First-Timers Bike Tour Reviews page 27
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★★★★★ Doug S.
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
Wonderful 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
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
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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BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Such a helpful and detailed review. Thank you for sharing!
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★★★★★ T and C
Well organized, no drama, couple hotels ehh
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Biketours.com was very helpful. I emailed lots of questions to them and always got a prompt reply.
The ebikes were great, I couldn’t have done the trip without them. We had a couple of 60km days because of sightseeing, which was too far. 40-45 km should be the distance for upscale in my opinion. We also had 3 hotels with NO air conditioning, Surprising and disappointing considering we paid for upscale lodging. Apparently you can state A/C as a requirement at booking time, I just assumed with the upscale hotel fee that would be included..live and learn.
To me the trip was not completely flat, I mean it is mostly flat, but no way would I do this without ebikes.
Route is well marked, but still an adventure. If you like a vacation that is a bit different, do this one!
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★★★★★ oktobeerfest
Wonderful way to truly experience Austria
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The maps and suggestions of places to see along the way were very informative. So many beautiful hamlets to visit. There just wasn't enough time to see everything! The route suggestions were very helpful and the upscale lodging was mostly superb. Breakfast accommodations exceeded our expectations! We would highly recommend this trip to anyone, even non-bikers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14 - 21, 2019
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ jpatrick
Danube upscale bike path trip report
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Our group of five guys in their 50's and 60's had a great experience biking down the Danube. We booked separate rooms with the upscale lodging option. All hotels except one were very good to excellent. The route was well identified with maps provided at the briefing, the bicycles were great (21 speed, upright style) and the scenery was superb. All details with Bike Tours were without incident. Daily rides were generally in the 40
miles/day range which was not an issue for our group. The terrain is flat to down hill. although we did have a significant headwind the last couple of days. I would rebook with Bike Tours without hesitation.
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★★★★★ Geri Lincoln
Wonderful trip
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had an amazing time, our accomodations were eclectic and diverse which we appreciated. Tour book was well researched and informative. The ground handler that gave us our bikes was not very well informed and did not give any options, tools or advise for fitting the bikes correctly, we had no issues but some others, especially those on ebikes were not well served. GPS routing would be an excellent addition to the books provided. Hotel Donauschlinge seemed to be having a bad day and the restaurant staff was obviously rude to those of us without German language skills. All in all, very well done. Having only two experiences that were less than perfect for an 8 day tour is a job well done!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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
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★★★★★ Karen Regin
Beautiful Austria
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The upscale lodging is absolutely wonderful. There was only one property that did not exceed expectations. The contact in Europe was less satisfying. Directions were sometimes hard to interpret, we ended up with directions to one town when our lodging was in another town, and there was not any help with GPS directions. But the bikes were nice and the lodging choices excellent overall.
The bike paths are wonderful and the country is beautiful. We really enjoyed riding through the small towns and eating at local cafes. There is not much English anywhere so be prepared for that. Overall, we loved the trip! -
★★★★★ Robert Derge
Biking the Danube
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was self guided using paper maps. Maps were generally good but written directions were profoundly inadequate in the very busy city of Vienna.
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★★★★★ Leanne Rosenbower
Nice biking route
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The biking paths are great and we easily biked the routes. We did not use e-bikes and were fine. The routes were scenic and varying. The cities we stopped in were charming. The suggested lunch spots were all tasty. I would only consider two of the hotels to be upscale. The rest were just average. Most did not have AC and it was extremely hot when we biked. It was often hard to find water so might be good to pack two water bottles. We had one navigating issue where we got to the center of the city and put in our hotel as instructed and we had to bike back 40 minutes the way we had just come. The bikes have two storage areas which is sufficient for carrying what is needed. I think this was a great way to see Austria. We loved ending in Vienna and staying an extra day to tour around. I would recommend this trip but don’t expect upscale lodging.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Pedro Carlisle
Romantic road
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
A great way to visit Austria following the Danube, lovely landscapes and some lovely sights along the way
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★★★★★ Bill C
Wonderful tour along the Danube!
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
It was a really great trip. We (two couples) did a self-guided trip. The welcome/bike set-up meeting was very helpful and on time. The e-bike rentals were great. And the routing and App provided were terrific. Less wonderful: we did have trouble reaching the local vendor for a bike repair issue - surprisingly the person with the "WhatsApp" number had taken off with that phone that day. Caused a lot of confusion. Also, one of our hotels (Linz) provided awful service in terms of non-functioning Air Conditioning in both rooms. For hours they told us that this was as cool as the rooms get (approx 27 degrees Celcius). Finally, the manager agreed to let us try rooms on a lower floor, which were a very comfortable 21 degrees.
Overall, we'd recommend the trip highly. -
★★★★★ Jerry Seidell
Beautiful ride along the Danube
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
A perfect way to see Austria and do it at our own pace. Lodging was outstanding, equipment was better than expected and a very memorable trip! I was disappointed in the bike fitting (cancelled by tour company) and we had concerns and little support for adjustments. The trip did not get off on a good note - otherwise would have been a 5 rating.
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★★★★★ Tony Shubart
Enjoyable biking tours
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Overall good experience. Had some hiccup pre-departure as the operator made a mistake on our one way transfer from Vienna to Passau and had to find our own transport last min, which we managed. Bikes were good quality and map app was easy to follow with a little help with Google map to get to the hotel sometime. The luggage forwarding was seamless. Some hotels are better than the others. We had a reasonable expectation of the upscale four stars so didn’t anticipate any luxury. They are good clean hotels that covers the basics and most of them are in good location except one due to book-out of the normal one they use.
We feel certain things can be improved but overall is a lovely experience even two days were raining.Overall we feel it was
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★★★★★ Saint Malo
Pleasant bike ride
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
There are dedicated bike trails through the trip and the difficulty level is appropriate for a casual rider. Unfortunately, most of the hotels lacked air conditioning, which was sorely missed in the hot August nights after a long day of cycling. We wished we had an opportunity to opt for better hotels. In addition, the written directions were too brief and should have been more detailed. For example, we missed the segment with a boat ride because it did not appear in our booklet. The local operator was very accommodating and friendly. We appreciated the instructions from George.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 28th 2017
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Susana
Family trip
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
This trip is perfect for a family with small children. We have 2 kids, 6 and 8 years old and they have enjoyed everything! The bikes, the swimming pools at Mauthausen, the swims in the Danube, the playgrounds alond the way...We hired a one tag along bike (carried by his father :) and a children bike in order to change during the trip and make it easier for them.
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★★★★★ Rebecca Hengemuhle
Such an adventurous way to explore Austria
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
We loved this bike tour and it was a great adventure for our family to explore Austria. Biketours was easy to work with and the local operator was helpful. We loved the hospitality at our hotels (except one). Our first night in Linz was wonderful and the museum electronica was amazing. The stay on the farm/ cideria Hotel Moser was such a highlight and was super family friendly. Our boys loved the soccer pitch and food. Maria Taferl was absolutely stunning but an epic ascent that most kids / adults without an e-bike won’t be able to do. There is a bike shuttle option up though. Durnstein was great and we enjoyed a day off to explore the town/ ruins/ pool. The ferry provided a different view of the Danube but probably wasn’t necessary as it didn’t save us too many kms. Tulln was okay with our half board dinner at a separate Greek restaurant (which was delicious) and in a different hotel from where we checked in and had breakfast. The staff at the Hotel Austria were incredibly helpful and helped us come up with a good itinerary and travel plans through Vienna. The Danube cycle path isn’t always on a separate bike road which made it a little more nerve wracking with kids but our kids soon learned good road etiquette and safety. The app/ guide book was good but we still needed our own gps to get to our hotels. I would recommend the half board option and extra night in Vienna. We all really loved this adventure. The scenery, food and hospitality through Austria was incredible.
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★★★★★ JOHN BEST
Beautiful trip with the kids
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
A great way to see Austria with kids--we took six kids ranging from 3 to 9 years old. There were a variety of small towns with old streets, playgrounds, and castles that the kids loved exploring. The hotels were comfortable (a bit hot with no A/C and 95 F days) and all had extensive breakfasts, much better than is typical in the U.S. The routes were also clearly laid out via the app and hardcopy maps they provided. I gave this four stars for a couple reasons; one, the mileage was actually higher per day than was represented, which was challenging for the smaller kids. Two, the communication could have been better, especially towards the end of the tour. Last, the route took us on several shared roads with vehicular traffic (70 kph) and in an industrial area, which was fine for the adults, but again, may not be suitable for some children.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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
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★★★★★ Martine
Good bike trip
Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
It was very nice to stay on board ship the whole week instead packing up and moving every few days. Food was delicious on board.
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