Bike Tour Reviews page 35
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★★★★★ Anne52 September 24, 2018Gorgeous Salzburg Lakes Tour!
· Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
We had an outstanding week biking around five lakes in the Salzkammergut. We were so lucky with the weather, which was sunny every day except Friday, with highs in the 70's. The views on this trip are superb. We found the instructions to be very good, the hotels were all comfortable and had unbelievable breakfasts. The service at all the hotels was great. We are working on our 5th bike tour in Europe and this is one of our favorites. We were able to swim in four of the lakes and what a refreshing and awesome experience that was, too! One wish was that it would have been nice to have a paper map of Austria, or at least the Salzkammergut so that we could get an overall idea of where we were. All in all we would highly recommend this trip. Thanks to Stefan and everyone who made it possible!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 9 - 15, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three previous ones.
- 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
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★★★★★ Miguel September 24, 2018
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sep1-8
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Pearl September 23, 2018New Bike Adventure
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
This was our first guided Bike and Barge trips. The guides were great. Belgium and the Netherlands are not the most scenic, but the other travelers and guides made the trip very enjoyable. The meals on board were excellent. The electric bikes were not reliable and you could tell they had been heavily used. The normal bikes were like new.
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★★★★★ Minna September 23, 2018Amazing Experience
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/1/2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Kscbythesea September 23, 2018Lots of riding, gorgeous scenery, simpatico group
· Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
My husband and I both very much enjoyed this tour. He especially appreciated the riding and the food; I especially delighted in the charming villages and French countryside. We both loved our guide, Mike, who was a lot of fun. We also liked the other 8 cyclists in the group. Of the 10 cyclists in the group, 8 were in good shape and we all enjoyed the riding. The two that were not expecting the riding to be challenging did not enjoy the hilly days. BikeTours got it right: you can manage without being fit, but you won’t enjoy the hills very much. The hotels were charming. The food was amazing! Gourmet multi-couse dinners were included every night, and breakfasts were very good - the croissants always fresh. We will definitely look into taking another Chain Gang tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8 September 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 other
- 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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★★★★★ East coaster September 23, 2018Back in the saddle
· Basque Country: Bilbao to San Sebastián via Olite
This was my first bike tour in 15 years. I've toured many countries by bicycle in the past but I was not in good cycling shape when I went on this trip. Fortunately it was completely enjoyable and a great way to start bike touring again. The routes are fabulous, including some dirt roads, and there was almost no traffic. The scenery is varied and the rides along the coast are beautiful. I used a regular bike but most other riders were on e-bikes. Most of the other folks in the group were retired and went on a lot of bicycling tours, including with the same tour operator, Rotalis. There was not much of a range in age. The group stays together so no one is left behind which means that you travel at the pace of the slowest person. The meals were wonderful but lengthy. All in all a very relaxing and interesting tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 25-Sept 1, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ jhnyc September 22, 2018Fantastic!
· Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
My 10 year old nephew and I had a wonderful ride through the Altmuehl Valley. The riding was safe (almost entirely on bike paths) and very doable for a 10 year old. Beautiful scenery every day and plenty of fun things to explore along the way. The hotels were quaint and lovely - all offered great breakfasts to get us started each day. The bikes were nice and maps generally very helpful. I would definitely book another trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Marc and Lin September 22, 2018Beautiful green scenery and rolling hills
· Northern Spain: Cantabrian & Asturian Coasts
Great discovery of northern Spain. With 2-night layovers in 3 cities, we could ride everyday or take off up to 3 days during the week. Excellent support when needed.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 8 - 15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8 in Europe
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Smedley September 20, 2018This is the reason that we bike!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Wonderful trip, but that doesn't tell you what you really want to know. So here goes a day-by-day review and a few overall impressions.
Innsbruck - arrive a day or two early to experience the city and mountains. Purchase the 'Innsbruck Card' and save on many of the city's attractions and transportation. Hotel Cafe Central - nice facility close to the 'Old Town'. Ask for the recently renovated rooms.
Zillertal - good first day ride. Take time to stop at the Swarovski museum complex. Gasthof Hotel Post - nice facility, great menu. Ask for a room away from the dairy farm next door.
Krimml - short ride, no hurry to arrive at the pickup point for the van ride across the pass. The falls at Krimml are amazing. Prepare yourself for a good hike to see them up close. The Gastehaus Waltl was comfortable. Plenty of dining options in the town.
Zell am See - Scenic ride. Use the extra rest day to explore the mountains. Weather permitting go to the glacier, ride around the lake and hike the hills. Great dining options. Lebzelter Hotel - in the heart of town, comfortable inn.
Lofer - best riding day, mountains close on both sides of the narrow valley. Gorges and cave are must visits. Nice lunch at the golf course at the midway point. St Hubertus Hotel was inviting.
Salzburg - last day of riding was the most challenging. Hills and gravel paths dominated the day. Navigating through Salzburg requires a good map and/or GPS. The Goldenes Theater Hotel was the only accommodation below the standard set by all of the other hotels. Spend an extra day or two in the city.
General impressions: one of the most scenic rides in Austria with great stops along the way to explore. The booked hotels were excellent with the exception of Salzburg. The route map/directions need to be updated. GPS really helped out especially in the larger towns. Bikes were in great shape but they should be equipped with odometers since the route map is based on distance traveled turn points. You won't be disappointed boking this trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- August/September 2018
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ bobe September 20, 2018Chilling in Italy
· Florence to Rome
Awesome time riding through the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside from Florence to Rome. Was all we expected and more with the added knowledge of having the 'Eurobike' crew on hand if we needed them (not that we did). Well organised, great equipment and excellent signage to ensure we didn't end up in France. Can't wait to do it all again farther down South.
Rob, Elano, Maggie and Dave x- What was the date of your tour?
- 25/08/2018
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Vistoso September 19, 2018Perfect weather, Awesome scenery!
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/7/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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
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★★★★★ John49 September 19, 2018
Great trip around Lake Konstanz
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was an easy 5 day bike ride around a beautiful lake with lots to see and do along the way. We used the rental bikes and they looked so heavy that I thought I'd never be able to ride it, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was very easy to pedal and well suited to all terrains we subjected them to. I can't think of a single suggestion for improvement.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 5 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many, but usually self guided.
- 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, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Murphycreek September 18, 2018Can't think of a better way to see Holland
· Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We did this tour in late August, 2018. We are reasonably fit early 70 year olds from California. Neither of us had been on a bicycle in years. We loved it. Some observations:
-Probably the best, unique thing was the route. We were given a little GPS thing that told us where to go, turn by turn. It didn't just go from A to B. It took us through charming town centers, on farm roads through the polders, along rivers and canals, by windmills, through North Sea dunes, through tiny villages and suburbs. Even through an industrial park (think bulb and flower industries).
-The hotels ranged from very charming to just fine, and all were within a stroll of the heart of town.
-The bicycles were top notch, like new, lovingly maintained.
-The distances were just right. At the end of each day, we felt exercised but hardly exhausted, and deeply appreciated a cold beer.
-The weather was good. Pleasantly warm, some sun and some overcast. It started to rain just once, and around the next bend was an appealing hotel with a good lunch.
-We liked Peter-the-bike-guy very much. He has a stringy tour de France look, speaks excellent Euro-English, gave us clear, concise instruction on how to do things, and was amusing. Also, he was quite gracious when we told him about the bike falling into the canal.
-If we were doing the trip again (or knew beforehand what we know now), we would have made one change. We would have arranged to stay two nights in Gouda and Delft, and would have arrived a day earlier in Utrecht (we did stay an extra day in Leiden). This would have allowed us to spend time with the museums and other charms of these wonderful cities.
-Finally, we loved being immersed in Dutch bike culture. Everybody bikes, bikes are everywhere, isolated bike lanes go most places, cars respect bike rights, and oh-by-the-way people looked conspicuously leaner than in the rest of Europe, let alone in America.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Joyce September 18, 2018
The Mosel Valley Bike & Barge adventure is a perfect combination of stunning scenery, exercise and wine!
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
Excellent help from the BikeTours.com staff – especially Liv! Comfortable accommodations aboard the MS Patria, delicious food, staff exceeded all expectations, bikes were good, pedaling was easy, scenery beautiful, route went thru interesting and historic villages and cities. With a group of 29, there was something for everyone – every day – and no complaints from anyone!
BTC staff review “Liv helped our group of 29 get booked……and was accommodating with every change and request along the way. Everyone thought a group that large would be impossible to book…but, Liv made it easy!- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 1 - Sept 8
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ TJ8387 September 17, 2018My favorite way to travel!
· · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals
I loved this tour! The bikes and cycle routes were great. The food was very good but unfortunately the the dining room on the boat was SO HOT that we could not enjoy our dinners. Thank goodness each stateroom had its own air conditioner. Fellow cyclists were very friendly and always willing to help if needed. Our guide seemed angry when people asked questions and responded in an aggressive manner (which made people hesitant to ask questions). We were told that there was internet on the boat in Austria but it was non-existent ... so it would have been better to advertise that there is NO WiFi.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 21-28
- 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Lillee September 17, 2018
Greatest family vacation!
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Rhine biking is perfect combo of castles, beauty, history, food, beer/wine, and fun! Great exercise, not strenuous biking. Four college-age kids and three parents--something for all everyday. We will be back for another trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 7/23/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Miles September 17, 2018Exceeded our expectations!
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
With perfect weather, my wife and I had a great ride. The first three days, about 44 miles each, was tiring but the last couple of days were just about right. Be warned that about 15-20% of the bike paths/roads next to the Danube were shared with cars and no designated bike lanes. They were more like side access roads to properties on the Danube but cars don’t slow down for bikes.
The rental bikes looked like they were new and performed flawlessly. We used one regular bike and one e-bike and charging the e-bike at each night at the hotels wasn't an issue. Although the entire ride was essentially flat, there were a couple of hotels (Maria Talferl and Hotel Steigenberger in Krems) which required quite a bit of effort to get to because they were up on a hill.
Each of the selected hotels were an added special experience as they were surprisingly high quality and provided a great breakfast.
Of special note on the hotels, the Schloss castle in Aschach was quite an experience with 15 foot tall ceilings and a main residence floor which was a museum. The hotel in Maria Talferl, which is up on a hill, had spectacular views of the Danube and the valley below.
We took our first bike trip with Biketours.com last year down the Neckar river where we ate and slept on a boat each night as we rode our bikes down the river. Although this time we were on our own when it came to lunch and dinner, we preferred this type of trip over the boat as you get to sleep in a nice, comfortable hotel at night and eat where you want in each town. Looking at Yelp reviews, we were able to find great restaurants in each destination town and that really added to the experience of getting to know the local environment.
Overall, this was a memorable and very enjoyable trip and one which we would highly recommend.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug. 25-31 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 including this one
- 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
-
★★★★★ MichaelandErin September 17, 2018
Spectacular Scenary
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We thoroughly our cycling trip between Innsbruck and Salzburg. Day one was a nice scenic warm up ride mostly along a river. The second day ride, heading 'up' another valley (still fairly flat in valley, with beautiful mountains on either side) was enjoyable....but the highlight of that day was after the ride. Our transfer minibus picked us up (promptly) that took us up and over to another valley to the town of Krimml. Fortunately, we had enough energy left to hike up to the top of the Krimml falls (tallest series of waterfalls in Europe). Spectacular. Down another valley the next day to Zell am See, where we spent our rest day. Lot's to do there, if it's sunny....but alas, we were rained out (which we were relieved we were not cycling that day). Our highlight day followed, with the combo of stops...one heading inside an extensive cave network (trails inside for the public to travel a fair distance into the mountain), and another stop after that one involved a short hike trail up into a narrow gorge (bring rain gear, waterfalls and mist made it like walking thru a shower in places). Again, unexpected and very, very scenic. Our wrap up in Salzburg we were glad we tacked on a extra day to see some of the local sites.
Overall, we had a great time. The accommodations were just the right fit to our tastes...friendly, cozy and comfortable. The rental bikes sturdy. The route is mostly bike trails, usually paved, but not always...and with only modest time on side roads. The self guided bike map book was pretty good (although we did have to pull out our smartphone map app to clarify some directions at times). The distances were long enough to feel like we'd traveled someplace, but short enough that we still had time to enjoy the sights.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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
-
★★★★★ KevinR September 16, 2018
A good balance
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Nice balance of reasonable cost and comfortable accommodation with excellent bikes. Not all accommodation had air con but we were in an unusual heat wave so wouldn't normally be a problem. We enjoyed the variety and character of our overnights. cycling was easy , i wshed i had not chosen ebike and got more exercise. very smooth organisationally. Thanks
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★★★★★ Jim G September 16, 2018Going back in time.
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
We have ridden many bike paths in Europe. The Tauren Bike Path to date is our favorite. Dedicated bike path makes the trip totally relaxing, riding through the valley from up in the Alps, through small towns and village’s, pastures, forests, along the Salzach River, etc. Very well maintained and safe path to ride.
This was our second time riding the Tauren Path.
Strongly advise spending extra days in Krimml, Salzburg, and Passau.
Tour operator has done superior job with this tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- August, 2018
- 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 young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
