Sailing on board a tall ship is like taking a journey back in time to the era of great voyages and world discovery. A holiday of this kind allows you to rediscover a slower pace in a world that seems to be spinning ever faster. Take the time to travel, simply for the sake of traveling! Experience the unique atmosphere of being on board a historical sailing ship and enjoy excursions to shore with plenty of cycling tours on our Islandhopping Sail & Bike tours.

Enjoy the fresh sea breeze as the ship cuts through the blue-green sea. Allow experienced sailors to introduce you to the art of sailing and see if you have the courage to take the helm of the impressive vessel. The shared experience of setting the sails and working together as a team creates a special bond and a unique group feeling among our guests. The atmosphere on board is quite extraordinary and bringing such a large ship under full sail is truly thrilling. Anyone who has the chance to sail the seas on board a Tallship never forgets the experience!

On our sail and bike tours you will be able to call one of our extraordinary ships your home for the week. All our tall ships have their own, interesting histories, from former lightships to old herring loggers. Every ship has been lovingly converted into a passenger vessel, each preserving its traditional character, retaining echoes of its former life. The captains are very proud of their vessels and are always happy to answer questions about the ship’s history and navigation.

The motto of our Sail & Bike tours is “cyclist in the morning, sailor in the afternoon!”. Adventure, diverse days at sea and fantastic cycling tours on land is what awaits you on this extraordinary active holiday by sailing ship!

We offer our sailing adventures in Scotland, Denmark, Holland and Sweden.

Requirements for our Sail & Bike tours

All our cycling tours require a basic level of fitness as well as safe bike handling. However, there is something very important to us at Islandhopping regarding all our bike tours: it is a vacation and it is your time to have fun and relax. Therefore, we don’t want you to feel pressured at any point during the cycling tours. We ensure that there is always plenty of time to complete the tours at a comfortable pace. There is always time to stop for a drink, to take photos or simply to enjoy the view! The cycling stages of our Sail & Bike tours were designed to be guided cycling tours. However, as long as it is discussed with the guides in advance and a suitable route is chosen, nothing should stand in the way of individual cycling, should this be your wish.

Cycling Levels of our Islandhopping Tours:

It is impossible to predict whether a cycling tour will be easy or difficult for a guest. Several factors play a major role such as individual physical fitness, general well-being, how each individual copes with cycling in different temperatures, and the choice of bike (with or without electronic support).

Nevertheless, to give an idea of the requirements for our Islandhopping tours, we have categorised them into different levels:

Applies to all Levels:	Safe cycling skills and familiarity with road traffic are prerequisites for taking part in our tours. The daily stages vary between 20 and 60 km. All tours, including the elevation gains, can be mastered more easily with electronic assistance. Anyone renting an e-bike should already have experience and be confident in handling e-bikes, as these bikes are significantly heavier and faster than conventional bikes.
Level 1 / 5	Cycling tours through predominantly flat terrain, mostly on paved bike paths or well-maintained roads. Suitable for cyclists who ride occasionally but can handle several-hour-long bike tours.
Level 2 / 5	Cycling tours through gently rolling terrain with ascents of up to approximately 150 meters. Mostly on paved bike paths and low-traffic roads or well-maintained gravel paths. Suitable for cyclists who enjoy multi-hour tours and can confidently handle descents.
Level 3 / 5	Cycling tours through hilly terrain with longer ascents of up to approximately 250 meters. Mostly on paved, low-traffic roads, occasionally on unpaved gravel or forest paths. Suitable for cyclists who ride regularly and can confidently navigate varying surface conditions.
Level 4 / 5	Cycling tours through hilly to mountainous terrain with some steeper ascents of up to approximately 400 meters. Requires confident riding on winding descents, uneven asphalt, and occasionally gravel paths. Suitable for experienced cyclists accustomed to longer daily stages.
Level 5 / 5	Cycling tours through mountainous terrain with demanding ascents exceeding 500 meters. Requires excellent bike handling, even on descents with steep hairpin turns and unpaved paths. Suitable for highly experienced cyclists accustomed to challenging routes.

Guided Group Pace:

On most of our Sail & Bike tours you can choose between a hybrid bike and an e-bike. However, the guided group pace is based on the speed of the hybrid bike cyclists. Those who rent an e-bike on a hybrid bike tour are asked to show consideration for those who ride without electronic assistance. Hybrid cyclists need more breaks and more time to cycle the hills. We thank you for your understanding.

Special features of Tall Ships

As our sailing ships are too big for small fishing ports, most nights are spent on anchor. This means that the cycling day often begins with a short crossing to shore in a dinghy. Sure-footedness and a certain degree of mobility are required when getting on and off a tall ship. The tour guides and crew are always happy to give assistance if necessary. In Great Britain, the tidal range (high and low tide) results in the ship only being able to be reached by ladder or dinghy in some ports. In general, wind, swell (groundswell) and tides have a great influence on the timing and course of the tour.