Bike Tour Reviews  page 6

  • Cycling the West Balkan Triangle
    (5/5) Joanne Slingerland 6 months ago

    Fantastic experience!

    · Cycling the West Balkan Triangle

    This trip was an amazing way to experience beautiful parts of Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. Our guides and support crew, Mario and Emir, are professional, knowledgeable and caring. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome and kept us safe along the way. The ride is challenging at times with many hills and traffic, but we also experienced quiet roads through lovely vineyards and coastal views. Each hotel was unique and charming—from beachfront resorts to boutique hotels within ancient walled villages. Lunches and group dinners were well planned and delicious with the opportunity to experience local cuisine. Croatian wines are exceptional! And the best part of all was meeting new friends to share our love of cycling and adventure. This trip is not to be missed!

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    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?
    Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
    •  (photo by Joanne Slingerland)
    •  (photo by Joanne Slingerland)
    •  (photo by Joanne Slingerland)
    •  (photo by Joanne Slingerland)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 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
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Catherine Veitch 6 months ago

    Balkan triangle,epic Croatia.

    · Cycling the West Balkan Triangle

    Really enjoyed seeing so many countries by bike,a great way to see the countryside.Our guide was able to guide us through less busy roads..It definitely was an epic trip,lots of hills,some days long distances and warm.The accommodations were excellent,and really appreciated the snacks provided by the tour..

    Countries included in this tour?
    Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
  • Get ancient Athens all to yourself
    (5/5) Sally F 6 months ago

    Overview of Athens by Bike

    · Athens Private Bike Tour

    A great way to get oriented in the city of Athens. The guide was very knowledgeable. The tour route was carefully selected to keep us off the busy streets which was much appreciated! We got the highlights and definitely saw things I would not have stumbled upon on my own (example: changing of the guards in front of the presidential residence). Just the right amount of history and some great photo ops (views of the Acropolis, etc) that felt like local secrets that other tourists would not have found.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • UNESCO Sites of Albania
    (5/5) Richard Radonis 6 months ago

    Majestic Albania

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    Wow, we biked 300 miles in so many different terrains, saw how the rural Albanians live. They were very friendly. Seeing castles, monasteries, historic homes and beautiful countryside. One particular day we coasted downhill for about 20 miles
    What a rush. Tour guide Arjan was awesome, fun, personable and knowledgeable.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania
    •  (photo by Richard Radonis)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 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
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Sharon Charpentier 6 months ago

    Only One Road - biking in Albania

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    Great 10 day cycling vacation in Albania. Our Guide, Arjan was amazing. He thoroughly reviewed each days bike route the night before and morning of to be sure we understood the plan for the day. He would tell us “only one road”. That was pretty accurate in the country side. I loved seeing the locals living a simple life with their mules or donkey with a hand made saddle, or the Shepard with his flock of sheep and sheep dogs to corral them in. The Mountain Views were incredible as well as the lake and sea views. The food was plentiful and served family style. Wine and beer for purchase was very reasonably priced. Most accommodations were nice and comfortable. One night we stayed in cabins on a farm! We saw so much- toured ruins from 400 BC, toured a castle and homestead as well as a monastery. The ride was well supported. Our van driver was always close by should we need assistance with our bikes or a fill up of water. I chose to rent an e-bike and glad I did as many roads had a steep incline. The e-bike allowed me to enjoy my vacation and not struggle to make it through the day. I’m glad I chose this tour!

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania
    • Ionian sea (photo by Sharon Charpentier)
    •  (photo by Sharon Charpentier)
    •  (photo by Sharon Charpentier)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 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
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Family Tour
    (5/5) Robert Taylor 6 months ago

    Best family trip ever

    · Danube Family Tour 7 Nights

    There were 13 of us in total from three generations ranging form 77 years to 6 years of age. Reception at trip start was great, accommodating swapping bike sizes for one of the children and a great send off. Some difficulty finding one of the accommodations. We were in several sub-groups and each of us got lost in Krems in our own way BUT no one was stressed because of the enjoyment we had from cycling such beautiful paths.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 203
    How many tours have you completed?
    Six
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • Some family members are more adventurous than others. (photo by Robert Taylor)
    • Ages from 6 years to 77 years enjoying the Danube (photo by Robert Taylor)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 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
  • Innsbruck to Lake Garda
    (5/5) Shelley Vercoe 6 months ago

    Great trip

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

    We enjoyed this trip very much. The small medieval town centers were beautiful. Nice hotels and the tour company adjusted the schedule so we could visit Otzi. The scenery is gorgeous especially when the route veers away from the main roads.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 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, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Italy
    • The cathedral in Innsbruck has spectacular statues. (photo by Shelley Vercoe)
    • Old town Neumacht (photo by Shelley Vercoe)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Stephen Graham 6 months ago

    Great area, careful with cars in France

    · Freiburg and the Alsatian Wine Road

    Fascinating area, half German half French. French side has the cutest towns, German side the safest biking. Beware biking on the French side on weekends, as locals drive to the vineyard towns for lunch or overnights, and they drive fast. Often no shoulder or bike path, drivers not always courteous, a lot of energy on avoiding catastrophe for less-experienced riders instead of enjoying the scenery. Support was good, replacing a bike with brake problems mid-trip. Navigation had one major error, sending us to a small bridge across islands in the Rhine near Strasbourg that had in fact been closed for months. A bit stressful at the end of a long day riding, but we found another way across. Minimal guidance as to where to stop for cafes, lunch, etc.; could use a more detailed list of suggestions. Some of the budget hotels are not in charming locations or walking distance from restaurants. The Grand Hotel in Strasbourg has seen better days.

    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Germany
  • Bolzano to Verona
    (5/5) Janet Bychek 6 months ago

    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
  • Portugal's Atlantic Coast
    (4/5) Yael NOy 6 months ago

    Beautiful sea coast with great views.

    · Portugal's Atlantic Coast

    The sea coast was lovely. Hotels were conveniently located, comfortable and staff was extremely gracious. Fishermen villages along the way were not exactly as picturesque as expected. That part of the trip was a bit disappointing .
    The local company was amazing any questions we had along the way were immediately addressed .

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Portugal
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (4/5) Ashley Douglas 6 months ago

    Awesome Trip and No Shame in Using Ebikes!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Thoroughly enjoyed this trip in spite of not riding bikes at all at home. Having ebikes allowed us to enjoy the scenery and navigate without overextending our physical capabilities. Hotels were excellent and perfect for the areas we were visiting. Some of them were in buildings thousands (?) of years old so don't expect elevators in all, but amazingly they all had swimming pools which we enjoyed after a hard day peddling ebikes!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • (4/5) David Hodgson 6 months ago

    Challenging cycling

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    Physically challenging; 14 of 18 folks on our tour used an e-bike and were glad they made that choice. The guide was excellent and I would recommend the guided package rather than self guided, especially as the meals were included. Excellent scenery. We traveled in mid-September and the weather was comfortable, not too hot. The bikes were of good quality compared to those provided on other European bike tours.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania
    •  (photo by David Hodgson)
    •  (photo by David Hodgson)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 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
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Canal du Midi
    (4/5) Margaret 6 months ago

    Beautiful arrangements, somewhat difficult cycling

    · Canal du Midi: Carcassonne to Sete, the South of France and the Sea

    Carcassone is stunning. All of the hotels were good to excellent. The terrain is quite varied. The cycling was more difficult than I expected -- there are some serious climbs on the first two days, and most of the route is on public roads so you have to deal with cars. The tour company did their best to avoid traffic but they can't create a bike path where there is none. Fortunately, French drivers are used to bicyclists. I would recommend this trip to experienced cyclists but not to newbies.
    The preparatory material was good. We were given printed maps and also an app for our phones. Both were good but the app was great because you could use it while you were on the bike, and it gave you an audible warning if you got twenty meters off the trail. The app also kept track of the percentage of the daily ride you had covered, and had a few more features. This was the first time I'd had an app and I really appreciated it.

    How many tours have you completed?
    4 counting this one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Karen Hanson 6 months ago

    Beautiful (and manageable) trip

    · Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers

    Following the Vltava and Elbe rivers, with mostly excellent bike paths and a reasonable amount of miles per day, made for a lovely honeymoon trip! The Czech countryside was about to hit fall colors, and chestnuts were aplenty. The bikes they provided were in great shape (Trek and Specialized), and the gps files worked well. Highly recommend showing up at least two or three days early to spend extra time in Prague and get used to the time change. We weren’t able to take advantage of many of the optional side visits and biergardens along the way because many were closed already for the season, but we still enjoyed passing through small/tiny towns. And we made sure to pack our own wine and cheese for breaks! In the high season, we imagine it must be a much different scene. Overall, really enjoyed the trip and would recommend it for those who are looking for a relaxing vacation.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    Czech Republic, Germany
    • Approaching Bad Schandau (photo by Karen Hanson)
    •  (photo by Karen Hanson)
    • 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
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Apulia - Heel of Italy
    (5/5) Marc Parks 6 months ago

    Great exposure to the highlights of Matera and Puglia

    · Apulia - Heel of Italy

    Overall our 14 experienced cyclists very much enjoyed our tour, in spite of a few start-up issues for those with no previous ebike experience. The route included several scenic, interesting places, in “the heel of the boot in Italy”, including fascinating Matera and Alberobello, and the lodging was wonderful, with sumptuous breakfast buffets. In addition our guides, Paolo and Alessandria, added interesting insights into local history and culture as well as attending to our every need, all while while maintaining a great sense of humor. All of us felt we'd love to return to some of the destinations for several days - a new destination each day of the tour prevented in-depth exploration. And in hindsight, those with no previous ebike experience should have used them for a couple of rides before coming on the trip.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    •  (photo by Marc Parks)
    •  (photo by Marc Parks)
    •  (photo by Marc Parks)
    •  (photo by Marc Parks)
    • Matera from a cave across the ravine. (photo by Marc Parks)
    •  (photo by Marc Parks)
  • (5/5) Nancy 6 months ago

    Our perfect idea of travel

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

    From the moment we arrived onboard the Vita Pugna, we felt welcomed by the competent and friendly staff, the outstanding tour guide Hugo, and the rest of our new found friends.
    This is our #1 way to travel...scenic, outdoors, experiencing small charming towns and villages, having expert tours on all types of topics from cheese making to carnival ride museum, art and history museums, clock towers, easy relaxing cycling along pathways and feeling like every day counts! Knowing that the entire week is well organized and flawless, adds to the enjoyment of travel in a new country.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy