Bike Tour Reviews  page 69

  • UNESCO Sites of Albania
    (5/5) Susan Cleary May 10, 2024

    Amazing!

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    My friend and I did the UNESCO Albania tour (self guided)and it exceeded all our expectations.

    The routes were breathtaking. Riding through the mountains, even in the rain,
    I felt like we were in a virtual reality ride.

    Our tour guide, Aldo was fantastic.
    Every morning he checked our bikes and made sure we had everything we needed. He would also be seen in the hotels mornings and evenings helping serve meals and drinks.

    The sag driver, Fitim, was wonderful too.
    He would wash bikes after rainy days, make sure we had water and occasionally give a whistle if we happened to take a wrong turn and he was in the vicinity.

    The hotels were great with one exception, however, the others certainly made up for it especially the first and last night.

    Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
    Thank you Aldo and Fitim!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 19
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube Discovery
    (5/5) Kathy May 10, 2024

    Nice trip! We had a really good time.

    · · Danube Discovery: Pedaling from Germany to Austria

    We've done numerous bike trips around Europe but wanted to try a bike and boat this time. It's not a deluxe trip, but exceeded our expectations. The Prinzessin Katharina is older, but very well maintained, with traditional style decor. We had stayed in Passau the night prior and the taxi ride to the harbor was quick and easy. We had an upper level cabin, which was compact but had space to move around and decent storage. I peaked into the main deck cabins as well, which were laid out a little differently but seemed about the same size, with maybe a little less closet space. Don't excpect many outlets for charging your devices, as there are only a couple in the cabin. There is also a restaurant and a lounge with a bar on the upper deck. The sun deck is spacious, with lots of loungers, tables and chairs, and some covered space for shade.
    There is assigned seating in the dining room for the whole trip. Most of the passengers were German speaking, but they made a good effort to put English speaking guests at the same table. Breakfast was a pretty standard buffet, with breads, pastries, fruits and juices, as well as a few warm dishes with eggs, sausage, bacon. They also let you pack a lunch from the buffet choices. The dinner menu had 3 or 4 entree choices each night, along with a couple of starters and a couple of desserts. The food, while not gourmet, was very good. No beverages were included, so you had to pay even to have water with your dinner. There is a good selection of wine and cocktails available from the bar. Coffee and tea were provided at breakfast.
    The daily meetings to provide info on the next day's route were useful, with separate meetings provided for German and English. As expected, the bike routes kept mostly to dedicated bike paths or segregated bike lanes along roads. You rarely have to deal with much traffic, and the route is generally very easy to follow. The rental bikes provided were quite good, and comfortable.
    We only did one of their optional tours, going up to Schloss Greinburg in Grein. On a day when the schloss is normally closed, the tour company was able to arrange this tour, and we enjoyed it.
    What really made the trip so good was the crew and all of their efforts. The dining room and bar servers, housekeeping, the front desk staff, and the deck crew responsible for loading and unloading all the bikes were all outstanding, friendly and helpful. Our cruise director Monica did a great job keeping eveything running smoothly.
    We enjoyed our trip despite some unseasonably cold, rainy and windy weather part of the time. We're looking forward to planning another bike and boat trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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
    • Prinzessin Katharina arriving in Grein (photo by Kathy)
    • View from Schloss Greinburg (photo by Kathy)
    • One of the manysmall towns where you can take a break (photo by Kathy)
    • Sun deck (photo by Kathy)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Portugal's Atlantic Coast
    (5/5) Katherine (Kate) Karlson May 11, 2024

    Memorable and recommended!

    · Portugal's Atlantic Coast

    Fantastic trip! 197 miles on the hybrid route with e-bikes. Hotels were all top notch and included buffet breakfast was a treat. Recommend wet weather gear if going early season. Skip the gps but bring an external battery pack. Bike tour staff were fantastic and extremely helpful. If you stay in Sintra I recommend you leave as early as possible o avoid the tour buses and other traffic.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    •  (photo by Katherine (Kate) Karlson)
    •  (photo by Katherine (Kate) Karlson)
  • Bike through bustling Bruges
    (5/5) Mary Stavrou May 12, 2024

    What a great tour!

    · Bruges City Bike Tour

    Our tour guide was a seasoned local who shows his passion for his city of Bruges through his wealth of knowledge. We developed a great appreciation for the struggles of Bruges through its history, it beautiful architecture and the wonderful attractions happening today. Also his bikes are in perfect working order! He makes sure of it. No rattles!

  • UNESCO Sites of Albania
    (5/5) John Koester May 12, 2024

    Great Tour of Albania!

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    The guided tour of Albania was awesome. The cycling was really good, maybe a little harder than expected in the mountains. But well worth it. We climbed Llogara Pass which was an epic ride, followed by a 20 mile downhill.
    The food and accommodations were really super good. No complaints at all there.
    But what made the tour standout was our guide Arjan, and the van driver Enis. Those guys were great and we were all family right off the bat. They took good care of us every day we were with them. We can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Albania is a beautiful country with super cool people.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Albania
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Bike through bustling Bruges
    (5/5) Hazel Mackie May 12, 2024

    Such fun - the highlight of our stay

    · Bruges City Bike Tour

    Jos, our guide, was excellent - funny, knowledgeable, and a champion of his beautiful city. The cycle tour was the perfect way to orientate ourselves and learn some of the rich history of Bugges.

  • UNESCO Sites of Albania
    (5/5) Julane Anderson May 12, 2024

    Amazing tour!

    · UNESCO Sites of Albania

    An excellent introduction to the beauty and charms of Albania. Our guide, Arjan, and driver, Enes, went above and beyond to keep our group of 17 cyclists safe and comfortable. Family-style meals were delicious with a variety of foods chosen for us.
    I recommend arriving in Tirana one to two days before the start of the tour to experience the offerings of the capital and to learn about the country's history with communism. I also recommend that cyclists be familiar with riding with traffic and riding on different road surfaces. My husband and I were glad to have rented e-bikes as the promised climbs were challenging!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    10+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania
    •  (photo by Julane Anderson)
    •  (photo by Julane Anderson)
    •  (photo by Julane Anderson)
    •  (photo by Julane Anderson)
    •  (photo by Julane Anderson)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Medieval Villages of Catalonia
    (5/5) Ronald Sawyer May 13, 2024

    Beautiful countryside, impressive historical sights (and sites)

    · Medieval Villages of Catalonia

    Daniel and his crew were perfection when it came to organizing and helping with our self guided tour. Bicycling terrain and level exactly as promised.

    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
  • Danube Bike and Boat
    (5/5) DENNIS UMANZIO May 13, 2024

    Excellent bike and boat trip. Great Food.

    · · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals

    Great bikes. Good batteries. Ship is very nice, great crew, great food for breakfast and dinner and guide on ship was friendly.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
    •  (photo by DENNIS UMANZIO)
  • Camino de Santiago
    (5/5) Spencer Gold May 14, 2024

    Incredible variety and breathtaking views

    · Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela

    This trip follows the Camino trail from Porto to Santiago de Compostella which is a heavily trafficked by pilgrims, most of whom are walking. It was delightful to share the trail with them in May since it wasn't very busy or crowded yet. The trail itself is incredibly varied; it changes every 5 minutes and covers just about every terrain type you can think of including pavement, cobblestones of every size, gravel, packed dirt, single-track dirt, unridable rocks/boulders and tree-stumps (you have to walk your bike on those parts), mud, sand, boardwalks and sidewalks. It's very well marked and almost impossible to get lost, especially with the GPS device they give you (which is fantastic). There is quite a bit of climbing, so be prepared for that. Don't even think about using anything but a mountain bike on this trip. The cities and towns you go through are so beautiful, and the food was fantastic. The trail follows the coast for much of the distance, which is lovely. We got the 5-star hotel package. Only one of the hotels was a true 5-star hotel, but the others were 4-stars, and they were all pretty good. Not every town has a 5-star hotel nearby, of course. We're in our low- to mid-50s and found the trail manageable and fun the entire time, even when it rained.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May, 2024
    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?
    Portugal, Spain
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Discover the stunning region of Provence by bike!
    (5/5) David Brown May 15, 2024

    Magical Mystery Tour

    · Cycling Paradise of Provence - to and from Avignon

    Cycling around Provence is a wonderful experience. The countryside is exquisite and the towns magical.
    Our tour was perfectly organised. Our bikes were quality and were delivered to our hotel on time with a thorough explanation on how to use the ebike. Our tour organiser met us to make sure we had everything we needed for our self guided cycling three days. She was very thorough and lovely.
    We had great weather which always helps. The maps they provided are amazing. You pretty much avoid all main roads and cycle on picturesque little pathways and side roads. We felt very safe. Was a magical experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    1 now
    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?
    France
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Aegean Discovery: Cycling through Eastern Crete
    (5/5) Donna Reyes May 15, 2024

    A wonderful way to see Crete!

    · Aegean Discovery: Cycling through Eastern Crete

    Crete is the star of the show, and the route allowed us to see so much of its beauty, charm, and culture! Our bikes were top quality and we were glad of battery power since Crete has many hills and a lot of wind. Early May was a perfect choice —weather mild and no summer crowds yet. All the hotels were placed well with great views and access to restaurants and sites. I don’t know if bikes are a common thing as some hotels were not sure where to store them but everyone was friendly and we figured it out. A couple of places we found gravel and an ascent combined that meant we pushed the bikes, but the next downhill with views of that big blue sea or lovely olive tree groves in the sun more than made up for it. Be ready to hunt for the hotel a little from the endpoint if the navigation, but as the day in Crete, “it’s fine, no problem!”

    Countries included in this tour?
    Greece
    •  (photo by Donna Reyes)
    •  (photo by Donna Reyes)
    •  (photo by Donna Reyes)
    •  (photo by Donna Reyes)
  • Discover unmissable Vienna by bike
    (5/5) David Musielewicz May 16, 2024

    Wonderful Vienna tour

    · Classic Vienna Bike Tour

    Very good tour. Well led. Thoughtful & thorough explanation of old city. Excellent presentation of history of one of worlds great empires.

  • Algarve Coastal Route
    (5/5) Margaret Penner May 16, 2024

    Beyond Expectations

    · Algarve Coastal Route

    Everything was efficient and effortless. We just had to focus on biking and route. Hotels were all lovely with wonderful breakfasts and welcoming hosts. We had no bike issues and all staff were on time and informative.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Thomas Mitchell May 18, 2024

    Well planned. No problems at all.

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    The e-bikes are a game changer for older people. Ours were perfectly maintained. They might have been new. The upscale hotels were excellent; a couple of them were beyond excellent. The towns we visited were charming and friendly. We would have spent an extra day in most of them if we had the trip do over. We had perfect weather but we understand that is highly unusual in early May. Our bags were moved reliably.
    I recommend a phone holder if you want to use the excellent app for directions. When it's in the provided waterproof handlebar pack, glare makes it very difficult to see, and accessing it is a hassle.
    The directions don't guide you all the way to your hotel. We used Google Maps for the final directions.
    Overall it was a great trip for us.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (5/5) Sue Larson May 18, 2024

    Exceptional Way to Experience the Glories of Portugal!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Our week spent on bikes in Portugal was a dream come true! Every detail was taken care off. The bikes were superlative, the accommodations were great, the food and beverages were yummy, and most especially, our guide Manuel and his assistant Joana, did a magnificent job of leading our small group, and introducing us to various aspects of the region’s culture. Their upbeat personalities, joyful spirits, and skillful knowledge made us feel so welcomed, informed, and valued. The rides were fabulous and this week will live in our memories and hearts for the rest of our days. Two thumbs way, way up!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    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?
    Portugal
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Loire a Velo
    (5/5) Adrian Gnyra May 18, 2024

    Fabulous experience

    · Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic

    The trip allowed us to connect with the French culture … all the hotels and meals exceeded our expectations

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) Ian Bailie May 18, 2024

    A great ride along the Danube

    · Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)

    The bike tour was very well organised. The bike collection was easy and the information provided was comprehensive and easily followed. The app directing us on the route made for easy riding. The upscale hotels were mostly great. It was a great experience to ride the Danube to Vienna. Thoroughly recommended.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Discover unmissable Vienna by bike
    (5/5) David Musielewicz May 19, 2024

    Great tour!

    · Classic Vienna Bike Tour

    Wonderful way to see Vienna. Very well organized. Great tour guide. You won't regret this tour

  • Split to Dubrovnik
    (5/5) Kenneth Gresham May 19, 2024

    Beautiful Croatia

    · Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia

    The bike tour company is first class. Toni’s group is very organized and responses quickly to any request or question. The hotels that we stayed in were 4 star as promised and beautiful. My wife and I highly recommend this tour.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia