hi all,

I am contemplating a very long tour, starting in Europe, going eastwards. Europe is the right place for me to start in terms of timing (starting, say, June 1), and culture and language, and ease for the first few months of a tour.

I am interested in almost everywhere in Europe, but I would prioritize: (1) good riding, (2) landscapes including mountains, valleys, and water features, (3) interesting history, (4) cost. For the sake of cost, and the sake of novelty, I would like to spend some time in the south and east/central Europe. If I start June 1, I imagine that I have about 5 months before it gets too cold, depending on where I end up.

The more I draw lines on the map, the less I can come up with a route that even vaguely goes in one direction. I'd like to start off in the far west, Shannon or maybe Gibraltar. I'd like to see some Roman Empire history in Spain and Italy. I'd like to end somewhere geographically sensible where I can catch a flight. Istanbul would make sense for Central/Eastern Europe, and possibly even for riding along to Georgia (although that part sounds rather dull). On the other hand, I am intrigued by the northern countries and would really love to end in St Petersburg, although that has consequences in terms of weather.

A couple examples of the twisty routes I am contemplating:

Shannon to St P via the Mediterranean (!), about 9000 km
http://goo.gl/maps/j0RmV

Shannon to Istabul via Italy, about 8500 km
http://goo.gl/maps/QIfy6

Obviously I am all over the map, quite literally. So I put it to you:
Where are your favorite rides in Europe? What suggestions do you have about places not to miss? Where is the riding particularly good?

All feedback welcome. Thanks!