Croatia Bike Tour Reviews (page 6)
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★★★★★ Paco June 21, 2018Adventure
· Split to Dalmatian Islands
One of the best ways to introduce in the culture of the country where you are free to explore
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Cyclemom April 28, 2018
Great Experience!
· Cycling the West Balkan Triangle
First I have to mention our great guide and support Mario and Darco. They helped make this such an incredible trip. They were accommodating, flexible, funny and full of history about the area. I know my daughter loved talking with them about their life growing up in Croatia and the incredible history of the area. We fell in love with Croatia and Bosnia Hertsagovina. I know I just spelled that incorrectly I apologize.
My husband and I used the electric bikes which had multiple settings so we had great workouts everyday while not holding back our daughter from getting a great workout on her regular bike up with the guide. Electric bikes are genius and really the way to go especially if the people you are traveling with may be in a little better shape. Their bikes were excellent.
I loved the lunch breaks on the side of the road each day and as soon as Darco realized the type of food we liked while exercising he added it the next day (oranges never tasted so good!) together with his own favorites it was perfect.
We again can not say enough about Mario. His sweet disposition and willingness to do whatever he could to make our trip memorable was greatly appreciated.
The mileage each day was not bad but the climbs gave us such a great
workout!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 13-
- How many tours have you completed?
- Second tour
- 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?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
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★★★★★ alda December 19, 2017absolutely fabulous
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
What a wonderful itinerary with varied scenery from the lagoons and beaches of Italy to the more mountainous coast of Istria. Going through three countries was very interesting and the accomodations and places we visited were top notch.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 24, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany December 20, 2017
We're glad to hear you had a fantastic time on tour. Thank you for your review!
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★★★★★ BYoung December 7, 2017Fun Triangle Trip Through the Balkans
· Cycling the West Balkan Triangle
A wonderful guided trip along the sea and up into the hills of this beautiful part of the Balkans. Great scenery, idyllic vistas and deserted former rail lines converted to cycling routes; this trip has a little bit of everything. And if you are looking for multiple stamps in your passport while crossing borders on bicycle you will be able to fill a couple of pages on this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- 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?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
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★★★★★ everettd November 6, 2017Fantastic trip!
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
Great bike tour ! Well organized and our tour guides , Marin and Ivan , were excellent being very helpful and knowledgeable. The days were well planned and everything went on time . Accommodations on the boat were also excellent as well as the staff on the boat delivering an overall excellent experience . Beautiful way to experience Croatia !
- What was the date of your tour?
- oct 14-21 , 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Matt L October 19, 2017The Dalmatian life
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is a tour I will continue to dream about for many years to come. The tour was structured in a way that was relaxed but included a taste of Croatia’s culture and nature. On the first day, I arrived early to check in and they greeted me professionally and placed my bags in my cabin for me. This allowed me to explore the bustling but gorgeous city of Trogir for the next few hours. While on the boat, the local boat crew was always there willing to help. They were up before I woke up each morning (6:30 am) and did not go to bed until after the last guest was in their cabin (usually around midnight). They were a very well-oiled machine in making our experience a pleasant one. We always felt safe with them. Croatia is a beautiful country with lots of hills. Some days were easier than others, but every day we were all challenged at some point. I rented an e-bike and loved it. I can guarantee I was still getting a serious cardio workout each day even with a little help from the bike. It made the 15%-17% climbs doable (even though they were not every day). I would highly recommend an e-bike if you are someone who is not used to riding on a weekly basis or if you want to save your knees. The rides, for the most part, were on the backroads, but you still need to be careful of cars in some areas. I would not recommend this tour to anyone under the age of 13 and only if they are a very responsible rider due to the cars in some of the areas. Climbing to the top of the mountain and seeing our boat huffing along the islands besides us was breathtaking. Each small (and large) town we got to had a bell tower that always reminded us what time it was with a beautiful ring. I would highly recommend doing the second ride (sunset ride) on day 3 on Molat. It is a beautiful ride that allows you to explore a little on your own and maybe invest in some local goat cheese. The food was delicious. The chef never left you hungry. There was enough food each meal. Usually a three-course meal for lunch and dinner that was carefully and deliciously prepared. After each meal, the local tour guides would give us a briefing of the rest of the day or what we would be doing the next day, keeping us informed on what to expect. The guides (Marin and Lucija) in-depth knowledge and energy made this tour even better. They responded accordingly when problems would arise and communicated very well with the guests. They truly made it so you did not have to think about anything except relaxing and enjoying yourself. It was “turnkey” service at its finest. In Zadar, Sibenek, and Trogir, we had informative sunset tours (430/5pm) set up for us explaining the history and culture of the cities from a local tour guide that was from the given area. I loved the boat. The Princeza Diana is a steel hull boat with a wooden trim. This wooden trim gives the boat a homey and comforting feel like a “Woodie”. The cabins were pristine and spacious for a boat. The beds are very comfortable and made for a great rest each night. The public spaces were very eloquent but comfortable allowing everyone to enjoy the remarkable scenery and sunsets from the bow or stern of the boat. Somedays it was great to jump in the hot tub with a glass of wine while taking in the beautiful Kornati Park on the bow of the boat. If you have issues with going up and downstairs on land, I would recommend getting an upper deck cabin since the stairs to the lower deck cabins are a little steep (as is on most boats). One of my favorite aspects of the boat was the swimming platform on the back of the boat. Almost every day after our ride, we had the option to jump in for about 45 minutes to an hour, to cool off. Most people did. It was easy for everyone (25-82 years old) to get in and out of the water safely with a shower head available to rinse off. One last recommendation. If you have room in your luggage, bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the deck out under the stars. The deck beds are very comfortable. I did it the night we were docked in Molat and I am happy I did it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 30, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Patty October 10, 2017
Awesome experience!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
I was very impressed with the Princessa Diana, she was a beautiful vessel and commanded a lot of attention when we came into port. The guides were phenomenal. Very informative, friendly and helpful. The itinerary was awesome and presented some challenging rides, but the views made it all worth while.
Food onboard was good and plentiful.
Would like to see the option of included wine and coffee/tea with dinner and coffee/tea for lunch. (Or offered as an optional add on to the base package price).- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 30, 2017
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Bob and son October 9, 2017
Better Than Expected
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This tour was more challenging than I expected but the E bikes more than offset the additional challenge. The tour was very well organized but definitely is an adult tour. I would not recommend for children under 15. The boat was well designed and the cabins very comfortable. The food was great, perhaps a little too much in total. The tour guides were excellent and the itineraries were nicely put together. There was very little stopping and exploring any unusual buildings or industry and there was almost no explanations while cycling. On other tours we would stop several times a day and the guides would explain something about the area. We did have several city tours where we walked through a town. Croatia is a beautiful country and the water was wonderfully clear and clean and the towns were spotless. I would strongly recommend this tour to cyclists who have some experience on a bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 30 to Oct 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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?
- Croatia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 10, 2017
We're glad to hear you enjoyed your cycling vacation and this tour was well organized for you! Thank you very much for your thorough review.
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★★★★★ Kelowna123 October 9, 2017
Once in a life time adventure
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
From the first to the last day we loved every second of our adventure. The Melody is exceptionally clean, comfortable and most of all, a safe boat. Staff were courteous, professional and accommodating. Our tour guides quickly became our friends. There were only 26 people in our group - - most we did not know. The guides went out of their way to advise us of what was ahead and set a comfortable pace. It was advantageous to have a sweep in the back. The "plus" side to this trip were the private tours, eating at local restaurants, karaoke night, and the small but significant personal touches. We should mention the food - - unbelievably good. We had menus and were able to choose our dinners/lunches - - The Melody is the only boat that has this option..
The Northern National Park hills were challenging but so worth it as the views were spectacular. We highly recommend using an ebike. Those that didn't struggled everyday. A few dropped out, some stopped biking on day 3 or 4. At times the 12% inclined hills were 3-5 kilometers long. No joke!! Enjoy the journey.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 23 - 30
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Jake October 5, 2017Great Trip
· Split to Dubrovnik: the Islands and Coastline of Croatia
4 star hotels were great. Do not see the need to go with 5 star. Luggage transfer was a concern but went off without a flaw. Luggage showed up right on time.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12 +
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Tina Turner September 30, 2017
Loved every minute!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- None
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ BusterBrown September 29, 2017
A great way to see Croatia
· Split to Dubrovnik: the Islands and Coastline of Croatia
Meridian Ten is the local company that built and ran the tour. Our hotels were first class and all the bag transfers and water taxis were flawless. The bikes weren’t new but were well maintained and worked without any problems. Tom met us at our start point and gave us a briefing and a book describing all the suggested routes and options, There are also recommendations for dining and other activities in the book that came in handy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 20-26, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 30, 2017
Thank you for your feedback and photo. Looking at the photo, I think I was there two days ago, just south of Orebic near Korcula! What a beautiful region!
I'm glad you had a great time and that Meridien Ten provided you the great service we've come to expect from them.
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★★★★★ Cycle2017 September 25, 2017
Our Venice to Porec Challenge
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
This tour proved to be more challenging than anticipated, partly due to torrential rains on 2 days and windy conditions most of the week. Concerns included long riding distances with limited facilities between some of the planned stops -e.g. -few restaurants or stores to purchase snacks and more water. The signage didn't always match the tour directions, creating confusion and likely longer rides than planned. The final day -70 km, with 50% uphill is a challenge for casual riders. Casual recreational riders will find some of the days long and some of the terrain challenging. The local provider provided excellent support when we were flooded out of a hotel and unable to ride due to area flooding, and also assisted with transportation for the final transfer when a member of the group was ill, and weather conditions were miserable. Despite this, our group, 3 recreational riders and 1 experienced rider, enjoyed visiting the beautiful cities along the route -when the weather cooperated.
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★★★★★ MarknPat September 9, 2017
Expectations Exceeded
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
We spent a few extra days in Venice to start and 5 extra days in Porec at the end. Really glad we spent the extra time. Extending the bike rental was not a problem.
The tour in between was awesome. Accommodations were better than expected and all the towns were charming.I had a little trouble with my bike. The front hub was a little tight so the wheel didn't spin as freely as it should have. I noticed when we picked up the bikes but didn't think too much of it. After a couple days I contacted the tour company and they brought me a different and better bike. Kudos to the tour operator.
At one hotel there was confusion about a reservation for someone travelling with us. Again, the tour company stepped up. The real measure of the tour company is how they handle problems. They were terrific.
Had a couple directional issues. We have T-Mobile so GPS worked perfectly. Previously we had AT&T with the international package. It was underwhelming to say the least. I highly recommend T-Mobile.
Final day was a bit of a climbing challenge for Mrs. But we managed. The highlights of the tour were riding along the Adriatic, taking the occasional swim and the people we met.
