Photo Itinerary: Dublin to London 2024

Dublin to London 2024

Dear Cycling Enthusiasts,

Santana Adventures always dreamed of offering a British Isles adventure spanning all six kingdoms. In 2019, we chartered the Star Breeze for a cycling cruise of Northern Ireland and the Northern Coast of Scotland. The cycling was spectacular, but our vision was not yet fully realized. Our new Dublin to London itinerary is a culmination of over a dozen years of planning and scouting in order to offer you the ultimate British Isles cycling experience with rides in all six countries!

Embark Day - Santana’s 2024 British Isles Cycling Cruise embarks in Dublin, where a warm-up ride from our optional Dublin PreTour will take you through the heart of the Irish Capital.

After a short jaunt through Temple Bar, a vivacious district with live music and dozens of pubs, we’ll glide a few miles down the coast to meet the Star Breeze for embark. After a brief introduction and route talk, a welcoming-night culinary experience awaits!

Day 2 - The following morning we’ll wake up in Northern Ireland, where our ride along one of the most spectacular coastlines in the world will take us to a clifftop castle perched over the Atlantic. As we pedal down the coast we’ll pause at one of the natural wonders of the United Kingdom.

Climbing across the stones at Giant’s Causeway, it’s incredible to imagine how an ancient underwater volcano created such a unique honeycomb pattern in the rocks along the cliffs.

A little further down the cliffs, we'll take a jaunt across the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede to enjoy the splendor of the Northern Irish coast.

Next we’ll take a short stop at a castle built in the 4th century to fend off the Saxon raiders along Northern Ireland’s coast.

As our rides loop inland into the Irish countryside, the Bushmills Distillery greets us as we pedal into a small village. After a quick tour and a little liquid courage, we'll ride through the eerie Dark Hedges of Northern Ireland on our way back to Portrush.

Day 3 - After sailing up the Firth of Clyde, our third day of riding begins in a small town outside Glasgow. Today's route options will let you choose between pedaling the Scottish countryside or a bit of urban cycling through Glasgow’s city center for a tour of the gothic architecture.

Whether you’re seeking a challenging cycling tour with long miles or a relaxing glide through nature; every day you’ll have a choice of rides and route stops. All of the rides are GPS led, so that you can enjoy the British Isles your way and at your own pace.

On each night of our cruise we’ll enjoy dinner in any one of the five restaurants aboard the Star Breeze, while our floating five-star resort transports us to our next hand-selected cycling destination.

Day 4 - This morning we’ll hop on our bikes to explore the fourth country in four days, the Isle of Man. Famous for an annual motorcycle race, the roads traversing the coast of the island hug the hillsides so that you can take in the majestic views with hardly any climbing.

Riding from Douglas, we’ll pedal alongside a rail trail with an accompanying steam train, before accepting a blessing at the Fairy Bridge. Our rides continue across the Isle of Man, weaving our way past ancient castles, Victorian churches, nature preserves… and a brief stop at the cat sanctuary.

Day 5 - The next morning we'll arrive in the fifth country of our cycling voyage, Wales. It's now technically part of the UK… just don’t tell the Welsh that! Our rides from Holyhead explore the island of Anglesey, where the bike paths wind through awe-inspiring sequoia forests.

One of Jan’s favorite highlights is a short hike down the “thousand steps'' and across a bridge to reach a picturesque island lighthouse perched over the sea.

Long routes have the option to cross into mainland Wales by way of a scenic suspension bridge that crosses the Menai strait. Although it's so narrow that it looks just like a river, it's actually a saltwater strait that separates Anglesey from the mainland.

Day 6 - After a cruise across the Irish Sea, we’ll awake in Cork for an authentic Irish experience.

Today’s rides wind through the emerald green fields of the Irish countryside as we make our way to one of the age-old mysteries of the British Isles.

The exact origins of these ancient stone circles remain elusive, many speculate they were erected as tombs to great chiefs, sacrificial altars to the old gods, or even portals to another realm.

Regardless of your beliefs about these enigmas, the majesty of these sacred places is palpable as you stand before them in the lush green fields.

Do you have the Gift of Gab? After a ride through the gentle countryside we’ll come upon a castle that may bestow its gift upon you. All it takes is one kiss of the Blarney Stone, a relic with nearly as much intriguing lore as the stone circles themselves.

As we return to Cork, we’ll pause to receive the blessings of an ancient Holy Well, where the healing waters are said to restore the body and soul.

Day 7 - Our next day of cycling in Southern Wales explores the Gower Peninsula from Swansea. Nestled amongst the bays and beach side towns, today’s rides journey through the UK’s very first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (similar to State Parks in the US).

Today’s long route will pass by TEN castles as we weave our way through the countryside of Glamorgan and Southern Wales. As we arrive back in Swansea, we’ll have ample time to explore “the Market,” a glass-ceiling marketplace with over 100 local shops and vendors offering everything from Welsh-Italian ice cream, Welsh Cakes, Glamorgan Sausage, and handmade jewelry.

Day 8 - On the eighth day of our British Isles Cycling Cruise, we'll arrive in the sixth and final country of our epic adventure, England, for an exploration of Cornwall & Devon.

Starting our ride in Falmouth, we’ll journey just outside town to the iconic Pendennis Castle & Half Moon Battery where the British defended their shores from German U-Boats and the threat of invasion.

Today’s routes glide along the roads and bike paths nestled along the beaches of Cornwall before splitting up to enter Devon in two directions. One route will trace the Lynher River Valley, crossing the river via the picturesque Lynher Viaduct to enjoy the natural beauty of Devon’s countryside as you ride into Plymouth.

The second option coasts along the Rame Peninsula overlooking Plymouth Sound and pauses at the posh Mount Edgcomb House before taking a short ferry ride across the sound into Plymouth.

Day 9 - Our ninth day of cycling begins from Newhaven, where we’ll explore the jewels of East Sussex. A combination of white chalk cliffs and trendy beach side towns, our rides through the nature parks of East Sussex provide a idyllic and relaxing final day of riding before the hustle & bustle of London.

As our overnight cruise to reach London is longer than most, we’ll depart in the early afternoon and repack our bikes on the sun deck as we cruise along the coast.

Disembark Day - The Crown Jewel of our cruise is our morning arrival into London.

We’ll cruise up the Thames through the morning fog and pass under the floodlit Tower Bridge just before sunrise, docking a few hundred yards away next to the HMS Belfast, the most coveted cruise port in London.