It's been dreary and gray outside BTD headquarters lately, so we're pretty mesmerized by the thought of spring travel destinations right now. That's why we're offering our Facebook friends a great discount for select April and May departures of the Amsterdam-Bruges (and reverese) by Bike and Boat tour.

The Mexican Caribbean weekend edition of USA Today included an article on BikeToursDirect's recent announcement that we're expanding to Mexico!

We’re really excited to announce that our 2012 tour roster will now span FIVE continents! We’re adding our first North American destination – Mexico! Following meetings last week at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Chiapas, Mexico, BikeToursDirect reached an agreement to represent EcoColors Tours, a Cancun-based tour operator.

CNN Travel ran a story this week on the importance of choosing the right outfitter for adventure travel. We agree with their focus on finding an operator you can trust, so we make that part of the adventure travel planning process easy on you. We work closely with each tour operator we represent to ensure the reliability and level of customer service our clients expect.

I just returned from a tour in Apulia and Basilicata, and cycle tourists who visit the area are in for a treat!

I was impressed on all levels. The routes were well-selected for scenery with low (or no) traffic and generally easy to follow (other than some quickly corrected wrong turns in a couple cities). It had its share of rolling hills but nothing especially long and steep, and your route should generally be a tad flatter than mine. The overnight locations were all interesting and, for a tour in a fairly small area, remarkably varied. We rode through vineyards and olive groves, through small towns and villages, remote countryside, deep forests and along the Adriatic Coast.

Likewise, the lodging was varied--living in sassi (renovated millennia-old caves) in Matera, in centuries-old traditional trulli (traditional stone "huts" with all the comforts of home) in Alberobello, in a medieval hotel in Ostuni and in a renovated farmhouse in Otranto. The food was fantastic. We had one meal pre-ordered and included, and course after course of appetizers, pasta dishes and main meat courses came out family style, followed by delightful desserts. That was at the beginning of the tour, and it only got better!

Rentals bikes were high-quality and well-maintained.

The tour company, Bike Basilicata, was responsive, attentive and professional.

I have posted several (unedited) videos from my tour at www.youtube.com/biketoursdirect. Apulia and Basilicata tours are listed on our site under the Italy tours.

Please contact us for further information!

Our local tour partners are offering a $100 per person discount off the Danube Waltz Bike and Boat tour from Passau to Budapest via Vienna and Bratislava.

Once again, Austria’s Danube Bike Path tops the list of most popular European bicycle routes for BikeToursDirect clients, and it is easy to understand why. Offering care-free cycling on a dedicated, paved bicycle path, tours along the Danube take cycle tourists through picturesque medieval towns, lush farmlands and sprawling vineyards—the full European experience along a leisurely route that is perfect for families and first-time cycle tourists.

So, you know you’d like to take a bicycle vacation—but how do you choose from hundreds of bicycle tours available worldwide?  And, better yet, how do you find an overseas bike tour that matches your specific interests, preferences and budget?