Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 43
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
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★★★★★ vacationsmakemehappy
Nice LONG ride
Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)
Disclaimer - I loved the vacation pedaling along in pretty much isolation, just my husband and I, and peaceful time in beautiful scenery. We loved the hotels we stayed at along the trail. For the average Joe though, the sport version isn't for you. That's why I wouldn't recommend this sporty trip to most people.
See below for more detailsThe sporty ride was just that. Long days in the saddle, which we expected since my husband wanted to do the short (meaning less days not miles) due to work obligations. The 45-50 mile days seemed fine, but the 57 mile day was long.
The sporty version left little time for sight seeing along the way. We had to strategically plan out where we were going to spend our 2-2.5 hours of sightseeing time each day, because there was no possible way to see everything. We were on the bikes riding each day by 7:45-8:15, typically had a picnic lunch somewhere along the way with food we either carried with us or picked up along the way at a grocery store. (One of our picnics was standing by a rock waiting for the taxi to pick us up at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp to take us back to the taxi station downtown - would highly recommend the taxi unless you are VERY sporty or have an e-bike-info said there was a longer more gentle route, but we were having difficulty following some of the directions included.)
If going early in the season or on days with poor weather, I highly recommend taking some food and WATER with you. Only on the first ride day and the last ride day were any of the 'trail magic' stops open for an unexpected cup of coffee, beer, or food. Most things were shut down tight. It was in the low 40s when we started out 3 mornings and also raining 2 of those. Make sure you have GOOD rain gear -not water resistant - and waterproof gloves. Wringing out your cycling gloves and then having to put them back on isn't really very comfortable. Luckily our rain gear (except gloves was superb) Make sure your rain coat has a hood to put up under your helmet or take a waterproof helmet cover.
There were many places where we had detours (even on the bike path) due to various construction projects which made parts of the trip seem a bit harder navigating than they would otherwise have been. This seemed to happen both long ride days which made those days even longer.
Take toilet paper with you and be prepared to take a squat ladies - and men. There were long stretches with nothing in sight at times, and when you have to go...! I kind of expected this, so we were prepared.
The bikes we had didn't have cages to hold water bottles, so we had to carry the water in the pouches included on the bike. But to get a drink you had to stop unhook snaps, drink, rehook or roll down waterproof bags, and start again. I can't imagine we would have been able to or wanted to carry that much water (heavy) for warmer weather. Without easy access to water, the trip was extended about 5 minutes for every drink stop. Not that long but over 50+ miles, it adds up and takes away from time you could be doing more interesting touring. SHOW MORE
The bikes in general were heavy. We didn't get the road bikes though, because we knew we would have to be carrying supplies and the road bikes didn't offer that.
We LOVED our hotel room in Feldkirchen an der Donau -- Faustschlössl Hotel-Restaurant. The food was FABULOUS! Salmon with pesto and asparagus
We also LOVED our hotel room in Gasthof „Zur Donaubrücke“ and eating in the dining room - NOT lounge. The only thing we didn't like about this hotel was that reception/lobby was in the bar which is smoking permitted. On the day we checked in, it was so smoking I waited in the hallway. I wasn't willing to duck under the smoke cloud to get checked in. I'm not a smoker and have asthma. It was NOT happening.
We'd been to Melk Abbey before so didn't do that. But we did go into town. There is a great little bakery coffee shop on the left side of the left fork (probably main shopping street) kind of across from the butcher store which would be in the center of that fork mentioned when you go into town from the bike path. Great espresso and desserts. And they had GLUTEN FREE CAKES which made this GF necessary girl extremely happy!!!
Make sure you take an extra day in the Wachau/Krems/Durnstein area. It is FABULOUS!!!!!
The luggage transfers went off without a hitch - thank goodness!!!
SHOW LESS
Be prepared to carry your luggage up to the top floor of every hotel.
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★★★★★ Senior Adventurer
2019 Mosel Bike Path After Action Report
Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
The best way to explore the beautiful Mosel River Valley from Trier to Koblenz, and then the Rhine from Koblenz to St. Goar. The bikes were in excellent shape and the in-country issue and briefing was perfect. The hotels were very good. For our late April early May trip the weather cooperated perfectly. The morning temperatures were cool but by mid-day we could enjoy lunch at a sidewalk at one of the many scenic small towns along the route. We booked 2 extra days in Trier with the tour company to allow us to explore the city before departure. We were very happy with the hotel they chose and the competitive price we paid for the extra nights.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28 April-4 May 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?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Crew dog
Needed to last longer.
Romantic Road from Würzburg to Donauwörth
Self guided, had a great time. The local bike company was very good. We departed Wurzburg and left some articles behind the tour company got the article to us down the road. Thanks.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1 May to 7 May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 18
- 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?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Tom33
Our first self-guided tour
Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
Umbria was beautiful. Incredible scenery with rolling green hills and fields of red poppies. Most of our biking was in the valley so fairly flat. We had electric bikes expecting more hills. The climb to Montefalco would have been challenging otherwise. Hotels were very nice and it was great to spend 2 nights at each of 3 different hotels so you didn't have to pack up each morning. Our orientation was very thorough from Paolo. There were a few occasions on the road where we had questions about written directions but we figured things out. We were mostly on backroads with little traffic so that was great. A group of 4-6 people doing a self-guided tour would be fun. We rode 4 days out of 5 and took one rain day off. Longest day was 33 miles and shortest about 15. We had plenty of time to stop and explore, take pictures, open church doors, etc. Overall this was a great experience and we look forward to returning to Umbria!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 1-May 7, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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
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★★★★★ erinling
Just Get the E-bike
Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike
Amazing way of seeing the countryside. County Donegal is gorgeous. Killybegs to Glencolmcille to Glenties were my favorite rides. I began day 1 of my journey on a hybrid bike thinking "I'm in shape, I can do this." WRONG. The terrain is very hilly and the hybrids heavy, so just go ahead and get that e-bike. Seamus was incredibly friendly and helpful and worked with me if a problem arose. All of the B&B hosts were great, though Letterkenny's was certainly my least favorite. My only regret is being too concerned about making good time and not taking more opportunities to hop off and hike around more.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 30/04/19 - 05/05/19
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Ireland
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★★★★★ Chuck87
Spectacular!
Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
My girlfriend and I did the self-guided tour. This was our first bike tour, and we both had an amazing time. The first 3 days were primarily on cycle paths while the last 2 days were mostly on country rides. Do be mindful that the last 2 days are slightly hillier while also having to navigate some traffic. Biking in to and out of Verona was slightly difficult due to the car traffic.
The experience with the contracted tour company was very efficient and organized. Our luggage were always in the next hotel by the time we arrived. The bikes were sturdy. The directions were accurate (we downloaded the GPS tracks to our phone). The hotels were all very clean, private, and most importantly had very warm showers.
Our favorite part of the tour was the city of Bolzano. It is unlike other cities in Italy, partly due to its German/Austrian influence. Take time to explore the city and also take the cable car up to Ritten and do some hiking prior to the start of the bike tour. The scenery is ridiculously beautiful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 16th-May 22nd 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 including this one
- 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
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★★★★★ Rosie1633
Fabulous tour!
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
We thoroughly enjoyed our Loire Valley bike trip! We could not have had a better guide! He was attentive, incredibly knowledgeable, kind and funny. He even stopped to help another cyclist along the way who had a broken spoke. There was just the right amount of cycling, touring and eating. Our group is already making plans to do another trip next year in Europe.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 18-26, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ Laird
Breathtaking Scenery and Gorgeous Destinations!
Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
We had the BEST cycling trip ever! The daily routes were a perfect combination of historic sites, excellent paved cycling paths, stunning scenery and achievable level 2 terrain! The bike tour operators information was accurate and sufficient for easy navigation. We never lost our way and the hotels were easy to find.
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★★★★★ Scott
Great trip!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Toured the Danube path from Passau to Vienna. Hotels were all excellent. The bike path was mostly easy to follow but be careful to stay on route at any detours. Really enjoyed the flexibility of a self guided tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 5/18 - 5/23/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- first overseas tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Horned Frog
Fun time... but
Lake Constance Bicycle Path
I enjoyed the tour a great deal, but the route instructions were sketchy at best, and the bike weighed only slightly less than a Sherman tank.... which would not have been much of a problem except that the route had more hills than expected. The hotels selected were all very nice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 21 May
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe
We appreciate the feedback on this tour. We agree... the bikes on tour are often heavier than the ones you may use at home, and the first few days of this tour are moderately hilly. We will pass your notes regarding the route instructions on to the tour operator. Overall, we're glad you had fun and enjoyed the hotels!
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★★★★★ wilsom
Everyone should have a holiday like this
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
It was such a good holiday. Even though there were challenging times with the weather, it was a great trip and the smile never faded from my face. I loved it so much I'm trying to go again this year.
10 out of 10, would do again, A++
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 18th, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ JaneN
The Perfect Bike Tour
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
There was no guided Loire Valley Chateaux and Gardens Tour scheduled by the local tour operator in May 2019, which is when our group wanted to go. We asked, and the tour operator was happy to add our requested week since we were a group of 8.
In summary, the tour and guide exceeded our expectations and hopes.
May is a fabulous time to do this tour. The high temperatures were generally in the mid-60s (about 18 degrees C), perfect for riding, there were only a couple of times when we had very light rain for a couple of hours. The wild flowers and garden flowers are in full bloom and everything else is fresh and green as it is in mid-spring. This was prior to the start of the heavy tourist season, so traffic is lighter than in July and August.
Our tour guide was wonderful. He gladly accommodated a couple of special needs. He focused on giving us a local experience in the accommodations, food, sightseeing, and bike paths we never would have found on our own. While we were frequently on roads where cars could go, these were roads used mostly by local farmers or workers and there was almost no traffic. Frequently we were on bike/pedestrian only paths. Almost of the surfaces were paved and the few packed dirt paths easy for bicycles. Bernard gave us loads of information about the villages and sights we saw, the local history, and what is going on in the Loire Valley today.
The accommodations are very nice in that you stay in small 2- or 3-star hotels with character and charm run by independent owners. Breakfast was always varied and hearty enough for a good start to the day. Dinners were very good at selected restaurants that highlighted the wonderful and varied local cuisine. We frequently did picnics for lunch (not included in the tour cost), which is what our group preferred, and our guide steered us to local products which were fresh and excellent.
The bikes were in great condition, and we had confidence that our tour guide could readily fix anything that might go wrong along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 18-25 May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ Martin
Lovely trip along the Rhine
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
This trip starts in France and crosses into Germany on the first day of riding. The bicycling was very pleasant; the towns were interesting; the locals helpful and friendly. The written cycling directions were only marginally helpful, but the signage in both France and Germany is excellent. It helps to have google maps. Download the google map in your hotel the night before with hotel WiFi, or have a data plan. The hotels were fine. Ibis has very small but adequate rooms. It is somewhat generic. The non-ibis hotels were definitely more interesting and rooms were larger.
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★★★★★ Fletch
Fabulous scenery!
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
We chose this tour because it stayed in the vicinity of the alps but was in the river valleys. The scenery did not disappoint. It was glorious when we had clear skies. We had some rain and snow when up on the mountains but even then the villages and farmland were wonderful. We spent extra days in Salzburg before the tour and spent an extra day in Zell am See in the middle of the tour. We were so glad we had those extra days because there was so much to see and do. We went up to the ice cave, up to the Krimml waterfall, and up to Kitzsteinhorn and had snow in all three places. It was like a winter wonderland. For the five of us from Florida, it was great.
The hotels were all good and provided great breakfasts. The luggage transfer went off without a hitch. Our bags were always at the hotels when we got there.
After a few days self supported from Passau to Salzburg we decided to upgrade to ebikes for this tour to make the climbs more manageable and to make it more likely that we would take side trips to see additional things along the way. We are really glad that the tour company was able to accommodate this last minute request. They were very helpful.
We found that the signs for the Tauern radweg changed part way through the ride. This is something to watch out for. We made a couple wrong turns but learned to keep our eyes peeled for signs.
It was a wonderful trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 10, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Sharonna
Nice tour for wine & cycling
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
We had a lovely time visiting vineyards and cycling through Burgundy. The trip was suitable for people who were not in tip-top shape and the terrain was mostly flat (except for one day where we were staying in Chassey-le-camp at the top of a very large hill -- totally unnecessary given that the route then cycled back to the same place we went the day before). If you are visiting a winery, you should call ahead and let them know when you will arrive. Many places close around lunch time. There are lots of picnic benches to stop along the way, especially near Dracy-le-fort, so I would recommend stopping at a grocery store, bakery, etc. in the morning (not to mention a winery!) and creating your own picnic for lunch. You might want to bring your own plates, cutlery, and cups.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Kirk
Fantastic tour, exceeded all expectations
Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
The Baltic Capitals Tour is ideal for getting to know all three countries. Our guide brought history to life, making the stories of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia exciting and fun. The pace was leisurely enough to allow for great sightseeing, and the biking was delightful. An amazing and unforgettable experience.
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★★★★★ Rob4056
Just right!
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
A wonderful combination of sights, food, friends and fun! Bernard was the consummate host, helping us through the markets to buy group picnic lunches that everyone loved, finding routes that were uncrowded with traffic and scenic, answering all questions and smoothing out any bumps with a smile. The hotels were just right - comfortable and not too fancy given that we were only there to sleep. Bikes and equipment (rain gear, panniers, etc.) were excellent, and Bernard had the skills and carried the tools necessary to fix anything that wasn’t quite right. And the chateaus were stunning, as were the countryside and small villages along the way. May was a perfect time - dealing with summer crowds and heat would have been less fun. Occasionally we felt a bit rushed going through a large chateau, but we saw the highlights, and there were always many more things waiting for us down the road - like the small winery where the owner explained her many challenges and the cave which grows amazing mushrooms. And every day was capped off by a wonderful dinner, good wine and great conversation. Thank you Bernard and tour organizers for a wonderful trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ ManOnThreeWheels
Excellent Tour and Very Good Service
Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof
Bike Tours personnel provided prompt and courteous service from the start to the conclusion of the tour selection and booking.
Recommend
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 19 to 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ ewarren574
Trip of my dreams!
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- 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?
- France
