E-bikes Available Tour Reviews page 69
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
- Wales
-
★★★★★ Lieve v November 8, 2019Amazing experience!
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
This trip really was the perfect way to explore the region of Portugal. We saw the true heart of the country! The food and wine stops were amazing, the guide (Maria) was exceptional. Riding the bikes was a bit more challenging than anticipated due to the many undulating roads (stretched out hills and climbs), but it was a rewarding experience to have ultimately been able to accomplish it. The trip offered a wonderful mix of history and architecture, food and nature. Our only disappointment was a last minute change to the itinerary, which had us staying at a company owned farm for two nights, about a 20 minute cab drive from Evora. Part of the group had accommodations downtown Evora, which would have been much preferred for us too since the farm was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ WilcoxTandem November 10, 2019Great Bike Ride with our 20 year old Grandson
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Our Grandson is attending a College Semester in Barcelona and had a week off. Since we have done 4 other tours with Bike Tours we contacted them to find the right ride. Right away Taylor did a very good job of directing us to the Medieval Villages Ride. We wanted to take our own tandem and she contacted Lucy and Daniel to make sure it would work on the non asphalt paths.
During the ride Lucy and Daniel did and outstanding job of supporting us even though it was a Self Guided ride. The second day there was a huge lightening/thunder storm with lots of rain. They contacted us that morning and we mutually decided to not ride and they transported us along with our tandem to the next hotel.
The rout, scenery, and historical value was out of this world. Thanks everyone for a great ride---Barrie and Susan- What was the date of your tour?
- October, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- 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?
- Spain
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe November 11, 2019
Barrie and Susan, thanks kindly for this review. We're delighted you guys got to spend some time with your grandson in Spain -- what a lovely family adventure! We're delighted (but not surprised) to hear that Taylor was very helpful, and the tour operator, supportive. We're so glad you loved the route, scenery, and historical value and that everything went smoothly with the tandem. We can't wait to book the next one!
-
★★★★★ Htim November 10, 2019Beautiful and Fascinating
· South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Beautiful routes, fascinating history, quaint, picturesque towns, grand castles and walled cities. Lodging ranged from excellent to very good. Bicycles and computer were great—we opted for carbon road bikes. Only negative was that the tour was short—one day had to be cancelled because of very heavy rain, and the last day was just a loop from Carcassonne to Limoux and back.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
-
★★★★★ Wesley November 13, 2019Beautiful cities and hidden gems of Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
I went on this tour as a BikeTours.com staff member. It is a popular option for our members who have already experienced the Passau to Vienna tour. The tour follows EuroVelo 6 along bike paths, quiet roads, and a few sections of gravel and dirt roads. The route starts and ends in two of the great cities of Europe; Vienna and Budapest. But I'll tell you a little secret, the hidden gems of this tour are the picturesque towns and cities that you visit along the way! My favorite cities were Bratislava and Gyor. In Bratislava, it is a must to take the short hike or bike up to Bratislava Castle. A beautiful view of the city and of the Danube river await you at the top. The castle itself is astonishing and it is easy to spend 2 or 3 hours just walking around admiring the garden, the castle, and the views. The old town of Bratislava is another area worth exploring on foot. Make sure you visit St Martin's Cathedral and Michael's Gate. If Wes Anderson was looking for a European city to film his next movie, it would be Gyor. This pastel wonderland of a city is not well known but it may have been my favorite city of the entire tour. Be sure to set aside a few hours to walk around the historic old town where there are many shops, restaurants, and bars to pop into. The dollar greatly outweighs Hungary's currency, the forint, so don't be afraid to take a tour of all the little pubs and restaurants. The local food and beers are great and incredibly inexpensive. The cycling for most of the route is flat and leisurely with a few shorter stretches of more moderate, slightly uphill cycling. Be prepared for a few sections of gravel roads as well as single lane dirt roads which can get a little rough at times. The distances vary from day to day with the longest day being 42 miles and the shortest being 25 miles. On day 6 you cycle to Visegrad from Komárom. If you are interested in getting some extra cycling miles in at this point, my recommendation is to skip the boat ride and cycle the entire route. The cycling is uphill at certain points and it makes for a very long day, about 53 miles, but the last 10-12 miles of the route as you cycle into the town of Nagyarmos are absolutely gorgeous (my favorite section of the entire route)! I highly recommend getting a drink and exploring Nagyarmos before you take the ferry across the river to your final destination, Visegrad. Another recommendation is to add a few extra nights throughout the tour. If you love big cities then think about adding extra nights before and after the tour in Vienna and Budapest. If you are like me and you love smaller cities that are very walkable and have a lot of character, Bratislava and Gyor would be my recommendations for extra nights. It is important to point out that while this route follows the Danube river, most of the time you cycle through the river valley, out of sight of the river. There is a lot of farmland and quaint villages and towns in this part of Europe so for large stretches of the route, this will be your surroundings. If you are interested in cycling along the Danube river, look into our “Danube Bike Path” tours. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- 09/15/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Austria, Hungary
-
★★★★★ Darrell8 November 14, 2019Beautiful Scenery
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
Excellent service that was provided by the local bike company, the gentleman was very friendly and gave us great information when asked. The bikes were excellent and all hotels were very nice with great breakfasts that was included in the rates. GPS were included so finding the right route was seamless.
There were lot of great sites to see along the way and the scenery was amazing.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 5,2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Timr November 17, 2019Fun Cycling, Fascinating Area, Fabulous Accommodations
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
We cycled in early November, which was a perfect time for this area, which can be very hot. Loved Andalusia. The routes were lovely. The hotels were very good to excellent. The bikes themselves were solid—a bit heavy, but with occasional stretches of dirt roads and cobblestones, I wouldn’t recommend a lighter bike. The Garmin provided worked fine, but was an older model with non-rechargeable batteries—you may need to buy a few extra AAs.
- What was the date of your tour?
- November 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ JimJ November 18, 2019Cycling was fantastic but not even the best part!
· Medieval Transylvania Heritage
This tour will long linger in my memories. The cycling was scenic, varied and truly fun. Much of it was through truly remote areas, such as through a dense forest where we were told the largest concentration of brown bears in Europe still make their home. We waved to farm workers, many of them Roma, on the sides of dirt roads. We passed medieval castles and towering churches.
And on most days we saw far more horse carts than cars.
Other aspects were perhaps even more memorable. The lodging, for example, was unique and wonderful. In Talisoara we stayed in a restored castle and dined in its richly decorated banquet hall. In Cund, we overnighted and dined at Valea Verde Retreat, an endeavor that has brought a dying farm village back to life. Guests get to experience farm life as it had been for centuries—and even go foraging with the chef/owner, Jonas Schaefer.
The traditional cuisine was another highlight. Valea Verde has also become an award-winning destination for foodies across Europe, and our group savored some of the best farm-to-table cuisine I’ve experienced—and it’s especially fun when the table is at the farm.
We also visited Moşna and had lunch at the farm of Willy Schuster, a passionate supporter of the cause of sustainable and organic farming in Romania and abroad. After he introduced us to “the happiest cows in all of Europe,” he and his team brought out tray after tray of fresh farm delights.
Also along the way we also got to watch craftspeople and artisans at work such as brick makers, blacksmiths, and shoemakers.
All this is part of efforts to keep traditional crafts and customs alive.
So this is a tour that truly benefits the people and communities we pass through.
--Jim Johnson, founder and president, BikeTours.com
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 30+
- 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?
- Romania
Video: #WhyIBikeTour--Medieval Transylvania edition
-
★★★★★ Deb Fanton November 18, 2019
Andalusia bike ride
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
Accommodations were fantastic; bike equipment very good; luggage transfers flawless. The routes were disappointing compared with Burgundy- many unadvertised hills, lots of highway, rough unpaved off road. We love working with BikeTours and this was our fifth or sixth trip but this particular trip was not communicated well from the beginning-- find it far better to do less cities with loops around the city and two nights at each location. Loved Spain though including our extended visit in Barcelona!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10/25/19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe November 19, 2019
Deb, thanks kindly for the review. We're sorry to hear you wouldn't recommend this tour but can certainly empathize - when you've been on numerous tours and traveled many places (as it sounds like you have) that not every tour can be a favorite. Thanks for the details about the route; very helpful for future clients! We're glad to have been able to assist you and delighted you enjoyed your accommodations, bikes, flawless luggage transfer, and Spain (of course!).
-
★★★★★ Htim November 21, 2019Historic Cities,Castles and Countryside
· Prague-Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest
Delightful and sometimes challenging tour through southern Chechia, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Good to excellent accommodations. Many old castles, chateaus, and classic walled medieval towns made for an enchanting experience. The tour provider was excellent. The routes were interesting and sometimes challenging. Most cycling was on paved roads but there were several stretches of unsaved roads and even trails. Navigation with the Garmin unit provided proved generally very good, but some independent navigation skills were sometimes needed, such as when there were unexpected detours for construction. Bicycles were adequate.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September to October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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?
- Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia
-
★★★★★ Kasey December 16, 2019
Seville to Cadiz
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
We did this tour at the end of November so the weather can be unpredictable. This region of Spain can be really hot in the summer so this was a good time of year for cycling with highs only in the 60's. However, Andulucia's terrain is, in general, not very lush or scenic and, in an area of Spain that is rural and farm based, it is particularly not scenic in November. The overnight stops along the way were very nice and the accommodations were well done. There were sections of the tour that were on busy roads, most of which were with a generous shoulder but a few with no shoulder. Fortunately, Spanish drivers are very courteous to cyclists and do not pass unless they can give you ample room. There we also sections of the tour that were off road and since there had been some recent rains, the trails were rough and muddy.
The bikes and equipment provided were of good quality and did not have any problems. The directions were for the most part accurate except for final approach into Cadiz when the gravel road ended before the directions indicated they should. From that point, the directions simply did match up to the road options. We had to rely on Google maps to figure out how to get into the historic district. We ended up on the pasao along the shore and cycled the last 6-8 miles on that into the historic district. Fortunately there were bike lanes we used to get to the pasao. Most of the last day of cycling is barren and not scenic so in retrospect we would have opted for the shorter option and taken the ferry into Cadiz and spent the last part of the day touring Cadiz instead of cycling all day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Late November, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ MEMALgarve January 16, 2020Really Great Holiday Trip on Wheels
· Algarve Coastal Route
We had a wonderful 4 day/5 night trip along the Algarve. The GPS was superb, the route was very well thought out, the food amazing and the Algarve everything we had hoped it would be- thank you.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 12/30/19-1/4/20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ mrank July 9, 2021Great trip - highly recommend!
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We just completed the 9 day Orleans to Angers segment of this tour and really enjoyed it. It's the first trip we have taken that we would actually take again, but next time complete the entire 13 night tour. We have taken quite a few bike tours but this one provided the best supporting materials we ever had. The turn-by-turn materials and maps were very well done and easy to follow. We never needed the GPS. Of course the trail itself is extremely well marked, which helps a lot. In addition to the great support we received from the local tour company, the Bike Tours support while setting up the tour was also very good.
The bikes were fine, a bit heavy, but comfortable. Our only issue was the tires on both bikes were under-inflated upon receipt, but we were able to resolve that without too much issue. We always carry our own tire gauge and check regularly. One bike had a mechanical issue, but the tour company was excellent at quickly resolving it.
All the hotels were great and were prepared for our arrival. They also had very good facilities for storing the bicycles. Luggage transfer went smoothly and always arrived at our hotel before we did. The only minor issue was that one hotel did not have a lift, which was surprising, but not a big deal for us. I mention it in case it might be a concern to others.
The meals, both breakfasts as well as dinners we purchased were top notch. We only had a complaint about the poor service in the Orleans restaurant. The food was good, but the entire restaurant was served by one person and it took forever to get through our meal. While the meals were all delicious, in hindsight, we may have gone without the supplemental meal package and just purchased dinners on our own. There were so many choices in almost every town that we would have enjoyed an occasional casual meal, like a delicious pizza vs the traditional French food every night. However, you can't go wrong in going with the meal package. It is definitely a French experience!
Finally, the only other suggestion I would give is to alert people in the riding materials that there is a river crossing that you have to manage on your own using a little metal raft that you have to pull to your shore, load the bikes, and then pull to the other side. Its not too difficult, but managing the loading of bikes was a little tricky. I read afterwards there are ways around this crossing but it would have been good to know about it ahead of time.
All in all, a great trip and maybe in the future we will be back to do it again.
It goes without saying that the trails, scenery and points of interest were fantastic with lots of stops along the way. Even with less than great weather, we totally enjoyed this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/25 - 7/5, 2021
- 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?
- France
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Bruce July 10, 2021
Thanks for your review and glad that you had a nice trip! Good suggestion for the riding materials. What wonderful photos!
-
★★★★★ Stan September 13, 2021An Ideal Vacation
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
Riding the Mosel River in Germany is to experience seven days of sheer beauty of countless vineyards planted in a wild geometry on the steep valleys along the river. The villages with the profusion of flowers bursting from every window make you feel you have stepped into a story book. I've done this trip twice. Once with a regular bike and once with an Ebike. The Ebike is easier, of course, but the regular bike was very doable for an 84 year old who is just a weekend rider.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July, 2017 and Sept.4, 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- Four
- 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?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Richie and Trish October 12, 2021Gute Fahren im die Berge
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We had an amazing time on this tour. The scenery was breathtaking. It was so exciting to cycle along these beautiful rivers with the alps rising above us on both sides. The days just flew by as we cycled along. This was our seventh European tour and this ride compared very favorably with other rides we’ve taken. When we arrived in Innsbruck we found that we had to walk to a bike shop to pick up our bikes. Normally the bikes are delivered to our hotel but we took the walk and the shop owner was very helpful. Although the bikes were very heavy we found them quite roadworthy. They may have been the best bikes we’ve used in Europe. The hotels we stayed at we all lovely and provided us with great breakfasts. We especially enjoyed the Hotel Post in Zittertal with its rooftop infinity swimming pool. It was amazing. We also enjoyed having a rest day in Zell am see although it was hardly restful. We hiked, took a boat excursion and went to a fabulous spa for a swim. Many reviews of this tour complain about the book that accompanies the tour and now we know why. It’s very confusing and was not at all helpful. Usually the books on these tours are much more helpful and give recommendations for lunches and dinners. This book did none of that. The trail is well marked in most places but not in others. We often found ourselves scratching our heads trying to make sense of the signs on the trail and the directions in the book. We are seniors and found ourselves walking the bikes up hills from time to time but most of the ride was gentle easy riding. When we weren’t on dedicated bike paths the roads were quiet with little traffic. Overall it was an amazing trip that we would recommend to anyone who loves being in the mountains.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 13 - 19 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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
-
★★★★★ StuNH October 14, 2021A tour far exceeding expectations!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Reading previous reviews, what most needs to be said is praise for this tour is not over rated. It was an exceptional tour! We did the tour in late September into October. The high tourist season was past, so our entire tour was quiet, peaceful, relaxing. The weather was very pleasant, and swimming in the Mediterranean was delightful. We had 3 days on the coast to enjoy that. We loved the various cycling experiences - the "Carrilet", the coast (Costa Brava), and the medieval villages. The hotels were all outstanding.
Even though the tour was self guided, the tour operator remained in touch and was exceptional.- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/28/21 - 10/6/21
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+ (I've lost count)
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ TimHam January 5, 2022A spectacular trip - best yet with Bike Tours!
· Dolomites to Lake Garda: Picturesque Cities and Stunning Scenery
What a beautiful trip! The scenery of the Dolomites and Lake Garda was otherworldly, each day better than the day before. The town's and hotels were charming. The well marked dedicated paths and instructions were great, and traffic free most of the way. The Eurobike leader was fabulous, going out of her way to retrieve my backpack with passport that I'd left on the train in Austria. This was my 6th Bike Tours tour...they have all been great, but this one was tops. Oh by the way, we used e-bikes here which I'd highly recommend!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ Collette February 12, 2022Lecce Loop of the Trip is Beautiful
· Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
The segment of this trip within the Puglia region provided stunning views almost all day long of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. We took frequent advantage of public beaches, stopping for a swim along the way, and the towns were charming, making it easy to linger over an espresso and seaside lunch, or tour on foot once we were settled into our hotel for the night. Our E-bikes made us happy as this Puglia section of the route is quite hilly. The hotels were excellent to good, and the GPS mapping on our phones made it super easy to stay on track or find the route after we had chosen to deviate from it. This portion of the trip was a delight.
The first third of this bike trip includes the the route from Matera to Alberobello and Ostuni. A previous reviewer had mentioned, "an inordinate amount of garbage," on this section. I cannot stress enough how the garbage surpasses the word "inordinate." Hundreds of thousands of water bottles, household trash, appliances, used diapers and debris of all sorts litters the first three days of this trip, like riding through an open landfill.
This section of the Basilicata route has long been abandoned for repair. We had to turn off the "emergency SOS" app on our phones - the one that calls your emergency contact using severe shaking of your phone - due to the broken concrete and tar on these roads as our phones kept sending SOS pings out to family members in the US. Where I live, I often have to ride on gravel roads and those seemed like a dream compared to these first 3 days of road conditions. The Lecce portion of this trip was great but I cannot recommend this trip if it includes the first section. Bike Tours is wonderful, this was our second trip with them and we plan more, but I will heed reviews, which is why I'm offering this one.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 26 - Oct 1, 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
