First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 25)
- Albania
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★★★★★ Emily W 4 months agoExceeded my expectations
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
I've gone on a number of bike/hotel tours and really loved them. Adding the river cruise exceeded my expectations. We met many new friends, enjoyed a very nice cabin for resting, and appreciated the very helpful staff. Having a daily talk meant we were very prepared, even though we selected the self-guided experience. The only "self" portion was on the route; every other step of the way, we had guidance. All of this, in addition to the exceptional route, helped make the trip so much fun. We did experience some country-specific issues that required rerouting for biking days 2 and 3, but the cruise director acted very quickly, and we made lemonade out of lemons. I would be happy to do this kind of trip again.
If you're trying to decide between a bike/boat trip and bike/hotel trip, the major difference is that you do not have all day to complete your ride. You are on the riverboat schedule, which can make for odd timing and shortened riding days. If your primary goal is biking, then I would recommend a bike/hotel trip instead. The other downside is that you are rarely in a port during the evening. Walking around Budapest at night was a BIG highlight! On a bike/hotel tour, you can do that every night.
Lastly, I was very happy with the biketours.com experience. Everything was handled very professionally. I would book through them again, especially if I were traveling to a country where I didn't know the language. Using the site was instrumental in my finding this amazing tour, and I look forward to looking for another tour again soon!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- 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, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Michael 4 months ago
Love active travel? You’ll love this!
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Meals were good / not overwhelming. Rooms were fine (we chose the upper deck). Bikes were not to the level we are used to at home and for 50-60 km days were “adequate”. There weeent many hills. The optional bike tours were great in Budapest and Vienna although you need to expect traffic in Vienna. The landscape was beautiful. Great trip!
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★★★★★ Gladys M 4 months ago
Beyond high expectations !
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
We've taken several boat and bike trips as we LUV floating hotels and active vacations, usually on smaller boats than the Vivienne, my concerns for number of guests were not necessary. The flexibility of schedule, ability to do self guided bike routes, and fellow guests were quite fun. The cabin, typical of boats, small with very good storage for clothes and accessories and stashing away luggage. Wifi was good throughout the trip. The meals were great and plentiful. We signed up for every 'optional' excursion and had the best guided experiences learning more about each capital visited. The Danube and Central Europe are not to be missed, rich with history and quiet roads to explore on two wheels. The crew gets a 10+, informative, attentive and friendly. Even with a ride in the rain this trip was 'over the top' in my memory. Evening theme parties, costumes provided on board - not to be missed.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ john kremerss 3 months ago
senic river tour
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
easy enjoyable bike ride without a lot of cars along the Danube
the food was average on the boat
we enjoyed having the ability to make a sack lunch
we would have liked a few longer rides -
★★★★★ Christopher Ireland 3 months ago
Dream cycling trip
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
There was no surprise that cycling along the Danube through 4 Countries would be amazing, but the whole boat experience was fantastic.
The boat was in pristine condition and a lot bigger than I ever imagined, combine that with the most friendly helpful staff and top quality restaurants level food every day.
I was mainly going for the bike riding, but honestly I could have really enjoyed myself almost as much by staying on the boat and not riding at all. I will definitely book another trip in the near future. -
★★★★★ Alice C 3 months ago
Trip was better and more luxurious than anticipated
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
We had an amazing trip on the Swiss Crown. The food was above and beyond! All the staff were friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. The bikes were in great shape and checked daily. Everything was clean and organized. The wifi was unreliable and app provided for navigation didn’t always work for us. I was happy to have preloaded the routes on my Naviki app. We had purchased an e-sim which worked well. Having said that we would do it again, and probably will book a different trip with this company. They were awesome
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★★★★★ Anne B. 3 months ago
Fabulous and exceeded expectations
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
From the moment we arrived on board I felt welcomed. The entire staff went out of their way to answer questions, offer help and with a smile. The captain took his job very serious, but also had a sense of humor. Our director, Leslie, kept us laughing as he presented valuable information on the boat, bike routes, city tours, etc. The actives on board like 70 & 80's music night and karaoke night were so much fun. I have not danced and laughed so much in years. I will be going again and have already told many friends they need to book this trip!
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★★★★★ Dee 3 months ago
Trip was outstanding!
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Every day we were treated to a delicious menu from Breakfast to Dinner and dessert. High Tea every afternoon with treats like Black Forest Cake and Cheesecake after spending a day exploring ancient towns and castles by bike. Our cruise director Reinhold saved the day, and gave us a daily run down on options for tours in larger cities. Staff overall was wonderful and attentive. Bike pathways are lovely along the river, highly recommend this trip!. Plus, the Swiss Crown is in great shape, very comfortable.
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★★★★★ Doug S. 2 months ago
A great experience
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Whether the bike rides or the river cruise and amenities, this tour is clearly put together thoughtfully for the client and to provide a nice balance of experiences. Also, the Vivienne was able to negotiate the Danube in low water levels that many other cruise ships could not. (We passed some that were moored and could not continue). Great crew and food. We also have e-bikes at home and the ones provided were comfortable and high-quality.
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★★★★★ MarcieB October 4, 2015Wonderful way to visit the shores of the Bodensee . . .
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We like to book tours in September, but weather can be a concern. We selected the 11-day Bodensee tour and only experienced two days of wet weather! The paths were well marked, the hotels comfortable and well-situated, the daily program manageable, the museum pass wonderful, and the meals and Apfelstrüdel delicious. As two 70+ cyclers, this trip was by far the easiest we have done!
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our 6th self-guided tour
- 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, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Sandy November 4, 2015
Great ride with friends of different levels
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
The ride around Lake Constance, (the Boden See) was wonderful fun. There were 13 of us and we varied from level2 to level 4 riders. All enjoyed the ride! The quaint towns along the way were fun to stop and visit and the Lake was beautiful! We saw the Alps one sunny day which was a highlight for us.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Wiederholen May 19, 2016
Great Trip in a Beautiful Part of the World
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
The Bodensee cycle path trip was a winner from the start. We went in September when the weather was still nice and the crowds had thinned. After flying into Zurich, Konstanz was very easy to get to by train, and the ABC Hotel there was great, as was the scenery and food around town. We went to the bike shop to pick up our equipment (although they would gladly deliver to the hotel) and met some nice people who mapped out a riverfront route back to the hotel for us. The bikes were perfect and the cycling each day was very easygoing, allowing us ample time to explore (and eat and drink). Pro tip: check the schedule for the ferry from Insel Reichenau to Allensbach in advance - we just missed the 10:00 sailing on our first day, and as the next ferry didn't go until 13:00 we chose to cycle back on the causeway rather than wait three hours for the boat. Not a problem, it just added several miles to the trip on to Stein am Rhein. One of our favorite stops was in Überlingen, which we arrived in via ferry from Wallhausen. The hotel location along the lake was fantastic, and we had fun stopping for drinks along the promenade. I agree with another reviewer that the marina hotel near Kressbronn was out of character with the rest of the journey, but it was a nice, clean, modern hotel with great food and easy access to the lake and I won't downvote the trip because of it. The variety of the hotels we stayed at along this trip was actually one of the positives. Our side trip to the Bronze Age stilt houses (Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen) was very interesting and worth the stop. The Altstadt and harbor in Lindau are beautiful, and while we were slightly lost for a bit the people in the tourist office were incredibly helpful in getting us back onto the cycle path. In Bregenz, Austria we rode the cable car (Pfänderbahn) to the mountaintop for lunch and, even though it was an overcast day, still had some great views of the lake below, even if the Alps were obscured. Crossing the Rhein back into Switzerland brought us many miles of cycling right along the beautiful south shore of the Bodensee (highly recommend a lunch stop on the lakeshore patio at The Pier in Uttwil). Crossing the border back into Konstanz was slightly confusing, but part of the fun of these trips is finding your way. It was nice to get back to Konstanz and spend some more time exploring that town.
- 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, Switzerland
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★★★★★ jaesc June 19, 2016
Lake Constance Bike Tour
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Truly enjoyed the experience! Completed 33 500 mile rides in the USA and the Lake Constance tour was the best! Hotels better than expected and rental equipment excellent, highly recommended.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 01 - 07
- How many tours have you completed?
- 33
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ ukidocny June 20, 2016
Perfectly organized.
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Great trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All perfectly organized by local tour company; German of course. Hotels were all centrally located but I would have preferred higher tier hotel options. Perfect for ALL different types of cyclists. I would STRONGLY recommend this tour; easy, beautiful and varied landscape, innumerous food options, multiple detour options to extend your daily mileage etc.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 5, 2016 start date
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Alpskier August 4, 2016
Wonderful & Easy Biking Adventure for All
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was my 11th ride with Biketours and one of the easiest and most enjoyable! The mileage averaged around 25 miles, and except for a few hills on the second day, the ride was generally flat, on easily identifiable bike routes. It's nearly impossible to get lost, and for first-timers that's important. You simply follow a defined path around Lake Constance, also known as the Bodensee, and the Rhine River towards Shaffhausen. On some rides I've taken, you ride for 35 miles and wind up in a town that was selected as a place to lay your head rather than a destination of some interest. Each of the towns and cities as you ride from Germany, into Switzerland, eventually through Austrian, and back to Germany are wonderful places with well-preserved medieval old towns. So we'd leave our hotel by 9 and be in the next town by 1 with plenty to do for the rest of the day. Radweg-Reisen is the local tour provider. It's a first-class operation from top to bottom. You receive a detailed personalized tour packet with easy-to-understand route information as well as must-see sights to see in each town. My wife and I chose the A hotel options, which for about two hundred dollars more allowed us to stay in quaint 3 and 4 hotels. Each were literally on the bike route! As a top tip, I'd strongly recommend purchasing the meal plan which includes breakfast and a 3 course dinner. This keeps costs down and some of the meals were truly memorable. The bikes appeared new, and were perfect for touring. Sometimes the path was on crushed gravel or sand; other times you followed an asphalted route. The width of the tires was perfect for the task. The other thing about the bike was the number of adjustments you could make in order to personalize your bike. Here's another top top: when you shop in your start and stop city in Constance, or Konstanz, as it's known locally, you can immediately get 19% tax back by simply walking over to the customs office at the train station. Receive a stamp that you are not living in the EU and go back to your store and get cash back. Constance is a great place to shop, especially for shoes! Finally, the scenery around the lake is spectacular. It's a great choice for all.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 11
- 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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★★★★★ bienchen August 11, 2016
fantastic trip
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Very relaxing and fun way to experience three countries, stay at bed & breakfasts, cycle at your own pace during the day, stop at tourist sites, and check into your next hotel in the afternoon/evening and grab dinner at a local restaurant. Hotels varied from simple to four-star. We liked the ones close to town best because we were able to explore different places in the evenings.
Will definitely go with that company again in the future.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Ron1 September 26, 2016
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9-8 to 9-16
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ roadrider56 September 28, 2016
Alittle bit of heaven
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We had an amazing time. This is our third tour with BTD and will definitely plan another tour in the future . The hotels were wonderful with amazing breakfast and some hotels had pools and offered spa packages. The routes were great although rated a level 2. I found a couple days a bit challenging considering I live in the low country yet I appreciated the challenge. The bikes were excellent considering their weight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September8, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- four
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Mary October 10, 2016
60th Birthday Ride!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Just returned from our ride around the Lake and it was the best way to celebrate my 60th birthday! The ride as outlined is pretty accurate with regards to level of difficulty, with the first two days of the ride the most challenging - only because of the two "hills" as we approached our hotel - we ended up having to walk the bike. The bikes were great and in top notch shape and there was more than enough storage for our 'stuff'. Each day, we started off with a healthy breakfast buffet which included options for everyone (even gluten free). Hotels were wonderful (however, if you like having a washcloth or hair conditioner; I'd suggest you bring your own as these are a little on the rare side). The trip book given to you at the start gives some wonderful 'to see' sights and is very much worth taking the time to read and review before each day's journey. Terrain was varied, as was the ride, itself. We went through villages, farm lands, the lake, campgrounds and monasteries. I felt very safe on the ride with both my personal safety and property. Very bike friendly countries and tour. Pictures show some of the sights we rode past. Enjoy the ride!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September/October 2106
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Brian April 27, 2017
Spectacular scenery - through sun & snow.
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
A fabulous ride even through two days of snow showers.
We found the 7 night tour very well organised. Accomodations were very comfortable and buffet breakfasts more than adequate.The bag transfers were seamless and bikes were good for casual riders like ourselves. Overall a fantastic tour and excellent value.- What was the date of your tour?
- April
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
