Dalmatia Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Carol McDonald September 29, 2022Beautiful Croatia
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is the perfect way to see this beautiful country! Our bike guides were great - knowledgeable, extremely competent, friendly and helpful. We felt very luck to have them with us.
The food was a combination of very good, and sometimes not quite so good as it arrived luke warm. Salads scrimped on greens and the overly used combination of purple and green cabbage only as our source of greens wasn’t very good, especially since salad greens seemed readily available at our various stops.
Most importantly, we were horrified by the number of plastic bottles used on this trip! My husband and I brought water bottles, as did most of the cyclists, and were happy to refill our bottles from the water cooler. I can’t imagine the tons of plastic waste caused by the number of bottles our ship alone used, and then multiplied by the number of boats over the course of the summer - the numbers of plastic bottles to deal with would be staggering. I am fully aware of the recycle program, but the energy used to do this is also staggering, especially for a small and financially struggling country like Croatia. I strongly urge you to commit to a more earth friendly form of water use.
Lastly, and this is a small criticism, we’ve never been on a bike and boat (this was our fifth one), that charged a premium for tea and coffee. I completely support a charge for premium coffees and teas such as lattes, chai etc, but charging for hot water and a tea bag, or a simple cup of coffee seems very stingy on your part. Especially with a 50E pp charge for water, which again is something we had not encountered in the past.
Overall, we had an incredibly wonderful trip and hope to return to Croatia again in the future!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Johanna H.(Anita) Wood October 6, 2022
Excellent introduction to E-bikes & Croatia; intrigued me to return
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Our guides were very professional and conscientious; knowledgeable about cycling, their country and it’s terrain. As a beginner cyclist I would have wished for a more clear explanation of the settings, gears and cadence I was meant to aim for. An individual look at how each cyclist was doing might have taught me how I might improve my posture, position as needed. I was able to have my seat adjusted for my short arms and small stature, and I was comfortable except for the last day’s length of downhill travel. I must have been tense because the following 3-4 days were painful for me in my thighs, in taking stairs especially. I had been forewarned...I should have been more experienced from the outset...I do feel so much more confident now.
It was great to get a sense of the history of Croatia. It helped to understand what we were seeing in the country side, the architecture, the menus. It was important to appreciate what the land and it’s people had been through.
While on-board and cycling, we were kept safe, fed and hydrated. It was regimented...I guess it had to be to insure that the whole group saw as much as we did, and to get where we needed to be, and to afford staff the opportunity for time off/siesta.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ PegS October 26, 2022
Wonderful Guides, Lovely Tour
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Great way to experience Croatia. Our wonderful local guides, Dora and Mario, were cheerful, infinitely patient, organized, and full of helpful and interesting information. Improvements could be made on the boat with the WiFi, which was spotty, and the food, which was bland with lots of white sauce. We were surprised that the rides were so short, typically finished by noon. This was our first bike tour on an ebike, and that was fun. Some days we rode with it completely off to get a better workout.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Dwaine Souveny 6 months ago
Croatia is certainly not the best or safest place to bike in Europe.
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Dora was a wonderful guide. She was well informed & interesting. The local guides were good. The boat was comfortable & the captain was skilled. The meals were good and the service was very good.
However, the main reason we took this trip was for the ebiking & the ebiking did not feel safe. The bikes were basic e-bikes that generally worked ok. The trip itinerary changed due to the weather which of course you cannot control so we missed out on some areas we were hoping to see. We visited only 1 national park. The one swim we did off the boat was fun. The Konoba visit was fun.
There were several incidents and injuries on the first day on an unplanned bike ride. The conditions were very windy & the guides did not know the route. One of the guides had never done this tour before. Instructions were not clear on the first bike ride about people at corners directing other bikers. We were shocked to be riding on busy roads with no shoulders and speeding highway traffic. We were anticipating rural roads (which we had only one day) & good bike trails. The rides were scenic but left people feeling vulnerable. I would recommend a boat trip in this region but would not recommend cycling in Croatia to anyone.
We paid for an above deck cabin & spent many nights looking at other boats parked next to us & listening to their noise which was not what we expected.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Jan Mowat 6 months ago
Great people on board!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Our itinerary was derailed by a storm the first day, so we missed a couple anticipated parks and the sights they would have offered. Couldn’t be helped. 🤷♀️ We rode on busy roads more often than we should have for a sight-seeing tour. Being on high alert for traffic and travelling on roads with non-existent shoulders was unexpected and tense. However… we had so much fun!!! The group was great fun, the stops along the way were interesting and the weather cooperated. The food was simply amazing and the staff friendly and helpful. Dora and Pero were knowledgeable and eager to help in any way possible. Our room was below deck and it was great. The beds were comfortable with lots of room to store our stuff. And quiet too! It was a great way to see parts of a very beautiful country.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Jannie July 11, 2016A wonderful experience!
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
We enjoyed our experience very much! Our seven day tour was very challenging for my athletic husband and me who LOVED my e bike! I couldn't have done the trip with a regular bike due to the elevation and high temperatures during our tour. Don't hesitate to take an bike because you can still pedal and get a workout, but you can also get a boost when you need it on long inclines in high heat conditions.
Croatia is a beautiful country and our tour guides Ielena and Eugen were fantastic! Their knowledge of history and biking helped us to have a thoroughly informative and safe ride. The crew of the boat was very helpful and friendly too.
A couple things to keep in mind is the high heat requires light breathable synthetic fabric ( no Cotten clothing!) and head protection . I would suggest taking electrolyte supplement to add to water and it was difficult to stay hydrated. Perhaps we will travel here again during a cooler season but even so, we thoroughly enjoyed this trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- July 3 -10, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Pekka55 August 22, 2016
Over our expectations
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
This was our first visit in Croatia, and this bike - boat tour really showed us the beauty of the Croation islands. We stayed 7 days at MY Melody, which was a real luxury yacht with big cabins, sundeck, very good staff, and the ship was also very clean.
Cycling routes were quit hard, because they started every day at the same way, right away to the uphill without any warm up. Cycling routes were in a very good condition and there were not much traffic. After the daily ride, they all finished in a long serpentine back to the port. Very nice cycling.
The atmosphere in the villages on the islands is pleasant, we liked it very much.
And last but not least, our very international group was superb, very much joy and laugh every day and all the time.
I think that we seriously consider that in the future we take apart to some other bike boat tour in Croatia, I hope so.
Pekka and Kirsi Finland- What was the date of your tour?
- 6 - 13.8.2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ barbara 427 August 17, 2017
Another great bike tour
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
It was a great way to see the southern Croatian islands. The guides were a lot of fun. The boat, the melody was beautiful, the crew was great. And the captain was so nice. The E-bikes are the way to go. It made the tour so much more pleasurable. I've done hills with a regular bike and it was rough But with the EBike it makes the tour fun and still allows you to get a great work out. The islands are so beautiful, and the people were so nice. I'm thinking about doing the northern islands next year.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 16-22
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ everettd November 6, 2017
Fantastic 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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★★★★★ Lilian092 September 14, 2018
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
- What was the date of your tour?
- 08/17-8/25 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Vicki November 13, 2018
Fabulous. No complaints about anything!!!
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
All around terrific! Great guides. Love the boat! Great guests
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 6
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Eduardo August 30, 2019
More than expected
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
Very good experience being on the boat allows you to move freely
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 17
- 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?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Lynne Niemeyer October 22, 2022
Great trip Bike/boat
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
The guides were terrific. Croatia is beautiful and we has some wonderful biking on the islands. Trips were well planned and other interesting activities were included. Sedad and team were quite knowledgeable on some of history in the area
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- A lot
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Donald Woodhouse November 7, 2022
A wonderful way to see the islands and small towns
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
Croatia has always had good reputation for an early and late season vacations. Our trip in mid-May was perfect, the Adriatic was warming up every day and the 75 degree weather was ideal. This affordable trip suppled us with comfortable rooms, a nice dining area and a shaded sunning area on top. The National Parks were beautiful and relatively uncrowded compared to the larger cities and the parks in the rest of Europe. We didn’t know anyone else on the tour when we arrived but soon found new friends for future travel experiences. Our guides were fun and helpful and e bikes made hilly sections much easier to navigate and quality of the bikes were first rate. We look forward to catching another tour on the Magellan or their sister boat in 23!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ M 6 months ago
Great guides!
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
Charming small towns, amazing antiquities, gorgeous coastlines! The e-bikes made the climbs easy and there was was only one very rainy day and one very windy day. Otherwise we got lucky with the weather in late October. Mario and Kristopher were knowledgeable, engaging, funny and personable. Throughout Croatia we were treated well. Split and Trogir had good restaurants and nice places to stay before and after our time on the boat. The food on the boat was plentiful, fine. Beds were comfy and private bathrooms worked well for us. The ship’s captain could have taken more direct action when several guests got caught in a current while swimming but our guides prevailed in assisting them. One regret, we were not able to visit Vis due to stormy weather.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Donnan Party June 30, 2016Amazing Trip With Lots of Hills
· Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia
Our Croatian adventure exceeded all expectations! The routes were very scenic, the locals were so friendly, and the food was delicious and totally fresh! We've done several bike trips in Europe, and this was definitely one of our favorites.
We paid a little more for the hotels and were very pleased with the accommodations. The breakfasts were very generous, and the rooms were spacious and clean. Hotel staff was great at all locations, too. There were two nights at each hotel, which was nice, since we weren't constantly packing and unpacking.
Our booking experience was great. There were 8 in our party, with all different itineraries, and everyone signed up at different times, which created hotel booking challenges. Brittany was so patient and answered all of our emails promptly. Most of us needed to add nights onto the basic package, and Brittany took care of that for us, too.
I can't say enough good things about the local tour company. We were self-guided, but when we ran into a little trouble on our first day (someone in our group fell off the bike), the local company was incredibly responsive and there when we needed them. There was constant communication throughout the trip, and they made sure everything went smoothly. Our luggage was transferred without incident and was always waiting for us in our room at the end of our travel days.
The directions on the route sheets were easy to follow, and with odometers on all the bikes, we never really got lost (which is a first for us). Having a choice of rides on most days, and the details on restaurants and points of interest in each of the towns we passed through made the rides even more enjoyable. The bikes were comfortable and everything we needed was supplied: tire repair kits, spare tubes, pumps, locks, etc. The collapsible panniers were awesome and transported wine very nicely!
The only negative thing I could say about the trip is that we were on main roads more than I would have liked. On previous trips to Italy and France, there were more back road options. But there wasn't a whole lot of traffic, and the cars generally gave us a comfortable amount of space when passing. The ride was definitely hillier and more difficult than we expected from a difficulty rating of 3, but the uphills weren't too steep and they were definitely worth it for the views!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/11/2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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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★★★★★ none July 10, 2016
Best Possible organization!
· Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia
Aside from the beautiful scenery of Croatia, Tomislav and the folks at Meridien Ten travel provided really outstanding material for our self-guided tours. The route sheets were easy to follow and much clearer than I have seen on other tours, and all the arrangements were faultless. Also, our group had some complications during the first day, and Tomislav went out of his way to help us out. This involved some extra driving on his part and when I attempted to at least pay for the gasoline, and he refused. Really fabulous folks - I definitely recommend traveling with them in Croatia. The only thing I would change was the selection of the hotel Lacroma in Dubrovnik - for me this hotel was too large and crowded. The front desk was overwhelmed with tour groups and could not keep things straight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 10, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Lori July 11, 2016
Canada meets Croatia!
· Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia
Croatia is a beautiful, welcoming country with so much to offer travelers from all over. The people, sights, cuisine and water (both drinking and swimming) of Croatia will not disappoint. BikeTours helped us have a see the country we wanted easily! If you are a 'recreational' rider I would highly recommend their e-bikes. There are some serious climbs and we were thankful for them daily! If you're a veteran, serious rider you're going to get the workout you're looking for. The hotels were all awesome, we felt spoiled and appreciated at each stop and our luggage was always there well ahead of our arrival. It was easy, fun and all in all a trip to remember! Put this part of the world at the top of your must see places!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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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★★★★★ brad rass July 18, 2016
Great ride with great food and even better scenery
· Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia
I am just back from my trip to Europe which included an altered bike tour from Dubrovnik to Split. I had shortened the trip to 4 days so to fit my other plans in Italy. What a mistake! Mistake 1. Make sure you have time to tour and visit Dubrovnik. We arrived in the late afternoon and had no time to visit the old city. It looked gorgeous as we passed it in a bus from the airport. Our hotel was very nice but a way from the old city. Mistake 2. Make plans to see the walls in Ston. They are stunning. Mistake 3. I dropped the extra day in Hvar. Lots to do in this fun packed town especially if you like the night life. Only spent about three hours in Split and it was very hectic compared to the other towns. Overall, what a ride! There are a number of climbs each day so the rating of 3 out of 5 should be closer to 4 out of 5. The route has limited traffic so safety is not a concern. The pre-ride prep on site was excellent. The bikes were in good order.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 5 to 9
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Tottie July 13, 2017
Stunning!
· Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia
Fantastic hotels, service, information. Amazing scenery and routes on well maintained comfy bikes. Truely a trip in a million
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 29- July 5th
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
