Family Friendly  Bike Tour Reviews (page 3)

  • Tauern Bike Path
    (4/5) gerald murphy 9 months ago

    Tauren bike path

    · Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)

    The ride through this part of Austria was great - the snow capped mountains, green countryside and friendly people made for a great cycling adventure - the only disappointing aspect was the poor detailing in the maps that were provided.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
  • Lake Constance Classic
    (4/5) BenO October 3, 2017

    Nice Hotels and great bikes.

    · Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)

    Nice trip but a better cycle guide would help a lot. Spent about 40% of out time lost. Trail signs were difficult to find in places.Not recommended for families with small children.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 12 to September 27
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Prague to Dresden
    (4/5) Brian1624 September 17, 2018

    Wonderful Bike Tour

    · Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers

    Easy Route to fallow with 90% bike paths. Good notes on what to see along the way. Hotels were good but WiFi was average.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Aug 20-26th 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    Czech Republic, 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
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Rhine Bike Path
    (4/5) jackie20 May 26, 2017

    Good trip

    · Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne

    Most hotels were excellent, however two (in St Goar and Bad Godesberg) had our rooms on either the second or third floor and no elevators. Best hotel and service were at the Baron in Rudesheim. In addition, the maps and directions to hotel in Bad Godesberg and Cologne were poor. Lastly, recommend sightseeing trip to Monastery Eberbach include distance, we never found the place after riding 10km. Overall, good trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    14 May 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Lake Garda
    (4/5) TriaT September 17, 2018
    · Lake Garda (based in one hotel)

    This was our fourth family European cycling holiday with Bike Tours and our first in Italy. We loved being based in the same hotel so could settle in for the week. The location on the shore of Lake Garda was beautiful and it was so pleasant in the evening to be able to stroll into Desenzano for dinner, with lots of restaurants 5-10 mins walk away.
    The cycling itself wasn't as scenic as we'd experienced in Austria and Slovenia, and we missed the stunning views of the mountains we'd had in those countries (while still on relatively flat routes). The day cycling from Trento to the north of Lake Garda was the exception. That day was the best, though take a book for the very long ferry ride back to Desenzano. And make sure you know where the ferry departs from in Riva before you settle in for lunch. It's a long way from where you first reach the lake.
    We found the printed directions frequently inadequate and relied heavily on our phones for accurate navigation so make sure you have a data plan that covers Europe.
    If you want to have time to explore Verona properly then build an extra day into the itinerary, leave the bikes behind and take the train round trip.
    We sacrificed the ride to Brescia, opting instead to have a full day cycling to and exploring Sirmione, which was definitely worth it. The castle has great views. The small town is swarming with tourists but few venture beyond the vicinity of the castle. There are amazing Roman ruins and swimming areas on the north tip of the peninsula so take a towel.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 1st 2018
    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?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Best of Northern Zealand
    (4/5) Bryan Whited August 6, 2022

    Beautiful scenery along popular tourist areas (except the last day)

    · Best of Northern Zealand

    This tour was a lot of fun and we got to see a lot of interesting places. The hotels were amazing and you get to stay in some very interesting towns/cities. The scenery along the trail was nice, although for many portions the view was blocked by either privacy walls or thick foliage on one or both sides of the trail. Most of the areas are popular with tourists, so don't expect to see many "hidden" gems or explore backwater areas off the beaten path.

    I highly recommend the tour, but there were a few things that could be better.
    First off, the GPS worked 90% of the time with the remaining 10% very wrong (with directions to go round in circles, pull into random driveways or repeatedly make u-turns). Unfortunately the 10% where it was wrong was often in the areas where you needed it the most (like dodging traffic in the industrial part of Copenhagen or where the trails were confusing)
    Second, the last day just wasn't much fun at all. It was one of the longest days, the scenery wasn't all that great and and much of the trail was along highways and roads with heavy traffic. The paths were still nice and safe but the constant noise and exhaust got old and I got frustrated with how confused the GPS was. (Also the weather was bad that day and the path was covered in slugs and snails.)

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    This is our fourth unguided bike 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
    Countries included in this tour?
    Denmark
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Cycling the Altmuehl Valley
    (4/5) Travel Junkie October 1, 2017

    First bike trip.

    · Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg

    Wow, what a trip! I usually plan everything so it felt a little strange not doing a thing. We showed up at our first hotel and everything was ready to go. Hotels were lovely. Breakfast was adequate, kept us going until lunch. Our luggage was at the hotel when we arrived. We were very happy with the services provided.
    The scenery was amazing, the river, the fields, and the valley. The valley was our favorite. The boat trips were enjoyable. And so many castles!
    A couple of days on the trail were a little harder than I thought they would be. The trail surface was rough and hard to pedal on. When the trail was smooth, the cycling was a breeze. We had no trouble with the bikes although It might have been better if we would have rented the 21 speed bikes. We were on the trail 5 -7 hours each day. All and all, we would do it again. I see another trip in our future.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    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?
    Germany
    • Photo 1 (photo by Travel Junkie)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Travel Junkie)
    • Photo 3 (photo by Travel Junkie)
    • Photo 4 (photo by Travel Junkie)
    • Photo 5 (photo by Travel Junkie)
    • 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
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (4/5) John Parsons December 7, 2015

    Really great trip.

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    To start off with the Sound of Music Tours and then fairly leisurely riverside roads and fantastic food and culture - we just loved it. One of the towns was not as good as the rest but for the most part just great

    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 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
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Mosel Bike Path
    (4/5) Thomas Bailey 6 months ago

    Good trip

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

    I will give you the positives and then areas I think you could improve upon. 1. The route along the Mosel is absolutely fantastic. And the boat ride down the Rhine was a very pleasant surprise. 2. We stayed in the upscaled lodging, and they were all very, very good. 3. The bikes were some of the best we have rented in Europe. They were very clean and I think almost new. Areas for improvement, 1. Your representative in Germany is, at best, average. Almost no discussion about the route or functionality of the bikes. He was very anxious to get the bikes in our hands...and leave. He also stated the route is so straightforward I did not need gps, and recommended I leave it a home. That might be true if I lived there and spoke the language. Regardless, I took my garmin and was very happy I did. The written directions were extremely imprecise - and since we had upgraded our lodging, our hotels had very bad directions to get to them. I even asked about this before we left and there was little effort to make them more clear. Not sure what your quality control is for your representatives, but we have been on several biketours.com and the quality of service when you get there is very, very inconsistent. Belgium was good, France not so much. 2. I would build in more time to see some of the beautiful small towns we visited along the way - at least give that as an option for people looking for a more relaxed schedule.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
  • Munich & the Bavarian Lakes
    (4/5) fudledudle September 16, 2018

    Munich lakes tour

    · Munich & the Bavarian Lakes

    The Hotels were all very good and it was very easy to follow the route due to the Stickers placed on traffic sign posts, could have used an extra day in the Garmisch Partenkirchen area.

    What was the date of your tour?
    sept 1/18
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Bolzano – Verona – Venice
    (4/5) MacS July 24, 2019

    Wonderful vistas

    · Bolzano – Verona – Venice

    What was the date of your tour?
    7/6- 7/13
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 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
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Lake Garda
    (4/5) Gudrun58 September 28, 2017

    Group of friends

    · Lake Garda (based in one hotel)

    Hotel was very good and the staff also. Italy is so beautiful and charming.

    What was the date of your tour?
    14.09-19.09.2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Tauern Bike Path
    (4/5) Brittany at BikeTours December 3, 2015

    Beautiful scenery and quaint villages!

    · Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)

    I went on this tour as a BikeTours.com staff member. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking! The tour is 80% downhill. This made for cycling near the Austrian Alps fantastic. This tour is mostly on dedicated bike paths and quiet back roads, except for brief moments of cycling near the main road. The route maps are more basic which allow for more adventure. I would recommend this tour for a first-time traveler and casual cyclist.

    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Photo 1 (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Krimml waterfalls (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • The Schmittenhöhe (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Cow crossing (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Zell am See Lake (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • Austrian Alps (photo by Brittany at BikeTours)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) Chloek1234 December 2, 2015

    Great trip for leisurely bikers seeking variety and leisurely travel

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    I went on this tour as a BikeTours.com staff member, and I think this is a great tour for a variety of folks. There are big cities, forests, small towns, ancient ruins, vineyards, and more. The cycling is very easy and simple to navigate. The directions and maps are basic, and leave you to discover things on your own. The tour is 95% or more on bike paths. You do have to leave the bike path oftentimes to venture to the night's accommodations. All of the accommodations were quite lovely, and breakfast ranged from adequate to delicious! I think I could take my entire family on this tour, from my grandma to my baby cousin and everyone would love it. It's really is the quintessential European bike tour experience.

    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens, Solo travelers, Families with young kids, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Photo 1 (photo by Chloek1234)
    • Passau, Germany (photo by Chloek1234)
    • Hauptplatz, Linz, Austria (photo by Chloek1234)
    • View from Maria Taferl (photo by Chloek1234)
    • Wachau, Austria's most famous wine-growing region (photo by Chloek1234)
    • Quaint accommodations, Tulln (photo by Chloek1234)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Bolzano – Verona – Venice
    (4/5) None99 July 20, 2019

    Great tour of Northern Italy

    · Bolzano – Verona – Venice

    Unfortunately the guide had never done the tour before!!! Why wouldn’t he be an assistant guide once then lead the tour???

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 6-13
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 2/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Salzburg Lakes Tour
    (4/5) Earl Naue August 9, 2022

    Lakes Tour

    · Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps

    The tour operator provided in person directions and instructions regarding the bike since our group used ebikes and they looked like new. In addition, the company provided a GPS app that kept us on course and we never go lost. The tour company was Eurobike and this is our second time with them and we will seek them out in the future. Lodging and food has always been great in Austria.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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?
    Austria
    • 4/5 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
  • Tauern Bike Path
    (4/5) Stacey Davey 6 months ago

    Beautiful countryside and charming hotels

    · Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)

    I thoroughly enjoyed the villages and sights along our six day Tauren/Salzburg self-guided trip. The countryside was breathtaking, our hotels were charming and our hotel bookings and luggage transfers were seamless. The route also took great advantage of the amazing bike routes and on our 300 kM journey, I think only 10 or 15 kM was on a major highway. The trip was considered “moderate” and involved some climbs on the first few days of our trip—particularly if you wanted to visit some of the suggested sights along the way. The one detracting factor to our experience was the quality of the bikes. They were extremely heavy and cumbersome and did not help with navigating some of the hillier terrain. The bells and the odometers (essential for way finding) did not work properly on the two women’s bikes. The vast majority of the people we came across were on e-bikes and while the route was doable on what I would consider steel townies, it limited some of the sights we visited as after we climbed the almost 4 kM hill to visit the salt mine, we started considering elevation gains before deciding which sights to take in. However, I will say that the seats were comfortable! All in all, I enjoyed the trip and would definitely recommend it to others.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
  • Best of Northern Zealand
    (4/5) Vegacat September 24, 2017

    Enjoyable tour but poor organisation

    · Best of Northern Zealand

    Although we booked this tour through biketours.com the tour is actually operated by Bike Denmark. Things got off to a bad start when we arrived at the first hotel (the Scandic in Copenhagen) to find the hotel had no record of a reservation in our name. Fortunately, the hotel did have a free room and after several phone calls to Bike Denmark the situation was sorted out. Our bikes were to be obtained the next morning from Bike Denmark at the rear of the hotel. What we found was a fairly chaotic situation with one Bike Denmark representative trying to set up bikes for twenty or so cyclists. Whilst the bikes were reasonable touring bikes, they had not been cleaned and were very dirty. There was a shortage of bike locks so we only got one between two. The helmets were old and in poor condition. Similarly, the bike map holders were torn and certainly not waterproof. Altogether it was a poor start to the tour. Bike Denmark could have done a much better job by ensuring that all bikes were set up and fully equipped prior to the 9.00am pick up time.

    We were provided with two route books, one with maps one with turning instructions. Both were printed only on one side of the page so it would have been much better if they had been combined so as you could see the map and instructions side by side. The instructions were not always clear leading to a couple of wrong turns and the need to resort to Google maps. (We found that others on the route made similar errors). It would be better if the route book provided more detail of what you are passing between turning points as a cross check that you are on the right route. Also detail could be provided of dining options in overnight towns.

    The bike tour itself was most enjoyable. Very pleasant and safe cycling along the coast to Helsingor (a highlight in itself) and then back by an inland route with some undulations. The hotel in Helsingor was very good (right on the beach) whilst the other hotels were adequate. However the hotel in Hillerod was unfortunately some way out of town so we didn't get to enjoy much of this interesting looking town itself.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    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?
    Denmark
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Mosel Bike Path
    (4/5) Hiker Ann November 4, 2019

    Self Guided Mosel River

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

    Wes and the team at BikeTours.com were amazing helpful in planning our self guided trip. We were so lucky too that the weather was pleasant every day of our bike tour. This made the well planned tour even more special! We only experienced one late afternoon of rain in Sept..I would definitely contact Wes if we plan another bike tour in Europe, as he was attentive and friendly throughout our months ahead of planning.

    The Mosel is a lovely ,calm river with various birds and river boats, plus vineyards up the hillsides on both sides to admire. The beginning of the tour is more peaceful than the latter part as the highways and roads follow the river and bike paths too and are closer in those parts. The towns in the middle of the tour are smaller and very interesting, and often we wished we had more time to explore them as some are historic and scenic. Faster riders and those with Ebikes may have had more time to visit these villages. The hotels especially Richtershof in Mulheim and Romantik Jugenstillhotel in Traben were places I would have loved to stay longer! .All hotel staff were friendly and helpful. The managers/staff at Hotel Schwarzen Baren in Koblenz were most personable, but please know if lodged there you have a longer distance to the hotel from the bike path and to the river boat and return the next day.

    I would recommend that the first day not be the longest distance to bike for this tour. You are getting familiar with the heavier bikes, unlike ones you may own at home, taking multitudes of photo stops, and the hotel, restaurants, and area in Mulheim are a treat to behold after Trier. Getting there late afternoon left us less exploration and relaxation time. Otherwise the mileage per day was adequate for us. Do plan to have time to explore historic part of Cochem. It is a tourist stop and the Hotel Kebler Meyer is not in this part of town. My husband had an Ebike, I did not. Of course this review is personal, and I do prefer smaller villages to cities. Overall, we were most pleased with the tour arranged by BikeTours.com.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Setpt. 9 through 14
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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
    • 4/5 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
  • Tauern Bike Path
    (4/5) Dorit July 13, 2019
    · Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)

    What was the date of your tour?
    28/6
    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
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 1/5 Guides (if applicable)