Italy Bike Tour Reviews (page 4)
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★★★★★ Laura Peck 8 months agoOne of the best vacations I have ever taken
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
We did the self-guided, and loved it, the maps were fantastic, only got a little lost a few times, someone has done a lot of work on getting the logistics of this week nailed down very well, including luggage being moved. Great way to see parts of Italy no one else sees. Some of the hotels were AMAZING, a couple were a little run-down and needed to be crossed off the list, got locked out of one and ended up having to get another hotel (at our own expense, and without all of our luggage as it was in the original) that night because the front desk clerk went home at 10 pm (this was also one of the run-down places). Breakfasts were perfect at all locations. Route was gorgeous, Italy is absolutely beautiful. Overall, this was great and we are already talking about our next one.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 20 - 27, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Kathleen Ball 8 months ago
Wonderful way to experience Italy!
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Some days were harder than others but the views were grand. Hotels were charming and will choose to upgrade the hotels for our next trip. Looking forward to scheduling our next bike trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Chris MacMillan 8 months agoSpectacular scenery, poor bike maintenance
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
The scenery was spectacular and memorable. The hotels were good. However in the middle of the trip my bike handlebars came loose and the bike was very difficult to steer towards the hotel. Also I found the Funtastic navigation app to be unreliable.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Anthony Ladson 8 months agoWonderful bike tour
· Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
I had a great time. Everything went well. The scenery was great. The biking was just at the right level of challenge. Hotels were comfortable. I loved it all and highly recommend this tour to others.
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★★★★★ Chris MacMillan 8 months agoHot in Italy in August
· A Taste of Italy: Emilia-Romagna
Enjoyable cities and food. Bike routes a bit bumpy but easy. Unfortunately very hot 🔥 this year in Italy. Tour operator helpful with flat tires.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Maria Bachman 9 months agoBeyond All Expectations
· · Venice to Mantua by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This trip was beautifully executed from the minute we came on board. Our outstanding guide, Helmut made us feel welcome and was always attentive to our safety and comfort. The captain Jano was personable and we felt in capable hands with him as well as the engineer, Andrea. The food was 5 ⭐️! Sylvia and Alberto treated everyone with meals based on local traditions and mouth-watering flavors! It was easy to see that a lot of thought and planning went into creating a unique experience traveling through the countrysides of Italy. The charming tours and cappuccino stops along the way were perfectly timed and delightful. The crew fostered an ambience of comaraderie amongst the group. The social aspect of the tour made it even more memorable with lively conversations and the exchange of cultures. We could not have asked for a better vacation - already planning where to go next year!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July-August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first one.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Anthony Ladson 9 months ago
Wonderful trip
· Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
I greatly enjoyed this ride and highly recommend it. The recommended routes were scenic and you could explore more if you wanted. The hotels were excellent and my gear was picked and moved every day without issue. I also loved the bike that was provided.
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★★★★★ Timothy Mulligan 10 months agoAmazingly good trip
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This trip covers a lot of ground and a variety of spectacular scenery! My 4th bike trip and easily my favorite. We spent the extra day in Bled, which turned out to be a good decision and was a nice break after 3 days on the bikes.
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★★★★★ Louise C van Vonno 10 months agoFantastic but more challenging then we are used to!
· Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
My husband and I have done over 10 bike tours around the world and this was by far the most challenging. If we had received the itinerary earlier than 6:30pm the day before we started we might have requested some route adjustments but there just wasn't time. We were assured by the local cycling company that provided the excellent e-bikes that we should be careful about battery usage but we would be OK. We were ok but truly exhausted at the end of most days. The route was excellent and we wanted to go back to some of the towns we visited when we weren't so tired.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June/ July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Michel 10 months ago
Six days of great cycling!
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Beautifull scenery. Well organized despite my last minute booking. Most helpfull staff.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Six
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Rob Russell 10 months ago
Fantastic bike trip - downhill all the way!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
I did this trip with my daughter who had never been to Italy. The folks at ''Fun Active Tours" were exceptional. They let us have the bikes a day early, call our hotels to make sure we had two beds as some of the hotels thought 'double' ment one bed! They let my daughter ride with the luggage transfer guy in the middle of the tour as her U-?-What was sore ;). Hotels were great and the route was unbelievable. Frendly Italians and some of the best food we've ever had. Go for it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Lisa Samson-Fang 10 months agoHad a great time!
· Sardinia: A Mine of Memories
Great week in Sardinia biking. Everything planned for us on a self-guided tour. Great accommodations. Great routes. Beautiful. I would consider upgrading bike to lighter bike next time (e.g. gravel bike). Otherwise, wouldn't change a thing,it was perfect.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Paula Seliga 10 months agoCycling and Cooking in Tuscany
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
We had excellent guides, hosts, chefs, restaurants, sites to see, bikes, fellow tourists, and accommodations. The only thing I would have changed is to begin the cooking classes earlier, so we could have eaten earlier. Difficult to pass up all that gorgeous food, but if you ate it, difficult to go to sleep with such a full stomach, and then get up and eat again!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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BikeTours.com staff reply from JV July 5, 2023
Thanks for your business, the pics, and a glorious review. Hope to help you again on another glutinous journey. :)
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★★★★★ Diane Witters 10 months ago
Great first trip with BikeTours.com
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Overall, we really enjoyed the experience and were impressed with the scenery, lodging, quality of the bikes (one of us had an e-bike and the other a “top bike “), and the multiple layers of navigation provided by Fun Active Tours, the local outfitter. We also appreciated the detailed instructions for the luggage and train transfers. We especially enjoyed the first 3 legs of the journey through the Dolomites of northern Italy, into Austria, and then the entry into Slovenia with views of the Julian Alps and into Lake Bled. Trieste may have its merits but the city was quite chaotic and difficult to navigate and find our hotel by bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was our first tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Emily Magnavita 10 months ago
Great trip
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Trip was great, however, there was lack of communication with the company as far as planning logistics. Directions were unclear and sometimes incorrect, got lost on the route multiple times due to lack of information and description in the directions.
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★★★★★ Daniel Serventi 10 months ago
An Exquisite Way To See Italy!
· A Taste of Italy: Emilia-Romagna
To be honest we did not fully know what we were getting ourselves in to - but this trip checked every box and surprised us with how well thought out it was. Each hotel was beautiful in accommodations and city placement. Dinner and activity recommendations were on point. And most importantly, the bike support and GPS were perfect. I would recommend this tour to everyone and anyone! Would recommend that you purchase the additional cooking class- It was the highlight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is our first!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Charlene Cestroni 10 months ago
Do it! You won’t regret it!
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
Loved, loved, loved it!! Giovanna, our guide and instructor was THE BEST!! She had varied teaching styles and lessons, addressed the different levels of proficiency well, and was a really fun person to share time with. She was very knowledgeable about the various cultural sites we visited and incorporated them into our lessons. Throughout the whole experience I felt like family. We literally spent time w different members of families of the tour operators and staff - you don’t see that everyday! The level of biking was easy. The excursions were excellent! I was even able to take a private yoga class at one location. The accommodations were very good. We were a small group so we were able to stay at a couple masserias - very charming. One had a couple small service issues due to lack of staffing but nothing significant. Masserias were Uber charming but the standout hotels for me were in SM de Leuca and Arco Vecchio in Lecce. I was always in a single room and they were all very nice, comfortable, and had showers bigger than a phone booth (important to me!) If you want to have fun, enjoy diverse experiences, do a little biking, and be immersed in the Italian culture and language (with support,) then this is the trip for you!! Thank you Giovanna and Salento Bici Tours for this incredibly fun experience. I can’t wait to hear about your next tour offering!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Thomas Albrecht 10 months ago
Fantastic Trip!
· Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
The route is wonderfully scenic, riding through endless apple orchards and vineyards, with many picturesque villages along the way. Plenty of opportunities to stop for a nice piece of strudel and coffee/tea. The hotels were very nice, in fact a bit nicer than the BikeTours trip we took last year (Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled), and the bicycles were good quality and in perfect repair. Navigation on this trip is a bit challenging (although we were always able to figure things out using the various resources available — phone ap, map, and route signs. Once you get into Italy, the route signs are less helpful, since there are often multiple routes to the destination, and following signs won’t keep you on the recommend route (which usually really is better than the alternatives). One part of the route that perhaps should be simplified is the section just south of Merano, which seems needlessly complicated (for example, the southern part of Merano, and the diversion to Lana). It would be nice if printed maps showed locations of hotels in each town; we had to find them ourselves using our phone maps.
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★★★★★ Rhonda Barton 10 months ago
Beautiful views!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The trip was beautiful! The views through the Dolomites and Julian Alps are constantly awe provoking. The hotels were also wonderful, our favorite being Alta Post in Feistritz an der Gail!
Bikes: We paid for the upgrade but it didnt feel as though we were upgraded. The bikes we received were not well maintained. We had a bike brake on the first day of our tour and the replacement bike had a loose peddle the rest of our tour. A few of our bikes were not tuned well and gears were either difficult to shift or couldn't be geared all the way up or down. In general, we would have appreciated better maintained bikes for a 230 mile tour, it would make the days much more enjoyable. We also had to swing by the rental place for a bike pump that had the correct valve for pumping up tires. The bikes were equipped with presta valves, but the pumps were schrader valves. We also recommend placing an allen key in the repair kit. We had several items that we had to adjust, angles of the header, tightness of the bells, etc. Having an allen key would have made these adjustments easier to make.
Bike Accessories: we think you should provide or tell the riders to bring a cell phone mount for the trip. The app was nice to have but we had to constantly get the phone out of our pockets to follow along. This can get quite dangerous on certain parts of the tour.
App: the phone app was a great perk to the trip although our main complaint is that every tour participant should have access to the app. It is challenging to have only one person with the app and it doesnt seem to make much sense to limit access. Give everyone who paid for the tour access please.
