Almeria:
  Another Spanish trail heaven. This semi - desert region of southern Spain has possibly Europe's sunniest climate. It was the setting for many westerns. Head north - east from the airport and you'll reach the coastal region around the resort town of Mojacar, which makes a great base for out of season trail riding. You can ride straight out of the small coastal town and into the surrounding Sierras. The weather is glorious, the trails plentiful, and everything is close at hand. During the winter months, this area is fairly quiet and many of the tourist facilities close down. Flights to Almeria also become harder to find, but Alicante is less than four hour's drive away.
How to get there.
To Almeria or Alicante about £120. Car hire for one week is about £90. Head to Majacar, many small sea front hostels for about £15 p. p. night.
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Australia:
For exotic riding through rainforest on red earth trails, head for Cairns. The riding can be tricky-tight and twisty single-track. Take off in either direction up the coast from Cairns and you'll find marked trails, peppered with warnings about dangerous plants and animals to be avoided that adds extra frisson to the biking.

Explore the base of Uluru  [Ayers-rock] in the heart of Australia's red centre.
Or head on north to King's Canyon where the 100-million year old Finke river has cut gorges that beg to be ridden fast and hard. It's one hell of a wicked place to live with your mountain bike.

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Austria:
If you like your creature comforts, Chalet Levett is just outside St, Anton in the Austrian Alps. There are about 60 km of good marked trails on your doorstep. Austria has tons of great trail riding to keep you happy all day along, with fantastic mountain scenery around every twist and turn.

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Barcelona:
For a short break Barcelona takes some beating. It's amazingly cheap and easy to get to for a start. The weather is nice for most of the year the winters are generally mild and sunny, while summers are very hot and dry. The city is also a major centre for culture, if that's your bag. There are plenty of great rides to do within minutes of the city. To the north are the wooded hills around Mataro, where there's some great riding. To the west there's Montjuic, which has a whole load of superb trails. Keep heading inland towards Montserrat and things just get better.
How to get there:
Try Easyjet, Debonair, B.A, or Span-air flights for about £50 - £120 return. Take the train from the airport into town and check-in to a small hostel or Formula 1 chain hotel at about £10 - £15 per/room per/night.
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Crete:
Go to Crete in the summer and you'll be heading very cheaply to trail paradise. The weather is almost always warm and sunny, although it does snow inland in the winter. The bike riding is superb, stay on or off road, there really isn't that much difference. Fly to Iraklion, from there head east wards to the Dikti plains or south towards the famous white gorge. Trail finding is not that easy, most of the trails end up in some old blokes olive grove. That said it's still a great place for long distance riding.
How to get there:
Get a cheap charter flight or go self - catering from about £100 - £200. Accommodation is basic adequate and cheap. about £10 per/night see your local T.A. or Teletex.
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Cote-d-Azur:
Very chic, arguably the world's most richest coastline, play ground for the rich and famous it may be, but you can do it on the cheap. Catch a flight to Nice, then just head inland - or stay in Nice if you fancy it. Try to eat outside the main resorts, it's better value. Just head anywhere inland and you'll find good trails, the biking is typically Mediterranean, with loads of pine forest dusty tracks that tend to be dry all year. Try east from Nice towards St, Tropez and you'll find the rolling trails used for the famous Roc d`Azur race. Turn inland to Apt and there are masses of trails. or head north to Capd`Ail and test your metal on the finest downhill in Europe.
How to get there:
Try Easyjet to Nice about £60 - £100 return, or check with your local T.A., stay in a small budget hotel chain from about £15 per room.
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Ethiopia:
Dramatic biking with more than 6,500 meters of descending is in store for you if you head here. The remote Bale Mountains of Ethiopia have everything, dirt roads and gravel pistes to test your mtb skills. Explore remote villages, you could be the first foreigner the children have ever seen.

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France:
Morzine is the best place for summer mountain biking. Most trips here focus on down-hilling, but if you want to explore more, try asking the owners of the local chalet, they know the area very well. In the summer they run guided trips, including some big epic rides into Switzerland. There are more than 500 km of paths and single-tracks, more than 20 lifts to take you and your bike to the top, and 6 world class downhill course to play on.

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France & Pyrenees:
Normandy's Calvados country makes a good long weekend for newer bikers. On forest tracks, with challenging descents and river crossings you'll soon work up an big appetite, which is just the thing to enjoy the French food. The Cathar trail is a ride for any level it's in the foothills or the Pyrenees {it's not that technical} The Luchon Valley is renowned as one of the worlds best areas for mountain biking, with hundreds of miles of first class trails.

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Greece:
How about cycling through the land of ancient legend, from the shores of the Med to the mountains of Arcadia in the Peloponnesian peninsula. This area has non - technical routes following forest roads and rocky tracks that take in some of the best ancient sites. Lefkas in the Lonian islands has a reputation as one of Europe's top mtb destinations, trails lead inland through citrus groves towards the mountains. How about a surf, sail and cycle combo ?, you can do them in several places.

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Iceland:
Why not go and ride among the geysers and icecaps in Iceland's volcanic landscape. A good place to start from is Reykjavik, you will soon be among the stunning scenery, well off the tourist trail. 80 per cent is off-road and it can be challenging due to the weather changing all the time. Not for the faint hearted.

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Majorca:
  Only two hours form the U.K. the Island has tons to offer you, road riding or mountain biking it's all here. Winter is the best time to go, the weather is a hell of a lot better than home. Some times it can be chilly so be prepared. You can ride down quiet country stone walled roads, hit the many dirt tracks that head of into the mountains or just stick to tarmac. The North of the Island is very good for riding, as well as the West, in fact anywhere in Majorca is good for biking. Out of season is the best time, and cheaper.
How to get there:
Fly from your local airport, lots of airlines fly to Majorca, check with you local T.A. or Teletex. There are lots of package deals to be had and cheap too. Self - catering is the best bet, food and beer is cheap too.
Cycling trails: Bicyclemania ~ Majorca cycling ~ mountain biking ~ road trails
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Morocco:
The Tuareg trail in Morocco's Anti Atlas Mountains makes for great winter mountain biking, with plenty of descending. you could ride through remote villages surrounded by green terraces, explore canyons and visit palm-filled oases. There are top down-hills with wild scenery in the Atlas Mountains, rocky, steep and good dirt tracks. It's only four hours away, but the lifestyle is a million miles for Europe.

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Himalayas Nepal:
You need a few days acclimatising before tackling the famous Annapurna circuit by bike. Travelling along high ridges and over rugged mountain passes among the highest mountains in the world is not for the faint-hearted, but the awesome views make it worth the effort. In fact 75 per cent of the ride is downhill and it is virtually all off-road through a fascinating landscape.

Keadventure.com do Nepal- single-track village paths are the main roads in parts of Nepal and this two-week adventure from Pokhara to Kathmandu travels along them on a spectacular route, with views of the Annapurnas, a testing mile high climb to the rim of the Kathmanda valley and a downhill blast into the city to finish. This trip is fast becoming an mtb classic.

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 Sri Lanka:
The tea estate tracks and scenic jungle paths of Sri Lanka are the perfect setting for an mtb adventure. Travelling by bike, 90 per cent off-road, is the best way to see the country and maybe even some wildlife, elephants and leopards in the parks. This holiday takes in the main cultural sites, including the rock fortress at Sigiriya and Kandy's Temple  of the tooth, and the last two days are spent chilling-out  on a gorgeous beach.

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Tanzania:
This epic ride goes from Mount Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar. You won't ride to the top of the mountain, but you'll get a good view of it, plus the chance to go on safari in the famous Ngorongoro crater, with the largest concentration of game anywhere. Dirt roads and rocky tracks make up 90 per cent of the riding, through amazing scenery. Cost from £1,695 Exodus biking adventures.

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Spain:
The Picos de Europa, northern Spain, has never ending descents, sweeping forest trails and tricky gorge riding. No wonder Picos is one of the world's top 10 mtb destinations. You can't beat Andalucia in southern Spain for a sunny biking break. there are trails for all levels. For off - season breaks in the sun, fly to Majorca. In the North of the island there are trails through olive groves and along some beautiful coast lines, plus mountains to bust a gut on. Don't forget Tenerife, head for the North of the island where the riding is wicked. The down-hills on the Macizo de Anaga peninsula are among the best anywhere.

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Tenerife: