E-bikes Available Tour Reviews  page 43

  • Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
    (5/5) JamieinLA June 13, 2019

    Ride, eat and cook through Tuscany

    · Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany

    The ride through Tuscany was breathtaking. Guiliana, Marco and their family planned a wonderful week. Even with the rain (we only ride 3 of the 5 days), they made the trip memorable. And our cooking experience was wonderful. I’m glad I booked an ebike. The hills are steep.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 24, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • Photo 1 (photo by JamieinLA)
    • Stopping for coffee (photo by JamieinLA)
    • Photo 3 (photo by JamieinLA)
    • Our Villa (photo by JamieinLA)
    • 3/5 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 Guides (if applicable)
  • Venice to Trieste & Istria
    (5/5) OR bikers June 12, 2019

    Couldn't ask for a better 1st bike tour experience

    · Venice to Trieste and Istria

    We did the self guided tour with another couple friend of ours. We all had ebikes which made it very enjoyable and easy to do the distances and the hills on the last 2 days. The stickers on street poles pointing the way along the routes were really helpful. The scenery along the routes were so pretty, many red poppy fields. The towns we passed through were fun to explore. We really enjoyed the routes along the water (sea, river, canals), which were many. We had one and a half days of rain, and there were some muddy dirt road we had to go through. We enjoyed the towns we stayed in overnight, pleased with the accommodations and the bountiful breakfast buffets. I would recommend staying an extra night in Porec (end of tour), just to get a little more time to explore, enjoy and relax before heading back to Venice on the early ferry

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 25-June 1, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    this is our first one
    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, Italy, Slovenia
    • On the way to Aquileia, stage 3 (photo by OR bikers)
    • End of 1st stage in Lido di Jesolo (photo by OR bikers)
    • Caorle, our rainy day (photo by OR bikers)
    • Grado (photo by OR bikers)
    • Grado (photo by OR bikers)
    • Novigrad (photo by OR bikers)
    • 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
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) GobaGirl June 11, 2019

    An absolutely fabulous cycling experience.

    · Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems

    Cycling from Ljubljana to Piran, from the Julian Alps, through the Karst region, past vineyards and little villages, by caves and castles and eventually down a stunning descent and along the Adriatic Sea was a stunning experience. We cycled along back roads, cycle paths, through kilometer long tunnels, along gravel trails and even made a short jaunt through a flooded marsh! We have cycled in France and Germany and the Czech Republic and this beats them all. The tour company did a fine job - wayfinding materials were a bit intimidating at first but the Route was marked with stickers placed on sign posts and the written directions were (usually) accurate. Accommodations were good (Mantova not so much but Hisa Posebne Sorte blew us away). Stop and see the sights - the castles the caves the museums and the Lipizzaner farm. We had a breakdown one day but the company has mechanics at the ready with a voucher system - we were back in the road in no time. MY ADVICE: rent the Ebike. There were 14 people doing the same ride as us and 9 used ebikes. Three of the days have LOTS of feet of climb. I have done many, many weeklong bike rides and thought these climbs were challenging (I used the regular bike). Unless you are a pretty experienced cyclist, rent the ebike and enjoy the ride. This is a MUST vacation for everyone.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 1, 2019 - June 8, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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?
    Slovenia
    • Along the path (photo by GobaGirl)
    • Dinner at Hisa Posebne Sorte (photo by GobaGirl)
    • View from the Castle in Piran (photo by GobaGirl)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 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
  • Burgundy Wine Trails
    (5/5) ewarren574 June 7, 2019

    Trip of my dreams!

    · Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    First one
    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?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Best of Holland North
    (5/5) ManOnThreeWheels June 7, 2019

    Excellent Tour and Very Good Service

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    Bike Tours personnel provided prompt and courteous service from the start to the conclusion of the tour selection and booking.

    Recommend

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 19 to 23
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 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 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Tauern Bike Path
    (5/5) Fletch June 6, 2019

    Fabulous scenery!

    · Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)

    We chose this tour because it stayed in the vicinity of the alps but was in the river valleys. The scenery did not disappoint. It was glorious when we had clear skies. We had some rain and snow when up on the mountains but even then the villages and farmland were wonderful. We spent extra days in Salzburg before the tour and spent an extra day in Zell am See in the middle of the tour. We were so glad we had those extra days because there was so much to see and do. We went up to the ice cave, up to the Krimml waterfall, and up to Kitzsteinhorn and had snow in all three places. It was like a winter wonderland. For the five of us from Florida, it was great.

    The hotels were all good and provided great breakfasts. The luggage transfer went off without a hitch. Our bags were always at the hotels when we got there.

    After a few days self supported from Passau to Salzburg we decided to upgrade to ebikes for this tour to make the climbs more manageable and to make it more likely that we would take side trips to see additional things along the way. We are really glad that the tour company was able to accommodate this last minute request. They were very helpful.

    We found that the signs for the Tauern radweg changed part way through the ride. This is something to watch out for. We made a couple wrong turns but learned to keep our eyes peeled for signs.

    It was a wonderful trip!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 10, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    Several
    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?
    Austria
    • Photo 1 (photo by Fletch)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Fletch)
    • Photo 3 (photo by Fletch)
    • Photo 4 (photo by Fletch)
    • Photo 5 (photo by Fletch)
    • 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
  • Baltic Capitals
    (5/5) Kirk June 6, 2019

    Fantastic tour, exceeded all expectations

    · Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn

    The Baltic Capitals Tour is ideal for getting to know all three countries. Our guide brought history to life, making the stories of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia exciting and fun. The pace was leisurely enough to allow for great sightseeing, and the biking was delightful. An amazing and unforgettable experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 19, 2019
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
    • 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 Guides (if applicable)
  • Picturesque Villages and Nature Reserves
    (5/5) HeidiLang June 6, 2019

    This was an awesome trip!

    · · Sail & Bike to Picturesque Villages and Nature Reserves

    The ship ('t Wapen fan Fryslan) was incredibly beautiful! Cabins were small as expected, but clean and comfortable. Bathrooms were sufficient and everything worked well. The crew was incredible! The Captain (and ship owner) is the most pleasant, calm, confident and capable seaman I have ever met (we are sailors, too) and really seems to care about his guests and that they have a good time and everything is safe. He was an awesome host! It is obvious that he puts a great deal of work and love into his ship, and everyone seemed to acknowledge, appreciate and respect that. And the captain owns the sweetest dog!
    Our itinerary changed during the first few days, but it was fine. The biking was easy and some paths took us through beautiful farm country, through some nature parks and forests, and through some lovely little villages and towns. We are not hard-fast bikers, but we were able to keep up with the pack. You do have to cross some roadways, and some can be busy, but everything worked out well for our group. Also being a sailing tour, we sailed on some of the days and the ship is absolutely gorgeous under sail! The first mate was so helpful and instructed us as to what to do so we could help raise, lower and trim the sails. Oh, and yes, there is a Jacuzzi on board that was opened on some of the nights when we were docked at port. Luxury!
    Meals were awesome as well! Good wholesome food elegantly prepared and presented! It was obvious that the chef took pride in the meals she prepared. Everything was delicious, and even my son, who is quite picky, ate most everything and was pleased with the meals! One night, the chef even put on a barbecue on the deck with many varieties of meats, each one specially marinated, with several side dishes. It takes an enormous effort to pull that off on a sailboat, where everything must be toted up and down between the galley and the deck. (Note: Guests who have preferences are advised on the website to arrange special dietary requests in advance. We did not feel it was necessary, and we were fine. The Dutch do not necessarily have salads at each meal, but meals are well balanced and there are ample vegetables served!)
    Can't say enough about this trip! THE BEST!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18
    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?
    Holland
    • Setting the sails (photo by HeidiLang)
    • 't Wapen fan Fryslan sailing (photo by HeidiLang)
    • On deck BBQ - Delicious! (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Captain Erik and our tour guide Tami made the trip even more fabulous! (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Gorgeous scenery :) (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Starting the day in Stavoren (photo by HeidiLang)
    • 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 Guides (if applicable)
  • Romantic Road & Bavarian Lakes
    (5/5) wilsom June 5, 2019

    Everyone should have a holiday like this

    · Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes

    It was such a good holiday. Even though there were challenging times with the weather, it was a great trip and the smile never faded from my face. I loved it so much I'm trying to go again this year.

    10 out of 10, would do again, A++

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18th, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 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 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Scott June 4, 2019

    Great trip!

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    Toured the Danube path from Passau to Vienna. Hotels were all excellent. The bike path was mostly easy to follow but be careful to stay on route at any detours. Really enjoyed the flexibility of a self guided tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    5/18 - 5/23/2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    first overseas tour
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Amsterdam to Bruges
    (5/5) Kazookris June 2, 2019

    Fantastic trip! It was on my bucket list and so happy that I can check off.. Will try other tours.

    · · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)

    I organized a trip for 24 of us from Michigan on the Amsterdam - Bruges May 4- 11, 2019. The trip was fantastic. We had a few rough days of weather yet were positive and biked anyways. Nice accommodations, staff was very friendly and accommodating to dietary needs ( one vegetarian and the lactose free). Bar prices were reasonably. The tour guides were informative and nice that they did a few evening tours. You could bike on your own and I did this several days. The maps were clear. The extra side trips were nice, strawberry fields, bike museum, sandstone shop etc... There was flexibility for those that didn't want to ride on the rainy, cold morning. I will be doing another tour in the future.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 4-11,2019
    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
    Countries included in this tour?
    Belgium, Holland
    • 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
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Innsbruck to Lake Garda
    (5/5) Laird June 2, 2019

    Breathtaking Scenery and Gorgeous Destinations!

    · Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps

    We had the BEST cycling trip ever! The daily routes were a perfect combination of historic sites, excellent paved cycling paths, stunning scenery and achievable level 2 terrain! The bike tour operators information was accurate and sufficient for easy navigation. We never lost our way and the hotels were easy to find.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    7
    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?
    Austria, Italy
    • Surrounded by snow covered peaks (photo by Laird)
    • Descent to Lake Garda (photo by Laird)
    • Cycling to Merano (photo by Laird)
    • 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
  • Bolzano to Verona
    (5/5) Chuck87 May 29, 2019

    Spectacular!

    · Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture

    My girlfriend and I did the self-guided tour. This was our first bike tour, and we both had an amazing time. The first 3 days were primarily on cycle paths while the last 2 days were mostly on country rides. Do be mindful that the last 2 days are slightly hillier while also having to navigate some traffic. Biking in to and out of Verona was slightly difficult due to the car traffic.

    The experience with the contracted tour company was very efficient and organized. Our luggage were always in the next hotel by the time we arrived. The bikes were sturdy. The directions were accurate (we downloaded the GPS tracks to our phone). The hotels were all very clean, private, and most importantly had very warm showers.

    Our favorite part of the tour was the city of Bolzano. It is unlike other cities in Italy, partly due to its German/Austrian influence. Take time to explore the city and also take the cable car up to Ritten and do some hiking prior to the start of the bike tour. The scenery is ridiculously beautiful.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 16th-May 22nd 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    1 including this one
    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
    • 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
  • Highlights of the Highlands
    (5/5) erinling May 27, 2019

    Just Get the E-bike

    · Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike

    Amazing way of seeing the countryside. County Donegal is gorgeous. Killybegs to Glencolmcille to Glenties were my favorite rides. I began day 1 of my journey on a hybrid bike thinking "I'm in shape, I can do this." WRONG. The terrain is very hilly and the hybrids heavy, so just go ahead and get that e-bike. Seamus was incredibly friendly and helpful and worked with me if a problem arose. All of the B&B hosts were great, though Letterkenny's was certainly my least favorite. My only regret is being too concerned about making good time and not taking more opportunities to hop off and hike around more.

    What was the date of your tour?
    30/04/19 - 05/05/19
    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?
    Ireland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Umbria’s Green Valleys
    (5/5) Tom33 May 22, 2019

    Our first self-guided tour

    · Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi

    Umbria was beautiful. Incredible scenery with rolling green hills and fields of red poppies. Most of our biking was in the valley so fairly flat. We had electric bikes expecting more hills. The climb to Montefalco would have been challenging otherwise. Hotels were very nice and it was great to spend 2 nights at each of 3 different hotels so you didn't have to pack up each morning. Our orientation was very thorough from Paolo. There were a few occasions on the road where we had questions about written directions but we figured things out. We were mostly on backroads with little traffic so that was great. A group of 4-6 people doing a self-guided tour would be fun. We rode 4 days out of 5 and took one rain day off. Longest day was 33 miles and shortest about 15. We had plenty of time to stop and explore, take pictures, open church doors, etc. Overall this was a great experience and we look forward to returning to Umbria!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 1-May 7, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
  • Mosel and Saar
    (5/5) Anita May 20, 2019

    Amazing Germany

    · · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat

    The boat Patria and the staff there were excellent ! The dinners were fantastic ! The maps were good and so were bikes.

    What was the date of your tour?
    20 April 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    three
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Würzburg to Donauwörth
    (5/5) Crew dog May 19, 2019

    Needed to last longer.

    · Romantic Road from Würzburg to Donauwörth

    Self guided, had a great time. The local bike company was very good. We departed Wurzburg and left some articles behind the tour company got the article to us down the road. Thanks.

    What was the date of your tour?
    1 May to 7 May 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    18
    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?
    Germany
    • Our route and our gang of 6 great friends. (photo by Crew dog)
    • Great scenery, great food and great beer? (photo by Crew dog)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 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
  • Holland’s Southern Relax Tulip Tour
    (5/5) Deb1505 May 16, 2019

    Bucket list tour

    · · Holland’s Southern Relax Tulip Tour

    A delightful way to experience the Netherlands and see beautiful flowers along the way. We learned some of the history, architecture, and customs of the Dutch and enjoyed meeting the people. We visited a windmill that has been steadily making paper since the 17th century! Our barge crew was terrific! Great food and friendly conversations. The bikes were in great condition and had been carefully fitted to our measurements before we arrived so we could get right to the riding.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 27- May 4, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was my first
    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?
    Holland
    • Photo 1 (photo by Deb1505)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Deb1505)
    • Rotterdam (photo by Deb1505)
    • Sunset on the canal (photo by Deb1505)
    • Photo 5 (photo by Deb1505)
    • 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 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) vacationsmakemehappy May 16, 2019

    Nice LONG ride

    · Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)

    Disclaimer - I loved the vacation pedaling along in pretty much isolation, just my husband and I, and peaceful time in beautiful scenery. We loved the hotels we stayed at along the trail. For the average Joe though, the sport version isn't for you. That's why I wouldn't recommend this sporty trip to most people.
    See below for more details

    The sporty ride was just that. Long days in the saddle, which we expected since my husband wanted to do the short (meaning less days not miles) due to work obligations. The 45-50 mile days seemed fine, but the 57 mile day was long.

    The sporty version left little time for sight seeing along the way. We had to strategically plan out where we were going to spend our 2-2.5 hours of sightseeing time each day, because there was no possible way to see everything. We were on the bikes riding each day by 7:45-8:15, typically had a picnic lunch somewhere along the way with food we either carried with us or picked up along the way at a grocery store. (One of our picnics was standing by a rock waiting for the taxi to pick us up at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp to take us back to the taxi station downtown - would highly recommend the taxi unless you are VERY sporty or have an e-bike-info said there was a longer more gentle route, but we were having difficulty following some of the directions included.)

    If going early in the season or on days with poor weather, I highly recommend taking some food and WATER with you. Only on the first ride day and the last ride day were any of the 'trail magic' stops open for an unexpected cup of coffee, beer, or food. Most things were shut down tight. It was in the low 40s when we started out 3 mornings and also raining 2 of those. Make sure you have GOOD rain gear -not water resistant - and waterproof gloves. Wringing out your cycling gloves and then having to put them back on isn't really very comfortable. Luckily our rain gear (except gloves was superb) Make sure your rain coat has a hood to put up under your helmet or take a waterproof helmet cover.

    There were many places where we had detours (even on the bike path) due to various construction projects which made parts of the trip seem a bit harder navigating than they would otherwise have been. This seemed to happen both long ride days which made those days even longer.

    Take toilet paper with you and be prepared to take a squat ladies - and men. There were long stretches with nothing in sight at times, and when you have to go...! I kind of expected this, so we were prepared.

    The bikes we had didn't have cages to hold water bottles, so we had to carry the water in the pouches included on the bike. But to get a drink you had to stop unhook snaps, drink, rehook or roll down waterproof bags, and start again. I can't imagine we would have been able to or wanted to carry that much water (heavy) for warmer weather. Without easy access to water, the trip was extended about 5 minutes for every drink stop. Not that long but over 50+ miles, it adds up and takes away from time you could be doing more interesting touring.  SHOW MORE 

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 28 (1st ride day), 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Mosel Bike Path
    (5/5) Senior Adventurer May 16, 2019

    2019 Mosel Bike Path After Action Report

    · Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz

    The best way to explore the beautiful Mosel River Valley from Trier to Koblenz, and then the Rhine from Koblenz to St. Goar. The bikes were in excellent shape and the in-country issue and briefing was perfect. The hotels were very good. For our late April early May trip the weather cooperated perfectly. The morning temperatures were cool but by mid-day we could enjoy lunch at a sidewalk at one of the many scenic small towns along the route. We booked 2 extra days in Trier with the tour company to allow us to explore the city before departure. We were very happy with the hotel they chose and the competitive price we paid for the extra nights.

    What was the date of your tour?
    28 April-4 May 2019
    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 young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 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
    • 4/5 Route selection