Italy Bike Tour Reviews page 3
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★★★★★ Diane Witters
Great first trip with BikeTours.com
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Overall, we really enjoyed the experience and were impressed with the scenery, lodging, quality of the bikes (one of us had an e-bike and the other a “top bike “), and the multiple layers of navigation provided by Fun Active Tours, the local outfitter. We also appreciated the detailed instructions for the luggage and train transfers. We especially enjoyed the first 3 legs of the journey through the Dolomites of northern Italy, into Austria, and then the entry into Slovenia with views of the Julian Alps and into Lake Bled. Trieste may have its merits but the city was quite chaotic and difficult to navigate and find our hotel by bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was our first 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, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Wrightriders
Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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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★★★★★ Greg M
Fantastic Bike Routes
Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
Each day of the ride was beautiful. The guidance app worked great most of the time (more on that later). When I lost my saddlebag along with the charger I called the support company, and a new charger was waiting for me at the hotel!
Two things bothered me: On the first ride from Bolzano you stay in the town of Ora. The people at the hotel there were wonderful and had a beautiful breakfast array the next morning. But there is really nothing to see in that town. If you go another 5 km or so you end up in the town of Tramin where the wine variety Gewurztraminer was developed, with wine tastings interesting restaurants etc.
The other bothersome thing was the app was not updated for new construction. And I am not talking about very recent construction. On the ride from Lake Garda to Verona a bridge was closed down and it had been closed for weeks. That was a major problem as there was no other bridge to cross the Mincio river and I ended up back in Peschiera del Garda. Now I'm lost and google maps does a poor job of directing a bike route to Verona. Luckily I had the Cyclers app which gave me an excellent bike route along gravel paths and bike lanes to Verona.
That aside it's a fabulous way to bike the countryside from Alto Adige to Verona! And the ferry from north to south Lake Garda is long but wonderful!- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Randa
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
Great cycling route. Some hills, but not as bad as I had figured. Disappointed that they did not have the meet and great on the day, as stated. It was on our day 2...when we had 70k to go. Otherwise the arrows showed that we had taken the right turn, and with them and the odometers it made for smooth sailing......never got lost!!! First time ever, in 6 tours that we have never been lost!! Great scenery, great accommodations. Some breakfast needed more protein on their tables to get us going until lunch time! All in all, we would recommend this trip!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug. 24-31, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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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★★★★★ Dean Ross
Good ride Bolzano to Venice.
Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Good routing along mostly paved paths through vineyards and orchards away from busy roads. Some of the 70km days were long in the near 40 degree heat, maybe a better tour for Sept. We paid for upgraded hotels some were but not all. Hotel Clarinet in Garda has very small rooms, they also don’t staff the front desk at night and there was no emergency contact given. This all became a reality when we went to leave the room in the morning and the deadbolt on the door just kept spinning. Called the front desk but there was no answer, luckily we had a bike repair tool that we were able to use to break out. Also worth noting that the ferry ride down the lake is a 4-5 hour trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3 with this company
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Dickiev01
Interesting Scenery
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
A scenic and pretty tour displaying the unique attributes of the region. The roads were generally rural and low volume thoroughfares with a few busy areas, but all in all a wonderful and decently designed tour. We upgrade our bikes so we will rate them higher than normal
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 8th, 2019
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ kiki1970
Venice to Trieste and Istria
The overall experience on this bike trip was good. The rain that occurred on 4 of the 7 days of the trip was unexpected. The locals informed us that it hadn't rained in 2 months so it caught up to us. The accommodations and food were excellent. The real problems were the maps that were provided. They need to be more tour specific. When arriving in the destination city, specific directions should be included in finding that hotel. We spent too much time looking for our hotel for the evening. Also the written instructions are a translation from the German guide. In some cases the instructions didn't match what we saw on the ground or what the sign posts indicated. In general, the people that we dealt with in the States and Italy were great. I only wish that we would have taken a day break some where in the middle(Trieste?) to refresh and recuperate. We didn't know we could do it. I highly recommend this before heading into Croatia.
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★★★★★ Sam Roozendaal
Visually stunning trip
Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
This is a great way to see the sights of Umbria at a slower pace. The route is well designed with mostly quiet roads. There are some busy roads as you enter or leave towns but that is to be expected. There is a lot of climbing so we were glad we got the e-bikes. The hotels are mostly very good and close to the centre of town.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Sam Roozendaal
Beatiful Views
Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
Great way to see the Dolomites and Northern Italy. Majority of the ride was on paths, so low stress. There is more climbing than indicated in the description so be prepared. The rental bikes are 21 speed vintage 1990's so heavy and not geared well for the climbs.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Badger
Good 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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★★★★★ Suelikestobike
Delicious, 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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★★★★★ Tera Hurst
Amazing trip, highly recommend
Tuscany Getaway: 4 Nights in Siena, Montalcino & Pienza
My brother wanted to do a bike trip for his 50th birthday. After months of research I finally landed on this itinerary and I am so glad we did it! Leading up to the trip bike tours staff was very responsive. The info they sent took awhile and wasn’t tailored to our trip, but they make up for that by answering all questions promptly and without making you feel like a burden!! We had some last minute changes they were very accommodating with as well. The local tour company was wonderful! They were very patient with all of our anxieties and questions. We had never done a trip like this and in a foreign country self guided was intimidating. They broke it down for us and it was amazing. The routes they gave us were stunning and we only made a few quick wrong turns. GPS app they use was helpful and easy to use and follow. We were directed to a different hotel than the one we were staying at twice which was a bit annoying but once we found our place it was lovely and so nice to jump in a cold pool after a hot long ride. Their lunch and dinner recs were delicious! And the one time we had an issue where our bike lock wouldn’t unlock they came out to our remote spot and helped! It’s such a magical place to experience by bike! They never made us feel like a burden and were so professional, accommodating and supportive. I highly recommend this trip. It’s totally worth the price.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2024
- 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 teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Tina
Italy countryside ride
Cycling in the Heart of Puglia
Really enjoyed the rides through olive orchards and the hotel hosts were spectacular....shout out to Stephano in Putignano! The add-ons were wonderful ..wine tasting, olive oil tasting, Ostuni little car tour; very informed and enthusiastic. presenters. Please consider having all bikes include fenders as weather is unpredictable and many of the roads are sandy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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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★★★★★ Todd Kadas
Italian countryside, Slovenian coast, Croatian beaches. What more could you want?!
Venice to Trieste and Istria
This trip offered a nice mix of countryside and coastal routes with plenty of options to shorten or lengthen each day's itinerary. We were lucky enough to arrive in the second town on the same night as their annual grape harvest parade. So much fun! Tractors pulling floats, free wine, marching bands, and views from the restaurants on the street.
We chose the self-guided option for this tour and met up with at least a dozen other cyclists who were doing the same. We were never alone, had amazing weather, and every day except for one (when we cycled too fast and didn't stop frequently enough), our bags were waiting for us on arrival at the hotel.
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★★★★★ TF and DD NYC
Great destinations!
Venice to Trieste and Istria
A highlight of the trip was seeing all the different towns and cities along the way. The route varied from day to day – coastal paths, farmland and former border crossings. We stayed in modern seaside towns, ancient inland towns and cities. We even saw flamingos in the lagoon!
The biking was challenging at times, with strong headwinds the first couple of days. We rode on roads, bike paths, dirt farm roads and raised dike walls. The navigation, directions and app were easy to follow, but many of the arrow stickers should be replaced. Bikes were standard hybrids, but note: step through bikes do not have water bottle cages!
We opted for trains and boats when available. This allowed us to have more time to explore the towns, while still having plenty of biking. Each place we stayed was unique and a couple of the hotels were better than expected. It was nice visit the towns just before the summer season. There were many tourists, but not big crowds.
We would recommend this trip to those who are confident riders. Plan to stay a couple of extra days in Venice and/or Porec if you can, as there is plenty to see and do!
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★★★★★ George Ouimet
3 out of 5 legs were good, one was exceptional.
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
It was very interesting and educational to be in this party of Italy. Our last guided tour was in Tuscany. Alberobello was an amazing town and the Trullia were a wonder to see, even more fun to stay in. The restaurants in the area that we tried were all good. It was also fun to walk around town and see the old churches, museums and parks. Our guide Marco was excellent and spent good time explaining the route and the attractions to us. All the bikes worked fine, and I liked having the panier to store things in. Based on the type of riding we ended up doing the hybrid bikes were very appropriate and comfortable.
The first day of riding from Alberobello to Ostuni was interesting - lots of small roads, not much traffic, lots and lots of olive trees (which the area is noted for). One thing we noticed right away unfortunately was the garbage. Lots and lots lots of garbage, all over the sides of the roads. Single use plastics mostly, but also household trash, construction debris, old appliances, tires, and millions of glass bottles and metal cans. Combined with the large number of abandoned and dilapidated properties in the area (abandoned olive farms) it felt like the next 2 days of riding in many parts was through the apocalypse. The old abandoned buildings were interesting, especially the small farm huts, and we did see lots and lots of the Trullia, and nicer properties that were fixed up closer to towns though. We later learned that this area was very very poor in many parts, and that it wasn't until the EU formed that money started to flow into the area to improve things for people. Depending on who you talked to the trash was from "trash collection being a low priority for the local infrastructure" - to people just being ignorant and not caring about the environment. The towns and cites were a bit better, but for the most part the rural areas felt like a 3ed world country on these part of the ride. It looks like this from Alerobello to Ostuni, Ostuni to Manduria, Manduria to Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca (our favorite town next to Alberobella, the hotel was beautiful and we wished we had two days there). Manduria was pretty much abandoned, as was the hotel. The hotel restaurant was closed, and the only place we could find to eat was a pizza express and the grocery store next door. The saving grace was the wine tour at a local fermenting/processing plant, and the wines themselves from the Primitivo grapes were spectacular as was the tour and museum in the winery. We shipped cases of it home :). The ride to Gallipoli was an adventure. 20-30 mph headwinds and blowing garbage the whole way , however the landscape was interesting - it felt like southern California desert. Fortunately Gallipoli was a great town with lots restaurants open, and shopping. It was raining, but that's OK was was still nice. The ride from Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca was short and uneventful. Threatening rain so we made a bee line to town at a fast pace. We found a great little restaurant by the water/harbor where we had a great meal and lots of the Primitivo wines :).
The ride from Santa Maria di Leuca had to be our favorite of the whole trip. Fantastic scenery along the Adriatic coast, lots of places to stop, the wind at our backs and it seemed cleaner. Swimming in the little beaches and Grottos were so nice. Again, we wished we could spend more time here. Maybe make 2 loops from Santa Maria di Leuca or add another town on this coast. We loved the riding off pavement and along the beaches as well, and that goes for the first part of the ride from Otranto to Lecce. Sadly the latter part of the ride inland to Lecce was more abandoned properties and lots and lots of garbage. Again the feeling like we were riding through the apocalypse. Lecce was great though - what a nice town! Lots to see in the "Florence of the South" in the old town. The surrounding 'modern areas' less so as the roads were very busy. I wrote something for my cycling friends about riding bikes in Italy. I will share it here;
Thoughts on cycling in Italy. Tongue in cheek: If anyone has to take a test to drive (seems not?), these would be the lessons. 1. The person who drives, walks or pedals the fastest has the right of way. 2. No cars in Italy have blinkers/signals. 3. Three point, U turns and parking is allowed anywhere, so is passing. It's especially fun to play chicken when cars are coming from the opposite direction. 4. Traffic signs aren't even suggestions! Traffic lights, sometimes. And signs that say what road you are on. 5. The most common controls pushed are the accelerator and the horn. 6. No problem if you don't have trash collection or an ashtray at home, the car window works fine. 7. If you can squeeze your car in there, you can drive there. 8. Speed bumps are "suspension tests".
With all that being said: People pay attention, they have to! Otherwise the country would be one giant pile up!! No one is on their phone! If you signal a turn on a bike, drivers see and respect you, until it's time to pass. I never felt in danger even though drivers get VERY close to you even at high rates of speed. Cycle confidently, don't wander around in the road... and pay attention! Also being in SMALL groups helps so that cars can pass quickly without hitting the oncoming cars head on.
All in all we had fun and am glad to see another part of Italy. After our riding we went to Greece and on to Munich, Germany. We also had just spent 6 days riding in Catalonia, Spain before this tour in Italy. Germany has by far the best infrastructure for pedestrians and cycling, similar to the Netherlands. Spain was pretty good and has improved since we were there 3 years ago. This part of Italy has a long long way to go, unless thousands of people clean the roads and streets and they develop a different culture. Not something Bike Tours or Giro Libero can affect I am guessing. We would not ride most of these routes again :( SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ TriaT
Lake Garda (Based in One Hotel)
This was our fourth family European cycling holiday with Bike Tours and our first in Italy. We loved being based in the same hotel so could settle in for the week. The location on the shore of Lake Garda was beautiful and it was so pleasant in the evening to be able to stroll into Desenzano for dinner, with lots of restaurants 5-10 mins walk away.
The cycling itself wasn't as scenic as we'd experienced in Austria and Slovenia, and we missed the stunning views of the mountains we'd had in those countries (while still on relatively flat routes). The day cycling from Trento to the north of Lake Garda was the exception. That day was the best, though take a book for the very long ferry ride back to Desenzano. And make sure you know where the ferry departs from in Riva before you settle in for lunch. It's a long way from where you first reach the lake.
We found the printed directions frequently inadequate and relied heavily on our phones for accurate navigation so make sure you have a data plan that covers Europe.
If you want to have time to explore Verona properly then build an extra day into the itinerary, leave the bikes behind and take the train round trip.
We sacrificed the ride to Brescia, opting instead to have a full day cycling to and exploring Sirmione, which was definitely worth it. The castle has great views. The small town is swarming with tourists but few venture beyond the vicinity of the castle. There are amazing Roman ruins and swimming areas on the north tip of the peninsula so take a towel.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 1st 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- four
- 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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★★★★★ Jay Penner
Good ride for e bikes.
Venice to Trieste and Istria
This was the best electronic navigation we had ever seen. A phone holder for the bike made the navigation very easy. The weather was extremely hot the week we rode, but there were usually towns at good intervals to stop and hydrate. The local operator was responsive to any needs along the way and gave a good briefing the night before we started riding. The towns we stayed in offered great local flavor to the trip. The hotels were near the beaches so it was nice to swim in the Adriatic Sea at the end of the day. There were several stretches of road with considerable traffic but also a lot of bike paths and back roads with no traffic. The sights along the way were great and made for a memorable trip.
The last day had several hills that would have been challenging without the e-bike assistance. The bikes were in good shape and rode well. Wouldn’t recommend this for a first time cycle trip.
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★★★★★ Margaret W
Stunning scenery
Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
The landscape was magnificent-rolling green hills of cereal and vegetable crops, vineyards, olive groves and poppy fields. The historic hilltop towns were reached easily on the ebikes. The accommodation could have been better in a couple of places eg miniscule shower recesses. Overall a most enjoyable ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2026
- 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
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★★★★★ Mary-lou Huculak
Challenging but worth it!
Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
Gorgeous views over every hill and string every bend. Challenging even on ebikes but spectacular views.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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