It’s ‘Travel Week’ on Cycling Weekly: your guide to the best holiday destinations, and the kit you’ll need to make it happen

Looking to escape the winter grind? Between the 16th and 21st, January it's Travel Week here at Cycling Weekly! We'll be dreaming of the best cycling holiday destinations and sharing with you all our tips, tricks and advice for getting the very best out of your time abroad. 

There are few things better than the sense of achievement - and the incredible views - you get some summiting cycling's most iconic climbs. But let's not forget the plethora of equally stunning - although lesser known - mountain roads which network through the hinterlands of so many cycling destinations.

Whether the whole point of your trip is to further enhance your climbing prowess -  or if you're looking to develop your climbing abilities so as to better enjoy and explore more widely the place you'll be traveling to - a few tips on how to improve your climbing is something almost all of us will benefit from.

Of course, there's still that age-old question: should you hire a bike or take your own for a cycling holiday?

You can find top spec bikes at many hire locations, so if you've always wanted to ride one of the best road bikes - such as a Pinarello Dogma F with top drawer components - or just want to try what a different bike feels like to ride, hiring might give you the chance you've been waiting for.

On the other hand, taking your own bike though means it's ready set up with the saddle height, offset and reach exactly as it should be. But if you decide that you want to go down this route, you’ll want to invest in one of the best bike bags or boxes for easy and safe transportation.

Finally, warm weather riding means it's time to dig out your warm weather clothes - if you need to refresh your summer attire, check out our guides to the best bib shorts, and the best short sleeve cycling jerseys.

We've got plenty to come this week, from cycling in France and Scotland, winter gravel getaways and how to get the greatest fitness bang for your buck from a cycling training camp. But if you just can't wait, here's a few pages you can jump straight in on...

Best cycling destinations and training tips

• How to prepare for a cycling holiday or training camp 
• 10 tips for success in the mountains
• Cycling in France: eight must visit locations
• Cycling in Mallorca: where to go, what to ride
• Cycling in Gran Canaria: the diverse island that should be next on your 'to do' list 

What's coming up...?

We'll be adding hyperlinks as the pages go live…

• Ask a cycling coach: 'Big days and rest days or riding every day - how should I structure my training camp or vacation?'
• Scotland’s best road and gravel routes: how to make the most of cycling in Scotland
• Cycling holidays in the UK: Britain’s best road and gravel destinations for a low-cost break
• Revisiting Île de Ré, France turned into the best family cycling holiday we've ever had
• Top five US gravel getaways —and routes— to escape winter weather