Bike Tour Reviews page 40
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
- Wales
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★★★★★ Mary Lynn Griff July 8, 2024Our Balkan Adventure
· Balkan Treasures
We really enjoyed our bike tour of Croatia, Montegreno and Albania. The hotels were great as were the transfers. My notes of caution; first I suggest bringing mirrors and/or suggest they be provided. This tour was entirely on narrow roads with little or no shoulder so being able to see what is coming behind you is better for your safety. Drivers were very patient for the most part but a few of our patty were not used to riding on roads with traffic however after a few days they adapted well. The first day was the most difficult in my opinion but none of the days were as difficult as I had myself mentally (and physically) prepared for but for the casual rider I suggest the e-bike option. Otherwise, prepare for long climbs of 8-10%. I am 6'4" and my road bike was a bit too small but workable however the tires were not worn but had very little trend and were very slippery on some surfaces especially the decent into Kotor. If it had been raining it would have been very unsafe. I suggest tires with a bit more tread to provide better footing. Lastly, a couple of our hotels had live music that normally would have been great however it was very hot during our tour (100 degrees) so we were up and out early before the heat set in making the live music at 11:00 pm not as fun. The navigation was spotty on my android but others had better connections on their phones. All in all, a great trip. We loved finding our own way and being in control of our time and pace. We look forward to doing another trip sometime soon.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Albania, Montenegro
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★★★★★ Greg Scheurich July 8, 2024??
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The App was great Difficult to locate hotels. Many hotels resturants were closed
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★★★★★ robert cenna July 8, 2024Book this trip—it’s exceptional!
· Pisa to Lucca Round-Trip Bike Tour
Our guide Dani was wonderful. The bikes were in great condition. The process was easy. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and helpful. Highly recommended.
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★★★★★ Donnan Sharp July 7, 2024Fun!!!
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique III (and reverse)
We biked on our own so probably missed some highlights, but GPS helped us follow same routes. Local bikers very fast so needed to pay strict attention!! But in all, totally awesome.
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★★★★★ Vicki Vinton July 7, 2024
We had a great team from stern to bow. Super weather
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique III (and reverse)
The ship was beautifully equipped, our room was comfortable, quiet and perfectly attended to every day
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★★★★★ Leanne Rosenbower July 6, 2024Nice biking route
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The biking paths are great and we easily biked the routes. We did not use e-bikes and were fine. The routes were scenic and varying. The cities we stopped in were charming. The suggested lunch spots were all tasty. I would only consider two of the hotels to be upscale. The rest were just average. Most did not have AC and it was extremely hot when we biked. It was often hard to find water so might be good to pack two water bottles. We had one navigating issue where we got to the center of the city and put in our hotel as instructed and we had to bike back 40 minutes the way we had just come. The bikes have two storage areas which is sufficient for carrying what is needed. I think this was a great way to see Austria. We loved ending in Vienna and staying an extra day to tour around. I would recommend this trip but don’t expect upscale lodging.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- 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 teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Euro24 July 6, 2024Wow, let's keep pedalling
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Great trip. These people understand good service...by everyone, in all areas, and it's pitched at just the right level. Combine that with great food at every sitting, with plenty of choice, and that fuels you for a ride that is one that everyone should do at some point. The river and its many villages is beautiful and the cycleways are in perfect condition. Our group ranged from 'haven't ridden in 30 years' (an e-bikes) to 'regular road cyclist' (on regular touring bikes) and the ride was enjoyed by all...we'll be back for more. Highly recommended.
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★★★★★ B. Powell July 5, 2024Quintessential Provence!
· Cycling Paradise of Provence - to and from Avignon
A great sampling of quintessential Provence villages and sights... hilltop villages, wild poppies, fields of lavender. We thoroughly enjoyed all the scenery and activities along the way.
The first day of riding between Avignon and CdP was congested with car traffic (as to be expected close to a bigger city/area), but the other days were primarily smaller roadways and paths and very enjoyable and scenic. We did the add-on day to Arles and were really glad that we included that city in our tour. It felt complete to conclude the trip in Arles. A few of the gps routes lead us into the city center at end of day (instead of directly to hotel), but it was easy to navigate to hotels, and the gps tracks were otherwise very helpful to follow.
We opted for the self-guided tour but felt very supported by the local tour operator who was very responsive to any inquiries we had via WhatsApp.
We have many good memories of this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Glen E. July 5, 2024a nice way to see authentic Czechia
· Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov
I enjoyed it! I got what I view as an authentic look at the Czech landscape with a Czech guide. Jitka took us to obscure places that I would have never found on my own, and even with a GPS, I wouldn't have known the significance of some places without her there to describe them. Henry was great as a driver and rest stop provider, etc, and went above-and-beyond the call of duty, even finding obscure screws when my bike broke down in a small town of 800 people. (Note, I was riding my own bike; from what I saw with the other people, they had no problems with the rental bikes.)
We had a group of 6 people + ride leader + driver. Everyone was easy to get along with.
The one thing that surprised me about the trip was that we all rode together; there was no breaking up into different groups based on riding speeds (as I have experienced on other bicycle tours I have done). There were times when I would have liked to go a little faster. Occasionally, I did get ahead of the group and would wait in the next town or when we were coming to a turn. I would just say, this is a trip to see the Czech countryside, not to race and finish the riding day fast. But overall, it wasn't a big problem and I enjoyed the tour.
The tour was about 35-40 miles per day and was fairly hilly. It wasn't monstrously hilly, but every day except one had a few significant climbs. Cyclists either need to be accustomed to hill-climbing, or else rent an e-bike. Our group was split half-and-half between normal bikes and e-bikes. The e-bike people sometimes tried to make less use of the "e" part, but they had the security of knowing they could turn up the dial and go up any hill easily if they wanted to.
One comfort I was missing from the USA was air conditioning in the hotels. Most days weren't that hot (avg highs were low 20s Celsius, though a couple days got into the high 20s, maybe even 30); but even so, in the evenings it can be stuffy and a bit humid in a hotel room. 1 or 2 hotels had AC, 1 or 2 had a room fan, and the other 4 or so were, just open a window. I don't fault the bike tour for a lack of hotel AC, I think most hotels in Czechia are that way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- about 60
- 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?
- Austria, Czech Republic
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac July 5, 2024
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're thrilled you enjoyed an authentic look at the Czech landscape with Jitka's expert guidance. Also, it's great to hear Henry went above and beyond to assist you. We look forward to welcoming you on another tour soon!
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★★★★★ Kate Richardson July 5, 2024A trip we will never forget!
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
We recently returned from this tour and can say on behalf of our entire family that we were completely WOWed by the experience. Austria is really special and we were so happy to be able to explore it by bike. I don't think we would have enjoyed it in the same way if we had simply rented a car and toured around. We did find that the average mileage each day was a bit longer than we had anticipated. With a 7- and 9- year old, it really put them t the test but they were proud of themselves each evening when we reached our destination. We will absolutely recommend this to others!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was my first!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac July 5, 2024
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your family had such an amazing experience exploring Austria by bike. Kudos to your 7- and 9-year-olds for rising to the challenge each day—they must have been so proud of themselves! We're delighted that our tour provided a unique and enjoyable way to see the beautiful Austrian landscape. Your recommendation means a lot to us!
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★★★★★ Hedda Othilie Hagen July 4, 2024Over all expectations
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We had self guided trip and we had so fun experiancing the different countries. It was the perfect way for us to travel. Its the best way to see italy, slovenia and austria
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★★★★★ victor dubugras July 4, 2024I’m Giovanna’s fan
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
In overall the experience was fantastic.
The region is beautiful, the wines great, nice restaurants, nice bikes and most of all our teacher Giovanna. I became her fan. When I returned home in Milan, I could understand Italian much better and speak a little.
If the group was bigger than ours, two families only, an end of the line additional guide to look after the low speed participants would make the front group biking experience more pleasant.
We also had a small accident with no big consequences that was handled by the guide and one participant that was a doctor. But if anything worst happened, I’m not sure what type of rescue would be available.
Me and my wife were lucky that the other family was fantastic. The bond was 100% and only happy moments all the time happened.
In other tours with other companies, there was always someone that became an unpleasant weight for the group due to the attitudes.
I recommend this tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 22, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- 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
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★★★★★ Kate Seppala July 4, 2024Perfect tour of Catalonia!
· Great Pyrenees and Costa Brava E-Bike Tour
From our welcome and thorough briefing in Girona, to the comfortable and capable bikes, the stunning views, memorable accommodations, delectable food and wine, history and wonder of the region, I highly recommend this trip! The tour winds all across Catalonia and offers many miles on trials and nearly car-free roads. The drivers in Catalonia were extremely courteous and always provided plenty of room when passing. We found the directions, information, and navigation app to be easy to use (make sure you bring a portable charger for your phone). The tour operators provide suggestions to customize your itinerary for each day dependent on distance and interest. The e-bikes are a great match for this enticing and challenging route! We traveled in April and found the weather to be quite lovely. Catalonia is windy so be sure to bring the appropriate gear. Yet another reason to love the e-bikes! We opted for the premium hotel and added on a few of the additional tours/meals offered through the tour operator. Happy with all of it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Thomas Albrecht July 3, 2024Well designed route
· Highlights of Flanders: Belgium’s History, Art, Nature & Cuisine
Really enjoyed these great cities of Flanders, which I had not visited before. The route was complicated, but the combination of the printed maps and the Garmin kept us confidently on track. Had a few pretty hot days, but I believe that should be fairly rare for this route. Hotels were interesting and nice, with good variety. Overall, having taken several tours now with Bike Tours, I think I prefer more rural routes with smaller towns and villages, although I’m sure many others are very happy with the bigger cities. Much of the route was on bike trails, but in the bigger cities, bike trails along major streets have tons of bike traffic, so vigilance is a constant necessity. Quality of bikes was excellent, with no problems. Overall, a good trip!
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★★★★★ Patrick McHugh July 3, 2024
Awesome trip from Passau to Vienna
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had a great time. Glad we spent an extra night in Passau before starting the trip. Bikes were in great shape and we had no mechanical problems. We spent an extra night in Melk and added a stopover in Enns. We wish we had spent an extra night in Linz. The last day ride from Tulln to Vienna was the least attractive part --- and there was a strong wind in our face --- so that was a challenge. Those in our group who elected the ebike had no problems... I would highly recommend this trip....
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★★★★★ Ronald Schoen July 3, 2024Great introduction to Vienna
· Classic Vienna Bike Tour
A fun ride with a very knowledgeable and informative leader. Guests should all introduce each other so we connect a bit more.
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★★★★★ Damon Di Florio July 3, 2024Fun Way To See Europe
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Nice routes to get to each hotel, plenty of time to add in any extras, lots of pretty towns and villages along the way. Great breakfasts each morning at the hotels, very comfortable beds to sleep in and just enjoyable riding each day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first self guided (solo) tour but have done 4 European group tours
- 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?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Alexandra England July 2, 2024Wonderful experience
· Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
Cycling through the countryside and visiting the towns and cities was a great way to experience the culture and historic sites of the Baltic countries. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and current culture of each region, giving us a better understanding of what people experienced during the transition to independence.
