Bike Tour Reviews page 11
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★★★★★ Aaron Schwartzbaum November 7, 2022What a fun trip!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
My partner and I had a ton of fun on this trip, which was our honeymoon. The stops were nice, especially with the ability to upgrade accommodations. I'd highly recommend doing the extra day in Bled if you're looking to get some relaxation in, too. Some parts of the route, especially if you're not taking the train into Bled, are would be extremely strenuous without an electric bike, I'd highly recommend one in general. There are a couple of points where there's a bit of car traffic, but I felt safe enough in a high viz. But what a fun way to travel, we saw a lot of things we wouldn't have ordinarily and the route is SCENIC as can be!
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★★★★★ Htim November 10, 2019Beautiful and Fascinating
· South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Beautiful routes, fascinating history, quaint, picturesque towns, grand castles and walled cities. Lodging ranged from excellent to very good. Bicycles and computer were great—we opted for carbon road bikes. Only negative was that the tour was short—one day had to be cancelled because of very heavy rain, and the last day was just a loop from Carcassonne to Limoux and back.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Diane Nothnagel August 13, 2022Best BIKE Trip of My Life
· · Bike and Boat Croatia’s Dalmatia Coast
We loved this trip. It was wonderful to be on the boat . The guides were the best-Luka and Mario are a perfect team. Lots of interesting things to do beyond biking Loved going to a different island each day. I would urge almost all future participants to rent the ebike. Croatia is extremely hilly and the ebikes made all the difference in the world. You’ll enjoy the trip more with one. Loved the rafting , kayaking , tastings and being able to swim off the boat. Don’t bother bringing snorkel or goggles. So glad it was a two week trip-it went too quickly! Thanks to all the people who worked so hard to make this happen!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Carol McClennan November 7, 2022Very relaxing and scenic
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip toward the end of September, specifically Sept. 22 was the day we started cycling. It was just my husband and myself. We had no issues with our bikes, or with the maps and directions. Our hotels were excellent with the upgrades. It was relaxing in that we took in the sites, chatted with occasional folks along the way and ate well! And enjoyed extra time in Vienna..
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★★★★★ Clark Woodland 10 months agoExceeded expectations
· Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
Unlike most Chain Gang tours in the Dordogne, our tour was self guided with our luggage being transported to our next hotel. Someone else in our group was the main contact with Bike Tours and Chain Gang, I was just along for the ride, so to speak. I was very pleased with everything about the tour - the bikes (almost new Trek hybrids), the routes, the towns we visited, the hotels we stayed in, the restaurant recommendations and Chain Gang's willingness to respond to our requests for minor changes in our itinerary.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Lindynw July 15, 2019A Wonderful Tour of the Loire Valley Chateaux
· Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This tour exceeded our expectations. First we wish to extend a huge thank you to Bernard and Lydia for agreeing to guide this tour even though we were the only 2 people who signed up for it. That was most generous and gracious. Bernard is knowledgeable, funny, and very kind. His guide-in-training, Lydia, who accompanied us added an extra amount of fun and was very willing to help with French translations. We feel very fortunate to have been on her first tour and know she will succeed in her future guided trips. Although our group was small we immensely enjoyed the hotels, the wonderful food and wine, the picnics, and the chateau visits. We were sad to have the trip come to an end. We highly recommend this trip and feel it is the best way to experience the chateaux of the Loire Valley.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 29, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ mountainbroad November 7, 2016Golden Times
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
This bike tour will be revisited frequently in our memories. The countryside of Provence in the autumn, with the black bulls, white horses, and rose-colored flamingos, amidst the golden hills and winding river-ways set the scene for fine pedaling.
I knew that the food and views of southern France would be amazing, what I had not anticipated was the depth of history and exposure to art that would also surround the ride.
We had a few days of rain, and some of our riders decided to use the time to stay aboard or wander the towns. At those times, our guide went out of his way to inform the guests of possible itineraries to make the most out of their travels, even though they chose not to ride. Though, there were electric bikes available and experienced routing that allowed the riders of various abilities to be included in each foray. My husband, our three friends, and I chose to never miss out on the up-close experiences of riding to the small villages, visiting the museums and castles, enjoying the wine and olive tastings that were a part of our daily agenda.
Our guide, Hugo, was a superb asset in informing us about each site, exposing the group to history and foods and art and nature that we would not have discovered on our own.
In the evenings, after luxuriating over our fine dinners, and previewing the next day's ride, Hugo would take any interested folks out on evening walk-abouts in the small towns where the barge, Soleo, was docked. Again, sharing with us a part of France that made us feel lucky to just be able to take it all in.
On board, we were treated to the fine cuisine of the area and to a welcoming and genial captain and crew. As much as we enjoyed our ride time, the time aboard the boat, where we would enjoy conversation, music, wine, and food, all added to the delight of our days.
Though, my husband and I have been on many bike tours, this one will stand as a
golden time of great beauty and as an unmatched tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 8-15, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Tracie Sanchez August 13, 2022
An island hopping bike & culture adventure
· · Bike and Boat Croatia’s Dalmatia Coast
We loved biking a different island everyday with expert guides who shared culture and provided authentic experiences and allowed village cafe time. Coming home everyday to your nice cabin on the boat was ideal and swimming was refreshing. Loved having the saloon available all day for refreshments and enjoyed the meals but it's quite a lot of food and more than we typically intake even when biking every day. 2 weeks really allows immersion which we thrive on. Zivjeli!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Loads
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Russ Gibfried November 7, 2022Great locations, trip pace and places to stay
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
Perfect way to see Bavaria, Tyrol, the Dolomites and into Venice. Old train tracks have been converted to bike trails, so you see towns and places that you would miss in a car. The mobile app keeps you on track. I'm convinced this is the best way to see a country and all my future trips will include a one week bike tour (if possible)
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Constanza Bahamondes 10 months agoNice and best way to know Brugges
· Bruges City Bike Tour
Excelent way to know Brugges with amd excellent guiade. She told us a lot history about the city and every was very clear. I recommend that tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 29th 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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
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★★★★★ Lieve v November 8, 2019Amazing experience!
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
This trip really was the perfect way to explore the region of Portugal. We saw the true heart of the country! The food and wine stops were amazing, the guide (Maria) was exceptional. Riding the bikes was a bit more challenging than anticipated due to the many undulating roads (stretched out hills and climbs), but it was a rewarding experience to have ultimately been able to accomplish it. The trip offered a wonderful mix of history and architecture, food and nature. Our only disappointment was a last minute change to the itinerary, which had us staying at a company owned farm for two nights, about a 20 minute cab drive from Evora. Part of the group had accommodations downtown Evora, which would have been much preferred for us too since the farm was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Love2ride July 15, 2019Great way to see Greece!
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
Overall, we were highly satisfied with our experience on this self guided bike trip. The scenery was great, starting in the (relatively cooler) mountain town of Vytina, cycling down into Tripoli. We enjoyed the day trip to the Kapsia Caves. The ride from Tripoli to Astros was scenic, with a very noticeable flora change as we dropped over the pass and started to head down to the (much warmer) seaside. The dip in the Aegean to cool off after the day's ride was exultant. The ride along the coast to Nafplio was beautiful, and we enjoyed the ancient sights along the way (Agros). Nafplio is a charming town, absolutely worth staging out of for the final few days.
Pluses: Hotel and staff in Vytina, Tripoli, Nafplio. The ancient sights to visit got better and better with each day (Argos, Mycenea, Epidaurus). The charming towns, intimate small lanes and shops, late night restaurants out in the squares or along pedestrian streets in Paralion Astros, Vytina, Nafplio were a delight. Dips to cool off in the Aegean a joy.
We found the Greeks, those with the local tour company, the shuttle pick up and drop off, the Hotels and well, just about everywhere along the way, to be friendly and eager to engage and to help. Also, the relative cost of goods, meals, etc. were quite affordable.
Specific to the bike tour company...friendly and prompt pick up at the airport, and the GPS units provided (50 EURO refunded deposit) had each days routes preloaded and worked out quite well (given the routing had a lot of zigs and zags at times, I don't think we'd have been able to follow the route with a paper map/sticker process common to other bike company rides). Baggage transfers went without a hitch. Very accommodating for our request to switch bike types at the start of the ride.As for 'room for improvement'...there were a few items. Relative to the info we were sent, this tour was a bit thin on details on where and when to expect to see some of the sights...just that 'we'd bike by them' (and we did, but at the 10 mile point, 15 mile point or ? - the GPS path did not indicate that type of info). One minor irritation, was our third day leg (Tripoli to Astros). We found the ancient site and museum at Tegea per the route description, only to find it was closed on that particular day we were routed to bike thru it. Also, the GPS, as stated it was overall very useful (only steered us off in a minor way once, and we were able to figure out where to go well enough). But the unit would tell us we'd be at the destination...and we'd look around and not see our hotels. We'd spend time walking around, circling about to find it (and the small hotel in Paralion Astros had the hotel name in subtle letters on a glass door...we walked right by it). Similar experience in Nafplio, I had to plug in the name of the hotel in my own smartphone to have it navigate us down side street alleyways to the hotel entrance. So a bit better directions on how to find our hotel upon arrival would have saved us some time out of the sun (already tired after a hot day cycling). And finally along those lines, there was a switch in our hotel in Nafplio versus our stated first night destination (we'd not been told this). That killed time trying to sort that out. Again, more a nuisance level...folks at both hotels quickly helped us figure out the slip up. SHOW MORE
As for any general observations about the tour. Unlike some other countries we've ridden thru, there really are no bike trails. However, much of this route is on back roads, where traffic was sparse. In the more congested (streets are narrow) towns, they were pretty small, and so we'd be thru them pretty quick and back on rural side roads. We had no issues with Greek drivers, even got a few friendly honks and waves (other cyclists were few and far between). We did note a lot of stray dogs, but fortunately the only times we encountered any aggressive barking, those dogs were behind fences. We switched to the tours hybrid bikes (I had originally booked road bikes, not knowing the details of the roads and routes), and we were glad we did. There were sections of (flat) gravel roads, particularly on the second bike day, more easily handled with wider tires and upright stance vs narrow tires and drop bars of a road bike. My partner appreciated their better climbing gears, not that the hilly sections weren't beyond our expectations, but in July, the combination of hills and heat (unfortunately, we hit it during a bit of a heatwave) made for slower paced riding. Regarding temperatures, full disclosure, towards the end of the tour, it was forecast to be well over 100 degrees F....we elected to hire a car and guide versus riding (no regrets, it actually hit 105 F that day). We knew this was going to be a hot time of year for this tour (my partner is a public school teacher, though, which limits our major vacation times). If we were not otherwise constrained, this tour in May or in September would be ideal.
SHOW LESS
To summarize, our glitches were minor, and we thoroughly enjoyed this tour and we're glad we did it.- What was the date of your tour?
- First week of July, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- ~6
- 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?
- Greece
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★★★★★ BruceB September 24, 2017Really great trip
· Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
We loved Hungary, it is a beautiful part of the world and riding through the countryside and winelands was just the break we needed. The bike tour organisation was great (we went self guided), the bikes were very well maintained and our hotels were perfect. What I enjoyed most was the food - we elected to go with the package inclusive of dinner. I would highly recommend this tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 7 September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ Nancy N November 6, 2016
Very Educational and Interesting
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
We started this tour as "self-guided" but had difficulty with the maps. The tour company was able to provide a guide for us and what a difference that made. Not only did we not get lost, but we learned so much more than we would have on our own. Our guide was very knowledgeable and having someone translate for us was a big help. Plus we no longer had to waste time looking at maps.
We upgraded to the "charm hotels" which was amazing. Everyplace we stayed was just indescribably beautiful and serene. I highly recommend the upgrade and a guide.
We learned so much about the cork, olive, and wine harvests. We particularly enjoyed the leather and pottery factories.
Portugal is a great country with an incredible old world charm.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 18, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 international, many U.S.
- 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?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Julie November 4, 2015Europe's hidden gem
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
A great trip! Explored big cities and small town! A little bit of everything! Busy city life, quiet cafes, horses, cobbled streets, castles, caves...
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Vanessa Van Sickle 10 months ago
Best cycle trip ever!
· Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
I have been cycle touring for over 20 years. We did this tour, as we do most, as a self guided tour. The bikes were excellent, the assistance from the bike tour company was fabulous. The bike route through the Dordogne was a lovely combination of changing countryside and medieval villages. It was planned well around various tourist sites. The road surfaces were excellent. The accommodation and included continental breakfasts were all good. I would definitely recommend this bike tour company and this particular tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15 +/-
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ RachelB November 5, 2019Gorgeous scenery and very fun tour
· Stockholm Round-Trip Across Swedish History
This was my first self-guided bike tour, and I was traveling alone. The experience cycling in the countryside and through the smaller cities in Sweden was incredible. Because the tour leaves once each week, most days I was able to enjoy breakfast and short sections of the route with others on my trip. I made a friend out of one of the other solo travelers, and we ended up cycling together the last few days! Sweden is astounding--the rolling terrain, agriculture, and architecture were exactly what I needed on this trip. Everything felt cozy and welcoming to me. The tour documents recommended lunch stops or places to enjoy fika (breaks for coffee and cake!) for each day. Accommodations were terrific as well. I was able to use the turn-by-turn directions, maps, and GPS unit with no issues.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Sweden
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★★★★★ Icebiker1 September 9, 2018Trip with a view
· Rhône River Route: Oberwald to Geneva
The perfect way to discover Valais. The bikes were quite new however we had to buy new pedals on one of the bikes,
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1. week of September
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Switzerland
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★★★★★ Thrivin sixtyfiven September 24, 2017Get out there and LIVE!
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
This tour was well orchestrated with every detail Jozef (our "pre-tour" guide) gave us perfect instructions so we stayed on course without troubles. We upgraded, and the hotels were all nice and in good locations regarding the bike trail (with the exception of the huge city of Budapest). We also used the ride with GPS app, which was extremely helpful. We had some rainy windy days, but overall the experience was delightful. I thought the breakfasts were ample except the one in Visegrad.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 15, 2017
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Hungary
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★★★★★ hapberly November 6, 2016Awesome tour of the West Coast!
· Connemara Lazy Days Cycling
This bike trip was a great way to see the beautiful country in western Ireland. The route was easy to follow and there was a lot to see. I would highly recommend it.
We had only one day of rain, and two windy days. Those were probably the hardest days, because of the weather, not the route. Be sure to pack rain gear. We chose to stay in the bed and breakfasts, which I highly recommend. Most of the bed and breakfast were great, the hosts very friendly. It gave us a chance to get to know locals and ask lots of questions about what we were seeing.
Most of the bed and breakfasts were located near the town and pubs. The pubs had great food and friendly locals. We were not disappointed with any of the food on our trip. We saw lots of sheep, donkeys, cows, mountains, and the ocean.
The bikes provided were great, the maps and other information was also very easy to use and follow.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Ireland
