Bike Tour Reviews  Croatian Vineyards And Villages Of Undiscovered Istria


Croatian Vineyards and Villages of Undiscovered Istria

COUNTRY: Croatia

7 nights
4.5/5 (2)
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours

4.5/5 (2)
7 nights

Self guided from EUR € 1030

Self-guided:
Daily: Mar 15 - Nov 15, 2024.

Description:
There is something very special about Istria - the largest Croatian peninsula - immersed as it is in the azure blue of the sublime Adriatic Sea. Its rich forests, historic hilltop towns, verdant vineyards, aromatic olive groves, and gentle rivers provide…

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  • Croatian Vineyards and Villages of Undiscovered Istria
    (4/5) carlye5 July 2, 2017

    Beautiful country sides!

    We had done a 4 week trip to Croatia and surrounding countries, and our bike trip was the last week of 4. It was beautiful weather and we had a great time!
    Biketours.com did a great job organizing everything for us, and taking care of our needs.

    The third party tour company fiore tours was only average. We still had a great time, but there was plenty to improve on. The tour company gave us very poor instructions as to where we were meeting for the tour, and the emails given to us were incorrect. It was an adventure to get to the starting hotel to say the least. But we rented road bikes and they were great bikes. Very light, and the company offered many pedal types.

    My only other concern was that the "itinerary" listed on the site mentions all these great things, but in reality you have to do a lot of work researching and planning where to stop each day. Many of the options they give us are only open in the afternoons, and are very close to where we were starting, so even if we started around 10am which was rather late, many wineries were still closed. After the first two days of being disappointed by not being able to find the suggested stops, and then finding them closed, we realized we had to do some leg work as far as finding stops along the route. Then the tour improved immensely.

    My boyfriend and I are 23 and 25 and fit people, although not big cyclists. We chose an "easier" route so that we wouldn't be exhausted after each day. However, we were complete toast every single day. So if you aren't in good physical condition, I do not recommend this. Most of the route was rather hilly, especially day 3.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Mid June 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    only this one.
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 3, 2017

      Thanks very much for this feedback. We'll address all of your points with Fiore in hopes of improving the experience for future travelers.

    • 3/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Jeff Kuerbitz 6 months ago

    Perfect Honeymoon Getaway

    Our trip was the perfect way to explore this beautiful country! We loved every part of it. The hotels were beautiful and comfortable. We had some of the best meals of our lives. The wine was amazing. Everyone we met was very friendly. The directions for the route were clear and accurate. We never got lost. The routes were well thought out. The scenery was incredible, there was a lot of great history to learn about, and there were beautiful villages, restaurant, wineries and shops along the way to stop and take a break. The tour company was very responsive. My front axle began wobbling the second day and they quickly met me along the route with a replacement.

    We can't wait to go back.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    This is my first
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    •  (photo by Jeff Kuerbitz)
    •  (photo by Jeff Kuerbitz)
    •  (photo by Jeff Kuerbitz)
    •  (photo by Jeff Kuerbitz)
    •  (photo by Jeff Kuerbitz)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection