Bike Tour Reviews page 119
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★★★★★ Dean Ross 5 months ago
Good ride Bolzano to Venice.
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Good routing along mostly paved paths through vineyards and orchards away from busy roads. Some of the 70km days were long in the near 40 degree heat, maybe a better tour for Sept. We paid for upgraded hotels some were but not all. Hotel Clarinet in Garda has very small rooms, they also don’t staff the front desk at night and there was no emergency contact given. This all became a reality when we went to leave the room in the morning and the deadbolt on the door just kept spinning. Called the front desk but there was no answer, luckily we had a bike repair tool that we were able to use to break out. Also worth noting that the ferry ride down the lake is a 4-5 hour trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3 with this company
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ John Foster 5 months ago
Beautiful bit challenging :)
· Cycling Sardinia's Rugged Beauty
Sardinia has long been on our "bucket list" and the scenery, wine, and food did not disappoint! The 3 different accommodations chosen were all great and each was a bit different. The staffs were great at all 3 and the on site coordinators were terrific! The routes were well laid out and Ride with GPS was a breeze to follow (though I use the app at home all the time) Some of the off-road trails were a bit rougher than anticipated and so they took a bit longer to complete than the estimates.
- How many tours have you completed?
- number 6 out of country, but first with Bike Tours
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Jay Penner 5 months ago
Good ride for e bikes.
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
This was the best electronic navigation we had ever seen. A phone holder for the bike made the navigation very easy. The weather was extremely hot the week we rode, but there were usually towns at good intervals to stop and hydrate. The local operator was responsive to any needs along the way and gave a good briefing the night before we started riding. The towns we stayed in offered great local flavor to the trip. The hotels were near the beaches so it was nice to swim in the Adriatic Sea at the end of the day. There were several stretches of road with considerable traffic but also a lot of bike paths and back roads with no traffic. The sights along the way were great and made for a memorable trip.
The last day had several hills that would have been challenging without the e-bike assistance. The bikes were in good shape and rode well. Wouldn’t recommend this for a first time cycle trip.
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★★★★★ Joseph Lutkenhaus 5 months ago
Lovely Slovenia
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
This was a great bike trip and a great way to see Slovenia (the part between Ljubiana and Piran). The ride is mostly (>90%) on roads with only the last part into Piran on a bike path. The first day was flat, the second day was hilly and partly on a gravel road) and the other days were hilly. The roads were generally not too busy but occasionally some of the roads were busy. We bike often at home but would have died if we did not have e-bikes because everyday after the first was hilly. The hotels were great and made charging the bikes easy. The breakfasts were amazing. The stay in the rural area with the wine tasting was great, although a bit expensive. We generally do bike trips in September but had to go in August this year. A dip in the Adriatic in Piran was fantastic.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Sue Wells 5 months ago
Too many people on trip & transport was not large enough.
· Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
We enjoyed the bike ride. The guide did his best with 17 people. Bike tours information states no more the 15 bikers. They did not follow their own rules. The van for 1 to 4 hour transport was not large enough and did not have adequate venalation.
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★★★★★ Sara P 5 months ago
Pleasant bike tour along the Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
A pleasant bike tour for a week in Austria. A mix of fair to great scenery.
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★★★★★ Kimberly Silva 5 months ago
Not as Expected
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was the first trip I took with Bike Tours and I did not think the bike path matched what was described on the website. There were many more parts of the paths that were unpaved and a bit treacherous than described. There was also a lot more street riding in traffic than anticipated. I would not recommend this trip for any riders under the age of 16. The hotels and services were outstanding however.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Larry Warshawski 5 months ago
Great trip Bolzano to Venice
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
We enjoyed the bike trip. The GPS courses were very good as were the tour descriptions in Ride with GPS. Unfortunately there was not enough time to see many of the sites. The hotels overall were average with some below average and a couple that were above average. They were all outside of the main old town vicinity and we missed out on the wonderful ambiance of the historical towns.
The 5 hour ferry ride on Lake Garda was too long and we arrived after sunset in late August. It was dark when we arrived at the hotel, which again was away from the downtown area and we had difficulty finding it.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 21
- How many tours have you completed?
- 30
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ John Mitchell 5 months ago
Good trip - great experience
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Overall a wonderful trip through gorgeous scenery. The routing was excellent, giving us pretty rural scenery and avoiding car traffic. Hotels were generally excellent and continental breakfast buffets were a highlight of our day! We had a fabulous time and this trip has opened up the world of bike touring to us. And made us want to return to Slovenia to explore further.
The route did bring us to a couple of small towns with very little going on, and we would have enjoyed going a little bit further on some days. Maybe it could be better to tweak the route by lengthening a couple of days and building in an extra night and side-trip from Postojna, Muggia or Piran.
The hotels in Muggia and Piran were superb. The hotel in Vrhinka was not great (rooms were noisy from road traffic and bar immediately below; breakfast choice and quality was lowest of the trip).
Our touring bikes were basic, old and in average repair. Tires were under-inflated on receipt, mudguards rattled. All mechanicals worked just fine though. We saw some other Helia bikes on our travels which looked newer and lighter.
Navigation - the Guibo app was OK. The interface is definitely NOT Google Maps. We found it slow and clumsy but it did the job. The arrows on signposts were great in some areas, not in others. The printed material was useful to read to prepare for the day ahead, but the printed map details were too small to be of use.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Gareth Laws 5 months ago
From Mountain Tops to Ocean Views
· Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
Do this now, before Slovenia is spoilt. Lake Bled our starting point was amazing. Some steady climbs, luckily on e-bikes made the challenges in the early days more comfortable! A mix of accommodation, but one night in most of the places, was ok. We broke the journey with 2 nights in Ljubljana, definitely worth it.
A mix of off road, paved tracks, some roadside cycling ( but the cars were very good to us) grunty uphills and screaming downhills.
The App was easy to use and didn’t chew through the battery too much.
Overall we had a great time. The people are very friendly and welcoming. The hotels varied from top notch to “OK”. The bikes were comfortable and good condition, no problems there. Would recommend if you have some cycling experience.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Robin Reams 5 months ago
My Solo Trip Down The Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The trip took place with a few glitches, but overall went well. It rained the first day, but was clear the rest of the week. The trail is generally in good condition, but signage is poor in some areas. The scenery is very beautiful in places and monotonous in others, which tends to be typical of all bike trails. For the most part, I was quite happy as I covered the distance from Passau to Vienna. My favorite stop was Tulln, which is of reasonable size and significant beauty, and where I stayed in a comfortable hotel and had dinner at an excellent restaurant. If I could do the trip over I would ride to Vienna and back to Tulln the last day and end the ride there.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Not sure. Numerous over 40 years of cycling.
- 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
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★★★★★ Alan Burnet 5 months ago
Great circular cycling route
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Really enjoyed our cycle tour of lake Konstanz. The luggage pickup and drop offs were very efficient and the hotels provided secure locations to lockup our bikes. All the hotels had great breakfast buffets and mostly great rooms. The standout hotel was probably in Lindau as it was the only one with a pool and spa. We appreciated having daily recommendations for stops and sightseeing which we could plan the day before and it was fun to find random lake swim spots.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ William Gibson 5 months ago
Dolomites to the sea in Trieste
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was a fun trip overall. The route begins with beautiful scenery thru mountain valleys with it's conclusion into the wine country north of Trieste. Numerous historical sites along the way with castles, churches and town centers to see. The lake in Bled is stunning.
Accommodations were mostly fantastic with excellent food for dinner and breakfast.
We had a few problems at the start with missing bike accessories for the e-bikes. Luckily this was easy to sort out at the bike shop in Dobbacio the evening before our ride.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Some self guided gravel biking in Colorado
- 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, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Timothy Linehan 5 months ago
A Sampler of Riding Along German Rivers
· · Germany's Riverside Heritage and Culture by Bike and Boat
Great barge, crew, and food. Knowledgeable, helpful guides.
While there were interesting sights along the Main, and the Rhine, I found the riding along the Mosel to be the most scenic - and the least affected by traffic noise, etc.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Jo Ribordy-Christofferson 5 months ago
Not for the inexperienced traveler
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
The trip itinerary was very good, the bikes were good, the motels were good, the luggage transport was good. The biking instructions were terrible. We only received a very small undetailed map for each day. We needed to use Google maps to navigate for most days of the trip and we were definitely lost on many occasions. International phone service is a must for this trip! Cycling along the lake was easy but getting in and out of towns was very challenging.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Renata Ostwald 5 months ago
Self guided tours
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Great experience, hotels were great and luggage transit even better. The only thing disappointment I had was regarding the routes…. It’s so easy in Europe ( once you know what path to take since it’s all signed ). Guidance regarding which sign should be followed would have been helpful. But it was an great trip
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Mary-lou Huculak 9 months ago
Challenging but worth it!
· Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
Gorgeous views over every hill and string every bend. Challenging even on ebikes but spectacular views.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Marion Van Kirk 9 months ago
Beautiful Holland
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We enjoyed the trip. The weather was perfect and the towns very nice. The hotels were good, and the people were helpful. All breakfasts were good. Our tour administrator (Pieter) was very nice and accommodating. We were self guided. The only disappointment was Keukenhof Gardens which had peaked earlier than expected due to warmer April weather. The tulips were fading and the crowds excessive. Traveling by train from Amsterdam to Utrecht and Leiden to Amsterdam was very easy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Kenneth Gresham 9 months ago
Great time but tulips were gone.
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Love cycling a country. It is the best were to see the countryside and interact with the locals. Holland was wonderful, but missed the peak tulips by about 2-3 weeks. Museums in Amsterdam are a must.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Wendy Drysdale 9 months ago
Amsterdam -gouda-Bruges
· · Amsterdam – Gouda – Bruges by Bike and Boat
A wonderful experience. Our guide was great. Boat captain very friendly and helpful. Chef was excellent.