Chattanooga, TN, January 2006 — BikeToursDirect, the one-stop resource for European bike tours, has unveiled its 2006 schedule of European bike tours with more than 150 cycling adventures in 27 countries. By working directly with local bike tour operators in Europe, BikeToursDirect is able to provide its clients with lower prices, the expertise of a local guide or company, a tremendous variety of itineraries and the convenience of hundreds of departures. The company handles all aspects of the booking process: reservations, payments and tour operator contact and couples this with a user-friendly web site, www.BikeToursDirect.com.

Visitors to the website can specify destinations, dates, level of difficulty and/or a price range to find details on guided and self-guided tours that match their needs. They can use the site's extensive reference material — how to choose the right tour, packing lists, fitness tips, what to expect, etc. — call the company directly with questions or to seek expert advice, sign up for a free newsletter, link to related sites, read feedback from past clients or book online. Prices are quoted in Euros with conversion to dollars done at favorable bank exchange rates. BikeToursDirect also designs custom tours, group programs and incentive travel packages, and works directly with bike clubs to help increase club awareness and promote cycling.

The most popular of BikeToursDirect's itineraries and one of 35 offered in Austria is the "Danube Bike Path." The six- to 10-day self-guided tour begins in Passau or Linz and journeys along some of the most beautiful stretches of the Danube, passing vineyards, ancient castles and abbeys and charming towns and villages, before ending in Vienna, Austria’s capital and cultural center. Easily customized and a favorite of families, the tour has daily departures run between April 8 and October 22, 2006, with prices ranging from €375 (@$450) per person, double for six days to €657 ($788) for 10 days. Rates for children under 15 are discounted; extra nights and a dinner meal plan are available.

"Florence to Rome," one of eight Tuscan itineraries, is an eight-day cycling adventure through the land of the Renaissance. The rich history and art of the two cities mix with the rolling hills of Tuscany, Umbria and Latium on the guided or self-guided itinerary. Small villages make way to the cities and towns of Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, Spello, Terni, Narni and Calvi as cyclists journey along the 180-mile route. Self-guided fares are €667 ($800), the guided alternative is €915 ($1,098); both versions have nine departures between April 22 and September 30, 2006.

It's Rembrandt's 400th birthday in 2006 and BikeToursDirect celebrates with the eight-day guided "Rembrandt Trail," a cycling and barge trip along landscapes depicted in his etchings and paintings. City walks and museum visits are included at prices of €619 ($743) and €694 ($833) with Saturday departures from April 22 to September 16, 2006. Growing in popularity, this tour is one of 25 bike and boat/barge combinations.

The eight-day "Krakow Dunajec" itinerary offers an intimate glimpse of the dynamic and culturally-wealthy city of Krakow and the stunning scenery along the Dunajec River in Southern Poland. Averaging 25 miles per day, participants are accompanied by a local guide, familiar with the culture, history and nature of the region. The tour departs Saturdays from May 20 through Sept. 9, and Sept. 30, and is priced at €460 ($552) with additional nights in Krakow offered at €35 ($42) per person, double.

Other destinations range from the familiar, like Provence, Burgundy, the Rhine Valley and Ireland, to exotic routes in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Norway and Lithuania; about 40% offer a choice of guided or self-guided.

BikeToursDirect has departures from March through October. The tours, with rides ranging from 20 to 40 miles per day, include accommodations in two- to four-star hotels and inns, breakfast daily, luggage transport, a tour packet with transfer information, tour description, route maps and detailed route planning, and sightseeing information. An emergency hotline is given to riders on self-guided trips and a dinner plan is optional. Guided departures add dinners, a support van or bus, professional guide, admissions and guided sightseeing. Nearly all tours offer bike rentals but not helmets. Air, transfers, city stay packages, rail passes, car rentals and extra nights in major cities can be booked through BikeToursDirect's travel partner, Nonstop Travel.

Additional information and reservations are available at www.BikeToursDirect.com

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