Bike Tour Reviews page 130
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★★★★★ MominBC July 11, 2017Wine Country Tour
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Much better than expected, we did the self guided option. Pick up was on time, the bikes were great and the route map and directions were easy to follow.
Most roads were quiet and the hotels selected were superb. It was unforgettable and I will definitely do another one with this tour group.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 18-25, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Algarve July 9, 2017Algarve Road Trip
· Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
Cycling through the Algarve was outstanding. What a perfect place to tour by bike. The people are kind and the scenery is outstanding. The challenge of riding made the trip better than I expected. Every day was different scenery and terrain. The accommodations were fabulous. I wish we had planned to stay longer. Thank you BikeTours.com for making this so memorable and easy to take the trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 25 to July 2
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ alicia July 7, 2017A great bike ride
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
My husband and I took this ride in late June 2017 as we were in the region for a wedding. It was an absolutely fantastic way to see a beautiful part of the world. The towns were charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people friendly. This trip is definitely not well-suited for anyone who is looking for a heavy dose of nightlife as the towns along the route are all fairly small. Think villages and ski towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- 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
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★★★★★ Laird July 5, 2017Stunning scenery!
· Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
This trip was so beautiful! Our start in Krimml was so scenic with a portion of the waterfall visible from our hotel window! Zell am See was gorgeous. Our cycling days were filled with constant wonder and beauty. The bike paths were easy to cycle on. My one suggestion is to review the directions before you get to the outskirts of your destination as it can sometimes be confusing. The hotels were comfortable and the food was good. I would definitely recommend this trip!
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★★★★★ djmeissner13 June 30, 2017Perfect Family Trip!
· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
Our family had an amazing experience. With 2 boys (13 & 15) the distance was easily manageable, and we could focus on the "travel experience" and not just getting there. My first experience with a bike tour company was a good one. Great hotels, good service, super nice people along the route. BikeTours even switched out a malfunctioning bike for us mid-trip. Tour materials were very easy to follow and super helpful. Great memories for sure.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Nathan June 30, 2017Great trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
The tour was a lot of fun. Location was great. Tour operator was very helpful. Hotels were wonderful. Only problem was that it was very hot. Probably best before June as weather is unpredictable. We had bad luck of a heat wave and riding in 100 degree heat was hard and made us rush through some of the middle towns. This was a shame as local people were very kind and towns were interesting and filled with a lot of history. Would be a perfect Spring time ride. The second to last day is very hard as is one earlier climb but overall a great trip. We plan on doing one of the other tours offered by this operator in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 11-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ peyster June 30, 2017I am 68, don't bike much, and loved the experience.
· Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
The tour was all that I had hoped for.
I picked this tour in part because I am 68 years old and, because of where I live, don't bike much. I went self guided partly so as to not hold up a group. As it turned out the riding was no problem. The longest day was 50 K, and while there were some hills, nothng arduous. So my main consideration turned out not to be an issue and everything else was fantastic.
The highlights, apart from the scenery, were the accommodations, the food, and the guys who ran the tour. The places we stayed, especially the Grand Anna Hotel, were outstanding. The breakfasts and food we ate on the way were what you would expect in Hungary: and since we were riding, we felt free to eat all we wanted. The tour operators were like friends or family; they couldn't do enough.
My wife fell ill on the fourth riding day - not sure why, but those things happen when you travel and eat and drink freely. The host who would normally transport the baggage took her and her bike to the last two hotels and also took her to a doctor and got her a priscription.
The biking might be too easy for someone more fit than I, but we were given good maps and could have explored all of the countryside we desired.
We flew to Budapest five days before the tour started and took the train to Veszprem. Budapest merits at least that much time, and getting the train is a piece of cake.
I don't make many good decisions, but taking this tour was one of my best- What was the date of your tour?
- June 4, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two and RAGBRAI
- 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?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ Ellen June 30, 2017Everything We Dreamed Of!
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
This bike tour was perfect in every way. The guide was helpful, friendly, knowledgeable and fun! The food was superb, the hotels delightful, and the scenery was amazing. We rode mostly on smaller, off-the-beaten-track roads - some paved, some gravel - which was easy on the hybrid Trek bikes. Each day brought new vistas, small cafes in tiny villages, and great camaraderie among the travelers. It was very hot when we did this trip, but we stopped often which, for us, made the trip even better as we got to really see and experience each place along the way. I would say that this tour is not for the novice bike rider, as some of the climbs in the mountains were challenging but it was exactly what we had hoped for - lots of smooth, flat and lots of uphill into the scenic old villages of the Alpilles and in Luberon. Some training is suggested for the long days in the saddle or if you go during the hottest part of the summer. Overall, this trip was exactly what we dreamed of!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 17-24
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ CamL June 29, 2017Excellent cycle tour
· · Bruges – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Such a great way to experience a country! Easy cycling with great sights and experiences. The group wasn't too big, the boat was comfortable and the food was healthy and delicious. The guide kept us moving along excellent trails and he found good places for us to lunch. All the sights he stopped at were very interesting.
(Would like to add a photo but can't)
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 10-17 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ RegW June 29, 2017Fabulous family trip.
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
We had a group age 9 - 60 that thoroughly enjoyed this trip. You have two separate hotels where you stay for two nights each which made for a relaxing vacation. We had no problems with bikes, luggage or accommodations. The local tour company was very professional and the maps and GPS quite thorough. Make sure you know when lunch is in the area as we missed the mark once or twice and arrived for an American lunch hour to find it was siesta time. Also, you might want to verify sea views. The local tour company tries to ensure them but we arrived on a very busy week and it was a problem for our three in one room. The suggestions from Lucy (the local tour operator) were very good and she checked on us a couple of times during the trip because there was a heat wave happening that week. The sights, food and people of Spain were marvelous and I would highly recommend this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Andrew June 29, 2017Another fabulous trip on the Danube
· Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
2nd time we have done this trip, this time with 9 family members including 4 children. Fabulous trip with good bikes, excellent directions and supplementary materials. Beyond all that, however, some very special and appreciated treatment by tour provider. A 12 year old grandson sustained a broken arm next to last day (at playground, not on bike). The bike company arranged to pick up him and his mother and their bikes the next morning and transport them to Vienna (our last stop). Very special and very much appreciated.
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★★★★★ Bike June 28, 2017Beutiful
· Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
Was a beautiful and amazing experience, ride around the Mosel river and arrive to hatel to hotel and town to town every day was a great sensation. Was our firts time in Germany and we really like this way to travel :) Biking:)
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 8 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- just this
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ New Yorkers June 27, 2017Good variety, just enough challenge, 2 amazing cities
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
We really enjoyed this trip — this was our first guided tour. Overall, it was a comfortable pace, a few big hills but lots of flat areas, and plenty of stops.
Most of the riding was on paved bike paths, but some bits were on roads with cars, where the guides kept everyone safe and comfortable. Some of the riding was on dirt roads, but this was only a challenge one time, when the road was muddy and slightly uphill. Climbing big hills was always rewarded with amazing views & castles. Our group did all of the challenges, even if they had to walk and push their bikes up part of the hill. It was fine with everyone, and no one took advantage of the van (but you can if you want).
The route took us along the rivers, through small picturesque villages and towns, farmland and forests. The poppies were in bloom when we went, in early June. We took quick ferry rides across the river a few times, which was fun.
The biking started around 9am after a big breakfast. There were plenty of stops, snacks at the van by the side of a road, and coffee at a nice cafe in a beautiful town square. We would usually get to the hotel around 5-6pm and dinner was around 7pm. There was one day with less riding, where we had the option of spending the afternoon visiting the “Bohemian Switzerland National Park” (in the Czech Republic) or spending the time in Bad Spandau — a nice town on the river with hot baths and spa and cafes. We hiked and it was gorgeous.
All of the guides were Czech, and spoke English, some were fluent. They helped translate in restaurants and hotels when needed. They gave us lots of info about sites along the way. One was a “physical geographer” and had lots facts about the geology of the area. We had discussions about the communist history of both Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany. One guide would ride with us, and one drove the van, and they switched off every day. They were professional, polite, always willing to help — no request was too big or too small. They had funny Czech senses of humor.
The accommodations were different each night, ranging from very fancy to basic, but always located in a beautiful historic town. Lunch and dinner locations were well chosen, the food was always good. We had lots of local specialties, and tried the local beers and wines. There was a vegetarian and a gluten-free person in our group, and their needs were accommodated.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 3, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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★★★★★ JW25 June 27, 2017Loire Valley Self Guided Bike Tour
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
The trip was so interesting with beautiful scenery and good weather.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 29/17 to June 8/17
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Maria June 26, 2017What an adventure!
· Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov
What a gorgeous country the Czech Republic is. It was fantastic cycling through this incredibly varied and lush countryside with 7 friends. Navigating had it's challenges and we got lost daily as sometimes the directions were off but our crew of navigators prevailed and got us to our final destination every day where we knew the beer would be cold and well deserved! There were lots of hills and we learned to love each and every one. We had some long hot days. Getting into town at days end and getting out of town the next morning were always challenging. Better signage would have made this easier. We used a lot of hand signals and met so many lovely people willing to stop and try to help us find our way. The terrain varies from beautiful wide shaded asphalt bike paths through national parks to narrow roads also used by cars to farmer's fields to gravel pathways. The combo mountain bike/road bike provided is ideal for this terrain. On the downside there was no real orientation once we arrived in Cesky Krumlov to understand the e-bikes some had or the GPS. We would have appreciated checking out the equipment before starting the tour so that we had the right size bike for each cyclist. Ave Tours did work closely with us to get us the right equipment eventually. Getting picked up in Mistelbach was the way to go rather than trying to cycle into Vienna. All in all it was an outstanding experience and adventure. It was really to our benefit to have experienced cyclists who'd been on previous cycling trips before to help us navigate our way through the country. I loved every minute of it. It was challenging but it is Level 3. Such an accomplishment. I think we are all really proud of ourselves! Thank you Bike Tours! Great memories have been made by the Czech Mates!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 12-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Czech Republic
-
★★★★★ Pierre June 23, 2017Best trip ever
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
Best way to see as much as possible in a day is on a bicycle. We choose the A grade hotels which was not necessary as the standard of hotels in general is very good, The A grade hotels were top class but we spent so little time at each hotel that the facilities offered could not always be full utilized. Half pension (diner included) was very good and relaxing after a day cycling. We found the 6 night tour ample time to complete the 300km round lake Constance. Tour operations went without a hitch and cycle worked perfectly. We have travelled alot and can confirm that this holiday was the best
- What was the date of your tour?
- 20 May to 26 May 2017
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Giro June 22, 2017Great ride and amazing archaeology
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
The routes have nice variety and excellent scenery. The hills are moderate. There are nice opportunities to swim on a couple of the stages. The cave at Kapsia and The sites at Mycenae and Epidavros are really great. The hotels were the best we have had on a bike tour. The Greek people are remarkably friendly. Finally, the Arcas company is great. The bikes were Treks, the nicest we have had on a tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 11
- 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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★★★★★ Le Buts June 21, 2017
Discovering the Natherlands
· · Bruges – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Excellent value, great tour, excellent food! We will gladly do another one of these small group tours one day. The group was a great size to give the opportunity to get to know each member of the group. Wonderful places and scenery.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10 - 17 June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ Richard 69 June 19, 2017Gute fahren... aber.....
· Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
Let me begin by saying that we have taken several European bike tours and the was by far the most scenic. The Alps in the backround, the farms, the lakes and the quaint villages and towns were absolutely breathtaking. However, there are some things you should know. This is a level three ride. Prior to this we had only done level two and the difference can be measured in light years. This was a very challenging ride on heavy rental bikes. We are experienced cyclists, however we are seniors and found ourselves walking our bikes up many, many hills.Also much of this ride is on public roads and there was traffic and the occasional piece of farm machinery. Although most of the roads were fairly quiet, many times we found ourselves on busy highways with very narrow shoulders. This was mentioned in the tour description but in my opinion it was somewhat glossed over. If we had it to do over again we would have inquired about upgrading to a more roadworthy bike or perhaps upgraded to the e-bike.
The tour company Eurobike provided us with maps and route directions, as well as placing stickers along the route to guide us. This is extremely important because this was a complicated route with many twists and turns. We both had some mechanical issues with our bikes and the company brought us new bikes in a very timely fashion. They also made excellent recommendations for lunch and dinner along the route and in the towns where we spent the night. I must say ate well on this ride. Also the hotels we stayed at along the way were excellent. Small friendly hotels with comfortable rooms and friendly staff.Each hotel provided us with a lovely buffet breakfast. Another point that gets glossed over in the tour description is the hike on the last day's ride. This is a very challenging 3K hike up and over a mountain. I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest.
In conclusion I would say that if you are an experienced cyclist and are looking for a challenge and some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe then this is the tour for you. If you are just a casual or occasional rider, then you might want to choose a less demanding ride.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 25 - 31 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Wendy June 15, 2017First bike tour & trip over seas!
· UNESCO Sites of Albania
A wonderful way to be immersed in Albanian culture, history, foods and drink! Guide was thoughtful, anticipated all our needs and was a wealth of information. Riding provided ample opportunity to experience changing topography and breath taking views. Wonderful meals of locally sourced foods. A great international group to ride, eat and relax with. This tour was outstanding!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This one only
- 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?
- Albania
