Bike Tour Reviews Apulia - Heel Of Italy
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★★★★★ Bernice Howe 2 weeks agoEnjoyed the swims at stops when available!
Unexpected fees (City Tax) should be included in the total trip price or a note indicating that other fees will be required at each hotel location. None of the participants expected this tax.
I have been on other European tours and did not have this experience since the tour company included extra fees in the total trip price.
Fortunately Paolo decided to collect euros from each of us for the week so he took care of paying this tax after he saw how unhappy we were.
Paolo collected enough Euros from us also to pay for lunches (except our own drinks) which was a great idea so at lunch time we all ate in a park or at a restaurant and the food had been pre-ordered which was very nice. His food selection was very good in my opinion.Paolo was an excellent guide in my opinion. His pace was good and he was knowledgable about the area we traveled.
Information about the tour (which was supposed to be issued 2 weeks before tour) did not arrive then and most of the participants had already left for Europe by the time it did.
On other bike tours, a complimentary gift was sent in the mail and the participant did not have to pay POSTAGE!
Also, on other tours, a complimentary dinner at the beginning and end of the tour was included. I would have thought the night of our group meeting, complimentary food could have been provided with the wine!Also, I was NOT included on his list of participants nor was there a bike for me!
A Beatrice Bosche was listed in both areas. BeaBosche is an e-mail address for Beatrice Headland who was originally scheduled to be on the trip and room with Helen Walsh. Ms. Headland had to cancel (in late January 2023) and did receive some of her money back and Miriam acknowledge that I was rooming with Helen Walsh and I paid my money.
I was not happy that this error occurred, particularly since my information for the bike was much different than Beatrice Headland (Beatrice Bosche). How did this huge error occur??? Very poor way to start the tour!The location of the bikes was not a good place to learn to ride an E-Bike. There was not enough room to make turns and practice using the bike since I had never used an e-bike. Also, the route out of town was too congested and made me uncomfortable on the bike. Perhaps you could have a practice area located somewhere else with a better route out of town.
The e-bikes are heavy and when one is not used to riding one, it takes some practice to get used to them with better instruction on the best way to use them. Ease of Navigation would have been better with the above suggestions.
Were the bikes recently serviced?This tour is not for the first time cyclist due to the traffic, and small streets. This is the reason I indicated that the riding was more difficult than I expected. SHOW MORE
I would have preferred to have more stops with the support vehicle for snack/water/a public WC, rather than stopping in a town and having to purchase something to eat or drink in a cafe to use the WC which takes a lot of time. It would have been nice to arrive at our destinations earlier to be able to enjoy the towns.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2,-2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 but only one with your company
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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★★★★★ Marc Parks 1 month ago
Great exposure to the highlights of Matera and Puglia
Overall our 14 experienced cyclists very much enjoyed our tour, in spite of a few start-up issues for those with no previous ebike experience. The route included several scenic, interesting places, in “the heel of the boot in Italy”, including fascinating Matera and Alberobello, and the lodging was wonderful, with sumptuous breakfast buffets. In addition our guides, Paolo and Alessandria, added interesting insights into local history and culture as well as attending to our every need, all while while maintaining a great sense of humor. All of us felt we'd love to return to some of the destinations for several days - a new destination each day of the tour prevented in-depth exploration. And in hindsight, those with no previous ebike experience should have used them for a couple of rides before coming on the trip.
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★★★★★ Sue Collins-Larson 2 months ago
A superior trip[
The region offered so many fascinating aspects of the unique culture of Apulgia. This was enhanced so greatly by our tour guide Paolo Maragliulo. He was from the region, had an amazing sense of humor, and was patient and understanding. Our accommodations were in keeping with the uniqueness of the locale. It was, however, concerning that the bikes were not in good condition and many of our group struggled with bike problems. Additionally I found the planning process difficult due to not receiving emails that others in your group received. Three times I tried to correct this and it never was resolved.
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★★★★★ Beverly Feucht 2 months ago
Heel of Italy
Paolo and his wife were the BEST. They made the ride perfect. They were able to guide us effortlessly through cities.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ mary lynn OBrien 2 months ago
Everything was perfect!!
We had the best Guide ever - Paolo He was fun , funny , so knowledgeable and of course a bike expert The hotels were first class and we saw the highlights of Puglia We recommend this tour highly and especially recommend it c Paolo and his wife Alessandra
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 1
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Kris January 28, 2019
Great bike ride through historic sites, splendid scenery, and fantastic food.
We did a self-guided tour with e-bikes–and were happy with our arrangements throughout. We picked this ride because of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the fact we hadn't visited this part of Italy. It's so cool to bike through agricultural areas, small towns and the regional centers. A highlight was the stay in Masseria Bosco in the middle of the vast olive orchards–a lux experience and fine restaurant in an historic agricultural property. All the city hotels were great, too. We loved both Matera and Alberobello and took some extra time there on our own. The ride from sea to sea (Adriatic to Ionian) was truly spectacular. And, wow, the food! In short, the whole experience was well-curated. Anyone wanting to try a bike tour would be wise to start here with the expert recommendations and support by biketours.com and their local partners.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ JackieDog September 26, 2017
Confusing directions
Wonderful way to see the countryside but frustrating as the directions were often vague or inadequate.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 16-23
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Suelikestobike May 25, 2017
Delicious, warm and quiet
We were looking for a tour that would get us off the beaten track in Italy. This fit the bill. Nice accommodations, low traffic and of course it's Italy, so good food. We also hoped for warm sunny weather in May and it delivered! Matera was outstanding. Book an extra day and a tour. Not a flashy tour but enjoyed it. Service provided by the bike tour operator was great.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 13-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5 tours with Bike Tours .com
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
