires first hotel, now known as Adler Dolomiti
2004 – Adler Thermae, the second Adler property, opens in Tuscany
2009 – Adler Balance, a health & wellness annexe to the Adler Dolomiti, opens
2014 – Adler Mountain Lodge opens on 3 July

Adler Dolomiti - Dolomites
Getting there
Flight to either Innsbruck or Verona, then to Ortisei by private transfer or airport coach
Leisure facilities
- 9000 sq m of private parkland
- 3500 sq m water world (largest in Dolomites)
- Dolasilla beauty & vitality zone, offering wide range of treatments from Alpine to Ayurveda
- 350 sq m of AdlerFit, including a packed daily programme of activities in & outside the hotel
- AKI Kids Club
Restaurants & Bars
- One main restaurant, with 2 traditional Tiroler dining areas
- Wine Cellar for tastings
- Adler Cocktail Bar
Rooms
- Adler Dolomiti has 120 rooms, all with TV (free movie channels), minibar, tea & coffee making facilities and free internet & wifi

Adler Thermae – Tuscany
Getting there
Flight to either Perugia, Florence, Pisa or Rome, then to Bagno Vignoni by private transfer or hire car
Leisure facilities
- 3000 sq m of beautifully landscaped gardens
- Adler Aquae, water world including thermal pools with hot water piped direct from the Bagno Vignoni natural spring
- Adler Spa, beauty & vitality zone, offering wide range of treatments
- Adler Fit, including a packed daily programme of activities in & outside the hotel
- AKI Kids Club
Restaurants & Bars
- One main restaurant, built in typical Tuscan style, with retractable roof
- One al fresco osteria for lunch during warmer months
- Wine Cellar for tastings
- Adler Cocktail Bar
Rooms
- Adler Thermae has 87 rooms, including superior double rooms, family junior suites and family suites, all with TV (free movie channels), minibar, tea & coffee making facilities and free internet & wifi

For more information, please contact:
Sue Heady
Heady Communications
T: 01608 651 692
E: sue@headycommunications.com