Italy  Bike Tour Reviews (page 13)

  • Innsbruck to Lake Garda
    (5/5) Richard H 3 months ago

    Superb cycling through the beautiful Tyrolean mountains and valleys of Austria and northern Italy

    · Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps

    Two days up (Austria) and four days down apart from the uphill bits (Italy) with the Reschen Pass in between - pretty much sums up the highly scenic cycling tour from Innsbruck to Lake Garda.
    The supplied navigation app downloaded onto your mobile phone works very well - and although the largely paved route is generally very well marked - knowing exactly where you are at all times is both comforting and essential. But your mobile phone battery needs to be in a good state - and it's highly recommended to carry a back-up battery pack.
    Overall, the hotels are good (3* & 4*) as are the breakfasts, with the best (Mirage at Lago del Garda) saved for last! But the navigation app does not lead you to your hotel. Upon reaching the day's destination (usually the town or village centre) it's necessary to do a bit of research (eg Google maps) to learn where you need to be that night. Which can be anything from a couple of hundred metres to several kilometres away. Also, deviating off the route (planned or otherwise!) can be a challenge, particularly in the larger villages or towns. This applies in particular to Rovereto as the cycle route skirts the town, but detouring to the historic centre is neither obvious nor easy.
    The baggage shuttle service works well, and only once did I reach my destination first - but only had to wait ~20 minutes.
    The supplied e-bike ran well and has an excellent battery capacity. The (non-derailleur) gear change system took a bit of getting used to as you need to stop pedalling when changing up or down. Not at all intuitive when used to a derailleur! But an e-bike is not essential for this tour - especially if opting for the shuttle from Landeck to Nauders.
    Overall, an excellent and well planned self-guided tour: highly recommended!

    What was the date of your tour?
    mid-August 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    1st in Europe, lots in New Zealand
    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, Italy
    • Day 1 - the Inn valley (photo by Richard H)
    • Heading up Reschen Pass from Nauders (photo by Richard H)
    • Crossing the Adige River en-route to Merano (photo by Richard H)
    • Early morning view of Lana after departing Merano (photo by Richard H)
    • First view of Lago del Garda (photo by Richard H)
    • Lago del Garda - end of the tour! (photo by Richard H)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) Timr October 18, 2016

    Fascinating Rides Through Medieval Towns and Beautiful Countryside

    · Florence to Rome

    Every day the itinerary took us to multiple medieval cities with storybook characteristics and fascinating histories. Accommodations were very good. Navigation (self guided) was reasonably easy, with thousands of stickers on signposts to help confirm the written instructions. Bikes provided were good, sturdy touring bikes without problems. All went smoothly for a wonderful tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Umbria’s Green Valleys
    (5/5) Bike man October 3, 2018

    Pedaling through Umbria

    · Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi

    This trip was perfect from start to finish thanks to Petra and Paolo. Bikes were like new and well tuned. Organizers met us, went over trip details, and made overnight accommodations in beautiful hotels and B&B’s. Luggage was transported and waiting for us at each new stay. Our stay in Italy was wonderful. We were a self-guided group of 4. We will be back.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept. 9-14,2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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?
    Italy
    • Riding through olive groves (photo by Bike man)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) Ildiko Mikos May 28, 2024

    Picture Perfect

    · Florence to Rome: Bike through the Heart of Italy

    Fabulous ride through the heart of Italy. Rotalis went above and beyond to make the trip comfortable and fun. Snacks and daily lunch picnics were exceptional and a highlight for me. Our group consisted of 12 Germans and 3 Americans, so the guides needed to translate all into both languages. Sometimes that was a bit tedious. Dinners were above average, but I wish we had more opportunities in the cities to select our own restaurants and menu options. This would enable more free time, as well. The hotels were all great, except those in Rieti and Rome. But overall loved the trip and would highly recommend it.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    •  (photo by Ildiko Mikos)
    •  (photo by Ildiko Mikos)
    •  (photo by Ildiko Mikos)
    •  (photo by Ildiko Mikos)
    •  (photo by Ildiko Mikos)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Bolzano to Verona
    (5/5) Janet Bychek October 3, 2023

    Wonderful well organized trip

    · Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture

    Stefano, our organizer was so helpful. When I forgot something he saved the day.. The routes were stunning. The bikes worked well. The hotels were really nice with great breakfasts

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 16 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • Out of Bolzano (photo by Janet Bychek)
    • Waiting for the ferry (photo by Janet Bychek)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Janet Bychek October 19, 2023

    Beautiful tour with great support

    · Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture

    We were given everything we needed. The hotels were lovely and had great breakfasts. Stefano, our support person was very helpful, and when we had a problem he solved it for us very quickly. I would use biketours again without hesitation

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 16
    How many tours have you completed?
    1st
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (5/5) Star June 20, 2018

    Dolomites to Trieste

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    We had a great time. The accommodations were great and all staff very helpful.
    We had some rainy days but hotel staff were very welcoming. Local vendors for bikes very helpful especially when we had a bike malfunction.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 19,2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    Never before
    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, Slovenia, Austria
    • Day 3 On our way to Lake Bled. (photo by Star)
    • 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) Jodi Ready September 20, 2024

    Great trip!

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    My friend and I did the tour on one of the upgraded regular non-electric bikes and I was very happy with the quality. You should be already quite comfortable with bicycles as they were handed over to us with no instruction. A phone mount was not included, and between the two of us, we only got one handlebar bag. There were no water bottle holders either.
    The route was excellent and, as promised, was mostly on non-motorized, paved, well marked trails. You have the option of being driven over some of the bigger hills, but my friend and I opted to ride them ourselves. Of the paper forms provided, the written directions were much more useful than the maps, and I found the app useless and intrusive so I deleted it and used the downloads of the routes they provided ahead of time into my chosen app (Gaia for me and OnX for my friend) for the map. It worked much better, especially in combination with the written directions on the papers provided.
    The accommodations and food in the hotels were excellent. our bags seem to always arrive before we did and there was a clean dry place to park our bikes.
    I loved biking along the Drau river with beautiful views of the amazing dolomites.
    The route brought us by interesting museums (we went to a chocolate museum, as well as history museums), pretty lakes, and we were informed of good food stops, and interesting viewpoints. I also enjoyed biking through some of the small hillside villages where you could see how some of these remote communities live.
    I enjoyed the camaraderie of others doing the same program. We would see each other at breakfast, sometimes at dinner and occasionally on the route.
    We chose to spend an extra day in Bled. We thought we would need a break from the cycling. We found that wasn’t the case, but enjoyed the lake and the castle so we’re glad we stopped. Because we took the extra day, they gave us an alternate route to the last hotel, but we decided to follow the one that the rest of the group took because it went through some beautiful places that we wanted to see. It really didn’t change our average daily distance to do that.
    There was one area that required taking a train. We called to find out the logistics while we were on the tour because it wasn’t clear from the material, but I was impressed with how it worked. Someone from the tour group met us at the station, had tickets, and helped us and our bikes onto the train. Then someone was at the other end to pick us up and make sure we got to where we needed to start our ride again. They were easy to identify and very friendly and helpful.
    I had a great time and would look to this company again for another tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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?
    Italy, Slovenia, Austria
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    • 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) Joseph Rinaudo October 10, 2024

    Beautiful scenery, very enjoyable trip

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    Excellent accomodation and breakfasts. Very responsive to sms. Excellent new bikes. Great staff. Marco and Neva went out of their way to ensure we had a great day when we transferred one wet day. No criticisms. Five stars in all areas. Thank you Bike Tours.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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?
    Italy, Slovenia, Austria
  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) Jon September 29, 2024

    Save some energy

    · Florence to Rome

    It’s not that hills are so big, it is that the grade of some of them is intense. We didn’t upgrade the bike and did ok but a lighter bike would have been nice on this trip. Save some energy for the end of each day when cultural treasures will call out to be explored. The hotels were each unique. We highly recommend the tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (5/5) Robin Jones May 24, 2024

    What a beautiful trip!

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    Seeing the Dolomites was always something I had wanted to experience. Starting the trip in Dobbiacco Toblach allowed us to be close up and witness the beauty of this mountain range. The couple who provided us with our bikes the first day suggested riding to Cortina since the weather was perfectly sunny that day. We rode and were able to see the 3 Sisters and it was amazing! The first day of the trip which allowed us to see the Dolomites was sunny and warm despite earlier weather reports calling for rain. It could not have been a more perfect day for a ride.

    We had rain for most of the following days but because it was the beginning day of the season we didn't go in expecting sunshine the entire time. Someone once told me, there are no bad days only bad gear. We had come prepared and did not regret it. Each village we stayed in was nice and the people we came in contact with were friendly and accommodating. The hotels, although many were quite simple, were comfortable and clean. The food in all establishments was good and exactly what we needed. We opted for e-bikes because of the hilly terrain and felt the bikes provided were good quality.

    All in all, even in the rain it was a wonderful trip that was well planned out. We did not use the route maps the tour company provided rather we built our own in Strava. However, the people on the same tour who were using the app seemed quite happy. I'm so happy we chose this tour and look forward to many more.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Italy, Slovenia, Austria
    • View from Dobbiacco Toblach (photo by Robin Jones)
    • On the way to Cortina (photo by Robin Jones)
    • In the village of Feistritz an der Gail (photo by Robin Jones)
    • In the village of Feistritz an der Gail (photo by Robin Jones)
    • Slovenian waters (photo by Robin Jones)
    • Lake Bled (photo by Robin Jones)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • A Taste of Italy
    (5/5) Joshua Klein May 23, 2024

    Best way to see the region

    · A Taste of Italy: Emilia-Romagna

    This trip was amazing and everything we hoped it would be. The bikes and the hotels were great and everything was very smooth. Having the loop days being optional was great as we were able to choose to explore the different cities those days when we needed a day off from riding.

    We did the optional dinner package and while the food was good the restaurants themselves seemed a bit confused and unprepared, if we were to change one thing we did it would be to not include that and just find dinner ourselves.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 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
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Tuscany Getaway
    (5/5) Juan Pablo Beca June 7, 2023

    A nice and perfect organization

    · Tuscany Getaway: 4 Nights in Siena, Montalcino & Pienza

    Routes and the booklet given to us were very clear and helpful. We would have liked to receive details of each of our two bikes sot to ask for change. In fact we did not need so heavy bikes for the roads of our tour, and one as 27 and the other was 29" wheels for same height of the two of us.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • Venice to Mantova
    (5/5) Jean-Pierre Fraser 7 months ago

    Italia we loved you

    · · Venice to Mantova by Bike and Boat (and reverse)

    Good trip in Itallia. Our guide Helena take care of us. The crew was also incerdible . Ant the cook chief prepared for us wonderful diners,

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 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
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Palermo's perfect piazzas and palazzos
    (5/5) John Presto July 22, 2024

    Great way to experience a portion of Palermo and its history

    · Palermo Old Town Bike Tour

    Claudio was a great guide, providing information and a taste of a Sicilian food.

  • Venice to Mantova
    (5/5) James Ruzevick April 17, 2024

    Very well organized bike and boat trip

    · · Venice to Mantova by Bike and Boat (and reverse)

    I was impressed with all facets of the trip. The boat, guides, food and bikes were all first rate.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • Umbria’s Green Valleys
    (5/5) jmain October 9, 2017

    Great way to explore this wonderful part of Italy

    · Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi

    Self guided tour with a lot of useful information about places to investigate. Clear route instructions and maps. One bike had a problem with the gears but was quickly sorted by the agents, who were very attentive. A good selection of hotels, and BikeTours was able to negotiate a different hotel for our last night, which was helpful (our request to change not due to the quality of the hotel originally offered, but for some personal practical reasons)

    What was the date of your tour?
    29.9.17
    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
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Dolomites to Venice
    (5/5) Julie June 11, 2017

    Loving 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
    • The Dolomites (photo by Julie)
    • Riding downhill (photo by Julie)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 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) Julie van Soeren October 7, 2024

    A wonderful experience

    · Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track

    Our tour was self guided but we were fortunate to meet two other couples with similar biking abilities on the same tour. We had mixed weather so we missed some of the beautiful vistas in the mountains. The accommodations were great for the most part and the breakfasts were amazing! Everything from bacon and eggs to croissants, meats, cheeses, fruit, cereal and all sorts of sweet treats. The navigation was not always straightforward as the signal was poor in many places. Only one of our group experienced a flat tire, which was temporarily fixed and the tube replaced the next day. Our bikes were comfortable and easy to operate. All in all a fantastic experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our first organized tour.
    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?
    Italy
    • 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
    • 4/5 Route selection