Bike Tour Reviews Salzburg To Vienna, Lakes Option
Self guided from EUR € 799
Self-guided:
Daily: Apr 27-Oct 19, 2024
Description:
Everybody knows them: the melodies of the "Serenade No. 13" and "The Blue Danube Waltz!" On this tour, you will start in Salzburg where Mozart was born, cycling straight through the beautiful hilly lake district of the Salzkammergut. Once you reach Linz…
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★★★★★ Hilary Powell November 7, 2022Amazing
This trip was amazing! I had so much fun and it was very well organized. Any problems we ran into we were able to get answered quickly through email or a phone call. Someone was always available. I had never been to Austria and in one trip I saw a little bit of everything the country had to offer.
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★★★★★ Sunil Savara September 14, 2022
Time of my life with my family!
Everything was great, except for the documentation and organisation around that. Three changes you should make, and I will share this with Carla and Thomas as well:
1. Please provide an English map and booklet. In fact, when booking the tour, you can ask preferences for languages, and ensure that its followed through by the appropriate documentation.
2. When booking the tour, check if this is a first tour and/or use of the e-bikes, and if it is, offer the option of someone spending an hour to rope the persons in... there can be a small charge for it..
3. Share information on online maps, aside of Google Maps. I downloaded on the 3rd day an application that was very helpful, and which made it easier for me to figure things out.- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-7 Sep 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
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★★★★★ Geezer Biker October 20, 2019
A good trip with its ups and downs
This self-guided ride from Salzburg to Vienna had a lot of really great moments and some that left me wishing for better. A few of the hotels are barely 3 star and some are solid 3 Star+. Mostly quiet and mostly friendly staffs, mostly spoke good to excellent english which really helped us. The hotel next to the castle in Grein was a high point: Super rooms and excellent dining. Every breakfast was quite good and lots of it.
The two free bottles of wine from the lovely shop in the little town across the river from our hotel in Mitterarnsdorf were delicious. It took us 20 minutes to find the shop, but a couple of locals were kind enough to point us the right way.
Consider taking your own bike or renting from a Salzburg shop (if you are returning to Salzburg). We've been on 5 bike and barge/boat, etc. tours in Europe and these bikes were the heaviest and poorest quality, making the long-ride days grueling, but doable.
Our luggage showed up on time every day. No fuss no worry there.
The maps they provided were marginal at best A couple of times we'd have been quite lost without my wife's adroit use of Google maps on her iPhone. Don't go without Google maps or some other app to clarify the routes. The tour company management should be required to ride the trip based on their own directions and see how they do.
BUT---the countryside and the villages were beautiful and friendly. Much of the ride was on bike trails and back-back roads with no traffic. There were several places where we were direct to ride on somewhat busier roads, but the Austrian drivers were nearly always patient and courteous to us. The final few kilometers from the train station to the hotel in Vienna were partly on busy city streets, which I found quite imtimidating after a long hard riding day.
Bottom line: Do the ride. It's a very good experience. But quiz the tour company about a bike upgrade and definitely take your own backup route finding app (which is probably a necessity regardless of the tour map accuracy).
Happy cycling!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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★★★★★ Middle Europe September 27, 2019
one of the best
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 6
- 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
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★★★★★ KLVM July 11, 2019
Biking in the Shoulder Season
Cold weather and rain did not prevent us from having a wonderful biking experience. The scenery was beautiful, hotels were in lovely locations, the people were friendly, and the tourist sites were virtually empty.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 12-18, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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
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★★★★★ Jackie10 June 14, 2019
Recommend with caution
This bike tour is through the most beautiful Austrian countryside. The accommodations are great, luggage transfers flawless and great breakfasts included. The directions are horrible, especially the 1st and 3 rd days. Make sure you have a GPS with you. The poor directions added unnecessary frustration to the trip. The bikes are up right commuter bikes and uncomfortable for the mileage involved. If you are accustomed to a decent road bike you probably won't be happy. Most cyclists we saw were on e-bikes which makes the poor ergonomics more tolerable. This tour would be a 5 star with accurate directions and decent equipment. So bring a GPS and your own bike and have a blast!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe June 15, 2019
Glad to hear many aspects of this tour were enjoyable! We will pass your feedback to the tour operator that the directions can be improved upon. We're sorry to hear this was a source of frustration for you. Thanks, additionally, for the notes about the bikes. This tour is offered on hybrid touring bikes and e-bikes, which, if you are accustomed to a road bike, could be uncomfortable.
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★★★★★ Julane January 1, 2019
Valleys and Vineyards
We found the scenery on this tour stunning (especially on Lake Traunsee) and appreciated the variety of landscapes (forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, farmland) and terrain (flat to rolling hills). The hotels/inns were very comfortable and most within walking distance of interesting sites in the cities/towns. We combined this tour with another (Tauern Bike Path: Salzburg to Salzburg) which gave us an opportunity to experience a different but equally beautiful region of Austria.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 28-October 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 30+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ eb53 June 17, 2018
extraordinary trip across Austria
This trip was truly stunningly beautiful. We were amazed at how much beauty and variety could be packed into one trip. Even though the directions were sometimes confusing, it was easy to figure your way around--the signage is fantastic and people are exceedingly kind and friendly. We really loved the self-guided option--it increased the sense of adventure, freedom and self-reliance. All accommodations were splendid as were the breakfasts. We were amazed at how great the bike infrastructure is in Austria--way better than in the US. Everyone bikes and cyclists are respected. Motorists were very considerate of cyclists. Temperatures in Austria were WAY ABOVE NORMAL this year. The lakes part of the trip was some of the best riding we have ever done; we also loved the Wachau region. We wished that
this part had been longer. If we had it to do over, we would add a day to the lakes and maybe take a train over sections of the Danube. . . Do not miss the ecological gardens in Tullin! We wished we could have spent a day there.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- this is our first long tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Norm November 2, 2017
Great ride.
Austria is beautiful with a lot of historic sites. We were late in season so a bit cooler, rained for 2 days but we were prepared. Very impressed with hotels and the mix of modern and historic settings, professionally organized. Only complaint was that on first part of trip, bike trail was not marked well and descriptions were hard to follow eg. go for a short ways and turn right at first farmyard turn left at the country road - keep at the block to the right? To a stranger to the area lot of this didn't make sense. We ended up getting most of our directions from local people who were very helpful. The portion on the Danube bike trail was very easy to follow.
Overall we were pleased with the tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 8 to 13, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- three
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Kretch October 3, 2017
One of the most beautiful rides I have taken in Europe
I am so glad I elected to ride from Salzburg to Vienna rather than Passau. The ride was beautiful, mountains coming down to the bike trails and Alpine lakes to ride along. It was not difficult for the average rider and a ranking of easy 2 is fair. From Linz to Vienna was also very nice and it gave us enough river riding to make the trip a good combination of mountains and riverside.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9-5-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15 non supported rides in Europe
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Bicycling in Philly August 26, 2017
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 13-19
- How many tours have you completed?
- Greater than 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson August 27, 2017
We're sorry you didn't enjoy your Salzburg to Vienna bicycle tour. It's actually one of my personal favorites! Could you please send along to me any further information on what was not to your satisfaction? We'd love to advise the local tour company, so they can make improvements. Thank you!
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★★★★★ Genevieve August 21, 2017
A great experience
A great way to visit Austria! But the mountain part is quite demanding. More of a Grade 3 than a Grade 2. For the mountain part, navigation was difficult because lack of information on distance.
Lodging and breakfasts were great, except for the inn in Bad Kreuzen - far from everything and bad Internet connection. Not adequate for international travellers.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Fishchico August 18, 2017
Azure blue lakes
The Lakes option of the Danube River path was amazing. Lake Mondsee, Attersee and Traunsee were crystal clear and the most beautiful shade of azure blue. Most of the riding was along dedicated bike paths and lesser travelled roads. People friendly and helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 30 - July 7,2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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
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★★★★★ allisong August 9, 2017
Wonderful trip with my daughter!
We did a self-guided tour and had a wonderful time. We used electric bikes and I was very happy with that choice. It was still a lot of work and we got a ton of exercise, but it made it so we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The paths were very good and we were on roads only about 10% of the time. The hotels were very nice-small and quaint with lovely breakfasts. The tour director in Austria was very quick to reply when the electric stopped working on my bike on the 4th day. She found someone to fix the bike early the next day. The only challenge was reading the maps but that was part of the adventure. We definitely made more than a few wrong turns and had to backtrack, but having the electric bikes made it okay.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 6-13, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- just this one
- 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
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★★★★★ Mully July 14, 2016
Great way to experience Europe
A wonderful experience. I have traveled to Europe many times, but this was the best way to see it in my opinion. I would recommend taking an extra day here and there along the ride to spend some additional time in areas that you have interest in so the focus isn't always.getting to the next destination. I think what makes this type of trip unique is that you are better immersed in the local sights and culture...you are on a bike, not in a bus or car. The countryside trickles by at a comfortable rate that encourages exploration. The lake portion of this particular trip involved considerable road travel which was a bit unexpected, but drivers were courteous and we quickly became used to it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 25
- 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
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★★★★★ John Parsons December 7, 2015
Really great trip.
To start off with the Sound of Music Tours and then fairly leisurely riverside roads and fantastic food and culture - we just loved it. One of the towns was not as good as the rest but for the most part just great
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
