Primarily Bike Paths Tour Reviews page 59
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- ★★★★★ Margaret
A view of Europe that we couldn't get any other way
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
My husband and I chose the self-guided option, and we're happy with that choice -- more flexibility with pace and timing.
Our tour dates were in early May, and this was probably both good and bad. We had some drizzle and a couple days were a bit chilly. On the other hand, the bike path was probably less busy than it will be later. I'm not a fast rider and I'm not comfortable with a lot of other riders whizzing by me. And I suspect that we got upper-end lodging, even though I'd selected middle-grade, because the hotels were eager to have bookings.
I hadn't been able to do all the training I should have, so I opted for an e-bike and it was a very good decision. I still got a workout but I wasn't pushed so hard that I couldn't enjoy the ride.
Couple of tips:
- If you're coming over from the US, give yourself a couple of days to recover before you start the ride. And give yourself a day at the end of the ride before there's anything you have to do.
- Make sure that everybody in your group has all the necessary information about destination, contacts, etc. It's possible to get separated from the others, even when you're trying not to.
- Make sure that you're comfortable with a bit of traffic -- oncoming riders, you passing people, people passing you. The other bikers on the path trust you to do the right thing and stay in your lane, so be sure that you can. When I wasn't confident about this, I got off and walked my bike.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 4-11, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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, Germany
- ★★★★★ Brian
Spectacular scenery - through sun & snow.
Lake Constance Bicycle Path
A fabulous ride even through two days of snow showers.
We found the 7 night tour very well organised. Accomodations were very comfortable and buffet breakfasts more than adequate.The bag transfers were seamless and bikes were good for casual riders like ourselves. Overall a fantastic tour and excellent value.- What was the date of your tour?
- April
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
- ★★★★★ mammaj
I'm hooked!
Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
The beauty and abundance of history and culture are a given when you're touring along the Danube River. But going with bikes.com offers you an organized, convenient, and fun way to tour!
Boating and biking combo ran the gamut of quaint to formal, lazy lounging to partying the night away.
The ease of having my hotel room the same place each night made the trip for me...no stress!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 25
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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, Germany
- ★★★★★ Wayne
New Mexico Touring Society (NMTS) Vienna to Budapest
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Overall a great ride, but some issues with the tour company in Austria.
Bikes were excellent and the route for most of the trip was well marked. We were on highways a very short period of time. Traffic on the highways was not an issue. We had about 10 kilometers of non-paved bike path. Unfortunately, we rode that in the rain, but we made it without any incidents.
Our complaint about the tour company is that they cheated us on the trip materials that we were promised. Not every rider received a map of the route. Because people doubled up in the hotel rooms, they only provide one map per hotel room. The pre-ride briefing was very poor and the tour person appeared to be in a hurry to complete the briefing. The route out of Vienna can be confusing, but we had rented city bikes the day before and scouted the route ourselves. The tour company only gave us very general instructions on how to leave the city.
He did do a good job of fitting everyone to their bikes. I asked him for a floor bike pump, but he never responded to my text message requests and the tour company never returned my phone calls. The small bike air pumps that are in the bike saddle bike are not adequate to fully pump up a tire.
The bikes were excellent and perfect for the route with the variation in road surfaces and occasional gravel stretches. We had no flat tires during the trip. We were a group of 17 riders, so that is a remarkable feat.
The hotels were all excellent except for the hotel outside of Esztergom, the Hotel Bellevue. In addition to being in a remote location, it was well past its prime. The only dinner option was a buffet which ran out of food before some of our group had the opportunity to dine. The breakfast was once again a poor selection of items, most of which ran out early. The rooms were dark and poorly equipped with the usual features.
Everyone’s favorite city was Gyor. The hotel was excellent and the large city plaza with the historical buildings surrounding it was fascinating. Dining options were excellent.
The boat ride into Budapest was excellent and a nice way to finish the trip.
Overall, a terrify ride with the exceptions noted above. Not every rider having a map was an ongoing frustration that caused some confusion on the occasions when the group got separated into smaller groups.
Wayne Friesen
Albuquerque, NM- What was the date of your tour?
- 2 - 8 Sep 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Hungary
BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Dear Wayne,
Thanks very much for your feedback and your 4-star rating of this popular tour. We're so glad to hear, overall, your tour was terrific!
It's a typical practice that tour operators in Europe provide one route map and details per room (2 people). However, in the future, we can work with you to make special requests about this on future tours.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, and for helping us spread the joy of bicycle tourism!
- ★★★★★ KZ2016
Outstanding Trip
Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Richie Daigle with Bike Tours did an outstanding job on our club's bike and boat trip on the Danube. We had 38 people and many of them said it was one of our best trips ever. Throughout the planning process Richie answered all our questions in a timely manner. During the trip all contracted items were as promised or better. Many of our participants said it was one of the best vacations they have ever had.
- ★★★★★ Thom
Lovely trip on the Danube River with biking to keep us in shape!
Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals
A great trip to four cities and capitals in Eastern Europe. Comfortable accommodations, friendly staff, good meals, easy biking. Weather was chilly and grey at this time of the year. The Danube is NOT blue if the sky is grey and it is drizzling!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 1-8, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 European bike trips
- 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, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
- ★★★★★ M And D
So enjoyable!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We had such a good time going from Passau to Vienna. The bikes were great and the signage along the route made it so easy to stay on course. Sometimes making it through a larger town &/or making it into Vienna proved to be an adventure because of the "traffic"
and quick choices to make at those times, but that's part of the charm! Accommodation was different in amenities from day to day but all lovely. Staff were wonderful at every spot. Would definitely recommend it and looking forward to trying another.
Day- What was the date of your tour?
- September 23,2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- 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, Germany
- ★★★★★ Sphen
Great way to tour!
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
The tour was excellent from beginning to end. Joseph was a very knowledgeable guide. The route was explained clearly and was as leisurely or challenging as we wanted to make it. The hotels chosen were excellent and well located for checking out museums, restaurants, shopping and historical sites. All in all, a terrific experience and one that I would do again with this company!!
- ★★★★★ Chri
Excellent
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
Really enjoyed our trip from Macon to Beaune through the vineyards.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 24.09
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ PattyN
Mosel Wine and Cake
Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
The staff on the boat spoke English and most, including our guide were completely fluent. Language was not an issue. The food was varied and healthy, although favorite part of the services onboard was tea and cake at 3pm. Although they were comfortable to sit on, the bicycles were quite heavy. Not a big deal on the flat route we were biking, but they did require more effort to pedal than I would have preferred.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 24
- How many tours have you completed?
- Scores
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ The dozer
Challenging to peddle to fairy tale cities.
Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov
The route was challenging, navigation difficults, but beautiful UNESCO sites each night. We were just dropped off with the wrong bikes, a Garmin we could not use, and one sheet of paper with directions and overview of route. If it had not been for 5 Irish ladies on the same route we would have really struggled. They had a Garmin that worked and with intense map study did not get lost as often as we did. VERY few people spoke English. Our pick up person was very rude to the Irish ladies.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2015
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Czech Republic
BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. We're glad to hear you had a good trip overall. Aren't the UNESCO sites just fascinating?
We're sorry to hear of your trouble with the bikes and Garmin along the route. We'll share this feedback with the local operator and work to improve this service!
Thank you again for sharing your experience and helping us to spread the joy of bicycle tourism.
Kind regards,
Lindsay
- ★★★★★ Medium
Very good trip with a couple glitches.
Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals
A week can only touch on the highlights of what the Danube has to offer for bikers, and this tour accomplished that, leaving us with ideas for more in-depth exploring. The boat was fine, the meals were good and the crew was great, but the WiFi access was almost nonexistent; had to go to Starbucks or other coffee houses in cities to check email. The cruise director was a last minute replacement with insufficient English to answer most questions... a nice guy but not well organized. Fortunately, the routes had been well planned, though the slide shows provided scant info, so we could have benefitted from a handout each day describing the route specifics, sites of interest and perhaps suggestions on restaurants.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-8 Oct 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
- ★★★★★ Curt
Great trip
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
First bike trip like this for my wife and myself. The route was spectacular. Had everything from mountain scenery, beautiful river valleys, charming village, seaside rides, and ended in the wonderful city of Trieste. Got a taste of 3 countries and their cultures and food. Met lots of great people along the way who were doing the same trip as us. Everything went fairly seamlessly from the hotels to the transports to the bikes and the information provided. On a few occasions had some confusion with the directions, but nothing that wasn't able to be figured out.
All in all an excellent trip and would do another trip with this organization without question.- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/24-10/1/16
- How many tours have you completed?
- None
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
- ★★★★★ Batz45
FORMIDABLE!!!
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
Perfect way to enjoy the Burgundy Region. Experienced a variety of scenery, along a canal, through Vineyards and quaint, charming little villages. Being on self-guided gave us more flexibility to explore and take advantage of the wonderful food and wines which were always so well presented, matched and served by friendly staff. Being on La Voie Verte was also a plus, well marked and away from traffic. A Memorable experience - definitely recommend this tour. Thank you Biketours!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 25 - Oct.1
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- France
BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Wonderful to hear! And, thank you!!
- ★★★★★ Traveldeb
A Family Ride on the Danube
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
I was looking for a relatively easy ride for a group that included two grandchildren. This was perfect. The equipment (trailer and tag along) were just right, the easy paved course let everyone enjoy the scenery, and the accommodations were wonderful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 21 - 29
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- 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, Germany
- ★★★★★ TexasSkier
Fabulous trip
Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
The number one attraction of this trip is the scenery. I was afraid that mostly flat riding through a river valley might be somewhat dull. But I was amazed at the beauty every day. I was also concerned that the rides weren't long enough to fill each day, but with the many attractions pointed out in the provided maps that was never a problem; in fact we were more likely to run out of time to do everything we wanted than we were to finish early. The boat we were on is being retired, so not much reason to comment on it except to say that it was still in pretty good shape, so if the company wants to retire it at this stage of its life, that must speak well for its replacement. The food and service onboard were excellent. Allowing us to pack a lunch from the large breakfast buffet was great as it meant we always had a good lunch with us and could decide during the day whether to stop at one of the interesting pubs along the way or have a picnic. The only conceivable complaint was with the bikes and that was extremely minor. The bikes were actually in very good shape, but some of the accessories (speedometers, bells, etc.) didn't work so well and it was difficult to find someone to get them fixed. No biggie in the greater scheme of things. Once in a while the biking directions were a little confusing, and maybe could have been communicated a little better. But at the end of the day we always made to where we were going and back to the boat, so in reality, that just added to the adventure. All-in-all just a great and very smooth running trip.