First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 17)
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★★★★★ MarcieB July 6, 2018Life on a Mosel/Saar River Barge is good!
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
Not our first self-guided bike tour, BUT our first barge/bike "all inclusive" ride. We loved it. The barge rooms were small, but clean. The on-board meals and "make your own lunch from breakfast buffet offerings" were excellent! Kudos to the chef of the MS Patria. Staff from Czech Republic and Poland were hard working and friendly. Dagomar, the activities director, was enthusiastic and dedicated to making sure everyone was taken care of. Seating assignments in dining room were well thought out, placing the two of us (Oregon) with traveling relatives from BC. The rest of the table consisted of a group of eight Danish folks who spoke English! Bikes were 7-speed models and with a headwind, I was regretting not having an e-bike. Live and learn. Excursions/field trips were interesting and offered cultural highlights. The Mosel/Saar River valleys are simply breathtaking. There was a mix-up the day of our arrival in Koblenz, as we had not received the e-mail regarding the change in mooring. Our German friend was able to call the Harbormaster to locate the MS Patria, and after a rather long walk pulling our suitcases, we located a small local ferry that took us to the opposite shore (Rhine) where we boarded the boat. I don't think I would have thought to call the Harbormaster, and my husband's phone (with contact info) was out of battery power. Technology! All's well that end's well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 16, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our NINTH 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Team Wuss July 4, 2018Lowlands Adventure
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
Fantastic trip. Incredible tour in a beautiful country on an extensive bicycle infrastructure. In fact there are so many bike routes that navigation was sometimes a challenge. The download navigation option would have been helpful. The planned routes through the countryside were excellent. The bike/ boat approach is a great way to travel avoiding the daily packing. The accommodations were very nice, the staff was excellent, and the bicycles were well maintained. The dinners were good though basic with small portion size (a common observation in Europe). Breakfast was a very good buffet with fixings to make a sandwich for lunch. Definitely recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 9,2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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
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★★★★★ Senior Adventurer July 3, 2018Perfect Danube Bike Tour
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Very enjoyable tour of a lifetime without crowds, with beautiful scenery, and with great lodging. My wife, whose last biking adventures were in her middle and high school days, proved a super biker, enjoying the exercise, scenery and challenge of biking the scenic Danube bike path. The bikes, delivered at our start hotel along with the tour package, were in excellent condition and functioned perfectly. A knowledgeable in-country guide met us at the start hotel to explain the tour information, the route instructions, bikes and equipment. The provided materials allowed us to effortlessly self navigate. After hours each day on the bike the upscale lodging met or exceeded our expectations and was greatly enjoyed. The weather mostly cooperated, spring beauty abounded, and the temperatures were perfect. We are planning our next biking adventure on the Mosel and Rhine and plan to again use BikeTours.com.
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★★★★★ Tiff from Colorado July 1, 2018The perfect trip for 3 generations!
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
The directions, places to stay and length of trip were exactly as described. The tour was fantastic in June. Excellent service, no lost bags, everything went smoothly. An amazing time was had by teenagers, ourselves and my parents. Just stupendous!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 15-22, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ louis16 July 1, 2018Great Trip down the Rhine
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
We had a fantastic first bike tour. The hotels in general were well appointed. One hotel had staff that did not know any English which made communication a challenge but we managed. The castles were amazing. The routes are well laid out and easy to follow even if you do no know German.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/17/2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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
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★★★★★ ohsuzanna June 30, 2018· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
- What was the date of your tour?
- may 5-12th 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Ellie June 30, 2018Lake Constance
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This self guided trip around Lake Constance was the best biking trip we have taken this far. The scenery was simply fantastic. As boaters it was great to visit the many marinas along the lake. The hotels for the most part were very good. I would recommend that you request hotels with air conditioning . Two hotels we were at did not have air and we were quite uncomfortable. One hotel had very poor bedding as well. Several good pillows and blankets really should be a given.
We also did feel that more detailed maps between towns would have been advantageous. The maps we received on our previous Danube trip were excellent. We recommend that the Lake Constance trip have the same . Sometimes we ended up off the route because of lack of detail.I also recomnend that the tour offer van service to the park hotel. After a full day of biking that long ride uphill is not fun.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Zaco June 30, 2018
Great tour.
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
Excellent Setup, great way to see Holland.
Weather always a risk in Holland. It was cloudy, cold-ish, sometimes wet, and quite windy (but the following week, after our tour ended, was perfect with not a cloud in the sky.) The tour is well planned and you see different parts of Holland. We knew of course about the water ways, windmills and such, but we did not realise Holland is basically a swamp...
Bikes are very good and crew on the boat and tour guides were very friendly and helpful.
The soccer world cup was a bonus (being soccer mad), and provided excellent entertainment from our perspective. But I would suggest planning your social activities on/off the boat in advance as there is no entertainment - it's not a Caribbean cruise :) There are a few cruise legs in the evening so you can't really get off the boat.
Food is good, the bar is good - buy an open bar ticket if you like a drop, it is cheaper that way.
One surprising commission is a laundry facility on the boat, or at least dryers, and no information on an alternative off the boat. In any case, who'd want to spend 2 hours in a laundromat off the boat? They ought to have a facility because naturally you go through a lot more clothes in a week of cycling, especially if the weather is not kind to you.
Most people were "senior citizens" on our tour, myself included (but I was an outlier in my family group). So bear this in mind if you look for younger company. Choose a harder tour if you have keen athletes in your family. I was with three in their 20s, all fit and eager (I'm 60+). They formed a breakaway group a few times. I decided to stay with the peloton and give chase later. I soon discovered it does not work with a peloton of one rider.- What was the date of your tour?
- 16 June
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ aaoptics June 28, 2018
Discover Lake Constance
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We hired e bikes and the tour was easy -we are relatively fit but this was a holiday and we wanted to make sure it was fun-few hills but no issue with e bikes
I would recommend adding an extra night in Lindau as it such a pretty place and gives an opportunity to check out the city- What was the date of your tour?
- 13th June 2918
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Ptowntraveller June 25, 2018Great Tour!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Wonderful easy first time bike tour. Flat scenic route with lots to explore along the way. Hotels were all good and very different, only downside was that it was REALLY hot when we were there and there was no air conditioning and some rooms had no cross ventilation.
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★★★★★ Dano June 25, 2018
Terrific trip
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We had a wonderful time. The equipment was in great shape, the rooms were convenient and comfortable, and the scenery was beautiful.
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★★★★★ Mdlewis June 24, 2018Altmuehl Valley, Round Trip from Regensburg
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
Our first European Bike Tour was a success! We very much enjoyed the experience. The villages and scenery were interesting to pass through. The Altmuehl Valley is beautiful and the choice of cities for the overnight stays were great. Our bikes were first rate and we didn’t experience any problems with them. BikeTours.com were very supportive through the process. One of the disadvantages of the self guided tours is that you need to make it to the hotel selected for you that night, instead of the flexibility to stay at places of interest along the way. Speaking of the hotels, they were conveniently located, older, but renovated nicely. Unfortunately, none of them had air conditioning (we travelled through very hot weather). Air conditioning would have been muchly appreciated at the end of the day. As the hotels were in a central location, the rooms were on the noisy side of the street. We did get lost twice and perhaps more detailed maps, between each city would be useful. Saying that, we are looking forward to our next trip. My wife will be renting an electric bike next time!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 8, 2018
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ like2bike June 22, 2018Outstanding Tour Operator, Lovely trip in the Netherlands
· Cycling the Dutch Countryside from Zaandam to Kampen
We have been on around 8 bike trips and speaking from experience, Tulip Cycling is top notch/one of the best, if not the best. Peter provided all that was needed for an excellent adventure. Peter was friendly, positive, and he was meticulous in ensuring that the cyclists have a positive experience. He takes care of each group of cyclists, on an individual basis, so that each group gets the attention that they need to operate the Garmin device.
Positives:
* GPS/Garmin navigation, so you can simply rely on the Garmin to direct you. This is very useful, since there are so many opportunities to turn the wrong way in the Netherlands. Using a Garmin made a huge difference.* Detailed maps in case you get lost (we didn't).
* Ability to contact tour operator any time. Individualized service, including an interview at the end of the trip.
* Bikes were excellent, well maintained, locks worked well, breakdown assistance was available.
* We got really bad colds/bronchitis on day 3 of the trip, and we couldn't bike for the rest of the trip. But the trip wasn't over--we took buses and trains to get to each hotel, which worked out well. Peter brought our bikes to each hotel, in case we might want to use them. Incredible extra service!
* Hotels were excellent, and they were at or near the town centers. This is an important point--many other tour operators book top notch hotels outside of town. Being at the center of town, you can easily explore the town and select a suitable place for dinner. Also, most of the hotels had charm/grandeur and many were high end establishments. They were each unique and were not mainstream establishments.
* This tour is excellent. The tour takes you to small charming villages/cities in the Netherlands, heading north of Amsterdam. This is an excellent tour if you want to avoid large cities and traffic. The charming towns and villages were each unique and there was much to see and explore. A lovely trip, we would highly recommend this tour. The route was flat and landscapes were nice. The route was designed well to avoid traffic.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June
- 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?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Pamela Jo June 22, 2018Wonderful experience
· Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
We had a great time in Hungary. Gabor is a terrific host even for a self guided ride. great cycling and even better wine!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/8
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ johnkrue June 21, 2018
Lakeside Spinners at Lake Constance
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was our very first bike tour, and self-guided tour. We met up with friends who had taken a few tours in the past with biketours.com. We had an absolute fabulous time. The hotels selected by Biketours were awesome. The route was spectacular. The bikes and the bike company were great to us. And being with 10 friends for 6 days was the best time of our lives.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first!
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Portland Lefty June 20, 2018
Great Trip!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The Danube from Passau to Vienna is a wonderfully scenic and historic adventure and there is no better way to experience all of the sights and venues then by bicycle. We found the distances easily manageable for a couple in our 60s, the bikes were very comfortable and reliable, and the route directions were generally easy to follow. The accommodations were great, with the Schloss Durnstein particularly enchanting and staffed with wonderful people who were very welcoming and treated us royally. We've only been back a bit over two weeks and would love to repeat the journey.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 13 May to 21 May, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our second tour
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ NV_Chuck June 20, 2018
Danube Bike Ride
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Four of us rode down the Danube from Passau to Vienna. It is a great route with many Austrians of varying ages on the trail, as well. Our hotels were all quite nice and the service for moving luggage and making sure that our bikes were perfect for us was all top notch.
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★★★★★ Jennie June 20, 2018
Danube Impressions
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Great boat and trip. Excellent tour guide. Excellent staff.
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★★★★★ eb53 June 17, 2018extraordinary trip across Austria
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
This trip was truly stunningly beautiful. We were amazed at how much beauty and variety could be packed into one trip. Even though the directions were sometimes confusing, it was easy to figure your way around--the signage is fantastic and people are exceedingly kind and friendly. We really loved the self-guided option--it increased the sense of adventure, freedom and self-reliance. All accommodations were splendid as were the breakfasts. We were amazed at how great the bike infrastructure is in Austria--way better than in the US. Everyone bikes and cyclists are respected. Motorists were very considerate of cyclists. Temperatures in Austria were WAY ABOVE NORMAL this year. The lakes part of the trip was some of the best riding we have ever done; we also loved the Wachau region. We wished that
this part had been longer. If we had it to do over, we would add a day to the lakes and maybe take a train over sections of the Danube. . . Do not miss the ecological gardens in Tullin! We wished we could have spent a day there.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- this is our first long tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Pearl June 15, 2018
Danube Bike 8 Day w/upgraded lodging
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
