Italy Bike Tour Reviews (page 15)
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★★★★★ Elizabeth August 17, 2017Awesome getaway!
· Tuscany Getaway: 4 Nights in Siena, Montalcino & Pienza
- What was the date of your tour?
- July
- How many tours have you completed?
- Lots
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Bigbluesea14 August 17, 2017Fabulous self guided tour at a great price!
· Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
Bike Tours.com always provided prompt and clear communication in preparation of the trip overseas. The tour company in Italy provided excellent service and great bikes. We were a group of 10, including kids, and were impressed with the quality of hotels chosen and loved the dinner package option. Stress free and enjoyed by all.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 1st - July 7th
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ ChuckHughes August 8, 2017Most Beautiful Bike Tour so far.
· Dolomites to Lake Garda: Picturesque Cities and Stunning Scenery
This is by far the most beautiful bike tour we have had the opportunity to take so far. We have been on may great tours with BikeTours.com, but this was our favorite. Every day was spectacular, biking through the mountain passes of the Dolomites, and each stop featured a very beautiful and memorable historic town with shopping, sights and more adventure. The paths along the way were paved and very safe, dedicated to cyclists only, with many signs and markers to help with navigating to the next location. We were so pleased with this tour that we are planning to do it again on our next visit to Italy. For Italy, this is bike tour is our recommendation.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- 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?
- Italy
Video: Dolomites Italy via BikeTours.com
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★★★★★ Ana outsubo August 8, 2017Needs improvement
· Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
They need to improve. We were three... but we only had 1 map, I had to ask for at least one more.... the full package like odometer.... bike tray to put the map... direction booklet... they did not have it all, although we paid 3 packages. They forgot our greeting meeting. Good points: they tried to provide everything we had asked... they were helpful. But definitely they were overwhelmed with the amount of tours and needed help.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 4 th- 11
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ raystrach July 31, 2017A Great Experience of the Real Italy
· Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
We really enjoyed this trip taken before the start of the high season (mid april).
It really is a great part of Italy with relatively few tourists and quiet roads. Apart from one day when we we battled quite a strong headwind, the touring was really great with many beautiful and/or interesting places to keep us occupied every day.We found plenty of great places to have lunch and dinner along the way and from time to time enjoyed the company of fellow travellers using the same tour company.
A highlight of our visit to Italy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2016
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ raystrach July 31, 2017Interesting Culture Great Scenery
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
We decided to do two week long bike tours in succession with this trip coming immediately after the previous tour finish in Lecce.
We caught an overnight train from Lecce to Bolzano which worked out quite well initially. The only problem was that our last couple of days were were getting a bit sick of moving in and out every day. We probably should have given ourselves a little more time in between trips.
The tour itself was fantastic, with the main surprise being the cultural differences between the south and north. The germanic influences were much stronger that i had expected. Also, being in the foothills of the dolomites, obviously means different architecture and traditions. This was all good.
The cycling itself was generally very easy and for the first few days followed a dedicated cycle way. There is plenty of time to take detours into the villages off the main track and still arrive at the next destination in plenty of time.
Although the tour was very well organised, the tour directions were quite poor in comparison to other tours we had taken, however because the trail itself is quite well marked, it is probably better to follow your nose and the o site directions rather than using the detailed guide book. (there have obviously been recent changes to the tour route itself)
if your are wanting a taste of the high italian mountains without having to climb any, this would be an ideal trip. there is a lot of spectacular scenery along the valley road and across lake garda before changing to a more typical italian countryside for the final couple of days towards venice.
just a note on the approach into vincenza, my wife decided that she did not want to take the hillier route (there is a choice) but then when she discovered we were staying at the hotel at the top of a big hill, she regretted it. Take the hillier route into vincenza.
for us, the apuglia tour was probably slightly better tour, but we have absolutely no regrets in doing this one as well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- late april 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ pkbiking July 24, 2017
The Best Way to Get to Venice!
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Each town we visited was unique. Bolzano had a very Austrian feel and Venice was magical. Glad that we chose the 4-star hotels because they were beautiful and roomy and worth the extra money! The self-guided tour allowed us the flexibility to seek out really cool local restaurants and go at our own pace. It was the trip of a lifetime and the recommendations and help from Matt and the staff at BikeTours was excellent.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- several
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Badger June 25, 2017Good trip
· Venice to Florence: From Rialto across the sea to Ponte Vecchio
An interesting trip from and to two iconic destinations stopping at several interesting cities along the way. Tour is very well organized and the hotels were all good to excellent. The route except for the last day is flat and mostly low traffic except near cities. In and out of cities can be high traffic and you need to be quite careful
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Garbo 55 June 17, 2017· Venice to Trieste and Istria
With this being our very first bike tour, and we had chosen the self-guided option we found the adjustment to the directions a little difficult (some vital information was lost in translation) but having said that, there was an incredible sense of accomplishment after completing each day. We also were not prepared for the climate we encountered, we had looked at the temps. before we left and it looked like 22/24 C., but ended up being in the high 20's and low 30's, this really depleted our energy levels. The destinations could not have been more diverse with each one having its own unique quality we really enjoyed. They all had an amazing breakfast to start the day with and were very helpful with storing the bikes etc... The journey through the countryside and along the coast was so spectacular, our only wish I guess would have been to have had more time to enjoy each day. After our first couple of days we were a little overwhelmed with trying to stay on track rather then enjoying the moment. Having been home for a couple of weeks now however and looking back we would challenge ourselves again in a different place.
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★★★★★ Patrick June 15, 2017Beautiful and challenging
· Florence to Rome
A great way to experience Tuscany and Unbria regions of Italy. At first we thought the bikes were somewhat heavy and cumbersome, but after a week we realized they were the right bikes for the road conditions. the road routes were carefully selected to get away from as much traffic as possible. The secondary roads were often not in the best condition, so we appreciated the stability of the bikes. Be prepared for hills. Intermediate rating was definitely on the upper side of intermediate, so prepare for the trip. Eurobike route stickers were very useful. We wish the bikes had water bottle cages.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 27 - June 3 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Julie June 11, 2017Loving Italy!
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
We just finished this tour and it was amazing! My husband and I rode it with our two teenage daughters. It was the perfect level for all of us- not too difficult, but had some challenges. We loved the quaint Italian mountain towns. We rode on roads that the Giro d'Italia had done the week before. We bought cherries from an orchard that was right on our route. we had cappuccinos and gelato everyday! It was truly a wonderful experience!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Ken1126 June 8, 2017
Bolzano to Venice
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Overall the trip was very nice and I plan to use Bike Tours again soon. We arrived Bolzano via train from Munich and the scenery through the Austrian Alps was fantastic. Our first hotel is Bolzano, Hotel Scala, was very nice and we enjoyed the extra night we had booked, including a tram ride. We were a little surprised to have almost 30 people in our tour orientation. With so many people, there was little time for one on one instruction on the equipment and it was a struggle to get questions answered. The bikes, one e bike and one hybrid, were in great condition and were pleasant to ride. We were fortunate to have the tool kit which included a spare tube because on our last day the e bike had a flat in the back. The e bike had an extra (gear??) cable in the back we were not familiar with but managed to figure it out. It would be nice if the bikes had shocks to absorb the rough surfaces but I'm sure there is a reason they don't.
Our second hotel, in Trento, was not as nice as Bolzano and had no air conditioning. Since it was hot and humid the entire trip, ac turned out to be a big issue for us. Some hotels had it but it was not very effective or efficient. The next trip we book will include the upgraded hotel package.
Navigation into and out of the cities proved to be our biggest challenge. Following the arrows was great until you missed one and it required constant vigilance. Trying to follow the road book instructions was difficult, the mileage references never seemed to matched and street names were hard to find. I also found that often it would have been easier to join the route directly from our hotel rather than getting to a central starting point indicated in the road book.
We booked an extra night in Mestre and were glad we did. The Hotel Venezia Mestre had great ac, several English language tv stations, and great location to catch the bus to Venice and airport (VCE-Marco Polo).
Overall a great trip and looking forward to our next one.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 27, 2017
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ pizza June 5, 2017
Italy tour
· Florence to Rome
We have done two other Eurobike tours and this was very similar. The roads in Italy are a bit less tended than in other parts of Europe and we were often on traffic roads but the scenery and the route was lovely! The weather was fantastic. I would suggest that you be sure to book your sightseeing in Florence and Rome ahead of time because they are both very busy and exciting cities. There were also some long difficult hills but well worth the climbs.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20-27, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Nancy May 26, 2017Beautiful ride through three countries
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The scenery was ravishing, the directions mostly got us where we needed to go, the breakfasts and hotels were delightful. We opted to rent e-bikes which allowed us to keep up with the stronger riders on our group. One drawback was the lack of directions for getting from the train station in Trieste to our hotel. Not knowing the lay of the land, which streets were apt to be steep or major thoroughfares, it took us 3 times what it should have to get to our hotel. Also Bled is a charming little town, but had we realized it is a major tour bus destination we would not have opted to spend the extra night there.
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★★★★★ Suelikestobike May 25, 2017Delicious, warm and quiet
· Apulia - Heel of Italy
We were looking for a tour that would get us off the beaten track in Italy. This fit the bill. Nice accommodations, low traffic and of course it's Italy, so good food. We also hoped for warm sunny weather in May and it delivered! Matera was outstanding. Book an extra day and a tour. Not a flashy tour but enjoyed it. Service provided by the bike tour operator was great.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 13-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5 tours with Bike Tours .com
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ dmshimizu May 24, 2017
Amazing trip!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Great way to explore the boarder region amongst Italy, Austria and Slovenia. The scenery is amazing, and it is a great opportunity to enjoy some towns and places that are not widely seen by regular tourists.
Travel documentation supplied by the local tour company is very good with complete information about the route. I'd recommend the investing on the GPS too, as it helps a lot with navigation activity.
The accommodations and the included meals were really good, perfect for those who would like to spend some days away from crowd and large cities.
In summary, it was a great experience, I'm looking forward for another bike tour like this one.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 6th, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
Video: Cycling in Austria, near Thal
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★★★★★ Lizk May 23, 2017An Amazing Trip in Beautiful Italy!
· Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
We loved our bike trip from Bolzano to Verona! The scenery was stunning. We were very happy with the accommodations and the breakfasts!
We got lost a few times but the GPX helped to know where we missed a turn. Also when we asked the local bikers they said follow me and got us back on track.We stopped in many of the small towns to some vino Rossa and lunch including Mezzocorona, Olios, and Borghetta!
We were amazed how easy it was to take the boat trip and train with the bikes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 10-16
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Nancyhj May 15, 2017
Beautiful ride through three countries
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The scenery was ravishing, the directions got us where we needed to go, the breakfasts and hotels were delightful. We opted to rent e-bikes which allowed us to keep up with the stronger riders on our group. The main drawback was the lack of directions for getting from the train station in Trieste to our hotel. Not knowing the lay of the land, which streets were apt to be steep or major thoroughfares, it took us 3 times what it should have to get to our hotel. Also Bled is a charming little town, but had we realized it is a major tour bus destination we would not have opted to spend the extra night there.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 5-12, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Jeri April 12, 2017
Lovely spring countryside
· Florence to Rome
We did the self-guided version of this tour, and loved cycling through the Umbrian countryside. The routes were well-planned to avoid traffic. Bikes were adequate. Baggage transfer and all such arrangements were handled very well. Trip notes/gps were mostly good with a few glitches, but we were the first riders of the new season, so I would imagine the divergences will soon be cleared up, and we never lost our way. The tour company also uses a system of small trail markers that were very good. What we did not enjoy: the overnights. Towns were generally pretty dead other than touristy things--and not a lot of that. Little along the route days as far as nice places to stop (parks, cafes, or the like) either. Hotels were okay, but nothing special.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-8 April 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson April 13, 2017
Thanks so much for your feedback. We're sorry you didn't enjoy the towns along the route. I think you're absolutely correct that touring so early in the season played a role in your experience, as the towns, cafes and other settings are quite lively later in the season. We'll note that for advising future clients. I've done the tour and loved it, but it was early September and quite lively.
