First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 6)
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★★★★★ Wignh September 15, 2018Met my expectations
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Excellent barge, with welcoming A/C in southern France in mid-summer. Dinners were varied and tasty - but desserts were magnifique! Make-your-own lunch to go on the bike - which is standard bike/barge arrangement - becomes boring after a few days. But what I will remember is this once-in-a-lifetime highlight: watching France win World Cup at a jammed packed outside bar in a small town!
- What was the date of your tour?
- mid-july
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Alanran July 29, 2019
Beautiful Provence by Bike and Barge
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
The boat was really nice and the crew was great -- from captain to chef to on-board host. They did an exceptional job making our time on the boat pleasant.
The biking was also nice in spite of the 98 degree temperatures, full on sun and mistral winds in our face -- even had to peddle going down hill sometimes. That said, we saw beautiful villages, olive orchards, vineyards, sun flower fields and lavender fields -- beautiful terrain -- even some of the areas covered in the Tour de France -- Pont du Gard. The visit to Le Beaux de Provence was special going into the cave with Van Gogh paintings put to motion and sound.
All in all it was a fun tour with a great group of riders.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 13-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Charlotte Dewar October 11, 2022
A beautiful journey
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
We loved this trip. It was wonderful you hired a professional guide in Arles to spend 1.5 hours with us talking about the history, the Roman architecture and Van Gough. Provence is so beautiful and we are very blessed with the good weather and a wonderful group of travelers who cared for each other and enjoyed the company of each other on this trip.
As a professional travel planner for 30 years, I wish to share my honest feedback so you may improve your tours for future clients.
1. The chef Irene made the most delicious dinners for us every evening. We were always looking forward to her food at the end of long and exciting journey.
2. Our Captain was excellent and so was the assistant Phillipo. 3 crew members worked together beautifully and treated us like royalty.
3. Our guide Hens is not as professional. He never counted the number of guests. We had people falling off the bike everyday, no major injuries. Hens was out at the front riding quite fast. He rarely looked back and kept an eye on the group. Every time we had an accident, we had to send someone from behind to catch up with him and asked him to stop and wait for the folks falling behind.
4. The internet on the boat is very choppy. I had important business to communicate with my travelers going to Asia. Most of the time I couldn't receive or send emails. My PayPal app, my airb&b app and my VRBO app all stopped working. I had free roaming data on my phone and that had issue working on your boat either. it's very important you have a functional internet on the boat so people like myself could still carry on business while we are on your trip.We love the concept of bike and boat! We will come back for more of your tours. I am considering introducing your product to my high-end Chinese clients.
I am raving about this trip to all my friends in California. Thank you for putting together a fantastic journey for us.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Bike Queen July 12, 2017E-Bikes Are the Way to Go!
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
For the most part this was a GREAT trip. A few things (in no particular order) might be improved: More detailed descriptions of the routes, especially getting into and out of the larger towns. That's usually when we got lost even with the routes provided. Loved all the hotels, newer and older. Meals everywhere were great. The e-bikes were a lot of fun. They could have used a bit of an overhaul before we took them out, however. gears (especially 5 and 8) slipped. I had virtually no 5th gear. None of it was so difficult that we bothered to stop and get anything fixed. The scenery was fabulous. We had a couple of rainy days, but they didn't' interfere with our fun.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 4-9, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8-ish
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ AnneD August 24, 2017
Fantastic way to see Germany!
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
Really enjoyed this self-guided experience. The bikes were comfortable, appropriate accessories were included, the luggage pick up and delivery was reliable. The selected accommodations were in the main part of the town.....clean, comfortable, with hearty breakfasts...two spots even had a sauna! Opportunity to enjoy local sights, food and culture, frequently woke to the sound of church bells. Maps and info provided...would recommend bringing a GPS and taking time in advance to understand German road signs ...occasional difficulty finding street names or missing turn-offs...which happens and is a part of the adventure.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- Trips many..but 1st official tour!
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Travel Junkie October 1, 2017
First bike trip.
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
Wow, what a trip! I usually plan everything so it felt a little strange not doing a thing. We showed up at our first hotel and everything was ready to go. Hotels were lovely. Breakfast was adequate, kept us going until lunch. Our luggage was at the hotel when we arrived. We were very happy with the services provided.
The scenery was amazing, the river, the fields, and the valley. The valley was our favorite. The boat trips were enjoyable. And so many castles!
A couple of days on the trail were a little harder than I thought they would be. The trail surface was rough and hard to pedal on. When the trail was smooth, the cycling was a breeze. We had no trouble with the bikes although It might have been better if we would have rented the 21 speed bikes. We were on the trail 5 -7 hours each day. All and all, we would do it again. I see another trip in our future.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Mdlewis June 24, 2018
Altmuehl 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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★★★★★ Monica and Ross September 26, 2018
Beautiful Bavaria
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
A fantastic self guided tour through beautiful scenery, historic towns and points of interest. Accomodation was top notch, and baggage transfer was seamless, bikes were well matched to the task. A couple of the days were a little long and prevented visiting points of interest. An update on changed conditions would have been handy (the low river flow in the Danube prevented the boat from getting to Weltenberg Kloster,meant an unexpected cycling leg).
- What was the date of your tour?
- 3 September to 9 September
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Jiggy September 23, 2018Fun time was had by all
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
Our group of 29 people had a wonderful time enjoying the scenery and relaxed atmosphere of the Patria. Although the cabins are quite small we made the best of it....and felt it was good value for the money. Was surprised with the lack of safety talk regarding the bikes and also the boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- sept 1, 2018
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Gecko June 13, 2019
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
Beautiful countryside, quaint villages. Food on the boat (Patria) was excellent. Crew was very friendly and engaging
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 4, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Shmil July 6, 2019
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 22.06
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Stra August 11, 2019
Wonderful !
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
The scenery, the villages and the cycling were amazing. The boat coludi use some improvements
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 27
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- 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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★★★★★ Carla Myers 10 months ago
Great Trip
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
This bike ride is one of our favorites, between the scenery and the options of some side trips during the ride and the wine tasting excursions. The crew was great. The only complaint was at dinner if you wanted anything to drink (even water, coffee & tea) you had to pay. Luckily the drink package was cheap, it was only good from 4pm to 11pm. Water, tea, juice and coffee were included at breakfast, we were on the road for lunch. They had everything you needed to make your sandwiches for lunch, including water, candy bars and fruit. Bring something to package your food.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Baba K September 23, 2017Wonderful way to experience the "Romantic Rhine" and Neckar Valleys
· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
We enjoyed being based on this relatively small boat. The staff was friendly and the meals very good. Nice presentations were given in English about each day's route. The cycling was not too difficult, mostly flat and about 45 km max per day. The scenery was beautiful. Villages and towns along the way were charming and interesting. There were so many places to explore some days that it was hard to get back to the boat on time (for dinner). This was only a problem for those of us who like to toodle along and take in all the sights, walk around the towns, etc. As the guide said, "it's not a race" and we took that to heart. It was nice to do the trip slightly off-season, ie early September--the temperature was comfortable and we probably encountered smaller crowds in places like Heidelberg than would be the case in the summer.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/31-9/7/17
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Biker couple September 14, 2018
Great biking on German Rivers
· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
We had an unexpectedly great time biking along the rivers. We were surprised by the food. The excursions were excellent. We loved being in towns every evening. The best was that we biked almost the whole way. Very good value
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 12
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ JustBob June 7, 2016Land of Castle, Cruise Ships and Barges
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
After 18 day on a bus tour, a self-guided bike tour along the Rhine was a perfect way to regain some solitude. The tough decision were which of t many historic towns, castles and churches to sit and visit, and what kind of pastry go best with with late morning beer! It would be even better if the Bikeline guide we available in English.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 23 - 29, 2016
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ jackie20 May 26, 2017
Good trip
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Most hotels were excellent, however two (in St Goar and Bad Godesberg) had our rooms on either the second or third floor and no elevators. Best hotel and service were at the Baron in Rudesheim. In addition, the maps and directions to hotel in Bad Godesberg and Cologne were poor. Lastly, recommend sightseeing trip to Monastery Eberbach include distance, we never found the place after riding 10km. Overall, good trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 14 May 2017
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Zacthecat June 28, 2017
Great fun rolling down the river
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
As a group of four, 2 couples in our early 60s, we self-guided down the Rhine. Three of us had e-bikes and one did it the old fashioned way. We all loved the riding and we were lucky with the weather, which was fine and mostly sunny.
The information provided was very good, but we recommend a better description of how to find the hotels. In two cases the hotel wasn't on the map, so that needs to be improved. Perhaps draw a coloured line from the bike path to the hotel, with a different colour for each hotel.- What was the date of your tour?
- 12th - 17th June 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ MikeSue5052 September 5, 2018
The Rhine is a very busy river!
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
We were enthralled with the amount of river traffic going in both directions. Barges and river tour boats, constantly plying the wide river. Of course, the historical locations, from castles to churches, are numerous all along the river.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Nonickname59 June 14, 2019
Two wheeled wonder
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Best way to see the sites on the Rhine. Great accommodations along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 30, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Germany
