First Timers Bike Tour Reviews (page 17)
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★★★★★ kellyandvicky July 8, 2019Well-planned tour that showed the best of Holland!
· Cycling the Dutch Countryside from Zaandam to Kampen
We had a wonderful trip through the northern coastal areas of Holland; the route was perfect and the hotels were excellent. More specific to our situation: our children (3 and 5) got a little bored after too much time on the bike, but that is not a fault of the tour operators. I suspect that we are in the minority in terms of age range?
Having said that, we had a wonderful time and experienced so many things that we know our children (and us!) will remember throughout our lives. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, comfortable accommodations, and the amazing cycling experience that is Holland. I would recommend doing this tour in combination with 1-2 full days in the larger cities so that you get the experience of the smaller towns (and daily life in Holland) in combination with the excitement and sights of the metropolitan areas.
Specific to cycling: the itinerary and cycling routes were perfect; the tour operators have clearly researched the best paths to take through the country. Coming from the chaotic mess of cycling in America, we were very happy to ride with our children along the suggested routes.
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ RS52 July 8, 2019Overall Great Experience from Start to End!!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was our first bike tour as a family, but based on our experience, it won't be our last. Overall, everything went smoothly and was great!! BikeTours was responsive to my many questions and easy to work with. The representative from the tour company brought the bikes and documentation as expected, and was flexible when one bike didn't fit correctly (our error) and needed to be exchanged. Service at every stop was very good to outstanding, and the accommodations were very comfortable and clean without exception! Our luggage was smoothly transported from one day to the next. The bikes were comfortable, and riding along the Danube was really special!
I agree with another reviewer who suggested reading through the touring documents each evening to decide on where to stop the next day. That worked well for us too. We also brought snacks and water, and made a point of stopping regularly, given particularly warm weather. I would also recommend having at least one phone with a GPS application, as finding the specific hotels was sometimes challenging, particularly in the larger cities.
Biking through small cities and towns provided a different type of vacation experience for us, as we are used to visiting larger cities. We really enjoyed seeing the country in this way. I found a few of the longer days of biking to be challenging, but as promised, the path was flat to slightly downhill and we were on bike paths for the majority of the time. Even in Vienna, there were bike lanes in the city to get us to the hotel. The paths were well traveled and always felt safe.
Overall, everything was great and I would do it again in a second!
(There were 4 of us traveling...my husband, me and our 2 children in their early 20's. We really liked the flexibility of being self-guided.)
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Just this one
- 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
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★★★★★ Lisa C July 8, 2019Beautiful tour through the Alps!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
We had an amazing trip along the Tauern bike path. We traveled as a family of four (10 and 8 year old children- the 8 year old on a tag along). The scenery was fantastic, and the stopover locations were great. The first three days were relatively easy, the last three were a bit more challenging for our ten year old to handle with the longer uphill sections. We ended up having to change out our daughters bike two times due to a mechanical issue with the derailleur and a flat tire, but the staff responded very quickly and appropriately. It would have been helpful to have a spare tube in the bike kit for the children's bike. We also had some issues getting extra paniers, but by the third day it was resolved. We were very impressed with the lodging. I would recommend an extra night in zell am see, the area was so beautiful. We also appreciated how the company was able to find appropriate lodging for a family of four. We woul highly recommend this tour, but be ready for a bit of work on the second half of the tour. But it was defiantly worth it! We also had a lot of difficulty finding three of our hotels, more specific directions to the exact lodging would have been helpful for the lodging that was not directly on or close to the bike path. Luckily we met helpful Germans along the way who helped us find our lodging!
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★★★★★ jackie20 July 9, 2019· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
- What was the date of your tour?
- Jun 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ KLVM July 11, 2019Biking in the Shoulder Season
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Cold weather and rain did not prevent us from having a wonderful biking experience. The scenery was beautiful, hotels were in lovely locations, the people were friendly, and the tourist sites were virtually empty.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 12-18, 2019
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Trez July 15, 2019
Exceeded our expectations in every way
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Very organized and stress-free. The bikes were excellent, the hotels were great and the orientation meeting the evening before the trip was very beneficial in explaining the details. The variety in hotel styles; from modern to classic at the Schloss was a great way to experience the cities and villages we stayed in.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 30- July 06, 2019
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe July 16, 2019
So glad you guys enjoyed! LOVE the shirts!
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★★★★★ Richard 69 July 18, 2019Gute Fahren along the Rhine
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
This was a most picturesque tour along the Rhine. The ride was gentle and we mostly rode on dedicated bike paths. Most of the ride was right along the river except when the path took us through one of the many well preserved medieval towns. The tour company was great and our bikes performed well. Our luggage was always delivered on time. Our maps and printed materials were very helpful, especially the recommendations for restaurants for lunch and dinner. Our hotels were very comfortable and they were all air conditioned. They also served lovely breakfasts. This was a very memorable ride that compared favorably with other European rides that we have taken. I highly recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 29 - June 5
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Ricksweetca July 22, 2019
Awesome Adventure
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was a a beautiful ride through mostly flat terrain. I ride a lot and my wife rides a limited amount. She enjoyed this tour so much that she suggested that we do a bike tour next summer also. The lodging was excellent and the food was good to excellent.
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★★★★★ eliza July 22, 2019Fun for the whole family
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
We all loved it!!! Beautifully organized, great accomadations and food, the scenery was beautiful and plenty of gelato and swimmming along the way
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 4th, 2019
- 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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★★★★★ Julane July 28, 2019Holland is better by bike!
· Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof
We combined this tour with the Best of Holland South tour (Canals, Windmills, and Historic Towns), starting in Utrecht and ending in Amersfoort, The owners of Tulip Cycling, Peter Vos and Liesbeth van Vulpen, did a fabulous job arranging charming and centrally located accommodations and providing excellent bikes with spot-on GPS routing. These two tours offered everything (and more) that you expect to see in Holland: windmills, tulips, quaint towns, history, art, architecture. We recommend doing these tours in April when tulip, daffodil and hyacinth fields are at their peak and the Keukenhof is open.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Julane July 28, 2019Holland is better by bike!
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We combined this tour with the Best of Holland North tour (Dutch Villages, Landscapes, and the Keukenhof), starting in Utrecht and ending in Amersfoort. The owners of Tulip Cycling, Peter Vos and Liesbeth van Vulpen, did a fabulous job arranging charming and centrally located accommodations and providing excellent bikes with spot-on GPS routing. These two tours offered everything (and more) of what you expect to see in Holland: windmills, tulips, quaint towns, history, art, architecture. We recommend doing these tours in April when tulip, daffodil and hyacinth fields are in peak bloom and the Keukenhof is open.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ nunn July 28, 2019
Wunderbar
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
The tour was as described. The ferry came in handy one of the days. Directions were a problem. Once we got our of Konstanz and figured out what we were to follow it went better. Thanks to all the people who helped us along the way. Very helpful and friendly. The lake was delightful to swim in and cycle along. The scenery was delightful. We had ebikes and that's the way to go.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/30/19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- 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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★★★★★ Alanran July 29, 2019Beautiful 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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★★★★★ Lynn M July 31, 2019Daube Bike Path 7 nights
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The staff were great and the hotels were up to expectations. On commencing the instructions for the first 2 days were good but the bike tracks should be labelled eg R1 or No 6 - this would be helpful. Also with the instructions we were given - you would need a GPS. We rode 10km out of our way because we missed a sign and directions were not helpful. Locals did point us in the right direction ..but we had to resort to "google maps" Some people had assisted with spray painting the track with directions...so our confusion wasn't a one off.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- 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
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★★★★★ Sydneysider August 1, 2019
Everthing we were hoping for!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The tour was well organised; well maintained bikes and detailed route information were provided when we arrived at the hotel, supplied with a handlebar and rear-wheel pannier. Tip: we did not know about the handlebar pannier beforehand which has a clear, waterproof cover that fits your provided map and directions. The bikes also have a trip computer so you can match the km's to the directions. The hotels were quality selections, many with character and we enjoyed our time in them. The movement of the bags was efficient and they pretty much always made their way to the new hotel before us, or as we arrived. We loved the route, mainly village roads, tracks through woods, farm roads, bike paths etc. with only occasional sections on bigger roads when needed. The first half of the trip is more spectacular than the second the second half points of interest are more subtle. One regret; we did not bring a European bird book as there was plenty of birds and wildlife on the trip to watch out for.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is the first!
- 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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★★★★★ Gnome August 1, 2019
Nice but not the Moselle
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
I cannot sparkly highly enough of the Biketours. The organisation of the trip was flawless, including an exchange of a standard bike for an e bike part way through the trip. We went with the up market accommodation and this certainly meet or exceeded our expectations. One comment I’d like to make was we didn’t realise the upmarket hotels are usually away from the town centres. There were three couple in our group and we all enjoyed the Danube but the general consensus was it was not as pretty or as interesting as the ride we did along the Moselle also with Biketours a few years ago.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is our second one
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Harry August 1, 2019Satisfied repeat customer
· Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This is the third trip that I've done with Greenways and I remain very pleased with the impeccable organization, the thoughtfully planned routes, the helpfully redundant cycling instructions and the very engaging and pleasant territory. I combined the Salzburg to Prague trip with a Salzburg to Salzburg loop around Berctesgaden, and so my overall experience combined spectacular Alpine scenery with miles of classic Bohemian rolling wheat fields punctuated with forest and woodlot. There was a lot in this trip that exceeded my expectations, and virtually nothing that merits any harsh criticism. Getting over the hills north of Linz was a pretty good workout for an old guy!
As a solo traveler, I didn't have any meals included in the package, and that worked out just fine. The Salzburg loop was all on well-marked bike path, so direction-finding was all but bulletproof. The 'Heart of Europe' trip has some very detailed instructions and a GPS, and almost never presented any confusion. Having Google Maps on a phone helped to disambiguate a few times. There were some good suggestions for things to see, though I didn't always have time to stop and see them. Perhaps the tour deserves a repeat!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 15-25
- How many tours have you completed?
- many, both package and self-created
- 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
