Germany Bike Tour Reviews (page 20)
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★★★★★ Pearl June 15, 2018Danube Bike 8 Day w/upgraded lodging
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
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★★★★★ Granny on Wheels November 27, 2017Saarburg to Koblenz Great Trip
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
A great way to get out and explore Germany and suitable for all levels of fitness. The staff was very friendly, caring and well organised, speaking English and German. Our October trip was a little wet but still beautiful....the colours of the Autumn Fall were spectacular. Riding through the quiet streets of the villages along the Moselle was like taking a step back in time. A great way to get a feel of Europe past and present. The meals and afternoon teas were amazing. Although the boat is old, it is well kept and extremely clean. Our bedding was much more comfortable than I expected judging from the photos and we slept well...no noises at night. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and felt very safe. Would highly recommend this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 21 - 28th October 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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
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★★★★★ umcam256 November 26, 2017Excellent first cycling trip - beautiful countryside and learned a lot
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Background: My friend and I are from Winnipeg MB. It is extremely flat where we live. This was also our first cycling trip. We paid the extra to have our overnight bags delivered to the next hotel. We started the cycling trip on August 25 and finished August 30 2017.
We booked the 5 day, 6 night self-guided cycling tour through Radweg Reisen. You receive a .pdf of maps and hotel logistics about a week before you arrive. Ideally this would be provided at time of booking so that you can download your own offline maps and determine where you will stop for the day. Although, in hindsight, with a little bit of effort we probably could have done this ourselves with a bit of research.
We started our tour in Constance, Germany. The company was most professional and very attentive to detail when we picked up our bikes. We were given a coiled booklet with the maps, written instructions on how to fix a bike tire, reattaching a bike chain and how to adjust your bike.
Please note, the bikes do not come with water bottle holders. First hand experience has taught me not to put your water bottle in the front basket with your phone unless you put your phone in a waterproof container (drowning your phone on day 1 puts a damper on how proud you should be of yourself for cycling all those hills!).
We were advised to cycle in 3rd or 4th gear when it was "flat" and in 1st or 2nd gear when cycling on an incline. Because where I live is extremely flat, and I'm short (5 foot), I ended up cycling in 5th or 6th gear most of the time, dropping down to 4 at my lowest. My friend who is average height was able to cycle in 4th gear and able to drop down to 2nd gear at her lowest.
The first day we cycled from Constance to Reichenau Island (to sightsee) and then on to Stein am Rhein. I would recommend visiting Reichenau Island on your own if you have a day in Constance. Cycling from Constance to Reichenau Island required us to cycle out of our way and back almost all the way to Constance to get back on the trail to Stein am Rhein. While it was an excellent place to visit, it wasn't worth expending energy that could be used elsewhere. The first day was mostly uphill, and included a hill with a 13% incline. If I were to do this trip again (and hopefully I will!), I would recommend taking your bikes on the train from Constance to Stein am Rhein. Dropping your bike off, and catching the train to the Rhein Falls. We desperately wanted to visit the falls but after all of those hills we were too tired to get there. This leg of the trip is mostly through farmers' fields so if you took the train, conserving your energy for the remainder of the trip, you aren't missing too much. Your legs will thank you and it will give you more time to visit the town of Stein am Rhein and/or the falls.
The rest of our journey was as follows:
Day 2: Stein am Rhein to Überlingen Note: you will end up cycling through Constance again (with stop in Arenenberg at the Napoleonic Museum and in Constance for a swim in the Rhine). SHOW MOREThe hotel that was booked for us by Radweg Reisen is at the top of a very large hill. The view was spectacular from our room! However, it was hard to enjoy because our legs were ready to commit mutiny. In hindsight, if we hadn't doubled back the day before and/or took the train to Stein am Rhein, the uphill cycle to our hotel in Überlingen wouldn't have a been so arduous.
Day 3: Überlingen to Kressbronn (with stop in Meersburg for the Old Castle and then took a shortcut on the ferry from Friedrichshafen (I think?) the rest of the way to Kressbronn)
Day 4: Kressbronn to Rorschach (with stop in Bregenz to take the cable car up to Mount Pfänder). Contrary to everything we read, Bregenz was the easiest city to navigate to, around, and out of, compared to any of the other towns/cities we cycled through.
It was in Bregenz that we found out from two British couples who were also completing the self-guided Radweg Reisen Lake Constance tour that you can request that the booking company give you an extra day in the middle of your trip. This gives your legs one day to rest, one day to sightsee a little bit more than the days you are on your bike and one extra night at one of the hotels. When I do this trip again, I will likely book my day off for Bregenz. There were lots of day trips you could take in that area or alternatively stick around in the town.
Day 5: Rorshach to Constance (with a stop in Arbon for a beach day).
Besides taking the train the first leg, booking a day off in the middle to rest your legs/sightsee a little more in depth, the only other thing I would recommend is to download offline maps to your smartphone for each of the cities you will be staying in and how to get to the hotels. The path itself is very easy to follow but when you enter the cities it becomes quite challenging to navigate to your hotel. We frequently found ourselves using the map provided as well as finding a local map once we entered the city and still often had to ask for directions.
If two flatlanders can cycle this, you can too! The scenery is stunning and it's honestly not too hard of a cycle if you are smart about it. There are plenty of things to see and do, but you will need to plan a bit in advance of booking if you want to take in certain things. Each day you are cycling about 75 km per day (hotel to hotel) and while that doesn't seem like a lot, it does take a full day to do. We found one sightseeing thing was all we could fit in a day, hence why next trip we will be booking a day off in the middle so we can visit more of the places we had hoped to see! That being said, you could tell who the locals were because entire families were on the trail (although I think most of them were just out for the day!).
Don't be afraid to hop off your bike and walk it uphill if you need to. You should note however that the bikes are quite heavy. (I ride a fixie and even compared to my little hipster bike, these touring bikes were quite bulky and heavy.)
On a final note, the hotels that were booked for us were much nicer than anything we would have booked on our own! And the breakfasts provided at each of them was delicious. I recommend picking up some snacks at the grocery stores in the town so you have something to munch on throughout the day.
You can drink the water in Switzerland from any fountain unless it says you can't. Even still, I would recommend bringing 2-3 water bottles with you because of how hot the weather can get.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- August 25 - 30 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Lolacharlie November 6, 2017
Lovely Vacation
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
The perfect way to truly experience a country. I have traveled all over Europe before, the big cities of course, but this trip showed me the other side, Small towns and its people. Biketours is a great company with very helpful and professional people on the ground and online!
I was a bit concerned about the journey, because I get lost a lot, but I did very well! Had a great time!!- What was the date of your tour?
- July 12 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first one
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ mean November 2, 2017
relaxing and enjoyable biking
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
This bike trip combines wonderful natural scenery --- kilometres of vineyards stretching up steep hills on both sides of the river, the meandering river with huge bends that continually open up to new vistas---with lovely, often quaint villages and towns. The biking is gentle and easy, mainly on an off road trail. And there's always an opportunity to stop for a coffee or glass of wine around the next bend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct. 13
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ kayak October 31, 2017As much as you want it to be
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
This was our first experience with any kind of boat "tour" and we took it with some trepidation of it being too cushy and not offering enough activity. It proved to be the best of both.
It combined the best aspects of a boat tour (small and intimate, exploring new places each day without having to move luggage) without the aspects we associate with a boat cruise/tour (schmaltzy events in the evening, formal dress and food events).
We found fellow passengers to be fit, open to adventure and informal in the evening while able to share their previous world travels. The staff was gracious, attentive, and invisible when not needed. Dinner courses were presented as if at a high-end restaurant and special food needs tracked by them throughout the week. Alcohol prices were reasonable. The Cruise Director was knowledgeable and well prepared.
Standard and ebikes were well maintained and staging meetings helpful for passengers to know the next day's' route and highlights.
And finally, each town we in which we moored, each village and bierhouse we visited, was hospitable and accommodating. -
★★★★★ Jack Luther October 30, 2017Beer and Wine Along the Rhine with Martin Luther as a Travel Companion
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
My wife and I have previously done the BikeTours.com tour from Munich to Salzburg as well as the Loire Garden and Chateaux Tour and greatly enjoyed both of those. We invited good friends who are also cyclists to join us on this tour. All of us agreed that it was one of our best vacations ever and having
friends riding with us added to the pleasure. We do the tours "self guided" and enjoy the freedom of being able to explore off route if we want to. For example, on this trip we rode up into the vineyards near Nierstein, Germany which was not on the route but gave us some beautiful views and a wine tasting at the Huff Winery. There were a few days with some light rain but nothing that we were not prepared for. We stayed in the Category A hotels which were all of excellent quality and located close to the attractions we were interested in seeing. The written directions and the "E" stickers on posts along the way were often missing or confusing but the GPS offered by BikeTours worked very well. I would strongly recommend that anyone doing this tour "self-guided" absolutely plan to use the GPS mapping. The local tour company, Eurobike, does an excellent job. We have never had even the first problem with the bicycles or any of the services they provide.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 17 - 22, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- France, Germany
Video: Video 1
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 31, 2017
We're delighted to have helped you on your third BikeTours.com tour and to hear that it was a great success! Your experience is exactly what we hope to bring to clients on each tour. It's a pleasure to have the time to explore sites, scenery, and of course, vineyards. We think these are some of the best parts of a vacation. We'll be sure to work with our partner operators and improve at keeping you on the right path. Thank you very much for your feedback!
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★★★★★ Beto October 23, 2017
Beautiful country!
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Fantastic way to discover southern Austria. Great balance between cycling and sight seeing. Boat a haven of hospitality after a day's tour.
Friendly staff, old world charm and in our case, pleasant fellow gueste.
Highly recomendable -
★★★★★ ol_lo October 22, 2017Romantic Road - Bavarian Loop
· Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
My family and I chose this trip for our annual biking trip due to its location and timing. We were able to catch Oktoberfest at the beginning of the trip prior to starting our ride. The paths, roads, and trails were great! Absolutely beautiful countryside and scenery. In previous years we chose level two trips. These were more rolling hills with lots of flats. This particular trip was noted as a level 3. We found it to be challenging on some days and a little more of a work-out then we were hoping for. But we literally pushed and pedal through the steep parts and had an overal amazing trip! We will continue to use BikeTours for our yearly European Bike trips!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 1, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ BandB October 18, 2017Classy trip
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We loved this tour. 60-70 km of flat riding during the day, lovely hotels and restaurants to experience at night. The transfer of our luggage was faultless. Some of the hotels were absolutely fabulous. One was disappointing. So much to see and experience during the day.
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★★★★★ MungovanAJ October 15, 2017
Awesome experience!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Our bicycle trip from Passau to Vienna was absolutely wonderful. BikeTours performed flawlessly for which we were very thankful.
We purchased the "Upscale Lodging" which was well worth the money. Some of our hotels were stunning chateaus, others ultra-modern glass edifices, but all were very nice and located in desireable locations.
The bikes are big and heavy but ride comfortably and smoothly.
Some advice to first-timers.
1. The bikes are very big. If you are not at least 5'8" you should probably consider getting the women's bike as the cross bar on the men's bike is unusually high compared to the typical American bike.
2. Bring a little pen light to help you find the bathroom at night without waking your partner. Staying in a different hotel each night can be a little disorienting, especially at 3 AM.
3. Bring good rain gear, gloves, and a layer of warm clothing. Our last day's ride into Vienna was cold and rainy and we were all freezing by the time we reached our hotel.
4. European hotels do not typically provide sheets. Instead, you get a single plush and very warm comforter. However, if the hotel room is warm it is hard to get the covers situated so you are not too warm or too cool. I would recommend packing a small sheet--or better yet a sleeping sack--to provide that "just right" sleeping temperature.
5. BikeTours will provide you a packet of maps and directions for your trip. Study them thoroughly before each day's ride to avoid making wrong turns, especially in the bigger towns or cities. (We made some wrong turns in Vienna.)
6. You will not have access to washers and dryers. To wash your underwear and socks bring a two gallon plastic storage bag and some liquid laundry detergents. (I used Woolite.) At your hotel fill the bag with water, detergent, and your dirty laundry. Agitate, soak, agitate, soak, agitate, soak, rinse, and then hang dry. If something is still wet in the morning affix it to your bike rack and let the wind and the sun dry it while you ride. It works perfectly.
7. Be gracious. Germans and Austrians are kind, friendly people. Compliment the many things they do well, they will be very appreciative.
8. Be excited, because you'll love the trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept'17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ Dona2017 October 9, 2017· Freiburg and the Alsatian Wine Road
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/24/17 to 10/1/17
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- 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?
- France, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 10, 2017
We're glad you enjoyed your cycling vacation. Thank you for the review and the great pictures!
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★★★★★ Bulldozer October 8, 2017A cultural deep dive
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
Our second Bike Tours trip and this one was as enjoyable as the first. Of the four of us two are experienced bikers and two are entry level. To balance things our two entry level people had e-bikes (and they did better than us!)
This trip has a good balance of riding and events and if you add to that the dinner package the pressure of finding the right restaurant after a long day in the saddle goes away (especially one of your party is a Coeliac)
The inclusion of vouchers was a great addition to the package and were well thought through by the team as were the hotel selections (1st & last day the hotel provided a lounge area for early / late arrival which was unavoidable due to long haul flight schedules)
If you are prepared to explore a little on the journey then getting a little lost is all a part of the day. There are always friendly locals who will help you to get to the next town, that was our experience.- What was the date of your tour?
- 26 Sept - 05 Oct 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 with Bike Tours
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 9, 2017
We're glad to hear you all had a great time on tour. I love eBikes for the same reason- everyone can cycle together! I agree that exploring and being comfortable with getting a little lost adds to the journey!
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★★★★★ jfvb October 7, 2017· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/24/2017
- 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, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Pedalann October 7, 2017Surrounded by Vineyards
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
This was an easy ride along the Mosel River in the heart of the wine country. It was impressive to see the intense grape cultivation on the steep hillsides on both sides of the river as we cycled along, mostly on the flat. The scenery and small towns along the way were lovely even though, at times, you were between the road and or train tracks and the river.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 28-Oct. 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- At least 19
- 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
