Bike Tour Reviews page 154
- Albania
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- Brazil
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- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
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- Serbia
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- Slovenia
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- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
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★★★★★ Tom Hawkins
Trip postponed
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)
We were unable to do this fantastic trip due to an injury. We are how every very excited about doing it next year. It sounds like a fantastic experience!
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★★★★★ TF and DD NYC
Great destinations!
Venice to Trieste and Istria
A highlight of the trip was seeing all the different towns and cities along the way. The route varied from day to day – coastal paths, farmland and former border crossings. We stayed in modern seaside towns, ancient inland towns and cities. We even saw flamingos in the lagoon!
The biking was challenging at times, with strong headwinds the first couple of days. We rode on roads, bike paths, dirt farm roads and raised dike walls. The navigation, directions and app were easy to follow, but many of the arrow stickers should be replaced. Bikes were standard hybrids, but note: step through bikes do not have water bottle cages!
We opted for trains and boats when available. This allowed us to have more time to explore the towns, while still having plenty of biking. Each place we stayed was unique and a couple of the hotels were better than expected. It was nice visit the towns just before the summer season. There were many tourists, but not big crowds.
We would recommend this trip to those who are confident riders. Plan to stay a couple of extra days in Venice and/or Porec if you can, as there is plenty to see and do!
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★★★★★ Tom
Bike ride down the Danube
Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest
The tour was very well organised, the accomodation was of a high standard without exception. The included evening meals were generally of a acceptable standard.
The premium bike that was provided was far too big and as a consequence I had to ride a different bike one which did not have a crossbar. This bike was very heavy and I found it difficult to manage.
The Pedalo navigation App generally worked OK although I had to re install it a number of times to get it up and running again. I was grateful I had it as my Garmin 1030 device failed to function.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- I have been on four overall but only one with this company
- 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
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★★★★★ BigRider05
Perfect pace for a cycling adventure
Berlin – Copenhagen
Great way to see Germany and Denmark. The route is not particularly hilly, however is a bit windy in Denmark. The self-paced route guides point out many sight-seeing and historic sites and swimming options, as well as options to supplement some of your daily distances with trains. The company also provided GPS files which allowed us to be on auto-pilot most of the time! We met very nice people on this tour: planning to meet up for coffee/cake breaks or dinner gave us a great chance to get to know them better. This was our third tour booked through Bike Tours and we will definitely use them again!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 11-21, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- 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?
- Denmark, Germany
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★★★★★ Tony Shubart
Enjoyable biking tours
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Overall good experience. Had some hiccup pre-departure as the operator made a mistake on our one way transfer from Vienna to Passau and had to find our own transport last min, which we managed. Bikes were good quality and map app was easy to follow with a little help with Google map to get to the hotel sometime. The luggage forwarding was seamless. Some hotels are better than the others. We had a reasonable expectation of the upscale four stars so didn’t anticipate any luxury. They are good clean hotels that covers the basics and most of them are in good location except one due to book-out of the normal one they use.
We feel certain things can be improved but overall is a lovely experience even two days were raining.Overall we feel it was
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★★★★★ George Ouimet
3 out of 5 legs were good, one was exceptional.
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
It was very interesting and educational to be in this party of Italy. Our last guided tour was in Tuscany. Alberobello was an amazing town and the Trullia were a wonder to see, even more fun to stay in. The restaurants in the area that we tried were all good. It was also fun to walk around town and see the old churches, museums and parks. Our guide Marco was excellent and spent good time explaining the route and the attractions to us. All the bikes worked fine, and I liked having the panier to store things in. Based on the type of riding we ended up doing the hybrid bikes were very appropriate and comfortable.
The first day of riding from Alberobello to Ostuni was interesting - lots of small roads, not much traffic, lots and lots of olive trees (which the area is noted for). One thing we noticed right away unfortunately was the garbage. Lots and lots lots of garbage, all over the sides of the roads. Single use plastics mostly, but also household trash, construction debris, old appliances, tires, and millions of glass bottles and metal cans. Combined with the large number of abandoned and dilapidated properties in the area (abandoned olive farms) it felt like the next 2 days of riding in many parts was through the apocalypse. The old abandoned buildings were interesting, especially the small farm huts, and we did see lots and lots of the Trullia, and nicer properties that were fixed up closer to towns though. We later learned that this area was very very poor in many parts, and that it wasn't until the EU formed that money started to flow into the area to improve things for people. Depending on who you talked to the trash was from "trash collection being a low priority for the local infrastructure" - to people just being ignorant and not caring about the environment. The towns and cites were a bit better, but for the most part the rural areas felt like a 3ed world country on these part of the ride. It looks like this from Alerobello to Ostuni, Ostuni to Manduria, Manduria to Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca (our favorite town next to Alberobella, the hotel was beautiful and we wished we had two days there). Manduria was pretty much abandoned, as was the hotel. The hotel restaurant was closed, and the only place we could find to eat was a pizza express and the grocery store next door. The saving grace was the wine tour at a local fermenting/processing plant, and the wines themselves from the Primitivo grapes were spectacular as was the tour and museum in the winery. We shipped cases of it home :). The ride to Gallipoli was an adventure. 20-30 mph headwinds and blowing garbage the whole way , however the landscape was interesting - it felt like southern California desert. Fortunately Gallipoli was a great town with lots restaurants open, and shopping. It was raining, but that's OK was was still nice. The ride from Gallipoli to Santa Maria di Leuca was short and uneventful. Threatening rain so we made a bee line to town at a fast pace. We found a great little restaurant by the water/harbor where we had a great meal and lots of the Primitivo wines :).
The ride from Santa Maria di Leuca had to be our favorite of the whole trip. Fantastic scenery along the Adriatic coast, lots of places to stop, the wind at our backs and it seemed cleaner. Swimming in the little beaches and Grottos were so nice. Again, we wished we could spend more time here. Maybe make 2 loops from Santa Maria di Leuca or add another town on this coast. We loved the riding off pavement and along the beaches as well, and that goes for the first part of the ride from Otranto to Lecce. Sadly the latter part of the ride inland to Lecce was more abandoned properties and lots and lots of garbage. Again the feeling like we were riding through the apocalypse. Lecce was great though - what a nice town! Lots to see in the "Florence of the South" in the old town. The surrounding 'modern areas' less so as the roads were very busy. I wrote something for my cycling friends about riding bikes in Italy. I will share it here;
Thoughts on cycling in Italy. Tongue in cheek: If anyone has to take a test to drive (seems not?), these would be the lessons. 1. The person who drives, walks or pedals the fastest has the right of way. 2. No cars in Italy have blinkers/signals. 3. Three point, U turns and parking is allowed anywhere, so is passing. It's especially fun to play chicken when cars are coming from the opposite direction. 4. Traffic signs aren't even suggestions! Traffic lights, sometimes. And signs that say what road you are on. 5. The most common controls pushed are the accelerator and the horn. 6. No problem if you don't have trash collection or an ashtray at home, the car window works fine. 7. If you can squeeze your car in there, you can drive there. 8. Speed bumps are "suspension tests".
With all that being said: People pay attention, they have to! Otherwise the country would be one giant pile up!! No one is on their phone! If you signal a turn on a bike, drivers see and respect you, until it's time to pass. I never felt in danger even though drivers get VERY close to you even at high rates of speed. Cycle confidently, don't wander around in the road... and pay attention! Also being in SMALL groups helps so that cars can pass quickly without hitting the oncoming cars head on.
All in all we had fun and am glad to see another part of Italy. After our riding we went to Greece and on to Munich, Germany. We also had just spent 6 days riding in Catalonia, Spain before this tour in Italy. Germany has by far the best infrastructure for pedestrians and cycling, similar to the Netherlands. Spain was pretty good and has improved since we were there 3 years ago. This part of Italy has a long long way to go, unless thousands of people clean the roads and streets and they develop a different culture. Not something Bike Tours or Giro Libero can affect I am guessing. We would not ride most of these routes again :( SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Tim Cooper
Trip of my dreams
Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
Need daily map detail of route and a GPS. The daily activity needed to have a specific start time, rest time, lunch time etc. and time to explore villages on our own. The guide was helpful to make sure we didn't get lost which was a likely possibility since there was not a detailed route map or GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 26, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Tim Cooper
Dream trip
Nature, Villages & Castles of the Loire River Valley
The daily route map was good but it needed specific directions about where to turn and specific streets with noticeable landmarks. This is a critical factor especially when arriving in Ambois and. how to get to the designated hotel.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 19,02023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Marko
Good experience overall
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We enjoyed the tour from Passau to Vienna very much, it was very scenic and overall a great experience. I would have rated the experience higher except some of the hotels were not really 4 star or better and the directions need to be improved.
In particular the Römerhof Hotel in Tulln (regardless of assigned rating) is just not very nice. The property is needs updating and painting. Our room was small, had ineffective air conditioning, needed painting and was really a 2 or 3 star experience. The Römerhof Hotel was by far the least desirable overnight stay on the trip, and we would not want to stay there again. I suggest the tour company reconsider this location for the "upscale lodging" tour.
For the most part the directions and maps were outstanding, except for the last day. The final day directions could really be improved for the area around Korneuburg and into Vienna. This is the most difficult section of the journey but the directions are the least descriptive. It was very hard to stay on track with the directions here. We met several other travelers that got off course in this section.
All in all we liked the tour and would recommend it. Thanks for the opportunity to provide feedback, we appreciate it! Marko and Janet
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★★★★★ Terrell
The Best Way I can Think Of to See Holland!
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
This tour lived up to my expectations. Holland was beautiful. The boat accommodations and staff were great! The bike tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and very personable. The miles per day on the bike was not for the faint of heart. Do your research and get a e-bike (electric bike) for anyone who is not used to biking. If you are an American, bring your GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 27 to May 4, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one, including this one
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Rebecca Hengemuhle
Such an adventurous way to explore Austria
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
We loved this bike tour and it was a great adventure for our family to explore Austria. Biketours was easy to work with and the local operator was helpful. We loved the hospitality at our hotels (except one). Our first night in Linz was wonderful and the museum electronica was amazing. The stay on the farm/ cideria Hotel Moser was such a highlight and was super family friendly. Our boys loved the soccer pitch and food. Maria Taferl was absolutely stunning but an epic ascent that most kids / adults without an e-bike won’t be able to do. There is a bike shuttle option up though. Durnstein was great and we enjoyed a day off to explore the town/ ruins/ pool. The ferry provided a different view of the Danube but probably wasn’t necessary as it didn’t save us too many kms. Tulln was okay with our half board dinner at a separate Greek restaurant (which was delicious) and in a different hotel from where we checked in and had breakfast. The staff at the Hotel Austria were incredibly helpful and helped us come up with a good itinerary and travel plans through Vienna. The Danube cycle path isn’t always on a separate bike road which made it a little more nerve wracking with kids but our kids soon learned good road etiquette and safety. The app/ guide book was good but we still needed our own gps to get to our hotels. I would recommend the half board option and extra night in Vienna. We all really loved this adventure. The scenery, food and hospitality through Austria was incredible.
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★★★★★ Rhonda Barton
Beautiful views!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The trip was beautiful! The views through the Dolomites and Julian Alps are constantly awe provoking. The hotels were also wonderful, our favorite being Alta Post in Feistritz an der Gail!
Bikes: We paid for the upgrade but it didnt feel as though we were upgraded. The bikes we received were not well maintained. We had a bike brake on the first day of our tour and the replacement bike had a loose peddle the rest of our tour. A few of our bikes were not tuned well and gears were either difficult to shift or couldn't be geared all the way up or down. In general, we would have appreciated better maintained bikes for a 230 mile tour, it would make the days much more enjoyable. We also had to swing by the rental place for a bike pump that had the correct valve for pumping up tires. The bikes were equipped with presta valves, but the pumps were schrader valves. We also recommend placing an allen key in the repair kit. We had several items that we had to adjust, angles of the header, tightness of the bells, etc. Having an allen key would have made these adjustments easier to make.
Bike Accessories: we think you should provide or tell the riders to bring a cell phone mount for the trip. The app was nice to have but we had to constantly get the phone out of our pockets to follow along. This can get quite dangerous on certain parts of the tour.
App: the phone app was a great perk to the trip although our main complaint is that every tour participant should have access to the app. It is challenging to have only one person with the app and it doesnt seem to make much sense to limit access. Give everyone who paid for the tour access please. -
★★★★★ lifejazz
Amazing Sights in Provence
Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
We enjoyed our bike tour through Provence. Our first time to use e-bikes, which given the winds and the hills, seemed like the thing to do. Really enjoyed the e-bikes for their ease of use and making the windy or hilly sections enjoyable. The orientation was very thorough and the combination of the gps and the paper charts made navigation very easy. The two hotels were, not to understate it, wonderful. Excellent accommodations, lovely people, great food. We even got attached to a French Bulldog, Cinquante, belonging the owners of the hotel in Collias. Quite the character! On the whole the ride was through vineyards and side roads. The only unpleasant bit was from Collias to Tarascon. We spend too much time on heavily trafficked shoulder-less roads with trucks and cars whizzing by at 50 miles an hour a couple of feet from us. We've been riding for several decades and as a practice, I would never ride on that kind of road. So that bit needs some adjustment (which is why this is a four star instead of a five star review). But other than that, the rest of the ride was a delight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/16-20
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Richard Riddell
A great time in Alentejo
Castles and Wines of Portugal
A great self guided tour in Alentejo region of Portugal.
Great e-bikes, accommodation in the pousadas and excellent restaurant recommendations from our guides, and were brilliant making reservations in the restaurants we chose. The staff were on the whole very friendly and helpful and accommodated our extraordinary request on the last day - thank you.
The only reason they didn’t receive 5 stars for us was we thought the farmhouse stay for 2 nights was not necessary, and the owner of the business perhaps shouldn’t front the customers/clients. A tad too direct in her manner which made us feel we were doing her a favour by being there!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Rich and Connie
Very enjoyable
Bordeaux by Bike and Boat: Castets-en-Dorthe to Libourne (and reverse)
This is the third boat and bike trip we've been on and we've liked all three. This one was the first in France. We really enjoyed the countryside and the cities and villages we went to, and of course the vineyards. We took the guided tour which was well worthwhile. Only two couples took the guided and we had a great time together with the guide Scott. Scott is very knowledgeable and got us in to see some things that others couldn't. Also, most others got lost on many days because the daily routes are loops that don't just follow the waterway. You really need to pay attention at the nightly meetings. We thought the food on the boat was quite good although it did not meet the expectations of everyone. I might add the crew on the boat were all very friendly and helpful. I feel the one negative is that you can't bring/drink your own wine/liquor on board without paying an outlandish uncorking fee.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6 May 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Richie
Diverse cycling through three countries
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Diversity is the theme of this tour. From the Dolomites, to the Julian Alps, to the dreamy Lake Bled, to the Friuli Italian wine country, to the Adriatic Coast, this tour has it all. Riding in three countries in one day is an awesome experience as well.
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★★★★★ oktobeerfest
Wonderful way to truly experience Austria
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The maps and suggestions of places to see along the way were very informative. So many beautiful hamlets to visit. There just wasn't enough time to see everything! The route suggestions were very helpful and the upscale lodging was mostly superb. Breakfast accommodations exceeded our expectations! We would highly recommend this trip to anyone, even non-bikers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14 - 21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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
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★★★★★ Joseph Braun
Scenic journey but you better know how to read a map
Royal Zealand and Copenhagen
The bikes were excellent and the company representative was helpful, knowledgeable and more than willing make sure we had a good trip. The hotel in Copenhagen was an average room but noisy and poor ventilation. Other hotel rooms were mostly average. Breakfast was excellent at all the hotels. Directions were average but confusing. It would be helpful to include city maps with the information so tourists can find street names instead of following the directions. Also, be warned that several routes are on gravel paths, not paved.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Denmark
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★★★★★ Rick1
A nice blend of mountain valleys and river cycling
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The first 3 days from Krimml to Lofer were terrific; the scenery spectacular and the hotels great, the directions and signage generally good. The signage into Salzburg was deficient with at least 1 key turn ("Morzg") not signed at all. The Hotel was a significant step down from the first 3.The directions to the Glockhofer in Burghausen and the signage was also totally deficient....it would have been better if the hotel was in the main square, rather than in an industrial/commercial part of town. The hotel was a business hotel which was totally out of character with everything else we saw and a real disappointment (though the staff in the hotel were great). Happily, the next stop in Obernburg, the Gasthof zur post was wonderful. Passau hotel was ok.
Over all, we felt that the trip could easily have been done in 1 fewer day and would recommend that the written instructions be tailored to the exact Hotel being used.
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★★★★★ Jan Mowat
Great people on board!
National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Our itinerary was derailed by a storm the first day, so we missed a couple anticipated parks and the sights they would have offered. Couldn’t be helped. ?♀️ We rode on busy roads more often than we should have for a sight-seeing tour. Being on high alert for traffic and travelling on roads with non-existent shoulders was unexpected and tense. However… we had so much fun!!! The group was great fun, the stops along the way were interesting and the weather cooperated. The food was simply amazing and the staff friendly and helpful. Dora and Pero were knowledgeable and eager to help in any way possible. Our room was below deck and it was great. The beds were comfortable with lots of room to store our stuff. And quiet too! It was a great way to see parts of a very beautiful country.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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