UPDATED April 20, 2026 BY The TDA Team IN Road of Empires no comments Cycling the Mediterranean In Europe and North Africa Andaluca, Algeria, Tunisia & SicilyFor many years TDA Global Cycling had been considering a cycling tour that would link Europe and North Africa. With our Operations Manager, Miles, coming up with the inspiration for the route and the name, we decided to forge ahead, and in 2025 we ran the first edition of The Road of Empires. This brilliant trans-Mediterranean route allows cyclists to visit southern Spain and Sicily, as well as Algeria and Tunisia, while crossing the Mediterranean by ferry, twice. It was, and remains today, a daunting logistical challenge for our operations team. It is, however, well worth the extra effort, creating a one of a kind cycling adventure that explores places few get to visit by bike.The first edition of the tour gave our cycling participants a chance to better understand the intertwined history of the region, including the empires that moved across those lands, and to see just how many similarities and contrasts exist culturally on both continents along the Mediterranean to this very day.We sat down with our Operations Manager to discuss how he came up with the concept and what the riders can expect to experience along the way during the next Road of Empires adventure scheduled to start in Seville in March, 2027.Exploring More of Spain and ItalyIn Spain and Sicily, where TDA has already run tours, it was not difficult to research additional options. For Spain, we wanted to include the southern Spanish cities of Seville, Granada and Cordoba with their Roman and Moorish history and grand architecture. In terms of cycling in Spain, we knew how incredible the roads are in Andalusia and how beautiful the Sierra Nevadas would be.For Sicily, it was similar, in that we wanted to cycle new regions of the island, areas that we do not currently cover on our Viva Italia tour. So we included a visit to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the chance to visit the ancient mosaics nearby in Piazza Armerina. Finishing in Syracuse, once the capital of the Byzantine Empire, was a fitting way to conclude the trip. Algeria and Tunisia & North AfricaAlgeria and Tunisia were much more difficult to research. In Tunisia, there have been some local cycling tours, as well as more independent cyclists crossing the country, but in Algeria there had been no commercial cycling tours in recent decades and very little information from independent cyclists. This was a big part of the draw for us. We love to open new countries to cycle tourism and experience new lands and cultures ourselves.We spent months researching roads with satellite viewing, searching out local contacts in both countries to communicate with, reading up on the historical and cultural highlights to visit, and planning a scouting trip to go and check all the details. This is where we were able to confirm the areas suitability for cycling, in terms of safety, logistics, accommodations, government approvals, ancient ruins to visit and, most importantly, the potential for fun! In North Africa, what will be remembered by the riders, without a doubt, is the hospitality and curiosity of the local people along the way. They will also be amazed by the lush, green environment of the North African coast, the abundance of Roman ruins, the cultural influence of previous French colonialism, and the incredible cycling. Many of our participants on the first Road of Empires noted that some of the days were the nicest routes theyd ever ridden.Anyone who loves exploring new lands, cycling along coastlines and through mountains, experiencing and learning about different cultures, who has dreamed of being an archeologist (or at least are ready to be amazed by the ancient ruins along the route), and anyone who is up for an adventure, is going to love this cycling adventure!RELATEDTOURRoad of Empires Pedal through history on the Road of Empires Cycling Adventure. Spin through Spain, Algeria, Tunisia & Sicily and learn about the Moors, Romans... Related Posts:Leave a Comment for "Cycling the Mediterranean In Europe and North Africa Andaluca, Algeria, Tunisia & Sicily" Cancel reply