First Timers  Bike Tour Reviews (page 16)

  • Wine & Bike Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
    (5/5) Ro Riders June 14, 2019

    Ro's Riders: Our Wonderful Journey

    · Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands

    I want to start with appreciation for our in country tour operator. Gabor and his team went out of their way to make us feel at home (historical briefing, welcome drink, bottle of wine) in his country and to administer to all of our needs. (the weather was so bad one day (rain, 25 mile per hour winds, cold) that he arranged transportation to get us from one hotel to another). The countryside was beautiful and the route was easy to follow. The availability of bike paths for most of the trip was an added benefit. Very little road travel. The accommodations were well situated and excellent. The meal plan that we chose was a life saver. The food was very good and after a long ride, it's nice to have a drink, relax and eat in one place. We spent one night at a winery and that was special. We tasted all their varieties and then had the best meal of the trip. Having the opportunity to talk with the staff in a home setting was also special. The length and level of difficulty was as advertised and did not exhaust our 70 something group.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 12-19
    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?
    Hungary
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Salzburg to Vienna
    (3/5) Jackie10 June 14, 2019

    Recommend with caution

    · Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option

    This bike tour is through the most beautiful Austrian countryside. The accommodations are great, luggage transfers flawless and great breakfasts included. The directions are horrible, especially the 1st and 3 rd days. Make sure you have a GPS with you. The poor directions added unnecessary frustration to the trip. The bikes are up right commuter bikes and uncomfortable for the mileage involved. If you are accustomed to a decent road bike you probably won't be happy. Most cyclists we saw were on e-bikes which makes the poor ergonomics more tolerable. This tour would be a 5 star with accurate directions and decent equipment. So bring a GPS and your own bike and have a blast!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    Two
    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
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe June 15, 2019

      Glad to hear many aspects of this tour were enjoyable! We will pass your feedback to the tour operator that the directions can be improved upon. We're sorry to hear this was a source of frustration for you. Thanks, additionally, for the notes about the bikes. This tour is offered on hybrid touring bikes and e-bikes, which, if you are accustomed to a road bike, could be uncomfortable.

    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (5/5) The mangles cycle group June 14, 2019

    Story book stuff

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    What a fantastic way to explore the German/ Swiss border area. Absolutely fantastic to see so much with no stress of driving or timetables. Brilliant

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    one
    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?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Dave and Chris June 15, 2019

    Lake Constance/Bodensee

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    This was our third tour as a couple, and my fourth. My favorite was Croatia bike/boat in 2006, followed by Danube - Passau to Vienna, and Saar/Mosel (tossup). This tour was excellent too, but many of the paths/roads weren't along the lakes. The first day from Konstanz to Stein am Rhine and the second back towards Konstanz again was a little hilly, and we had to wait out a thunderstorm with small hail at the border crossing into Stein am Rhine. All the hotels were excellent. Remember to use the boat voucher crossing to Ueberlingen. I didn't, costing me extra. Some interesting birds and wildlife will be seen in the Rhine Delta on the third day, and we often heard cookoos. After we picked up bikes, we were suggested by the tourist office to see Mainau Island after 5pm when admission is half-price. Meersburg Castle is well-worth seeing. The Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen was someone interesting, but only for transport fans like me. We enjoyed the tour very much.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 25-30 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (5/5) Scooter June 15, 2019

    Wonderful staff, Great food

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    The routes were beautiful with little traffic and the towns we stayed in were interesting and historic. The boat was clean with a lovely dining and socializing area. The cabins were very tiny with just one small porthole window which was challenging. The dinners were very good and the staff went out of their way to make us comfortable. A positive experience! The only complaint we had is that the cue sheets were nearly useless. Luckily we had a person to guide us so using them was not necessary.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 12
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Team Hylton June 17, 2019

    Downhill on the Danube

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    I felt like I was riding through a storybook! We loved the beautiful little villages and cities we biked through! We chose to do the tour on our own and we were delighted that the directions and signposts were easy to follow. We biked in late May and enjoyed wild roses and red poppies brightening our trail! Many times we felt we were riding electric bikes because we were flying on the bike paths! We are in our late sixties, in excellent health and found the trail very do-able even though we don’t bike very often.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 26-June1, 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • Photo 1 (photo by Team Hylton)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (4/5) T and C June 23, 2019

    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!

    What was the date of your tour?
    Early june
    How many tours have you completed?
    First 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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Mosel and Saar
    (5/5) CPUT June 25, 2019

    Great multi-generational family trip

    · · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat

    This trip was such a great experience, especially with the availability of e-bikes, I would recommend it for just about anyone. The food aboard exceeded my expectations every day. It was self-guided, and the provided daily briefings and maps were completely sufficient for us to find our way. We did it with an age range of 9 years to 73 years, and everyone was successful. Bikes are not high-end, but they worked. We had some trouble with seat and handlebar adjustments for the shorter members of our group, but it all worked out in the end. The crew of the Patria was exceptional. They were professional, helpful, and provided excellent service throughout. It was particularly nice that passengers were allowed to stay aboard during the day if they needed a rest day or didn't want to deal with biking on a day of solid rain. Terrific first-time bike tour experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 8 -15
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Best of Holland South
    (5/5) Vova June 27, 2019
    · Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (5/5) Woohoozen June 28, 2019

    Epic

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    Gorgeous ride! Perfect stops. Nice accommodations with plenty of good food options. Well maintained bikes. Trip of a lifetime!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) PeterP June 30, 2019

    A Ride to remember

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    I did the tour on my own. Weather was great except for one day of showers The first day was the most difficult because there were a number of towns and the directions were not detailed Highly recommend using GPS in the towns Which of the route is bicycle paths which are very easy to navigate. The hotels were excellent particularly Uberlingen and Lindau. The Zepplin museum is a must Highlight destinations were Stein am Rhein and LIndau.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 5 2019
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • Photo 1 (photo by PeterP)
    • Photo 2 (photo by PeterP)
    • Steckborn (photo by PeterP)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) WalterBetta June 30, 2019

    Unforgetable trip !!!

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    The tour was really great, cycling beside the Danube. The hotels were really good and the tour was easy for the majority of the group of 10 people

    What was the date of your tour?
    June, 08 thru 15 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (5/5) Smeglegs July 4, 2019

    A very memorable experience with a group of friends who love to bike in Europe

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    Provencce by bike and boat was a great time, full of doable challenges and many laughs
    with friends. The staff was extremely helpful and courteous. The food was prepared by Joseph the Chef with delicious surprises every evening. Our guide, Claudia, spoke multiple languages and was a cultural expert regarding the sites along the Rhone River.
    My wife and I experienced our best biking tour in the Provence along the Rhone River.

    What was the date of your tour?
    6/20/2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Rhine Bike Path
    (5/5) luis1957 July 4, 2019

    Wonderful Easy Biking

    · Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne

    The Rhine region of Germany is gorgeous, we enjoyed sunny warm days and relaxed biking. Towns and cities are beautiful and interesting and the people are educated and friendly. The 3* hotels are good and the 3* Superior hotels are excellent. Breakfasts everywhere were really good and there were very good options for dinner wherever we went. The bikes are heavy and bulky but adequate for the trip, the only issue we had was climbing the long steep hill to Eberbach Monastery. The maps are not easy to read, but the route is pretty straightforward. The only challenges are navigating inside the cities and finding some hotels, which is easily done with Google Maps.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2019
    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 young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • One gorgeous day (photo by luis1957)
    • In the woods (photo by luis1957)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Best of Holland South
    (4/5) Megan15 July 4, 2019

    Fantastic Experience

    · Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns

    We wanted to experience The Netherlands without the hustle and bustle of big cities, transport hassles, and finding hotels. For the four days of riding we followed our GPS map and rode through farming areas, alongside canals, and into beautiful historic towns where the courier had already delivered our bags to lovely small hotels. We did find some days a bit hard riding due to the 'Dutch headwind' and if we were to do another tour we would look for less kilometres per day to give us time to explore the towns along the way, and at the destination town and find coffee spots!. E-Bikes might have made this easier.

    What was the date of your tour?
    17-21 July 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    None
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (5/5) Provence15 July 5, 2019

    Amazing bike tour through Provence!

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    What was the date of your tour?
    22 June 2019
    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?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Marshall July 6, 2019

    This was our 4th trip with this company and always great

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    What was the date of your tour?
    7/22-29/2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Mosel and Saar
    (3/5) Z1201 July 6, 2019

    The bicycle trip was great the ship

    · · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat

    What was the date of your tour?
    22.6.19
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • 2/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) 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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)