Bike Tour Reviews page 155
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★★★★★ MominBC July 11, 2017Wine Country Tour
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Much better than expected, we did the self guided option. Pick up was on time, the bikes were great and the route map and directions were easy to follow.
Most roads were quiet and the hotels selected were superb. It was unforgettable and I will definitely do another one with this tour group.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 18-25, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ TriaT July 10, 2017Hillier than described
· Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
This was our third family trip booked through Bike Tours Direct. The previous two were in Austria (Danube and Salzburg loop). We have two daughters, age 11 and 13, who are physically fit and mentally strong. This trip, lovely as it was, was too challenging for them. There is some serious climbing required and it should be rated at least a 3. It doesn't necessarily look like much on the profile but with the scale it's very deceptive. After 6 days cycling we needed a rest day so gave in and the bike company helped order a taxi that could take us and the bikes to Lipica. Overall the route took us through some wonderful scenery, starting in the Alps, then the Karst hills, and finally to the Adriatic coast. But most of it was on roads rather than bike paths, often with busy traffic. We're experienced road riders but found the Slovenian drivers to be rather aggressive and none of the roads had shoulders.
We also were a little disappointed in the destinations each night. The trip started in a fantastic place, Lake Bled, and ended in a very different but equally picturesque town, Piran, but too many of the overnights in between were in nondescript towns with little to explore. The distances weren't huge each day so we took our time and ate lunch along the way. Typically we arrived at the hotel around 2pm so had plenty of time to explore the new location but in 3-4 of the locations there was nothing to see, which was a real shame as on a trip like this part of the excitement is getting to the new place each day.
The hotels were of mixed standards. Some were modern, some very old and tired. Air conditioning seemed to be a challenge in all of them, though sorely needed. Wifi was spotty at best. Bathrooms are universally tiny.
We did some but not all of the side trips. It was raining at Lake Ribcev so we didn't do the waterfall or swim in the lake, which was a shame. Indoor Aquapark at the Eco Hotel was a godsend, given the rain that afternoon. Predjama Castle is a must. Also the Postojna caves. The Lipica stud farm was lovely, though the show a little underwhelming.
The food in Slovenia was a pleasant surprise. It's heavily influenced by Italy so every other restaurant offers pizza and pasta, plenty of salads, grilled meat and fish. Local wines were good. And everyone we encountered along the way spoke excellent English.
If you're looking to explore a new country, this is a great way to sample Slovenia. But the infrastructure and culture geared towards cycling just isn't there yet in the same way that it is in countries like Austria, Germany.
There were a few times where the directions didn't match the odometer readings and we had to rely on Google maps for cross reference. If you don't have an international data plan on your phone I highly recommend it. Overall though the directions were pretty good. And Helia, the local bike company, was very appreciative of any suggestions for improvement. SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 11, 2017
Thanks so much for your detailed and thoughtful response! That's one of the many aspects of our clients that we truly treasure: You give feedback not to complain or simply be critical but to improve the experience for future clients. We know that Helia will also take your feedback to heart. For 2018, we will change the tour to a Level 3 and add more information to the "Surface and terrain" part of the tour page.
Again, thank you for being a part of the BikeTours.com "community!
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★★★★★ Algarve July 9, 2017Algarve Road Trip
· Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
Cycling through the Algarve was outstanding. What a perfect place to tour by bike. The people are kind and the scenery is outstanding. The challenge of riding made the trip better than I expected. Every day was different scenery and terrain. The accommodations were fabulous. I wish we had planned to stay longer. Thank you BikeTours.com for making this so memorable and easy to take the trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 25 to July 2
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ marni55 July 8, 2017went off without a hitch
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Very enjoyable trip. Rad + Reisen supplied bikes that were in great working order and no problems at all with repair issues. We never had to wait for our luggage; they reported luggage would be delivered by 6pm each day, but our luggage was delivered before we arrived every day, even when arriving early, around 1300 or sooner. The hotels were comfortable and generally in good locations, although I might consider spending a bit extra next time in order to be in a more central location in the large cities (Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest).
Much of the riding was on peaceful and beautiful country bike trails. There were some parts that were on gravel or poorly paved roads, but that was the minority.
The only reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is due to rather poorly written directions, mainly in the direction booklet showing the way from the end of the day's route to the hotel. We got lost many times trying to find our hotels. By the end, we gave up on using their directions to the hotel and just looked at the map. I would recommend revising these directions with more landmarks and STREET NAMES.
I would definitely use this company again.- What was the date of your tour?
- June30-July 6, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was the first
- 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?
- Austria, Hungary
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 9, 2017
Thanks for your feedback! We're glad you had a great time. We'll pass along your comments about the directions to Rad & Reisen.
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★★★★★ alicia July 7, 2017A great bike ride
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
My husband and I took this ride in late June 2017 as we were in the region for a wedding. It was an absolutely fantastic way to see a beautiful part of the world. The towns were charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people friendly. This trip is definitely not well-suited for anyone who is looking for a heavy dose of nightlife as the towns along the route are all fairly small. Think villages and ski towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Mikay July 5, 2017Beautiful, Romantic, Historic, Adventurous
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This trip was a blast! It was especially cool to see how the geography and culture changed as we moved out of Czech Republic and into Germany. This tour has a little bit of everything to satisfy everyone's tastes. Our favorites were the last two days: Hrensko, thermal bathes in Bad Schandau, Fortress in Koenigstein (well worth the hike to the top), and Bastei in Oberrathen (do the hike and visit the medieval fortress). Also, as far as navigation, we used the maps.me app and mounted our smart phone to the bike, which made getting around super easy. We had turn by turn directions throughout the tour.
A couple tips I wished the tour company had provided, major sites along the route are closed on Mondays. We traveled from Litomorice to Decin on Monday. Unfortunately the Strekov castle and restaurant was closed (we found that out after climbing to the top of the hill). Additionally when we reached Velke Brezno to visit the brewery we found out it also is closed on Mondays. Therefore, if a day of your tour falls on a Monday it would be good to prioritize scheduling one of the hiking days (e.g. Decin to Bad Schandau or Bad Schandau to Dresden). In general, it would be nice to know in advance what days the points of interest are closed, so the group can manage their time at other sites better. If the tour company does not provide this info, I would recommend looking it up in advance.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 23, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 6, 2017
Thanks very much for your feedback! We're glad you had a great time. We'll pass along your helpful suggestions to the local operator.
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★★★★★ Laird July 5, 2017Stunning scenery!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This trip was so beautiful! Our start in Krimml was so scenic with a portion of the waterfall visible from our hotel window! Zell am See was gorgeous. Our cycling days were filled with constant wonder and beauty. The bike paths were easy to cycle on. My one suggestion is to review the directions before you get to the outskirts of your destination as it can sometimes be confusing. The hotels were comfortable and the food was good. I would definitely recommend this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 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?
- Austria, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 6, 2017
Thanks very much for your feedback! We're glad you had a great time. This was one of my first bicycle tours--well before I started BikeTours.com--and it remains one of my favorites!
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★★★★★ carlye5 July 2, 2017Beautiful country sides!
· Croatian Vineyards and Villages of Undiscovered Istria
We had done a 4 week trip to Croatia and surrounding countries, and our bike trip was the last week of 4. It was beautiful weather and we had a great time!
Biketours.com did a great job organizing everything for us, and taking care of our needs.The third party tour company fiore tours was only average. We still had a great time, but there was plenty to improve on. The tour company gave us very poor instructions as to where we were meeting for the tour, and the emails given to us were incorrect. It was an adventure to get to the starting hotel to say the least. But we rented road bikes and they were great bikes. Very light, and the company offered many pedal types.
My only other concern was that the "itinerary" listed on the site mentions all these great things, but in reality you have to do a lot of work researching and planning where to stop each day. Many of the options they give us are only open in the afternoons, and are very close to where we were starting, so even if we started around 10am which was rather late, many wineries were still closed. After the first two days of being disappointed by not being able to find the suggested stops, and then finding them closed, we realized we had to do some leg work as far as finding stops along the route. Then the tour improved immensely.
My boyfriend and I are 23 and 25 and fit people, although not big cyclists. We chose an "easier" route so that we wouldn't be exhausted after each day. However, we were complete toast every single day. So if you aren't in good physical condition, I do not recommend this. Most of the route was rather hilly, especially day 3.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Mid June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- only this one.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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?
- Croatia
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson July 3, 2017
Thanks very much for this feedback. We'll address all of your points with Fiore in hopes of improving the experience for future travelers.
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★★★★★ djmeissner13 June 30, 2017Perfect Family Trip!
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
Our family had an amazing experience. With 2 boys (13 & 15) the distance was easily manageable, and we could focus on the "travel experience" and not just getting there. My first experience with a bike tour company was a good one. Great hotels, good service, super nice people along the route. BikeTours even switched out a malfunctioning bike for us mid-trip. Tour materials were very easy to follow and super helpful. Great memories for sure.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Nathan June 30, 2017Great trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
The tour was a lot of fun. Location was great. Tour operator was very helpful. Hotels were wonderful. Only problem was that it was very hot. Probably best before June as weather is unpredictable. We had bad luck of a heat wave and riding in 100 degree heat was hard and made us rush through some of the middle towns. This was a shame as local people were very kind and towns were interesting and filled with a lot of history. Would be a perfect Spring time ride. The second to last day is very hard as is one earlier climb but overall a great trip. We plan on doing one of the other tours offered by this operator in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 11-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ peyster June 30, 2017I am 68, don't bike much, and loved the experience.
· Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
The tour was all that I had hoped for.
I picked this tour in part because I am 68 years old and, because of where I live, don't bike much. I went self guided partly so as to not hold up a group. As it turned out the riding was no problem. The longest day was 50 K, and while there were some hills, nothng arduous. So my main consideration turned out not to be an issue and everything else was fantastic.
The highlights, apart from the scenery, were the accommodations, the food, and the guys who ran the tour. The places we stayed, especially the Grand Anna Hotel, were outstanding. The breakfasts and food we ate on the way were what you would expect in Hungary: and since we were riding, we felt free to eat all we wanted. The tour operators were like friends or family; they couldn't do enough.
My wife fell ill on the fourth riding day - not sure why, but those things happen when you travel and eat and drink freely. The host who would normally transport the baggage took her and her bike to the last two hotels and also took her to a doctor and got her a priscription.
The biking might be too easy for someone more fit than I, but we were given good maps and could have explored all of the countryside we desired.
We flew to Budapest five days before the tour started and took the train to Veszprem. Budapest merits at least that much time, and getting the train is a piece of cake.
I don't make many good decisions, but taking this tour was one of my best- What was the date of your tour?
- June 4, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two and RAGBRAI
- 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?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ Ellen June 30, 2017Everything We Dreamed Of!
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
This bike tour was perfect in every way. The guide was helpful, friendly, knowledgeable and fun! The food was superb, the hotels delightful, and the scenery was amazing. We rode mostly on smaller, off-the-beaten-track roads - some paved, some gravel - which was easy on the hybrid Trek bikes. Each day brought new vistas, small cafes in tiny villages, and great camaraderie among the travelers. It was very hot when we did this trip, but we stopped often which, for us, made the trip even better as we got to really see and experience each place along the way. I would say that this tour is not for the novice bike rider, as some of the climbs in the mountains were challenging but it was exactly what we had hoped for - lots of smooth, flat and lots of uphill into the scenic old villages of the Alpilles and in Luberon. Some training is suggested for the long days in the saddle or if you go during the hottest part of the summer. Overall, this trip was exactly what we dreamed of!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 17-24
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ CamL June 29, 2017Excellent cycle tour
· · Bruges – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Such a great way to experience a country! Easy cycling with great sights and experiences. The group wasn't too big, the boat was comfortable and the food was healthy and delicious. The guide kept us moving along excellent trails and he found good places for us to lunch. All the sights he stopped at were very interesting.
(Would like to add a photo but can't)
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 10-17 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- 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?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ RegW June 29, 2017Fabulous family trip.
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
We had a group age 9 - 60 that thoroughly enjoyed this trip. You have two separate hotels where you stay for two nights each which made for a relaxing vacation. We had no problems with bikes, luggage or accommodations. The local tour company was very professional and the maps and GPS quite thorough. Make sure you know when lunch is in the area as we missed the mark once or twice and arrived for an American lunch hour to find it was siesta time. Also, you might want to verify sea views. The local tour company tries to ensure them but we arrived on a very busy week and it was a problem for our three in one room. The suggestions from Lucy (the local tour operator) were very good and she checked on us a couple of times during the trip because there was a heat wave happening that week. The sights, food and people of Spain were marvelous and I would highly recommend this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Andrew June 29, 2017Another fabulous trip on the Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
2nd time we have done this trip, this time with 9 family members including 4 children. Fabulous trip with good bikes, excellent directions and supplementary materials. Beyond all that, however, some very special and appreciated treatment by tour provider. A 12 year old grandson sustained a broken arm next to last day (at playground, not on bike). The bike company arranged to pick up him and his mother and their bikes the next morning and transport them to Vienna (our last stop). Very special and very much appreciated.