Bike Tour Reviews  page 60

  • (4/5) Mark Mering October 6, 2023

    Nice trip through the Balkans

    · Balkan Treasures

    Very beautiful country. Nice people in all of the countries we visited. Hotels were nice. Too many transfers . Some of the roads had no shoulders and a lot of traffic and were not fun to ride on .

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia, Albania, Montenegro
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Best of the Algarve
    (4/5) Chris Downey October 6, 2023

    Tour of the Algarve

    · Best of the Algarve by Road Bike

    Great routes through the Algarve for road biking. The hotel were great except for the final hotel in Albufeira where we were given two single beds and each had a plastic mattress protector! A change I would recommend is incorporating Lagos in the bike tour and as an end destination to allow for spending an afternoon in that City to explore the coast after a morning of biking.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • Discover the stunning region of Provence by bike!
    (4/5) Shannon McDougall October 6, 2023

    Great Trip

    · Cycling Paradise of Provence - to and from Avignon

    This was a great trip with well organized logistics and routes. We downloaded a GPX file reader and found the daily routes were easy to follow. The files need to be updated for day 4 and day 6 as routes had a couple of deadends but we managed. Overall all a great trip, not too difficult!

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • Wine & Bike Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
    (5/5) Gudrun Agisdottir October 6, 2023

    Nice trip 👌

    · Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands

    Very beatyful landscape all the hotel was and the local vine was so good.
    Gàbor our guide was so nice and helpful.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Hungary
    •  (photo by Gudrun Agisdottir)
  • Medieval Villages of Catalonia
    (5/5) Lynn Melin October 5, 2023

    Good trip!

    · Medieval Villages of Catalonia

    A nice combination of biking and opportunities to experience medieval Catalonian history.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
  • Danube Four Countries
    (5/5) Thayne Lyman October 5, 2023

    What an awesome trip!

    · · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries

    This was our first bike and barge tour and it didn't disappoint! We found that we prefer it to regular river cruising. The tour was very well organized, the bikes were always ready and in great condition. The balance of cycling vs site seeing was perfect for us. We loved it so much that we plan to return next year!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 24, 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    1 including this tour
    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, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 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) Caroline Dewar October 5, 2023

    A perfect way to see and experience Germany and Austria.

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    We loved our cycling trip along the Danube; it was a memorable experience in so many ways. The bike paths were well marked and made the ride so enjoyable. The scenery was beautiful, and we loved each day and the cities and towns we had a chance to visit. The accommodation was fabulous - each hotel/inn was beautiful and unique and we were welcomed with incredible European hospitality. Our luggage transfer was seamless, without a glitch the entire trip and made the arrival (and departure) so easy for us on both ends. I would highly recommend this tour and the company itself - we hope to plan another trip in the future. Thank you Bike Tours.com - it was a trip that we will never forget.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September/October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our second self-guided bike 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?
    Austria, Germany
    • Our first day of cycling (photo by Caroline Dewar)
    • A morning coffee stop (photo by Caroline Dewar)
    • So many things to see along the way! (photo by Caroline Dewar)
    • A perfect holiday from beginning to end! (photo by Caroline Dewar)
    • 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
  • (4/5) Cati C October 5, 2023

    Incredible trip, but expensive

    · Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia

    Croatia is without an ounce of doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Biking the islands exceeded every expectation - pristine blue waters, olive and grape vineyards + tasting, beautiful stone villages. It was all wonderful. Our hotels in Hvar and Korcula were also outstanding.

    That said, I do not know why this tour is so much more expensive than every other tour offered on this site. Two of our three hotels were excellent, and they do provide boat transfers; however, our hotel in Split (the first two nights) was very mediocre, and most boat transfers are cheap ferry rides. Also, this trip is 6 days long. On Day 1, there is a short option to cycle on Split (12km). On Day 5, there is again a short option to cycle on Korcula island. On Day 6, there is no cycling and they do not include accommodations in Dubrovnik (so, it seems odd that this day is included in the price calculation). I have done other cycling tours that include significantly more cycling/lodging for a fraction of the cost. I am not someone who needs to bike 60+ km a day, but I do think the value of this tour did not match the cost. It would be increased if they included one more cycling day (either on Mljet island or near Dubrovnik on the mainland) and lodging on the last day.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 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?
    Croatia
    • Brač (photo by Cati C)
    • Korčula (photo by Cati C)
    • Hvar (photo by Cati C)
    • Sunset wine stop on Hvar (photo by Cati C)
    • Dubrovnik (photo by Cati C)
    •  (photo by Cati C)
    • 2/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • German Wine Country
    (4/5) Jane Fletcher October 5, 2023

    Lovely towns along the Mosel

    · · German Wine Country along the Saar & Mosel Rivers

    We really enjoyed our trip down the Mosel and Saar rivers. The Zwaan is a great boat and we really enjoyed the bike tour with a small group. Lots of storybook villages to explore along the way. We were lucky to be there while the grapes along the Mosel were being harvested and it was really interesting to see that going on. We also had the opportunity to try Federweißer, fresh pressed wine. It was very good while being totally different from what you think of as wine. We had e-bikes for the trip which flattened out the hills and made the riding very easy. It was very interesting to see all of the remnants of Roman civilization as well as lots of medieval buildings. So much history. The patchwork quilt of vineyards along the river were amazing especially in some areas where it seemed they rose straight up. So difficult to work on those steep slopes.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    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, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • The Zwaan, our biking group, guide, captain and chef (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Riding along vineyards (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • The waterfalls through the middle of town in Saarburg (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Bernkastle (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • We generally stopped for coffee and pastries in the morning as well as a wine or coke break in the afternoon (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • A patchwork of vineyards (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (5/5) MENGCHEN LEE October 5, 2023

    Stunning Lake views & great cycling path!

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    The perfect way to explore the beauty of Boydensee! Easy bike rides and lots of fun along the lake, we enjoyed this bike tour so much. One must do and excellent experiences^^

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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, Switzerland
    • Yay! Almost done for the day (photo by MENGCHEN LEE)
    •  (photo by MENGCHEN LEE)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Danube Delights
    (5/5) Carolyn Clubine October 5, 2023

    All round awesome

    · · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty

    We found every detail thoughtfully handled. Gracious on board staff, excellent information for each day’s ride and great meals and accommodations.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 22-30
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Bike and Boat
    (5/5) Cynthia John October 5, 2023

    Fascinating trip through beautiful countryside

    · · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon

    This was an amazing trip! From Passau to Bratislava, Budapest to Vienna and back to Passau. We had fantastic weather. The only challenging aspect was lack of clarity on the bike routes. The tour directors were challenged in explaining the routes; and the booklets were confusing because they did not shoe the entire routes.
    The meals were great; our room service were very responsive, and the bar servers were great.
    I do wish we had had more time at each of the ports.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 8, 2023
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) Melinda Moore October 4, 2023

    10/10 recommend

    · Florence to Rome: Bike through the Heart of Italy

    We biked with Rotalis and had two amazing guides. Our stays were beautiful and the ride through the Italian countryside was amazing. I had a scary fall off my bike and our guides helped me to the hospital and were there to make sure I was comfortable through the whole process. Even with needing stitches and bandaging, the trip was so so fun and I would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in a different kind of travel experience.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    •  (photo by Melinda Moore)
    •  (photo by Melinda Moore)
    •  (photo by Melinda Moore)
  • A dynamic bike tour from Dubrovnik to Herzegovina and back
    (5/5) Gary Butters October 4, 2023

    A great way to explore

    · Road Bike Tour from Dubrovnik to Herzegovina & Back

    The trek from Dubrovnik to the small town of Ravno in Herzegovina return was exceptional as we were able to complete a 92km loop that only required us to backtrack one small section of the route.
    Our Guide Alex was very friendly, knowledgeable and safety conscious.
    One of the highlights of this journey was the great lunch at Hotel Stanica in Ravno prior to completing the return trek via Slano.
    Thanks again for making my first European cycling adventure a memorable one.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 29, 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • A stop along the way at an abandoned railway station. (photo by Gary Butters)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) MARIA GARCIA October 4, 2023

    Fantastic trip!

    · Florence to Rome: Bike through the Heart of Italy

    This was an amazing experience through these regions of Italy. The guides were phenomenal, friendly, and always prepared for any contingencies. The hotel choices were great, same as the restaurants. I would personally like a bit more cycling every day but if that wasn’t an option, the trip is fantastic as it is. I can’t wait to go on another biking experience, highly recommend!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • (5/5) Donna Parr October 4, 2023

    Fun way to see a beautiful area

    · Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers

    Really enjoyed the trip. Beautiful route getting into rolling hills although not difficult to bike with great off-road bike paths almost the whole way. Hotels were great with plentiful breakfasts.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    1st
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Countries included in this tour?
    Czech Republic, Germany
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 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
  • Lake Garda
    (4/5) Jane Fletcher October 4, 2023

    Great to have one hotel as a home base

    · Lake Garda (based in one hotel)

    Lake Garda was beautiful and we enjoyed staying in Desenzano. Our hotel in Desenzano was in the perfect location, right on the water and close enough to the old town to walk to dinner.

    The day trips for biking out of Desenzano were variable in terms of how much we enjoyed them. We really liked Verona but the biking back from Verona was not very enjoyable because of the traffic and a lot of not very scenic areas. However, the day we rode to Brescia, another city, was a good biking day as the route we were on had pretty good cycling infrastructure that kept us separated from cars even though we were entering the city. There was, however, on that day a closed road that we had to navigate around. Luckily with both google maps and ride with gps we were able to find a good alternate route to get around the closure. We used rides with gps to navigate the routes provided by the tour company rather than their app as rides with gps allowed us to enter our individual hotel and ride directly there. It was also better with turn by turn directions. The tour literature said that their app would work on airplane mode if you downloaded the maps ahead of time, we didn’t find that to be the case. Also, their app tended to lose where we were while rides with gps did not lose us.

    Our favorite riding day was the day we rode a loop route in the countryside without a city destination. Lots of nice scenic views without having to negotiate city traffic.

    One day I had a problem with my e-bike, it wouldn’t change power levels, so I called the emergency number and they wanted me to call the guy who manages the bikes but since we were out on the tour I asked if she could call him for me. She said she would and that he would call me back. He never called back. The next day one of our group decided not to ride so I used her bike. However, there were several other bikes that had been delivered. I called the emergency number again later that day to say that I had not gotten a call back but that several bikes had been delivered and was one of them for me. She didn’t know but again told me to call the guy who manages the bikes. This time I did call him and he seemed to imply that the bike that said reserved was for me. We had a little bit of a language barrier. So, the next day I rode the reserved bike and all was good. All of that to say it would be great if the tour company could work on their communication with customers. The replacement bike for me was apparently there the morning after I called but I didn’t know that.

    All in all it was a good trip and we saw some wonderful sites from Lake Garda to Verona to Brescia and in the countryside.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    20+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat 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
    • Lake garda (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • The pistachio gelato stop (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Verona (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Our group in Brescia (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Jane Fletcher October 4, 2023

    Good trip - lots of orchards and vineyards

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

    I enjoyed this trip through the Dolomites but didn’t see as much of the craggy Dolomites as I expected. We were almost always in the flat valley with the mountains along the side of the valley. As we went south the mountains seemed to shrink. I enjoyed the Germanic nature of northern Italy and was very interested to learn more about its history and how Austrian the residents still feel. It didn’t feel like we were in Italy until we arrived in Trento on market day. And then it was almost like a switch flipped and we were in Italy. The architecture as well as the countryside changed and became more Mediterranean influenced. Our ride was generally on bike paths that were very busy with cyclists. Weekends were especially busy but even during the week the paths were busy but it was great to see so many people out riding their bikes. Along the paths we found several bike bars that served drinks and snacks to cyclists and they were perfect places to find a WC. We enjoyed the scenery and marveled at the thousands of acres of apple orchards that we rode through. The hotels were generally fine but the hotel in Riva del Garda was a disappointment. I paid extra for single rooms after a friend had to cancel her trip and this room was a real disappointment, it was more like a cell.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    20+
    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?
    Austria, Italy
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Apple orchards are grown much differently, straight up skinny trees many of which were heavily laden with fruit (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • Trento piazza (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • My single room in Riva del Garda, a disappointment (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Swiss Lakes by Ebike
    (5/5) Jane Fletcher October 4, 2023

    My favorite bike trip

    · Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne

    This year I did 4 European bike trips and this was my favorite. The scenery was gorgeous, the emerald pastureland, the craggy mountains some of them snow capped in august were amazing. We also loved all the bright flowers and the chalet style Swiss architecture that was everywhere. We were often serenaded by cow bells as we rode by. The roads were generally very low traffic. I’d do this tour again in a minute! There were significant hills to climb but the e-bikes we rented made the hills very doable for our group of active 67 to 82 year olds. We even conquered the approx. seven mile uphill with relative ease, no walking required. Since we are from florida we were worried about our ability to train for 4,000 feet of climbing but the e-bikes made it all doable. We didn’t take any of the possible short cuts (train or funicular) to eliminate hills as we didn’t want to miss any of the scenery. Instead of using the provided app for navigation we put the route in ride with gps so that we would have specific turn by turn direction to our hotel as well as the daily route. That worked really well for us. We also used the recommended Swiss mobility app and that was a very important tool as it shows biking and walking routes all over Switzerland. Of the many many bike tours I’ve done over the years this was my absolute favorite.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    20+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat 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?
    Switzerland
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    •  (photo by Jane Fletcher)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection