Germany Bike Tour Reviews (page 4)
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★★★★★ Ron Walker 9 months agoBeautiful Ride; a Bit More Challenging Than Expected
· Berlin – Copenhagen
The area between Berlin and Copenhagen is gorgeous, and this is a great way to experience it. It was a bit more challenging than the website description led me to believe; it's important to remember that this is a route, not a path. Some of the surfaces you'll ride on are not great and that impacts the fatigue factor. 50 miles on new asphalt is easier than 50 miles on patched roads, gravel paths and even some cobblestone. I'd estimate two-thirds of the trail surfaces were very good. Don't be dissuaded; just consider this when deciding if you're up for the distance. I agree with another reviewer who suggested packing a lunch each day -- it took us a few days to learn that, and it was helpful since sometimes finding lunch was inconvenient and time-consuming. The navigation factor of a self-guided tour can occasionally be tedious. This route is very well marked but not perfect. The printed materials provided by the tour operator were good; they were supplemented by GPS files that were excellent and extremely helpful. The rental bikes were high quality and a pleasure to ride. Overall the hotels exceeded expectations, but there were exceptions, and be prepared for stairs. If I could do this again, I'd bring less stuff -- this was complicated by the fact that it's a one-way trip and we were spending a week on either end. But you don't need much for riding, and I wish we'd figured a way to send some of our stuff to the final hotel.
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★★★★★ Debby Schlesinger 10 months agoFirst and most certainly NOT the LAST Bike and Boat trip.
· · Danube Impressions Bike and Boat Passau – Vienna – Passau
Food: Excellent with varied choices each evening. Sack lunch items provided for along the ride.
Routes: Being my 1st Bike/Boat trip, I signed up for "Easy" rating. Very manageable. Appreciate electric assist. bikes. Route review each evening prior to next day's ride much appreciated. Beautiful routes through scenic areas.
Accomodations: Small rooms, (as stated), but adequate. Appreciated a variety of areas to relax, besides room. (Top deck, "Open Air" Spa pool on top deck, Lounge).
Convenience/Service: Excellent. Assistance with bikes: loading/unloading, set up, fine tuning. Tour director (George) ALWAYS available for questions. Servers were excellent, friendly, & considerate. Bikes/equipment available were of excellent quality. -
★★★★★ James Sinnott 10 months agoEverything I had hoped for!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
What a great way to see a beautiful part of the world. I had wanted to do this fr nearly 50 years and the E-bikes made it possible. The accomodations were great and bike friendly. Food was always well prepared and tasty. My wife has a very strict vegan diet and all the facilities were aware of it and most helpful. My brother fell and cracked his wrist and the hotel was most helpful and got us to great care. (Note to biker: do not try to take pictures with a phone in the right hand and then try to brake with just the left hand....a go-pro would have been worth it) We extended in Vienna and enjoyed tours there and a day to Budapest.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- one now but 50 years ago my wife and I biked through Southern Norway
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Jason Hartford 10 months ago
Memorable trip well organized
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had a great experience with Bike Tours. Positive: good communication pre trip and the night before. Good pre-trip description of the hotel locations, hotels, and what to expect from the bikes. Night prior, very good review of what to expect. We rented the premium bikes and glad we did--worked very well. On the tour, very good ideas of what to see, and the distance between towns seemed to be well thought out with the first and last legs the shortest. Hotels were great. A diversity of new and classic and all had more to them than what I expected. Often ate at the hotel restaurants which were very good.
On the negative side, not much. Directions into and out of town accurate except the last leg going into Vienna -- on that one Google maps was much better.
We will definitely do another trip with Bike Tours and even this exact one-- it was memorable and fun and want to experience it with more friends.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- first
- 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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★★★★★ Rebecca Heersink 10 months agoGreat family vacation
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
We completed this tour with our 2 year old in the infant trailer. The route provided great stops for everyone in the family including great playgrounds for the little one and wine/beer for mom and dad. We enjoyed visiting castles, small medival towns and cable cars rides. The bike riding was manageable but pulling the bike trailer in the heat wave did prove hard some days, maybe an ebike would have helped in retrospect. Hotels were nice and all provided an infant bed. Can't wait to do another cycling tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Azmina Karim-Bondy 10 months agoThe title is good and descriptive
· Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest
Cycling is a great way to see the country. Having the self-guided books were great and the tour representatives were very responsive. However, we found sometimes the instructions in the booklets were not as clear as they could be and sometimes did not have the correct information for our trip. Overall, though we had a great experience, the hotels were good, the luggage transfer worked well and we saw some wonderful sights!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Matt F 10 months ago
Loved it!
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was a fantastic way to see Austria. The hotels were excellent and the food was to die for. No problems at all with bikes, luggage, navigation, or reservations. Stunning views that change with each leg of the trip and excellent opportunities to see some off-the-beaten-path sights. Very much recommend.
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★★★★★ Bryan Lee 10 months ago
A great way to cycle tour along the Danube through Austria.
· · Danube Impressions Bike and Boat Passau – Vienna – Passau
A great way to cycle tour along the Danube through Austria. Plenty of riding through beautiful, historic, picturesque towns and countryside during the day and to come back on board for the 5 star accommodation at night. Just enough exercise to not feel guilty going back for seconds at their magnificent buffets.
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★★★★★ Rena Benor 10 months ago
Bike Paradise
· · Danube Impressions Bike and Boat Passau – Vienna – Passau
We absolutely loved the boat trip! Service was A++! Every single thing was taken care of! We did not have to do a thing! The bikes were taken off and on to the boat, the food was amazing! Such high quality of food, lovely waiters and waitresses! Our Host, George, was wonderful! Very friendly and helpful! We were prepped the night before on the bike course. The goodbye party was incredible and so fun!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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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★★★★★ Jessica McAdam 10 months ago
Castle Heaven!
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
We loved nearly everything about this trip! The route was perfect! It delivered days of delightful excercise, followed by late afternoons exploring the next lovely overnight stop. Breakfast was always a feast and a deliciously fun way to start each day. We diverged off the path to explore a few castles and were Wowed! One small change could make this THE perfect bike tour: do NOT book lodging in Rudesheim during the annual Harley Festival. Distressingly loud people kept us up all night. It was unbelievably noisy, leaving us sleep deprived—sadly, not a fun night at all.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Brian Bronson 10 months agoFar exceeds expectations
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS Prinzessin Katharina
What a deal. 8days 7 nights w attentive staff. Amazing biking. Great food. Fun times. Would love to do it again w other friends. Highly recommend for a wonderful time on the Danube.
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★★★★★ John McNeiece 10 months agoTrip of a lifetime
· · Danube Experience Bike and Boat Passau-Vienna-Budapest-Belgrade-Iron Gates-Passau
We had been anticipating this trip for two years and it lived up to all our expectations and more. Riding bikes in 6 different countries over 14 days was amazing! The bikes were great. The boat was perfect. The staff was nothing but helpful and professional. We are already planning a follow-up tour. The folks at biketours.com did a great job with all the details!
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★★★★★ Gary Hirschkron 10 months ago
Gorgeous Trip!
· Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest
Absolutely glorious!
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★★★★★ Hugh Larkin 10 months ago
2 Bucket list items completed
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS Prinzessin Katharina
We have wanted to do a bike & boat tour as well as a bike tour along the Danube for many years (we previously did multi-week self-supported bike tours). In 2019, we thought we would be doing the latter for 2020, but a virus shut down everything. Even after the shutdown, BikeTours.com kept us informed and motivated about bike touring once a normalcy to life returned.
In late 2021, when we could see travel was resuming, we began to look at various tours offered and found the Passau-Budapest-Passau boat & bike tour that fit very nicely into our developing "2022 grand Europe tour".
BikeTours personnel quickly responded to all questions we had which made the booking extremely easy. And they and the tour operator provided us all the booking info before we departed for europe over a month before we were to experience this event.
Once in Passau, and aboard ship (we were able to board early), we were able to unpack and relax. Our rented e-bikes were like new and were pre-adjusted to our heights. Instructions regarding operation and charging were clearly given.
At all times, the crew was very courteous and helpful, which was extremely appreciated as we were the only "native-english" speakers onboard. The food was excellent and plentiful, and we appreciated the vegetarian options provided.
Every day's itinerary was clearly provided, including detailed maps. The bikes worked wonderfully and provided us an opportunity to try an e-bike. We enjoyed the extra guided excursions into Bratislava and Vienna.
Disembarking the Prinzessin Katherina was also painless. Before reaching Passau, the crew made taxi arrangements for us and many others. Hard to beat service like that!
Overall, we had a wonderful tour. Plus we ticked off 2 b-list items. We are now wondering what will be our next BikeTours.com tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12 (2 weeks to 4 months long)
- 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, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Susan and Roger Kelly 10 months agoAwesome trip.
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Loved it but more km than we expected. Would have appreciated personal contact when we arrived but there was some confusion. Otherwise it was a beautiful way to experience Austria.
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★★★★★ Barak Dunayer 10 months agoExcellent trip
· Munich & the Bavarian Lakes
It was a wonderful trip and a great way to experience the region. The trails were beautiful and the accommodations were quite charming. On a couple of occasions, the maps didn’t correspond exactly to the locations and in need of updating - meaning, the trail began or ended not exactly at the hotel. But overall, we had a wonderful experience and highly recommend this.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May-June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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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★★★★★ Rob Gage 10 months agoGreat, but different from expectations
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The mapping software was essential in staying on the recommended path, as sign posting wasn't always clear. The whole trip was more variable than we had expected, both from road quality and scenery.
One suggestion is that the instructions on picking up the bikes could have been sent out ahead of time and made clearer. -
★★★★★ Laura Snyder 10 months ago
A great, beautiful challenge
· Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest
This was a great challenge. The Danube Bike Trail is magnificent - it's something that everyone who enjoys biking should do at least once in thier lives. And parts of it they should do more than once. This tour was perfect for obtaining an understanding of the trail. When I do it again, I'll bike fewer kilometers per day in order to have more time and energy to visit the beautiful and fascinating places along the way.
The support provided by the local company was good. Suitcase delivery was dependable. When, two days into my trip, I realized that it would be better to have an e-bike, they delivered one to me that very day. (Unless you are in very good shape and know exactly what you are doing, I highly recommend you go for an e-bike).
I preferred the trail from Passau to Bratislava. After Bratislava the trail changes - it is not as well sign-posted (it's especially poor in Hungary), and the surfaces at times are challenging (several gravel roads, unpaved paths, and at one point you follow a dirt path in between train tacks and an agricultural field without a single sign post to be found). Also after Bratislava siginificant portions of the path are so far from the river you cannot see it, which makes the lack of sign posting a bigger problem. Arriving in Budapest was a shock to my system - after two weeks of peaceful countryside, I wasn't ready for the hustle, bustle and noise of the city.I don't recommend getting the meals package. I did and regretted it. While some of the restaurants offered excellent meals as well as excellent service, most did not. Most of the restaurants offered me highly limited choices of mostly bland, uninteresting food and resentful service, I guess because I was paying less than the customers ordering a la carte? Whatever their reasons were, they definitely made me feel like a second-class customer. I would have been happy to pay more for more interesting food and kinder service.
My biggest critique is that it was impossible to reach anyone at Biketours.com by phone. Covid or not, I strongly fault them for this - it's not right to sell complex and costly tours like this without being willing to speak with your customers. It would have been extremely helpful for me to be able to speak with someone knowledgeable at least once while planning my trip to be sure I was making the right choices for me.
I did this tour as a woman in my mid-50s, traveling alone. I never felt unsafe. If I can do this tour, anyone who can ride a bike can do it. But I do recommend an e-bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April-May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ William McGill II 10 months agoLake Constance Up Scale Lodging- +’s and -‘s
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path (Upscale Lodging)
We enjoyed the scenery, weather, bikes and the people we met on the trail. The local bike company provided maps and directions were lacking organization, accuracy and specific detail for our trip. As an example they did not include directions to the route from the starting hotel nor to the ending hotel. One of the “upscale”hotels was far from the lake in an area with undeveloped, unkempt grass like a vacant lot. Only after painful and time consuming negotiation did the local bike company agree to deliver the bikes to our starting hotel. We previously took a Danube and Mosel upscale lodging bike tours and received great customer service from the local bike companies. I recommend that until the local company selling this tour significantly improves its customer service Bike Tours stop selling this tour.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Jaime Bodden 10 months agoFairytale in Bavaria
· · Danube Waltz Bike and Boat Passau – Budapest – Passau
A great tour! Equal parts countryside with quaint villages and urban culture with metropolitan experiences. Our tour packed in a lot - each day provided a unique experience and bike ride, from forests to fields, riverside and city streets. The recommendations from out boat guide encouraged frequent stops to enjoy local gems - something that is often lacking on bigger tours. The timing in between stops never felt rushed, and there was a nice balance of being on the boat and off.
