Seven wonders of the cycling world

Reuters

STONE AGED: The Vaison-la-Romaine in Provence, France, once a bustling Roman centre, now one of the Seven Wonders of the Cycling World.

BEACHED AS: Sables d'Or-Les-Pins' soft white sands are among the finest in Europe.

CONE HOME: Alberobello's Trullo houses are an architectural symbol of the World Heritage-listed Puglia region.

OLDEST SCHOOL: Spoleto is crammed full of Roman artefacts and relics.

DRINK UP: The Austrian town of Retz is a wine metropolis.

WATER CASTLE: Lake Constance's Schloss Laufen offers stunning views of the Rhine waterfalls.

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The Seven Wonders of the World have multiplied: Seven Modern Wonders, Seven Natural Wonders, Seven Medieval Wonders... Although each list is different, the entries tend to be famous landmarks or prized monuments.

Cycling and walking tour company Headwater is always on the lookout for the lesser-known tiny treasures from around the world that still pack a punch, so for their 25th birthday, they have come up with the Seven Wonders of the Cycling World.

Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence, France: France's most extensive Roman site (4300 years old) where remains include a 6000-seat theatre, baths, houses and streets.

Pech Merle, Lot Valley, France: Rediscovered in 1922, the 2km-long prehistoric galleried caves at Pech Merle contain striking rock formations and more than 100 wall-paintings dating from 20,000-40,000 years ago - bison, mammoth, dappled ponies, hand and footprints.

Sables d'Or-Les-Pins, Brittany, France: The stunning poppy-fringed beaches are among the finest in Europe: soft white sands, clear turquoise seas and deserted sheltered coves.

Alberobello, Puglia, Italy: Alberobello features Trullo houses: conical-roofed limestone dwellings, the architectural symbol of the Unesco World Heritage-listed region. Historic wine towns, colourful fishing villages and tiny hamlets overlook the emerald seas of the Adriatic.

Spoleto, Umbria, Italy: The fascinating city of Spoleto is crammed with Roman remains including Emperor Vespasian's house, a 10th-century church, original baths and mosaics. The castle here used to be a prison, now it's an art museum.

Retz, Austria: The beautiful pastel-coloured walled town of Retz is also a wine metropolis. Venture below ground you can tour its huge multi-level network of wine cellars - at 21km long and 30m deep, they're by far the largest in the country.

Schloss Laufen, Lake Constance, Austria: Tiny Schloss (Castle) Laufen perches precariously above the tumbling Rhine waterfalls.

Each of the Seven Cycling Wonders of the World can be experienced on Headwater cycle tour - which also include a gastronomic cycling tour of Provence, an Emerald Coast cycling holiday in Brittany and a Puglia cycle tour along the Adriatic. For more information Adventure World on 0800 899 111 or visit adventureworld.co.nz.

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