First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 5)
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
- Wales
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★★★★★ Elizabeth Levine September 25, 2023Seeing the Netherlands on 2 wheels
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
The Netherlands are a cyclist’s dream- bike lanes and biking infrastructure everywhere- in villages as well as cities. This was amazing to experience- and to hop on 2 wheels and join in! The bicycles provided by Tulip cycling were top notch Dutch bicycles with automatic lights that turn on while pedaling. It was great to have our luggage shuttled to each hotel every day, so our bags were waiting for us when we arrived at each hotel ready for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Most of the hotels were 4- star and all had great breakfasts and all were walkable to the historic city centers with the market square, restaurants, cafes etc.
Unfortunately the weather was poor during our cycling trip- very high winds and frequent heavy rain almost every day of our mid- September journey- this made the cycling much more difficult than we anticipated with the need to frequently stop to pull on rain gear- and the GPS device did not work well during storms so the navigation was also more difficult than expected. Several of the locals told us that frequent high winds and rain are typical in autumn and that the best months for cycling are May, June and July.
Despite the bad weather we enjoyed the countryside, the lovely hotels, the friendly locals , the delicious food and the pace of life on the bicycle tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Marion Van Kirk May 12, 2024
Beautiful Holland
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We enjoyed the trip. The weather was perfect and the towns very nice. The hotels were good, and the people were helpful. All breakfasts were good. Our tour administrator (Pieter) was very nice and accommodating. We were self guided. The only disappointment was Keukenhof Gardens which had peaked earlier than expected due to warmer April weather. The tulips were fading and the crowds excessive. Traveling by train from Amsterdam to Utrecht and Leiden to Amsterdam was very easy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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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★★★★★ Kenneth Gresham May 12, 2024
Great time but tulips were gone.
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Love cycling a country. It is the best were to see the countryside and interact with the locals. Holland was wonderful, but missed the peak tulips by about 2-3 weeks. Museums in Amsterdam are a must.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ ArmannI August 8, 2017Nice tour in beautiful country
· Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
Perfect way to experience wine tasting and beautiful country (north side of the lake Balaton )
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1/7 to 8/7
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ Retired Teacher September 28, 2016Great Scenery, but... poor bikes
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
The rental bikes were NOT up to standards. One bike had defective derailluer and and to be substituted. Pedals and seats were hard to replace with ours, mechanic had to return next day with WD430 and oversized wrenches to get pedals off.
The hotel was very cute and nice, but across plaza from 2 churches that ran LOUD bells. Hotel room had no AC and no screens on windows and we spend time killing flies! The breakfast was good, dinner was good except for one night...do not get venison (2 of 4 of us could not cut with serrated knife!) There was an alternate choice most nights had we know that is better choice.
This is NOT traditional Italian food. Villabassa and Toblach are in the German speaking section of Sud Tyrol. It is an interesting combination of Austrian and Italian 'fusion' food. White table cloths and waiters. Lots of local wines to choose from.
The bike routes were VERY Scenic and for the most part enjoyable. We got lucky and only had rain at night, but bring your rain gear just in case! There is some
gravel surface that gave some of the group tour we bumped into a little trouble, but we had no problems. Most of the rides do not take most of the day, so stop and take all the photos you want. The weather in Dolomites is about 10-15 degrees cooler than Lake Garda because it is about 4000 feet. We started with layers and soon got down to short sleeves on most days in late September.- What was the date of your tour?
- Mid-Late September
- How many tours have you completed?
- Lots
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Slick October 9, 2017
Wonderful scenery
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
Some directions going through the towns were difficult to follow. Also some of the starting points of the bike route were difficult to find and our driver was vague.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 22 to Sept 29
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Catherine Cram June 11, 2023
Convenient Way to Explore!
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
We enjoyed our self-guided bike trip in the Dolomites, with great support from BikeTours.com. We appreciated the detailed route information and app support. My only complaint is that I would liked to have had a better bike to ride instead of the heavy, upright positioned bike provided. The bike didn't make the hills easy and it would have been more enjoyable to be on a lighter, more responsive bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 31st-June 6th, 2023.
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Nancy Nestler October 3, 2024
Loved the area!
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
We loved exploring the area. There was a lot of variety going in different directions each day. We found the paths and day trips to be different enough that we felt like we were exploring a new place every day. Well done!
One comment - don't do the Toblach to Lienz ride on a beautiful weekend day, especially at the same time the train arrives. The route was too crowded to enjoy for about 1/3 of the ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Richard Bushnell 1 month ago
Good ride second time around.
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
Redid this ride as we wanted to include a few places we missed the first time. Our day hiking around Lago de Braies was not a stage, but worth the extra day. Also rode all the way out to Santa Magdalena. A very beautiful ride. Bikes were top line. Only difficulties were with transfer days due to mis-information & drivers who were not aware of meeting points. In all some great rides.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Over 20
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Marcie B 3 weeks ago
Worth the return to complete additional Dolomites adventures
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
It's often said that one cannot return and expect the same or better results. On our second self-guided tour, we accomplished at least three new activities we didn't have time for last year. We took the Toblach/Dobbiaco public bus to Lago de Braies and hiked around the lake (about 2 hours); we rode our bikes from Bruneck/Brunico to Sand in Taufers; and we parked our bikes near the Sol Paradiso Hotel in San Candido and hiked to the Jora Refugio for a delightful lunch and killer views. The Hotel Laurin (again our second stay) was just as lovely, the weather was cooperative (only one rainy day), but the schedule we received had incorrect dates and confusion resulted. In Lienz, we were waiting at the designated place with two other German couples, but no shuttle. After 20 minutes of waiting, one of the Germans called the office and was told the shuttle was on its way. We waited . . . no shuttle. He called again, and we were told we were in the wrong place (all six of us, really)?? We pedaled back to the taxi stand at the Lienz Train statin, where a private taxi with a bike trailer was waiting. The driver didn't even know where we were going (fortunately we were all going back to Toblach). Not sure what happened, but the transfers were either non existent, late or we were told to take the train back (we did this from Bruneck). Not a good look. Made some suggestions for future self-guided tours with transfers with the TO's office.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- A dozen, at least.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ T and C June 23, 2019Well 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 September 30, 2019
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 October 9, 2019
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. -
★★★★★ Geri Lincoln May 25, 2023
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 June 11, 2023
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 September 3, 2023
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 July 6, 2024
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 4 months ago
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 3 months ago
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 3 weeks ago
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.
