Bike Tour Reviews  Dolomites To Trieste Via Lake Bled At The Foot Of The Julian Alps


Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

COUNTRY: Italy, Slovenia, Austria

7 nights
4.6/5 (44)
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Primarily bike paths
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Primarily bike paths

4.6/5 (44)
7 nights

Self guided from EUR € 769

Self-guided:
Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays: May 11 - Aug 9, 2024, Aug 21 - Sep 28, 2024 (additional dates available for groups of 5 or more)

Description:
Your journey of discovery to the Julian Alps begins in the northeast Dolomites, following the River Drau through the Drau Valley before biking through the gorgeous Gail Valley on Austria's comfortable cycle paths. A little detour takes you to the…

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  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (1/5) Melissa Barney 9 months ago

    Biking in Italy in June

    I will not be recommending this trip or your company to anyone. The App was awful: only intermittently in English (otherwise in German) and when I gave 'feedback' I got no response; the App intermittently stopped working and I had to turn my phone off and on to re-boot; the App ATE UP my phone battery (a relativley new iPhone 13 with an otherwise long battery life); any highlights mentioned in the App along a particular day's travel was only a link to something that required internet or phone service (this is ridiculous; this link should have taken me to text within the App just as every other self-guided tour does within their App). The written paper description was poorly done - for some cities the description was how to 'get' into a city and other times the city/town mentioned was only a landmark of progress but this was very confusing. The pedometer on the bike did not work after the first three hours of the 7 day trip. The bikes were way too heavy; surely there is a way to make a durable bike that is at least 2 to 3 kilos lighter. Getting the bike and getting a safety helmet were in different cities!! I would ask for some of my money back if I thought this was possible as I was very disappointed in the trip.

  • (2/5) GregR October 6, 2019

    Too much highway biking

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
  • (4/5) Rhonda Barton 9 months ago

    Beautiful views!

    The trip was beautiful! The views through the Dolomites and Julian Alps are constantly awe provoking. The hotels were also wonderful, our favorite being Alta Post in Feistritz an der Gail!
    Bikes: We paid for the upgrade but it didnt feel as though we were upgraded. The bikes we received were not well maintained. We had a bike brake on the first day of our tour and the replacement bike had a loose peddle the rest of our tour. A few of our bikes were not tuned well and gears were either difficult to shift or couldn't be geared all the way up or down. In general, we would have appreciated better maintained bikes for a 230 mile tour, it would make the days much more enjoyable. We also had to swing by the rental place for a bike pump that had the correct valve for pumping up tires. The bikes were equipped with presta valves, but the pumps were schrader valves. We also recommend placing an allen key in the repair kit. We had several items that we had to adjust, angles of the header, tightness of the bells, etc. Having an allen key would have made these adjustments easier to make.
    Bike Accessories: we think you should provide or tell the riders to bring a cell phone mount for the trip. The app was nice to have but we had to constantly get the phone out of our pockets to follow along. This can get quite dangerous on certain parts of the tour.
    App: the phone app was a great perk to the trip although our main complaint is that every tour participant should have access to the app. It is challenging to have only one person with the app and it doesnt seem to make much sense to limit access. Give everyone who paid for the tour access please.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Richie November 24, 2015

    Diverse cycling through three countries

    Diversity is the theme of this tour. From the Dolomites, to the Julian Alps, to the dreamy Lake Bled, to the Friuli Italian wine country, to the Adriatic Coast, this tour has it all. Riding in three countries in one day is an awesome experience as well.

    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • Photo 1 (photo by Richie)
    • First ride leaving the Dolomites (photo by Richie)
    • Church in Feistritz (photo by Richie)
    • Slovenia (photo by Richie)
    • Lake Bled (photo by Richie)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) San2C July 16, 2019

    Wonderful Experience

    The greatest surprise was that every day was a different experience. Hotels were comfortable, and the change in landscape was delightful. A few of the days would have been extremely challenging for us without E-Bikes and a GPS for guidance.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 28
    How many tours have you completed?
    this was first
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Emily Magnavita 9 months ago

    Great trip

    Trip was great, however, there was lack of communication with the company as far as planning logistics. Directions were unclear and sometimes incorrect, got lost on the route multiple times due to lack of information and description in the directions.

  • (4/5) Diane Witters 9 months ago

    Great first trip with BikeTours.com

    Overall, we really enjoyed the experience and were impressed with the scenery, lodging, quality of the bikes (one of us had an e-bike and the other a “top bike “), and the multiple layers of navigation provided by Fun Active Tours, the local outfitter. We also appreciated the detailed instructions for the luggage and train transfers. We especially enjoyed the first 3 legs of the journey through the Dolomites of northern Italy, into Austria, and then the entry into Slovenia with views of the Julian Alps and into Lake Bled. Trieste may have its merits but the city was quite chaotic and difficult to navigate and find our hotel by bike.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    this was our first tour
    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
    •  (photo by Diane Witters)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Boot September 21, 2017

    Weather restricted tour

    Unfortunately we ran into a patch of bad weather...snow, rain etc so we were not able to enjoy the gorgeous scenery so much....we know we missed a lot of countryside and we don't have many pictures to show from our trip...these are the chances you take when signing up!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September. 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) naamaza July 22, 2018

    well planned trip

    we were a group of 6, the planning was great. a guide came to our hotel on the first night with maps,and attractions to see on the road (though except restaurants, there are not that many attractions to see).
    the roads were very convenient and well signed.
    the weather was perfect and the whole experience left us with a taste of more :-)
    I advise to review the hotels that are booked as default since they are very basic. you may want to upgrade.

    highly recommended route and company.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 29
    How many tours have you completed?
    none
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 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
  • (4/5) Stanthepianoman October 8, 2019

    It was the trip of a lifetime.

    The scenery was amazing! The bike paths and back roads were awesome. With a couple of changes I would give the trip a 5 star review: First, they shouldn't give an option to ride the train to Jessenice to Bled. This town is scary and hard to navigate. The ride over the pass was minor from what we were told.
    Second, the Hotel Roma in Civedale is a dump. Hard beds and rude employees. All the other hotels and inns ranged from nice to awesome.
    Third, we should have stayed in Bled and extra day. Our own fault on this one.
    Last, the ride in to Trieste was dangerous. It was like riding the gauntlet. I would have liked to drop off our bikes out of town and walked or Ubered in to the city. This is a big busy city and many in our group were unhappy with the danger involved.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Doyle October 16, 2017

    Italian Bike Tour

    Loved our bike tour. Great way to see the Italian countryside

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 12-19
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Kathy D August 5, 2022

    MIghty Dolomity

    Truly enjoyed the trip. Great bike paths for most of the route. Beautiful scenery and great overnight stays. A few hotels didn't have air conditioning but that is not unusual in this part of the world. Unfortunately, Europe is experiencing a very hot summer in 2022. We greatly enjoyed the route and all there was to see and do along the way. The bikes were not what we had expected. Very heavy, more like a beach bike w 21 gears. If you take this trip and are used to a better bike, as we are, upgrade the bike you use. Very difficult riding these very heavy bikes up some of the hills. We took a train on Day 3 for a break - mostly because of the bikes. Saving grace - the train system is fantastic and they all have capacity for bikes at a minimal cost. The app was very good once we figured out how to use it. Would have been helpful if FunActive Tour Company had given us some instruction on how to use it prior to us departing.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Zephyr February 17, 2016

    Excellent.

    Beautiful scenery, mostly on cycle tracks, three countries, cultures and languages, nice weather, pleasant lodging.

    How many tours have you completed?
    six
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 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
  • (5/5) Nancy May 26, 2017

    Beautiful ride through three countries

    The scenery was ravishing, the directions mostly got us where we needed to go, the breakfasts and hotels were delightful. We opted to rent e-bikes which allowed us to keep up with the stronger riders on our group. One drawback was the lack of directions for getting from the train station in Trieste to our hotel. Not knowing the lay of the land, which streets were apt to be steep or major thoroughfares, it took us 3 times what it should have to get to our hotel. Also Bled is a charming little town, but had we realized it is a major tour bus destination we would not have opted to spend the extra night there.

    What was the date of your tour?
    5/5-12/2017
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • (5/5) dmshimizu May 24, 2017

    Amazing trip!

    Great way to explore the boarder region amongst Italy, Austria and Slovenia. The scenery is amazing, and it is a great opportunity to enjoy some towns and places that are not widely seen by regular tourists.
    Travel documentation supplied by the local tour company is very good with complete information about the route. I'd recommend the investing on the GPS too, as it helps a lot with navigation activity.
    The accommodations and the included meals were really good, perfect for those who would like to spend some days away from crowd and large cities.
    In summary, it was a great experience, I'm looking forward for another bike tour like this one.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 6th, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Video: Cycling in Austria, near Thal
    • Lake Bled (photo by dmshimizu)
    • Arriving to Mojstrana (photo by dmshimizu)
    • Triglavski Narodni Park (photo by dmshimizu)
    • Arriving to Feistritz an der Gail (photo by dmshimizu)
    • Trieste (photo by dmshimizu)
    • Feitritz an der Gail (photo by dmshimizu)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Nancyhj May 15, 2017

    Beautiful ride through three countries

    The scenery was ravishing, the directions got us where we needed to go, the breakfasts and hotels were delightful. We opted to rent e-bikes which allowed us to keep up with the stronger riders on our group. The main drawback was the lack of directions for getting from the train station in Trieste to our hotel. Not knowing the lay of the land, which streets were apt to be steep or major thoroughfares, it took us 3 times what it should have to get to our hotel. Also Bled is a charming little town, but had we realized it is a major tour bus destination we would not have opted to spend the extra night there.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 5-12, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • Biking through valleys with snow capped mountains in the distance (photo by Nancyhj)
    • A side trip to Roman Aguntum (photo by Nancyhj)
    • The island in Lake Bled (photo by Nancyhj)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Aaron Schwartzbaum November 7, 2022

    What a fun trip!

    My partner and I had a ton of fun on this trip, which was our honeymoon. The stops were nice, especially with the ability to upgrade accommodations. I'd highly recommend doing the extra day in Bled if you're looking to get some relaxation in, too. Some parts of the route, especially if you're not taking the train into Bled, are would be extremely strenuous without an electric bike, I'd highly recommend one in general. There are a couple of points where there's a bit of car traffic, but I felt safe enough in a high viz. But what a fun way to travel, we saw a lot of things we wouldn't have ordinarily and the route is SCENIC as can be!

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Dayna Stern November 8, 2022

    My favorite bike tour

    I love this trip! Gentle cycling, stunning scenery and nice accommodations. We requested half board which exposed us to south Tyrolean food. Highly recommended! Remember to dress warmly because you’ll be in a wooded valley part of the first few days.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 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
  • (5/5) Curt October 18, 2016

    Great trip

    First bike trip like this for my wife and myself. The route was spectacular. Had everything from mountain scenery, beautiful river valleys, charming village, seaside rides, and ended in the wonderful city of Trieste. Got a taste of 3 countries and their cultures and food. Met lots of great people along the way who were doing the same trip as us. Everything went fairly seamlessly from the hotels to the transports to the bikes and the information provided. On a few occasions had some confusion with the directions, but nothing that wasn't able to be figured out.
    All in all an excellent trip and would do another trip with this organization without question.

    What was the date of your tour?
    9/24-10/1/16
    How many tours have you completed?
    None
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) debor July 1, 2019

    Dolomite to Trieste was varied and interesting

    I thought the design of the route was excellent. We spent much of the first 2 days on bike paths. I loved the small towns we stayed in. The range of hotels was quite broad-from very family run and quaint, to lavish. I quite liked the variety-that someone else chose them for me. I appreciated the list of recommended restaurants-we never went wrong using their recommendations, and frequently did when we used our own. I should have chosen to spend an extra day in Bled. We arrived in a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening, and early the next morning we had to bike to catch the train-so I don't think I really got to experience any of Bled. I loved staying in the old city in Cividale. There was quite a bit of detailed route finding on the last two days, that kept you watching the map, but we succeeded fine. The last day we chose to take the short route along the Adriatic to Trieste and the traffic was not nearly as bad as I thought it might be-the tunnels can be negotiated by walking your bike along the pedestrian way which keeps you completely out of the traffic.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 8, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    none
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection