Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 75
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- ★★★★★ Mychelle
Do Your Research
Lake Constance Bicycle Path (Upscale Lodging)
My husband and I did the Lake Constance Self Guided bike tour. When we arrived at our hotel we dropped off our bags and we took a taxi to the bike company to pick up our bikes (per our instructions). We were greeted by a man that spoke only German. The maps and instruction he gave us were not clear (some of them were in German as well). The monitor on the bike was not in English (he got a translator over the phone to help him change it). I had upload the suggested Bike app on my phone ahead of time with the trail map but it would not work once we arrived. The first 24 hours of our trip did not go smooth (prior to our ride). I ended up going to the Visitor's Center in town and found someone that spoke English to walk me through the route. I got a much better trail map from them as well. Once we got through the hump of what we felt was very poor planning on the part of this company everything else went well. The hotels were wonderful, the bike trail was breathtaking, the weather was mostly sunny (a little rain) and the trail is well marked. I emailed this company during our trip to let them know about our problems and they were little help.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2019
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
- ★★★★★ Addee
Gorgeous Lake Garda!
Lake Garda (Based in One Hotel)
Disclosure: I went on a small portion of this tour as a BikeTours.Com Staff Member.
I was lucky enough to arrive to the start of my tour in Sirmione by a relaxing 4-hour ferry ride from town of Riva. Since this tour is based out of one hotel, you have ultimate flexibility in spending your cycling vacation in Lake Garda the way YOU want to! The daily rides are fairly short and will give you plenty of time to experience the local cuisine and culture. Since I only had one day to cycle in Lake Garda, I was recommended by the tour company staff member at my welcome briefing to cycle to Brescia. The ride to Brescia took me through quiet cycle paths to beautiful and picturesque countrysides. Just from this day’s ride, I would say 90% of this day’s ride was on cycle paths, with 10% being on quiet roads. This tour was Level 2, but being a first timer, I had no issues cycling the few hills I encountered during my ride to and from Brescia. For those who want a more relaxed ride, I’d highly recommend the eBike as it gives you power when you really need it! The one provided on this tour was in top condition and well-constructed. I took this tour at the beginning of October and it was perfect weather to cycle in the cool morning yet still enjoy the warm water of Lake Garda during the day. I would recommend this tour to first-time travelers and those who’d like to spend a few days exploring beautiful Lake Garda!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10/3/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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
- ★★★★★ Addee
Breaktaking Mountains and Scenic Lake Garda!
Dolomites to Lake Garda: Picturesque Cities and Stunning Scenery
Disclosure: I went on this tour as a BikeTours.Com Staff Member.
I had no idea how beautiful both the Dolomites and Lake Garda would be until I arrived just as the leaves were changing and the weather was cool. Having the chance to cycle on quiet countrysides and towns while being surrounded by mountains constantly gave me an intimate connection between me and the gorgeous Italy. Lake Garda was crystal blue and was the perfect ending to this cycling vacation. The route was 95% on cycle paths, with 5% being on small roads as you enter the towns you'll be spending the night in. This tour was definitely a Level 2, however, being a first-timer, I had no issues cycling the few hills on this tour. I chose to do this tour with an eBike since I wanted a more relaxed cycling vacation, however, it is entirely possible to do this tour with hybrid bikes with no issues. Speaking of, the eBike I had on this tour was phenomenal and gave me power when I really needed it. The daily milage of this tour is low and can b cycled rather quickly, giving you more time to explore the local culture and cuisine. Taking this tour at the end of September was perfect for its cooler weather and autumn-colored leaves. I would recommend this tour to first-time travelers and cyclists who want to experience gorgeous Lake Garda and the Dolomites.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 09/29/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ Elaine
A Fabulous Trip
UNESCO Sites of Albania
First time biking as a way to visit a country and it was fabulous! I chose Albania as it was still untouched by tourism, the reviews were good, and it looked beautiful. Experiencing this beautiful country and its people while biking through its landscape fufilled my expectations beyond what I could imagine. The scenery was spectacular! And biking is a way to go! Our guide, Arijan and his assistant, Bato, were organized, patient, helpful, informative, and fun! We were in good hands! We had a group of 4 Americans, 4 Brits, and 2 Germans, which resulted in good exchanges and great conversations. I was thrilled with the variety and challenges of the varied terrain, but at age 70 an electric bike made the trip possible and enjoyable. The climbs would have been very difficult without one. I had read some reviews before signing on and took the good and necessary advice of training before going. Without training, this trip would be difficult. The bikes were in good condition and worked well considering a few of the rough roads we encountered. Our guides handled the varied paces of the group very effectively. The hotels were quite adequate with the exception of one mountain guest house, which was minimally adequate. The food was
abundant and very good. I highly recommend this tour company and the tour of Albania specifically! You will not be disappointed! It was a most memorable travel experience!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Albania
- ★★★★★ mb001
Fun trip with lots of biking.
Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)
My friend and I did this trip in early Oct. The first hotel in Vienne is Hotel Arcortel and not near any restaurants or pubs but close to the start of the trip. I would suggest booking a few days before in the city center if you plan on seeing Vienna. We stayed next in Hotel Devin in Bratislava. The hotel here and city were great. Everything walking distance. Next was Hotel Barrokk in Gyor. This was a very nice hotel and city that you could walk to a variety of restaurants and shopping. Then day 3 we biked 124km to Esztergom. There is an option to take a train for half of this trip. We did the biking and found it a very long day, but doable. We had electric bikes and it was a good thing! This day of biking was the most difficult not only because of the distance, but the terrain. You are in remote Hungarian countryside with no one around for hours. The bike trail or paths are poorly marked in some areas you find yourself on dirt farm land. Unfortunately we were lost a lot! The hotel in Esztergom was the Hotel Bellevue. This hotel is set on a busy street with no options to walk to any other restaurants or shopping. We were not aware that dinner must be booked ahead of time. After talking our way into a reservation, we found the buffet was average. If possible stay in the city and not this hotel. On the last day we left and needed to catch the ferry across the river. We were lucky as the week we were there was the last week of the season for the ferry. We rode to Budapest and again found some of the trails or paths poorly marked. We ran into a guided tour along the way and the guide told us about an app called mapy.cz and it has the entire map of the bike path we used and saved us several times. It was great to finish in Budapest as it is a very large exciting city with so much to do! The NH Hotel was easy to get to and situated close to many sites.
- ★★★★★ susan25
Way better than we even anticipated!!!!!
Balkan Treasures
This tour is truly a collection of "gems"! Here's why we rated the tour a 5 star.
1. the level of support from the tour guide was amazing! The tour includes being transported to several different locations so that all of your time is spent on truly beautiful rides. Our guide was very patient, informative and friendly!!
2. We were on the extended version so we got to be in four countries in 8 days! we learned so much about the politics and history of the region.
3. All of the accommodations were great but a couple were outstanding! Again we learned so much about the culture and cuisine of the different countries through these experiences.
4. The routes deserve special mention. We were amazed to discover beautiful scenic rides day after day.
5. The rides were quite easy, especially for seasoned riders. This did not bother us because the overall experience was so rich.
6. We relied primarily on an app for directions. this was supported by written materials. we thought this was a great way to tour.
7. Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina have yet to be discovered by most tourist. They are gorgeous, safe (for the most part) and inexpensive by the standards most Westerners are used to. This is a great time to see those incredible countries!
We absolutely loved this trip. If you are considering, my advise is sign up! You will thank yourself!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 6-14.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Albania, Montenegro
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe
Susan- thanks kindly for the review. We are so, so glad that you enjoyed the tour - we too think that these countries are undiscovered gems!
- ★★★★★ Tony123
Excellent itinerary
Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-19
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
- ★★★★★ FunL
The best way to see Puglia!
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
A great experience riding a bike thru the heel of Italy. A great way to see the country and ride off all those calories. I ate like a Roman, rode my bike like a Maserati and enjoyed La Dolce Vita.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 5, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ Bayer55
Vineyards, vineyards, vineyards!!
Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
Great tour for independent traveler. Well marked, easy riding, great maps and assistance if needed. First day was a bit long at 40 miles. Would have liked to have done tour in 5-6 days, to take in more sights and relax a bit more. But we are not seasoned bicyclists, so took a bit longer to travel the route.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 14-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 (but last one was 4 yrs ago)
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Timr
Beautiful Country, Great Cycling Excellent Value
UNESCO Sites of Albania
So much fun. Friendly people, great food, some challenging rides and bumpy roads, but that just made it more interesting. Learned so much history of this area. Tour provider was very attentive and helpful. Bikes were excellent touring hybrids (all were new or nearly new Giant bikes. Bring your sunscreen, appetites and climbing legs!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Albania
- ★★★★★ Tuck
Great trip!
Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
Six of us did an unguided trip using the bike shop's GPS on our Garmin 520 and Iphone "Ride with GPS" app. We would have been miserably lost without it! The route took us thru the back roads of southern Portugal with beautiful orchards of oranges, pomegranates, lemons, vineyards as well as to the southern most tip of Europe and north along the Atlantic ocean coast. We stopped at little cafes for lunch and cappuccino's and stayed in lovely towns at 3 and 4 star hotels. It was simply a fantastic trip. The bike shop provided new carbon fiber road bikes, set us up with the proper adjustments, installed our pedals and left us with plenty of extra parts, tools and tubes to do any repairs. We had one flat tire. They were available anytime and only a phone call away. Addee and BikeTours.com were very helpful on getting us prepped on what to take and made the arrangements for us to be picked up and dropped off at the end of our tour. A few things to note:
* This is a #3 out of 4 difficulty rated bike tour so come prepared and properly trained.
* We went the 2nd week of Oct. with perfect weather, 72°F (22°C) for a high and down to 62°F (16°C) at the start of the day. One ½ hour of rain the entire 6 days but it would be very hot during the summer months.
* There were a lot of hills and a total elevation gain of around 13,000' (over 4000 meters) so be prepared.
* Download the GPS coordinates and routes to your Garmin or Iphone before leaving home as the internet connections are dicey at best.
* There is 6 days in a row of riding with no breaks in between so the last day or two can be a bit tiring.
* Do take a mirror for your helmet or to clamp onto your bike as well as a small bike bag (or day pack) to install on the bike for your cash, passport (needed to check into your hotel), energy bars, sun screen, etc... as there is only one under the saddle small bag that is filled with tools, extra tube, etc...
* The bike shop provided us with a complimentary water bottle but take a 2nd bottle as the bikes had 2 bottle cages on them and you will be glad you have them.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct. 10-17, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Aging Cyclist
Great countryside, food and hotels
Umbria Road Cycling: Loop Tour Through Lush and Scenic Landscapes
We had a tremendous trip. The hill towns and mountain views were superb, our rental bikes were of excellent quality, and the hotels and breakfasts were terrific.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- this is the first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ JCost
Nice ride, great accommodations
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The ride was beautiful in places, often stunning. The accommodations were amazing. Each one different, all of them lovely.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
- ★★★★★ Badger biker
Good ride with a couple of asterisks
Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
- ★★★★★ rubbernecker
Florence to Rome
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10/5 to 10/11
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1st
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ klrea
Touring Provence
Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
This is an amazing and beautiful part of the country to visit, and our bike tour organizers set up a really great agenda. However, we don't feel that bicycling was the best way to see the area, and next time we will rent a car instead.
We opted for the self-guided tour because we wanted to be in control of when and where we stopped. The tour organizers were super helpful and friendly and did everything possible to set us up and get us on our way. However, the bikes were extraordinarily heavy, much heavier than what we are used to riding at home, and, for the amount and type of riding that was on our schedule, made the touring harder than we expected it to be. Also, this was my husband's first bike tour, and the first self-guided tour for me. I found that having to watch the GPS and navigate detracted from being able to enjoy the countryside as we rode through. Finally, while, the little towns along the way were lovely and a delight to see, we were not accustomed to the provincial French practice of closing up shop in the afternoon until opening back up for dinner at 6pm, and so were often without food for the day. It was hard to time the riding to arrive in time for lunch when we didn't know how the riding would take.
One more unexpected event was the arrival of the Mistral winds on the last day of our ride, which came blustering in at 30 mph. So, while the weather was nice otherwise, the strong and cold wind made riding heavy bikes uphill something we took a pass on. Fortunately, we were able to find transportation by car into the area that we wished to visit.
For these reasons, although I think this is a great company, I think there are some places that are best visited by car, even though I am an avid and strong cyclist at home.- What was the date of your tour?
- 4 October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Pattio
Danube recycle
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
A delightful way to see the Danube. Many exceptional views of castles and cathedrals along the way.
