Dolomites Bike Tour Reviews (page 5)
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★★★★★ Jodi Ready 10 months agoGreat trip!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
My friend and I did the tour on one of the upgraded regular non-electric bikes and I was very happy with the quality. You should be already quite comfortable with bicycles as they were handed over to us with no instruction. A phone mount was not included, and between the two of us, we only got one handlebar bag. There were no water bottle holders either.
The route was excellent and, as promised, was mostly on non-motorized, paved, well marked trails. You have the option of being driven over some of the bigger hills, but my friend and I opted to ride them ourselves. Of the paper forms provided, the written directions were much more useful than the maps, and I found the app useless and intrusive so I deleted it and used the downloads of the routes they provided ahead of time into my chosen app (Gaia for me and OnX for my friend) for the map. It worked much better, especially in combination with the written directions on the papers provided.
The accommodations and food in the hotels were excellent. our bags seem to always arrive before we did and there was a clean dry place to park our bikes.
I loved biking along the Drau river with beautiful views of the amazing dolomites.
The route brought us by interesting museums (we went to a chocolate museum, as well as history museums), pretty lakes, and we were informed of good food stops, and interesting viewpoints. I also enjoyed biking through some of the small hillside villages where you could see how some of these remote communities live.
I enjoyed the camaraderie of others doing the same program. We would see each other at breakfast, sometimes at dinner and occasionally on the route.
We chose to spend an extra day in Bled. We thought we would need a break from the cycling. We found that wasn’t the case, but enjoyed the lake and the castle so we’re glad we stopped. Because we took the extra day, they gave us an alternate route to the last hotel, but we decided to follow the one that the rest of the group took because it went through some beautiful places that we wanted to see. It really didn’t change our average daily distance to do that.
There was one area that required taking a train. We called to find out the logistics while we were on the tour because it wasn’t clear from the material, but I was impressed with how it worked. Someone from the tour group met us at the station, had tickets, and helped us and our bikes onto the train. Then someone was at the other end to pick us up and make sure we got to where we needed to start our ride again. They were easy to identify and very friendly and helpful.
I had a great time and would look to this company again for another tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Marissa 10 months ago
Really great first trip
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Highlights:
- Handy navigation app that usually seemed to work well.
- Really neat variety of hotels with absolutely ridiculous breakfast spreads. Dinners at the hotels were also incredible.
- Staff were very helpful when they could be - this includes rental shop, phone contact, and transfer assistant staff.
- I'd estimate about 60-70% of the route was on dedicated bike trails that were wonderful to bike on, especially compared to terrible US bike infrastructure.
Lowlights:
- We did not use navigation features on the app, just used it as a reference map. As a compulsive mapper, an easy way to export GPX/route info from the provided app would have been appreciated. I was able to download GPXs several weeks in advance, but the routes on a couple of days ended up extremely incorrect and misleading.
- It would have been helpful to have general guidance or resources on alternatives in the event of bad weather. We got fairly lucky on the timing of some heavy rain, but it definitely caused some anxiety.
- Nova Gorica and Trieste were kind of awful and hectic to navigate, but I don't know how you'd avoid them.The route was gorgeous and mostly easy. I'd recommend taking the long and hilly routes to Bled and Trieste if you're physically up for it. As an enthusiastic cyclist, it was hard to adjust to the heavy and clunky rental bikes (obvious solution: bring your own bike) and I can't say we'd have tackled any mountain passes, but they were comfortable and well maintained. I felt like we definitely got value for what we paid and I'd recommend this trip to anyone who wanted an intro to easy touring!
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★★★★★ Mary Eaman 10 months ago
Everything was Perfect!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The itinerary was varied and beautiful, the hotels were charming and clean, the bikes were great, the support both pre trip and during the trip was fabulous. One of the best vacations ever. Thank you!
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★★★★★ Marcie Bushnelll 10 months ago
So many amazing places, so little time . . .
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Equipped with e-bikes, two panniers, one handlebar bag, a bike lock and a repair kit, we were ready to leave Toblach and head east. We had previously biked from Toblach to Lienz, so decided to take the train from San Candido to Lienz to save some mileage. The train in San Candido had steep narrow steps which we had to muscle the heavy e-bikes over, but in Lienz, the entry/departure is flat with the quais. From there is was a very pleasant ride to Oberdrauburg. Dinner at the Hotel Post was good (we were no longer on the dinner included plan) and bike storage was always in a covered area with outlets to charge the e-bikes (we carried the chargers in our panniers). The next morning we took a local bus (at the Oberdrauburg train/bus station) to the summit of the Gailberg Pass. From the bus window, I was glad we avoided the 7 km (4.2 miles) steep hairpin turn highway as it snaked it way to the summit. Arrived at Feistritz an der Gail at another Post Hotel where we enjoyed dinner and a good rest.
The next day we entered Slovenia and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the bike paths, signage and bike refreshment places along the path. Again we opted to take the train from Jesenice to Bled to avoid some steep ascents, BUT the Slovenian regional trains are a sight to behold. Heavily graffitied and "vintage," we were thankful a young German exchange student helped us muscle the two e-bikes into an empty compartment at the back of the three wagon train. We purchased tickets for the ebikes on board (believe me when I say the trains may be old, but the ticket collectors are there for every single kilometer to collect bike fees, etc). Easier to get the bikes off than on, so when we arrived at Bled Jezero, we were relieved.
Cannot say enough good things about the Hotel Park and Bled. We opted for TWO nights and I would highly recommend consideration of same. Bled is just too beautiful to spend one short night. We reserved a wine tasting at a local restaurant (a ten minute walk from Hotel Park) and had reserved spots for the Vintgar Gorge the next morning. Easy to take the bikes to the entrance of Vintgar Gorge (again free parking). The 1 ½ hour hike in the Gorge is breath taking, but the 2 hour steep hike out (we didn't take a shuttle this time), was challenging.
Plans change and the train transfer turned into local partner taking the bikes/panniers/handlebar bag on a bike trailer and giving us tickets to a regional bus with instructions to get off at another train station 1+ hours away. Fortunately the train conductor was on the bus and assured us which station it was (everybody got off). Another couple got off two stops before us and a local rep made sure we gave him our luggage at that point. We got off at Kanal ob Soci for our ride into Gradisca d'Isonzo. We were high above the canal and it's a very industrialized zone. Perhaps the least scenic of all the days so far. At one point there was a ! sign with steps!! What? Yes, just around the corner was a series of steps and ramps to ascend a steep part of the trail. Figured out walk assist and managed to get the bikes up and over. That was a surprise.
There was some kind of HUGE market/celebration in progress with street blockages, tents, supply vans, etc. choking the streets of Gorizia. We counted ourselves lucky to have found our way out of this rather large metro area. Spent the night at Hotel Franz in Gradisca d'Isonzo and enjoyed a lovely meal at the hotel (seemed to be a local favorite).
Last day from Gradisca d'Isonzo was along the Coast highway. Had read reviews about traffic and such, but the bike lane was wide and the drivers respectful of cyclists. As we neared Trieste, more cars would be parked in the bike lanes, but we managed without incident. Upon arrival at the Trieste Centrale train station, we returned our bikes to a nearby partner location, emptied our panniers/handlebar bag into our backpacks and walked to our hotel near Trieste's pedestrian zone. Such a lively place come 7 p.m. Dined in a terrace cafe, had gelato, did some shopping and called it a successful tour. Thank you, Biketours.com for a great experience. SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Joseph Rinaudo 10 months ago
Beautiful scenery, very enjoyable trip
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Excellent accomodation and breakfasts. Very responsive to sms. Excellent new bikes. Great staff. Marco and Neva went out of their way to ensure we had a great day when we transferred one wet day. No criticisms. Five stars in all areas. Thank you Bike Tours.
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★★★★★ Bruce Muir 10 months ago
Cycling in heaven
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Totally awesome riding with great navigation aids, awesome scenery and diversity of terrain, countryside, culture and cuisine
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★★★★★ Angelica C 4 months ago
Most Beautiful Landscape Ever
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Our October 2024 (9th biking tour) tour began in Dobbiaco, taking us through some of the most stunning bike trails we have ever encountered. The support provided by the tour company was exceptional, featuring a dedicated app and constant availability via WhatsApp.
The bikes we used were top-notch and impeccably maintained—I even found myself wanting to purchase the same brand for personal use at home. Our accommodations were charming, with the usual mix of lovely stays and the occasional less-than-perfect hotel.
Please consider arriving in Dobbiaco a full day before. There are lakes and hikes you can do before your trip. I wish we had done that :-)
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★★★★★ Wilhelm Dannheimer 2 months ago
Well planned, supported and scenic trip
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Gave the perfect balance between small towns, beautiful landscapes and technical terrain. A very well planned and supported tour. Thank you!
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★★★★★ artnscience December 30, 2015Spectacular experience with the most scenic and variable terrains, villages and accommodations
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
I feel I have experienced the soul of Italy through the pedals of my bicycle as we passed from Niederdorf through the Dolomites, into beautiful towns and cities to Venice. Since we paired this tour with one starting in Venice two days after our arrival we had more time to explore it and it's out islands. I prepared a Google+ album with captions for the 306 photos from both tours. You may use any of these images with captions as you see fit. The four of us, two Anderson and two Abeles call ourselves the Four 'A's because we sally forth on adventures together. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOVdH6klghY5LXY0xRnJXgs3V22UOQqIrSTQtIZk-iBfOPD-HVh2ajAjWPV0rspkQ/photo/AF1QipMkVq17mKGDNdacKckMZOIwFVFSf3ZEwQI7lm8?key=MEQzNXNiWEVwM2MwSV8ycVExcWg4ZmFUU2kzM3h3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 14 European, 1 Canadian, 7 USA
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Pedalann February 28, 2016
A Spectacular Ride from the Austrian Border to Venice
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This tour allowed us to experience the changing face of Italy from the quite Austrian north down though many medieval towns and into the coastal plain around Venice. The introduction and orientation by a representative from FunActive Tours was complete and included detailed maps, cue sheets and information about the areas and towns we would be traveling through. We enjoyed each day's ride and learned so much about the history of this part of the country as we went along. We were on the "self-guided" tour and were easily able to follow the route with our maps cue sheets and the route markers posted along the way. We missed our turns only a couple of times and quickly found our way again. The routes were mostly bikeways or very low traffic roads which made the ride especially enjoyable.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 25+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ JimG August 10, 2016
Northern Italy
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
I just finished riding the Dolomites to Venice tour. It's a marvelous tour. The tour company "Fun Active" are exceptional. I was all stressed out worrying about getting lost. They learned about my concern, contacted me at the starting hotel, and delivered, installed, and instructed me on a GPS which I rented.
The tour went seamlessly. Highly recommend this tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 1, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ Julie June 11, 2017
Loving Italy!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
We just finished this tour and it was amazing! My husband and I rode it with our two teenage daughters. It was the perfect level for all of us- not too difficult, but had some challenges. We loved the quaint Italian mountain towns. We rode on roads that the Giro d'Italia had done the week before. We bought cherries from an orchard that was right on our route. we had cappuccinos and gelato everyday! It was truly a wonderful experience!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ Garry August 17, 2017
A wonderful trip
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This is a wonderful trip. The scenery is breath taking, the hotels are friendly and well run and there is great food to be enjoyed. The organization was first rate, both at Biketours in the US and through their affiliate in Italy. I'd do it again and invite friends to join us. But I'd do it in late spring rather than summer - it does get hot and humid in July. I'd also try to schedule some rest days in cities like Belluno and Trieste that would be fun to explore more of.
We got lost several times despite the excellent tour documentation. Do keep an eye out for the trail markers and ensure your mobile is charged. Thank goodness for Google Maps!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 9, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Anne52 October 2, 2017
A gorgeous and adventurous trip!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This tour took us through stunning scenery on bike paths and small, very quiet roads where we were often out of sight of other bikers. The hotels we stayed at along the way were comfortable, often in beautiful settings and all had fantastic breakfasts. We loved the small towns and off the beaten track places that we were led to. Despite some lack of stickers where they were needed, we generally found the directions and maps to be fairly good. We opted for 7 gear bikes but we would highly recommend the 21 gear bikes. There were more uphills than we had expected and we had to push our bikes at times as 7 gears weren't adequate. Overall, we had a most enjoyable experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 6 - 13, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- One other
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ CyclesInRoswell April 5, 2019
Wonderful Anniversary Trip!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
We did this tour in June 2016 and I neglected to write a review. Wonderful scenery, great little side trips if you want to add miles, and wonderful service and accommodations. We had a great time on our rented tandem (affectionately nicknamed "The Whale") and would do this tour again. BikeTours Direct service was excellent, and the tour company did a great job. A romantic way to spend our 25th anniversary.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/2016
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Eliz July 9, 2019
beautiful trip
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
A very nice way to view this part of Italy - nice scenery all around, the selected roads were great and away from main ones, easily described and marked to follow
All good- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/19 - 6.25
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Sandy89 July 18, 2019
Unbelievable Scenery!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
Our first time to the Dolomites - we will be back! The scenery was breathtaking. Everywhere you looked there was a photo opportunity. The hotels were quaint and the food was excellent although we would have liked more recommendations of food and sight seeing along the way (we were self guided). Totally recommend getting the GPS for one of the bikes if you self guide due to some tricky routing. Overall, loved this trip and would recommend it to our friends!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ j59fj2046r July 28, 2019
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
Great cycling and and absolute best way to see the Dolomites. The routes are great, with a little bit of climbing and some fun downhill sections each day. I commute to work and found the riding matched my ability, leaving enough time to stop here and there, and explore the city at the end of each stage.
TIP: The routes are mostly intuitive and easy to follow, but there are some challenges and confusing areas. If you ride this tour, skip wrestling with the paper map and use a GPS. I set aside some time before each ride to plot my route using the Komoot cycling app on my phone - I found I made fewer wrong turns and had more confidence to have fun with the ride and take in the scenery.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Natalie Synhavsky August 5, 2022
Loved it!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
The scenery on this trip is truly amazing. The first two days were mostly on gravel paths before getting to paved connected trails and roads. The hotels weren't anything special, but we loved the biking route and would absolutely recommend this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Dewey Forward August 31, 2022
Spectacular if very challenging
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
It was certainly the most dramatic trip I’ve ever taken. By the end of the trip I was complexly familiar on how the app works and appreciated the care that went into all of the planning.
The hotels were all interesting being uniquely Italian and well placed in the towns we stayed in. All and all a lifetime memory of joy. Harder than a 1 difficulty which was advertised.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
