First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 14)
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★★★★★ SWTA August 26, 2019Great trip!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
We recently completed this bike trip. It was a really wonderful trip. Great biking, fantastic scenery and the hotels were really terrific- def better than we had expected. The first 3 days were in the mountains and very picturesque. The last 3 days were along the river and we rode through a lot of cornfields and frontage roads.
We had no proper training beforehand and the days were reasonable - though we did walk our bikes up some of the steeper hills.
We booked an extra day in Krimml which allowed us to better explore the waterfall (which is amazing). There wouldn't have been enough time to walk all the way to the top if we had not. It was real bonus that the hotel gave us free passes! We also took an extra day in Salzburg to explore. That was a really nice way to break up the biking.
This is a really nice trip for active people and families with older kids. The bikes and other equipment that was provided was good. Though we found that people who booked directly with the operater - Eurobikes - were given GPSs. I don't remember that option - which would have helped because we missed a few turns along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/5-14/2019
- 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
-
★★★★★ DotK September 17, 2019
Wonderful views and terrific overnight stops
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This is the second self-guided tour that we've cycled with Bike Tours. So glad we chose it. the preparation and advice were so valuable. It's great to be able to focus on the fun of cycling while the arrangements for hotels and luggage are taken care of.
We stayed over in Salzburg on our way to Krimml to break up the train journey from Munich and that worked out really well, giving us a chance to see the highlights of Salzburg before taking the 3 hour train to Krimml the next day. The BikeLine map book that accompanied the tour was very easy to follow and the Tauern route very well marked, staying in the river valley though with a few hills to challenge us (we did walk up a few). The bicycles were very comfortable. We did notice that e-bikes have become very popular with both urban and touring cyclists along the route.
The views of the Alpine foothills were amazing as we cycled along the valley from Krimml. Our ride into Zell am See was charming, and the hotel very welcoming and helpful. We had a wonderful time walking around the pedestrian district along the lake. Each day's ride gave us ample time to explore interesting towns along the path and still arrive at our destination mid to late afternoon.
Once we left Salzburg the river became broader and the route included more forests, hills, and farmland. Luckily when we arrived in Burghausen, we stopped and ate a late lunch at a cafe on the main street before tackling the steep hill to the hotel. The advantage was that the hotel was just outside the castle complex that overlooks the town. What a wonderful walk through the five castle courtyards in the late afternoon sun. Descriptions of the castle's history were positioned along the walk. Then it was on to Bad Fussing, with an indoor-outdoor thermal pools at our hotel. The spa town and the hotel were picturesque. We enjoyed cycling through the open countryside of Bad Fussing so decided to take a different route through farm villages instead of following the river to Scharding and on to Passau. I would recommend taking an extra day in Passau as well to visit the attractions of the city. We were pleased to have the time there before traveling back to Munich.
We had a wonderful time!- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/18/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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, Germany
-
★★★★★ Anne Stanek October 1, 2022
A gorgeous trip!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This was a beautifully planned trip - such amazing views, peaceful rides, comfortable hotels. We have done many of these bike tours now and this rates as one of our most favorite. We highly recommend it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 9 - 16
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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, Germany
-
★★★★★ Anne Stanek October 1, 2022
A gorgeous trip!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This was a beautifully planned trip - such amazing views, peaceful rides, comfortable hotels. We have done many of these bike tours now and this rates as one of our most favorite. We highly recommend it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 9 - 16
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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, Germany
-
★★★★★ Marlys Manthei November 8, 2022
The Family trip of a lifetime!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
My husband and I did this self guided tour two different times in the past. We loved it so much that this time we wanted to share the experience with our entire family: our four adult children and their spouses and our nine grandchildren, ages 9 through 21. There were 19 of us and we all had a fabulous time. We shortened the trip to just biking from Krimml to Salzburg on a 6-night tour.
We did this tour in June of 2022. The tour. company graciously arranged for a bus to take us from Salzburg to Krimml at the start of the tour. Even that was fun for the group. On the bike ride, everyone enjoyed stops for apple strudel, swimming in the lake, riding the gondola on the ski hill, the hike to Krimml waterfall and much more. Every day we were surrounded by the most amazing beauty. The kids and teens were never bored. 22 miles a day was just right for our group and we stayed together in a long line. We opted for a night in Zell am See and that was the favorite overnight - a beautiful town on a beautiful lake.
We were blessed with perfect weather every day. One evening it rained and we found a bowling alley right in our hotel so that was fun for everyone. We highly recommend this tour. -
★★★★★ Todd Pulley May 26, 2023
Beautiful countryside
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This was a beautiful ride. There were two distinct parts of the trip, each with their own character. The first 3 days we rode through a variety of alpine landscapes... wide valleys, small villages, along crashing rivers, through narrow canyons and past lovely farms. Everything was pristine and with fantastic views. We finished that portion with a ride into Salzburg, where we spent an extra day. Good decision. Lots to see and do. We attended a Mozart concert high in the fortress and felt like it was a highlight of the trip. Recommend the SteiglKeller for lunch or dinner. Great views of the city. The second half from Salzburg to Passau was different ... flatter, less scenic, but had its own charm. Riding along the river was relaxing. The little towns were interesting, and the overnight stops were great. Again, lots to see and do along the way. A word of warning: the route coming into Salzburg is very confusing. Use your GPS on your phone for this section. Only glitch in the trip... our bags did not show up until 10 pm one night and not at all the next night (placed in a storage closet where no one thought to look. Very inconvenient, in that no we could not get anyone on the phone to address the problem. Also, if you are a cyclist, ask lots of questions about the bikes that they are supplying.
Overall, great trip and would highly recommend.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was our second
- 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, Germany
-
★★★★★ Peter Van Zoost September 8, 2023
Beautiful trip
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The first 3 days of biking were beautiful in the Alps. We stayed a couple extra days in Salzburg. Everything was well organized and went smoothly.
-
★★★★★ Jim Gross 3 weeks ago
Great Ride
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
Our fourth time riding this route over the years. Everything was great! Bike Tours.com did an amazing job organizing and handling our requests.
The bikes, hotels, GPS routing, etc were all great.
We love the bike paths and beautiful countryside of Germany and Austria.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
-
★★★★★ Mully July 14, 2016Great way to experience Europe
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
A wonderful experience. I have traveled to Europe many times, but this was the best way to see it in my opinion. I would recommend taking an extra day here and there along the ride to spend some additional time in areas that you have interest in so the focus isn't always.getting to the next destination. I think what makes this type of trip unique is that you are better immersed in the local sights and culture...you are on a bike, not in a bus or car. The countryside trickles by at a comfortable rate that encourages exploration. The lake portion of this particular trip involved considerable road travel which was a bit unexpected, but drivers were courteous and we quickly became used to it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 25
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ allisong August 9, 2017
Wonderful trip with my daughter!
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
We did a self-guided tour and had a wonderful time. We used electric bikes and I was very happy with that choice. It was still a lot of work and we got a ton of exercise, but it made it so we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The paths were very good and we were on roads only about 10% of the time. The hotels were very nice-small and quaint with lovely breakfasts. The tour director in Austria was very quick to reply when the electric stopped working on my bike on the 4th day. She found someone to fix the bike early the next day. The only challenge was reading the maps but that was part of the adventure. We definitely made more than a few wrong turns and had to backtrack, but having the electric bikes made it okay.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 6-13, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- just this 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?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Fishchico August 18, 2017
Azure blue lakes
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
The Lakes option of the Danube River path was amazing. Lake Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee were crystal clear and the most beautiful shade of azure blue. Most of the riding was along dedicated bike paths and lesser travelled roads. People friendly and helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 30 - July 7,2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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
-
★★★★★ Kretch October 3, 2017
One of the most beautiful rides I have taken in Europe
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
I am so glad I elected to ride from Salzburg to Vienna rather than Passau. The ride was beautiful, mountains coming down to the bike trails and Alpine lakes to ride along. It was not difficult for the average rider and a ranking of easy 2 is fair. From Linz to Vienna was also very nice and it gave us enough river riding to make the trip a good combination of mountains and riverside.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9-5-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15 non supported rides in Europe
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Norm November 2, 2017
Great ride.
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Austria is beautiful with a lot of historic sites. We were late in season so a bit cooler, rained for 2 days but we were prepared. Very impressed with hotels and the mix of modern and historic settings, professionally organized. Only complaint was that on first part of trip, bike trail was not marked well and descriptions were hard to follow eg. go for a short ways and turn right at first farmyard turn left at the country road - keep at the block to the right? To a stranger to the area lot of this didn't make sense. We ended up getting most of our directions from local people who were very helpful. The portion on the Danube bike trail was very easy to follow.
Overall we were pleased with the tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 8 to 13, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- three
- 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
-
★★★★★ eb53 June 17, 2018
extraordinary 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
-
★★★★★ Julane January 1, 2019
Valleys and Vineyards
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
We found the scenery on this tour stunning (especially on Lake Traunsee) and appreciated the variety of landscapes (forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, farmland) and terrain (flat to rolling hills). The hotels/inns were very comfortable and most within walking distance of interesting sites in the cities/towns. We combined this tour with another (Tauern Bike Path: Salzburg to Salzburg) which gave us an opportunity to experience a different but equally beautiful region of Austria.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 28-October 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 30+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ KLVM July 11, 2019
Biking in the Shoulder Season
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Cold weather and rain did not prevent us from having a wonderful biking experience. The scenery was beautiful, hotels were in lovely locations, the people were friendly, and the tourist sites were virtually empty.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 12-18, 2019
- 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?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Hilary Powell November 7, 2022
Amazing
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
This trip was amazing! I had so much fun and it was very well organized. Any problems we ran into we were able to get answered quickly through email or a phone call. Someone was always available. I had never been to Austria and in one trip I saw a little bit of everything the country had to offer.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Smgds November 4, 2015Austria is a perfect country to cycle in!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
This was a highly enjoyable tour. I really thought the inns/hotels chosen were nice and friendly. The only think I would recommend is not getting the pre-paid dinner. The set menus got a little monotonous after a while.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
-
★★★★★ CyclesInRoswell March 13, 2016
A trip I'd dreamed of for many years brought to reality in every way!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The tandem bike was reliable and fairly comfortable, the sites were awesome, directions flawless and lodging friendly, clean and lovely. We were very happy with this self-guided trip, our first bike expeirence in Europe. We did have a broken chain on the 2nd day, but my hubby made a trail repair and the company came to our hotel and replaced the chain that night. This is a great tour and I was shocked today when looking for our next one that I hadn't reviewed it. I would recommend this as a first European bike experience to any cyclist.
- How many tours have you completed?
- Only one through a company, 4 total
- 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
-
★★★★★ Rider May 9, 2016
First Bike Tour
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
This was our first bike tour (September 2015) and I went with my wife and 27 year old son. The route was wonderful, and if you are looking for a beginner trip, this one is great (my son, a more experienced biker, felt it was not challenging enough). We have since take another, more challenging tour, and can see how accommodating the Danube route is.
The route is mostly flat, on dedicated bike trails and very well marked. Your only basic decision each day is which side of the river to ride on. The information provided by the tour company was excellent and we never got lost. The weather was also very good (it only rained one afternoon) which also contributed to the enjoyment. Although they varied in quality, the accommodations were basically very good. I really enjoyed seeing the country on a bike tour. We did cut the last day short, and rather than cycle into Vienna, we took a train. Another group started and rode the same route as us, cycled into Vienna and based on what we heard from them, we made the right choice. We spend a couple of days in Munich at the beginning and a couple of days in Vienna at the end, which were both wonderful cities. All in all, highly recommended especially if you are looking for an introduction to bike touring.
