With a nickname like “the Florence of Asia,” Kyoto begs a closer look. Crammed with a stunning wealth of cultural and historical treasures—it boasts a whopping 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites and over 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, to start—the bustling city offers an incredible mix of the ancient and modern worlds. From the maze of the downtown’s fascinating restaurants to the workshops of traditional craftspeople, from busy markets to über-mellow tea houses, you’ll come away understanding why Kyoto is among B&R’s favourite cities; one that hardly feels like a city at all.

• The Kyoto Post-Trip is an add-on to our Japan Biking trip. Read more about this trip here.

Day 1 Wander the tetsuhaku-no-michi (“philosopher’s walk”) past temples and shrines before hitting the fantastic washi (Japanese paper) stores in town
Day 2 Walk to the wooden Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto’s most visible landmark, then spend the afternoon learning the basics of Noh dancing with an expert instructor
Day 3 Breakfast and sayonara in Kyoto