Italy Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Two Michiganders November 4, 2015Lost in Translation
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
This was our fourth tour with Bike Tours and the first with an Italian outfitter. Maybe that's where the trouble started.
We're not novices to this kind of travel and expect to spend some time lost and wandering--that's okay--to some extent. The directions for this trip were oddly and sometimes poorly translated, and there were occasions that though we'd asked for the English version, the notes were in German. The sticker signage was missing and incorrect at several critical junctures--crossing into Croatia from Slovenia, for instance. I know we weren't the only people who missed it--others at the hotel mentioned the same confusion.
I think that this part of Italy isn't quite as used to cycling (fewer cycle paths) and there were long stretches where we were riding with heavy traffic on 50-70k speed roads. The last day was very hilly (we were aware of this) and included some long slogs through unmarked Croatian campgrounds/resorts which were not mentioned in the directions. Despite the directions, knowing that you needed to be near the sea for most of the trip was helpful.
Navigation being my only caution, this was a lovely and fun trip. The towns and sites along the way were quaint and it was relaxing when we were off the main roads. I appreciated the towns we stayed in, Sagittaria Concordia, Trieste and Piran were especially memorable for the sites and ambiance of each place. The ruins in Aguilia were amazing. The hotels were all excellent, breakfasts hearty and our bags were moved as promised.
I'd recommend this to someone, but with caution regarding navigation.- How many tours have you completed?
- Four
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Richie November 5, 2015
Hi!
Thank you for bringing the issues with tour documents and signage to our attention. I was on a tour with this operator in August and did not have these issues. However, I was on a different tour.
Part of the tour I was on overlapped with this tour in Trieste. There is quite a bit of traffic getting in and out of Trieste and that is worth being aware of.
I have passed your comments about the tour documents and signage on to the tour operator. It is important that they are aware of the sticker situation so that they can go through the route and fix the stickers where they are missing or incorrect. It is also important that they are aware of the translation issues with the documents themselves. I do know that they go over their documents and make improvements every off season. This information will be useful to them as they are going through this process.
Thank you again for taking the time to provide feedback (and the beautiful photos!)! We are looking forward to helping you arrange your next trip.
—Richie
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★★★★★ Bikenfools November 5, 2015Apulia: Cycling the Heel of Italy’s Boot
· Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
We had a great trip to Apulia (Cycling the Heel of Italy’s Boot), loved the tour, would do it again and recommend to others. All 7 hotels had excellent service and all-round excellent accommodations. Our luggage was always waiting for us, breakfast was always very good and the bikes served us well. The guys at the bike shop where we picked-up our bikes were friendly and helpful, and made adjustments to the bikes before we left.
The locals we met along the way were always very friendly, warm and treated us like rock stars. Even though we do not speak Italian, we never had trouble communicating - there was always someone within the vicinity who spoke English and eager to help translate. Sometimes there would be 1/6 dozen locals all translating at the same time.
The first hotel in Matera, Locanda Di San Martino, was our favorite and wished we could take the spa, pool, steam-room, and hot tub with us to the other hotels.
The 2nd hotel was cool getting to stay in a Trulli.
The 3rd hotel in Ostuni, Relais Sant’Eligo, was special because of the service we received from Tonia and Abbes – they went “above and beyond” to make our stay enjoyable. I was having technical difficulties with my iPhone charger, and thought the outlet in my room was not working. I took everything to the front desk and Abbes examined all the components (charger, adapter, cord, and phone) determined my cord was not working. He then called several electronic stores trying to find a cord, and said he would drive me to a store to buy a new one.
The 4th hotel in Gallipoli, Hotel 33, was very nice and we were treated like royalty. When we arrived - hot, thirsty and tired - the staff had ice-cold lemon-aid, and water waiting for us in the lobby, plus a bowl of fresh olives to snack on. They told us to just leave the bikes by the door and they moved them to the garaged. Our luggage was already in our room. We received an excellent local restaurant recommendation that served the best fresh fish I had the entire trip. The next morning our bikes were waiting by the front door. Fantastic service.
The 5th hotel in Santa Maria Di Leuca was good and had a nice pool. The only draw-back was the hotel is located outside of town about 1 mile from the nearest restaurant and we would have to walk in the dark on a road to get to another restaurant. Luckily, the hotel had an ok restaurant.
The 6th hotel in Otranto, Hotel San Giuseppe was nice with good service. The location made it easy to walk to restaurants in the area.
The 7th hotel in Lecce, Hotel EOS, was very nice, and modern.
The only route we found hard to follow was the route between Alberobello and Ostuni. There are many turns, and a few more directional arrow stickers might have been helpful, but maybe not. I believe we missed some turns because we were too interested in seeing the sights and not paying close attention to the guide book. SHOW MORE
The routes on the other days were easy to follow and guided us through some amazing areas, with many sights to see. I was very surprised to find the roads practically vacant of cars and glad of it. I was expecting more traffic especially alone the coast. I guess traffic picks-up in the summer - we toured in early May.
SHOW LESS- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Emlaf November 5, 2015Solo trip in Umbria
· Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
Very great trip in beautifuls places, with greats accomodations and people, even in november.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, Families with young kids, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Alpskier November 14, 2015
I've Done 8 Trips. Here's My Favorite!
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
It's simply a magnificent ride. You begin in Venice, ride along the coast, passing beautiful beaches, going inland through rural farmland, and finally reaching Trieste, an old city that has a lot to offer. And that's just the Italian portion. The ride then takes you into Slovenia and ends in Croatia. For me, the century-old towns of Piran, Slovenia, and Porec, Croatia were magical - adult Disneyland. They are well-preserved and inviting as you aimlessly walk through narrow streets with stunning architecture. Locals were great. The ride is well-marked and the road book you're given is easy to follow. The local tour operator is most helpful. Most of the ride is easy, flat, doable miles per day - about 35. Once you get into Slovenia, you follow a beautiful paved bikeway along the rugged coast that brings you through one picturesque town after another. Finally, the last ride is a bit challenging as you reach hilly, yet doable terrain. I loved the hotels as they all were family-run and charming beyond belief. I guess it's the diversity of the journey. And riding a bike through a country is simply the best way to connect to the culture, people, and the land. Book this one. You won't be disappointed.
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★★★★★ Richie November 24, 2015Diverse cycling through three countries
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Diversity is the theme of this tour. From the Dolomites, to the Julian Alps, to the dreamy Lake Bled, to the Friuli Italian wine country, to the Adriatic Coast, this tour has it all. Riding in three countries in one day is an awesome experience as well.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ mountain broad December 9, 2015Perfect Pleasure Times Two
· · Venice to Mantua by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This was such a wonderful trip when my husband and I experienced it the first time for our thirtieth wedding anniversary, we took it again, in the opposite direction, two years later!
The small towns we traveled through were charming and welcoming. We saw places that were unique and off-the-beaten path of the general tourist. Chioggia, Ferrara, Zelo: they each kept beckoning us back.
Then, too, the Vita Pugna was any thing but "hard life". The staff treated us like treasured family members. The fed us local cuisine that was fresh, creative, and oh, so satisfying. They were enthusiastic and welcoming every day of the journey. Our bicycling guides, on each trip, revealed history, culture, and sites, that only the well-informed local would usually enjoy.My husband and I have traveled on five bike trips with biketours.com, and we have plans of cycling again to an, as yet, undiscovered destination. The company makes our travel dreams affordable, successful, and worth repeating.
These memories are golden!
- How many tours have you completed?
- six
- 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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★★★★★ Pedalann December 28, 2015
Interesting Tour around Part of the Adriatic Sea
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
This tour gave us a chance to see much of the coastal region of the old Venice/Roman Empire. We enjoyed the lovely towns, pastoral countryside and views of the Adriatic. We sometimes had difficulty navigating as the cue sheets. maps and route marks did not always agree. The tour operators had warned us that some of the routes were being revised. However, we are good navigators and did find our way without too much back tracking. Concordia, Grado, Trieste, Piran and Porec were wonderful to visit. The new sections of bike trails were joys to ride.
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★★★★★ artnscience December 30, 2015
Wonderful Coastal Trip around the upper Adriatic Sea
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
The route, maps, bicycles, accommodations and weather were perfect for our self-guided trip. We were lucky to be able to attend a Vivaldi Concert at the Cathedral in Grado. It was a one night only performance and our hotel host provided us with tickets. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOVdH6klghY5LXY0xRnJXgs3V22UOQqIrSTQtIZk-iBfOPD-HVh2ajAjWPV0rspkQ/photo/AF1QipMEguGCko9YGrAFg6YkROa7LLFyKdtTuGCFsTg?key=MEQzNXNiWEVwM2MwSV8ycVExcWg4ZmFUU2kzM3h3
Crossing the borders between Italy and Slovenia and between Slovenia and Croatia by bicycle was a fun experience as was seeing Piran and Porec. A car rally was going on in Porec which made it even more interesting.
We had one confusing route situation. The arrows and cue sheet had us going right and then left onto a farm road (see linked photo) when it should have said left and then right. Other than that our directions were perfect. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOVdH6klghY5LXY0xRnJXgs3V22UOQqIrSTQtIZk-iBfOPD-HVh2ajAjWPV0rspkQ/photo/AF1QipP8bWrmMDfBuhWBGxWQjo53m6mNt4CmrDNpQfs?key=MEQzNXNiWEVwM2MwSV8ycVExcWg4ZmFUU2kzM3h3- How many tours have you completed?
- 14 European, 1 Canadian and 8 US
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
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★★★★★ artnscience December 30, 2015Spectacular experience with the most scenic and variable terrains, villages and accommodations
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
I feel I have experienced the soul of Italy through the pedals of my bicycle as we passed from Niederdorf through the Dolomites, into beautiful towns and cities to Venice. Since we paired this tour with one starting in Venice two days after our arrival we had more time to explore it and it's out islands. I prepared a Google+ album with captions for the 306 photos from both tours. You may use any of these images with captions as you see fit. The four of us, two Anderson and two Abeles call ourselves the Four 'A's because we sally forth on adventures together. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOVdH6klghY5LXY0xRnJXgs3V22UOQqIrSTQtIZk-iBfOPD-HVh2ajAjWPV0rspkQ/photo/AF1QipMkVq17mKGDNdacKckMZOIwFVFSf3ZEwQI7lm8?key=MEQzNXNiWEVwM2MwSV8ycVExcWg4ZmFUU2kzM3h3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 14 European, 1 Canadian, 7 USA
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Pekka60 January 5, 2016Hot hot hot
· Lake Garda (based in one hotel)
We knew that things can get very hot in Italy on august, so in 2012 me and my wife decided to book a Tour, where it is possible either cycle, or just spend time on the beach, if its too hot. We have heard that Lake Garda, and the hole area is very nice, so this Tour seemed perfect.
We flew from Helsinki to Milano, then we had a train, approximately 2 hours, from Milano to Lake Garda. Our hotel was nice little family hotel in Desenzado, with a nice little own beach. On the first day our tour-operator came to meet us and brought our bicycles, maps and other equipment.
As you know, it can be very hot, but its never too hot to cycle. Every morning we started from the hotel, and we had a nice cycling in the area. One day we took a train to Torino, and we cycled back, 80 km, temperature was 38 C, 100 F.
Best day we had, was when our tour operator took us with a van to Trento. From Trento we cycled to Riva, in the north part of Lake Garda, and in Riva we took bicycles to a ferry, witch took us back to Dezensano.
This is very easy Tour to recommend for anyone. If you don"t want to cycle, you can just relax and enjoy your holiday, good food and wine, and atmosphere.- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Zephyr February 17, 2016The Two Italys: from Alto Adige to Trentino and South
· Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
- How many tours have you completed?
- six
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Zephyr February 17, 2016
Excellent.
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Beautiful scenery, mostly on cycle tracks, three countries, cultures and languages, nice weather, pleasant lodging.
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★★★★★ Pedalann February 28, 2016
A Spectacular Ride from the Austrian Border to Venice
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This tour allowed us to experience the changing face of Italy from the quite Austrian north down though many medieval towns and into the coastal plain around Venice. The introduction and orientation by a representative from FunActive Tours was complete and included detailed maps, cue sheets and information about the areas and towns we would be traveling through. We enjoyed each day's ride and learned so much about the history of this part of the country as we went along. We were on the "self-guided" tour and were easily able to follow the route with our maps cue sheets and the route markers posted along the way. We missed our turns only a couple of times and quickly found our way again. The routes were mostly bikeways or very low traffic roads which made the ride especially enjoyable.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 25+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ CathyB April 22, 2016
Fantastic
· Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture
I did this tour (self-guided) in the Fall of 2014 and it was the best trip of my life. The Hotels were all clean, safe, and ideally situated in the towns. The maps were great. There were a few frustrations when navigating alone, but nothing I couldn't figure out. The company provided me with a route map and also with written directions; even after I left the map in a bar one nigh (oops) I was able to navigate fine with the written directions. The stickers used to place the route were also very helpful. Difficulty-wise, the first couple days were mostly flat and on well paved, well laid out bike paths; as the tour went on the terrain got hillier, but there were only a couple serious climbs (and even they weren't that bad). It was a great way to see parts of Italy that you wouldn't normally see if limited to a train, and it took me through some charming little towns that would escape most tourists attention. Experiences like hiking up a mountain to visit a mostly ruined castle, or dropping in on a winery outside of Verona and being fussed over by a sweet old Nonna, or an old, chain-smoking man draping his coat over my shoulders in a cafe, will never be forgotten. This was my second time in Italy and my first bike tour. I would strongly recommend learning a little bit of Italian as English is not widely spoken in the smaller towns; my smattering really helped me. Also, don't lose your map in a bar.
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Frankie April 26, 2016Great trip
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
The trip was a lot of fun and our guide was the best
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ erinmargo April 26, 2016Best vacation ever
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
There were so many positives on this trip. We were fortunate to have a fun group of like minded people on our tour. The villa is spectacular, Pometti was a fabulous, down to earth host, the food awesome, wine so good I shipped a bunch home and every location we visited was special. Marco & Guiliana are such a great team and excellent tour leaders. I have told many people about this wonderful experience and recommended to many.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ dave403 May 8, 2016Outstanding route and operator for central Italy - Awesome trip!
· Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
Really excellent self-guided trip run by a first class small operator (Petra and Paulo). Stunning terrain, mostly in Umbria which is quieter and perhaps even more charming than Tuscany. Accommodation was excellent quality and value. Not over-the-top fancy but great. Breakfasts good - usual European-style. Generally on our own for dinners and so many incredible choices - Umbria has first class food and wine. Luggage transfers perfect. Directions provided excellent. Relatively challenging rides which we expected. At the higher end of level 3. Terrain is hilly (and gorgeous) which isn't an issue where roads are switch-backed. Tougher when they're not but we managed fine. Best to be in decent shape. We're 60 and in good fitness. Winter training via spin classes helpful. Would be more challenging on hybrids - we upgraded to road bikes and were happy we did, riding with our own shoes and clips. Took an extra day in Orvieto which helped give a recovery day and was very interesting/worthwhile. Lots of history and art along the way. Great trip! Highly recommend this operator and this trip.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ Rotsen June 21, 2016A great way to embark on the endless search for a bad Tuscan wine.
· Tuscan Wine Classic: Pienza to Castellina via Siena
The only thing that wasn't absolutely perfect on this trip was the weather. The bikes provided were new and light, 25c tires, Shimano 105 11sp compact group w/32T cog for easy climbing.
The route selection was wonderful, with a loop the first day to get acclimated and a loop the last day to provide options. The route cue sheets and maps included profiles and were spot-on so we hardly even bothered using the GPS routes they gave us to upload. We didn't have as much freedom to actually "tour" and stop at all of the sites as we usually do on tours due to the nearly constant threat of rain. Still we mostly avoided the rain until it arrived within last 5 or 6 kilometers on three of the days.
The upside was that we had more time in the towns we spent the nights, for wine and cheese tastings, and of course Gelato (If you ever come across Pear-Pecorino-Honey gelato don't be shy.) The hotel accommodations were terrific! Our luggage always made it there before we did. The breakfasts, the only meals included, were above par Continental with great coffee and, at the least, hard boiled eggs.. A number of times we ate dinner at the Hotel Restaurant. Following our arduous afternoon and evening searches for bad wine we kind of liked being close to our beds.
I am happy to admit that we failed utterly in our quest for a less-than-great Tuscan wine. We didn't bring any of the terrific Brunello's or Rosso's or Chianti's that we drank back, but did return home with 22kg of Pecorino Cheese most notably the Formaggio di Fosse. (My apologies to those who shuttled our baggage.) Someday soon we will return to continue our search, perhaps during a more dependably dry part of the year.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 1
- 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
