Caesar Tour Cycle from London to Rome

From charming boutiques to well-deserved comfort, our accommodations are carefully selected to reflect the unique character of each region. We favour places with a true sense of place over big chain hotels, ensuring your stay is as memorable as the ride itself. Depending on the stage, you’ll experience everything from luxurious retreats to functional stays, always selected with care to suit the journey. Below are a range of hotels we use on your tour.

A great boutique hotel in this fabulous authentic village. This 18th century farmhouse makes for a lovely first stop in France.

Sleep and dine in the biggest castle in Europe, built in the early 15th century in the beautiful Ardennes region of France.

Villa Carpenada was built in the second half of the 17th century as the summer residence of bishop Giulio Berlendis. It is now a boutique 4-star hotel with a great restaurant serving fine Bellunese cuisine.

Situated in the beguiling medieval village of Sovana this 4 star resort transports you back to the Etruscan age with its unique views.

Nestled in the heart of the historical centre of San Marino our 4 star spa hotel is newly classified as a bike hotel as well. This is a great spot from where to enjoy our overnight stay in the world’s oldest Republic.

We choose our restaurants because they are exceptional and unique.

Whether they are haute cuisine, local farm fayre, fine Italian 4-course dining or local boar stew, every meal is guaranteed to be memorable. From the land of fish and chips and chicken tikka masala, we cross into the heartland of moules frites, beer and chocolate. Enjoy the gastronomic wonders of France as we travel through the lands of Champagne and Burgundy. Classic culinary names such as boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin are on the menu.

Fondue and raclette fuel us over the Swiss Alps and into Italy, where every region offers something new; the risottos of Lombardy and the mountain fare of the Dolomites, before we descend down to the seafood of the Adriatic and pasta delights
of Emilia Romagna. The rustic fare of Tuscany is next, before we finish off with the seasonally focused culinary art of Rome.

A gourmet meal in the historic centre of Troyes in the 18th century home of Claudine and Gilles. Nouvelle cuisine doesn’t always suit the rigours of bike touring but it is the perfect way to celebrate the end of week one.

One of our favourite gastronomic areas of Italy is the Valtellina. This restaurant is a fine proponent of it with wonderful pizzoccheri washed down with Inferno and Sassella wines.

Possibly the finest buffet meal on any of the tours we run. Situated on the border of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany the renowned chef Paolo Teverini has embraced the notion of ‘Cucina Naturale’ and serves up a feast for the ages.

We pride ourselves on providing the best picnics. These are always in spectacular locations, be it at a historical site or a breathtaking view. The produce will always be local, fresh and exceptional.

‘I Would rather be first in a village than second in Rome.’ Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in Rome on 12 or 13 July 100 BCE into the prestigious Julian clan. His family were closely connected with the Marian faction in Roman politics. Caesar himself progressed within the Roman political system, becoming in succession quaestor (69), aedile (65) and praetor (62). In 61-60 BCE he served as governor of the Roman province of Spain. Back in Rome in 60, Caesar made a pact with Pompey and Crassus, who helped him to get elected as consul for 59 BCE.

The following year he was appointed governor of Roman Gaul where he stayed for eight years, adding the whole of modern France and Belgium to the Roman empire, and making Rome safe from the possibility of Gallic invasions. He made two expeditions to Britain, in 55 BCE and 54 BCE.

Caesar then returned to Italy, disregarding the authority of the senate and famously crossing the Rubicon river without disbanding his army. In the ensuing civil war Caesar defeated the republican forces. Pompey, their leader, fled to Egypt where he was assassinated. Caesar followed him and became romantically involved with the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.

Caesar was now master of Rome and made himself consul and dictator. He used his power to carry out much-needed reform, relieving debt, enlarging the senate, building the Forum Iulium and revising the calendar.

Dictatorship was always regarded a temporary position but in 44 BCE, Caesar took it for life. His success and ambition alienated strongly republican senators. A group of these, led by Cassius and Brutus, assassinated Caesar on the Ides (15) of March 44 BCE. This sparked the final round of civil wars that ended the Republic and brought about the elevation of Caesar’s great nephew and designated heir, Octavian, as Augustus, the first emperor.