Bike Tour Reviews page 35
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
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★★★★★ Elaine Kubicki
Charming Coratia
The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike
This was my second bike trip with Bike Tours. My first was the Albania tour, which was fabulous! Overall, the Croatia trip was very satisfying, i.e. the yacht was very accommodating, the staff was very attentive and informative including the email personnel who answered questions before the trip, the new chef was great, the e-bikes worked well, the other vacationers made for pleasant exchanges, and the small ports and villages were charming to visit and the staff tours were interesting. On the other hand, there were things that kept this tour from being a 5 rating. My biggest concern was the additional costs, i.e., expected tips and bar/water bills that were not mentioned in the initial cost of the tour and were only made aware a few weeks before the tour and after the initial commitment and payment for the tour was made. Also, along with those concerns, I am curious as to why there was an extra charge for an e-bike when the trip is advertised as “The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike” and everyone rode an e-bike except two people who brought their own bikes? We also had problems mid-week with sewer gases in the bathrooms, which did get repaired within a day or two, and the air conditioning in the cabins worked well only one night out of 7, which made the cabin quite warm and damp. There were 34 bikers riding at the same time and on many more rocky gravel trails and busy highway/roads then I had expected and, at times, felt rather dangerous. However, as you noticed I still gave this tour a rating of 4, so, enough good outweighed to make it a satisfying trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Badger biker
Good ride with a couple of asterisks
Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
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★★★★★ ELHoo
A good first bike tour experience
Venice to Trieste and Istria
This was my first bike tour with a bike tour company, so I have nothing to compare it to. That said, it was pretty good. The person who presented the tour at our intro meeting was very nice and honest about what each day's route had in store for us. Bikes were OK, they suited the varied surfaces we rode on. The hotels varied from fine to nice. Luggage delivery was great. The towns we stayed at along the way all had something interesting about them. We were given an app, maps and cue sheets for navigation as well as arrow stickers along the route. We did not get lost, but I would suggest refreshing the faded arrows along the way. I would do another BikeTours.com tour.
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★★★★★ Gary61
Great trip with lots of positive experiences
Sparta and the Mediterranean Coast
This was a great way to see part of Greece. Because of the marathon from Athens to Sparta we had to stay in Misttriss which I thought was more romantic and authentic. Sparta had great Restuarants and the old ruins Sparta are a must to see.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10 or more
- 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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★★★★★ Ellen Hatfield
Great trip!
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This trip was a great way to explore the Chateaus of the Loire Valley. The trip was over nice roads and was very scenic. We were a returning group with experienced riders, so we had a lot of fun and traveled at a good pace. Our guide, Sam Taylor, really made the trip. He was fun, engaged with us, knew his stuff and can change a tire at a remarkable pace. He is a fantastic guide.
The only thing I would recommend is having the chateau tours included in the tour price. It was a real hassle having to get tickets for a large group at the site. I guess I thought the tickets were included in the tour. We had someone from our group pay for the tickets, but then we had to do a money exchange everyday which was a pain.
I also thought some wine was included but we could get more if we wanted. We paid for- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Bubbles
Good bike tour, great scenery, with caveats and NOT a level 2 difficulty
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
This tour benefits from some spectacularly gorgeous scenery, two unique and fascinating cities, and the excellent bike support staff (they were prompt in communicating and resolving equipment problems). Cyclists need to be aware of some of the drawbacks, too. The difficulty rating for this trip is misleading. It is NOT a level 2; it is definitely at least a level 3. I did a level 2 ride the week before, and a level 4 ride the week after, and this ride was closer to the 4 than the 2. The elevation maps provided appear to be inaccurate (day 2 was at least as hilly as day 1). Cycling expectations, and therefore preparations, matter. The on-route directional sign postings are usually present (kudos), but quite small and easy to overlook. Then, unfortunately, there were some things that detracted from the experience that cannot be fixed by the tour operator: inconsiderate auto drivers, very rough pavement in many places (patches upon patches and big, deep potholes), and a truly remarkable amount of litter (garbage, discarded washing machines and refrigerators, cans, bottles) that mars large swaths of the route in otherwise very scenic countryside. We cycled in the shoulder season, and some coastal in the far south towns were nearly closed down, but the traffic was also nearly absent. All things considered, it was a positive experience and worthwhile, but it doesn’t compare favorably to other equally beautiful trips.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 6, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Ellen Ruth Johnson
Great cycling, good people!
Founder's Tour: Turkey and Greece E-Bike & Boat tour
Everything about the trip was excellent with the exception of the cabins on the “Love Boat.” Please see my previous review.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October2923
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
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★★★★★ Elizabeth Denniston
Spectacular
Cycling the West Balkan Triangle
An amazing way to see the most stunning scenery. I had no idea what each day would bring, and the trip unfolded as one magical day after another.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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★★★★★ Ptowntraveller
Great Tour!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Wonderful easy first time bike tour. Flat scenic route with lots to explore along the way. Hotels were all good and very different, only downside was that it was REALLY hot when we were there and there was no air conditioning and some rooms had no cross ventilation.
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★★★★★ Emily Hyde
Fun trip but bikes too heavy
Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne
All aspects of the trip were very well organized. The packet we were given was great. We had a problem with one of our bikes, and had a new one the next day! The tour company did a good job with helping when needed. Each hotel we stayed at knew we were coming. Check in was always smooth. Even though we arrived early each day, the hotels were very accommodating and our room was always ready. They all were prepared for our bike storage as well.
We wished we would have covered more mileage each day. Other than scenery, there wasn't much to do in some of the towns, so we would have liked to have covered more mileage. The last day was only a twelve mile ride, which was disappointing. That distance is covered in no time at all on an e-bike. We checked in to our hotel by 1 pm each day. Unfortunately for us it rained everyday except the last, so we didn't meander around as we hoped, we made it as fast as we could to each location. It took us about 3 1/2 hours each day to cover the distance we were supposed to ride. We probably would have stopped along the way had the weather been better.
Hotels:
Again, ALL were accommodating. Staff at every location welcomed us warmly!
The Hotel Ermitage in Schonreid was truly exceptional in each and every aspect. Will be going back one day! Wish we could have had our rest day there! The Gruyere Hotel staff went above and beyond. They welcomed us with hot cocoa when they saw how wet and cold we were. One of our group twisted their ankle, they helped with what we needed. They contacted the bike company for us with picking up one of the bikes that wasn't working. We also sent our bikes instead of riding because of the rain and they helped us arrange that.
We were very disappointed in the Seegarten Marina Hotel in Spiez. It was definitely not up to the quality of our other hotels. The room was incredibly small, as was the bathroom. We should have been given the option of two rooms in that hotel. We had three people with us on this trip, and it was the only time it was really uncomfortable. The third person slept on an actual cot. Unfortunately, it was also our "rest day," so we had two nights at that hotel. We were given the hotel list about two weeks prior to our trip. Perhaps a list of hotels ahead of time would be nice. It would have give us the option of making plans for things to do at each location, especially on the rest day.Bikes: Although we wondered before our trip about the mileage we would be covering, that, we found, was of no concern on an e-bike.
Didn't need to train, or get ready to sit for a long time on the seat each day. Those ended up not being an issue at all. The BIG issue was the weight of the bike. All three of us felt we would probably never do one of these tours again-completely because of the bike. We had rented e-bikes in the states before we came. Totally different. Your bikes were very, very heavy. We felt off-balance on the bike--ie--couldn't look back on the bike for fear of falling. Two of us did fall(just lots of bruising.). We all thought that should be mentioned somewhere in your literature. SHOW MOREA couple other items:
The funicular station in Vevey said "no bikes". So, we started riding them. Big mistake. We rode--well, walked, our bikes up one of the steepest sections of the trip. Send your bikes whenever it says to do so. Makes a big difference in your day!The timing of the chocolate factory wasn't great. Although it probably was the last timed ticket for the day, we missed the bus, which only came hourly, and had to take a $50 cab ride to make it there on time. This was the only day we got into town late (didn't use the funicular! and got lost)
The directions were good on the open road. Not as great in the city. Was usually hard to navigate from the hotel out of the city.
Rest day would be good in a different city. Not much to do in Spiez.
Would probably have been a wonderful trip if we saw the Alps, and the bikes were lighter!
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Switzerland
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★★★★★ Emily Magnavita
Great trip
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Trip was great, however, there was lack of communication with the company as far as planning logistics. Directions were unclear and sometimes incorrect, got lost on the route multiple times due to lack of information and description in the directions.
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★★★★★ Emmanuel
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Excellent trip around the Danube, with plenty of sights and lovely lodging. Sadly tainted by really bad weather (4 days of storm and heavy rain) at the end of May.
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★★★★★ Barbara
Beautiful country with lots to see and do
Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
Slovenia ranks as one of my favorite countries to cycle. Friendly, hard working people. Roads are in great condition ( minus a few construction zones due to recent flooding), and the routes offered are interesting and varied. From high mountain vistas and zigzagging descents to flat bike trails along the sea, each day brought a new adventure to the senses. We enjoyed getting off the bikes to explore caves, castles, waterfalls, and towns. Most of us opted to cycle and climb the first day to the high plateau of Pokljuka. It actually seemed like an easier climb than the second day to the high plateau of Jelovica. Two people used the shuttle the first day and were not particularly pleased at where they were let off on the route. Had they known better, they would have also cycled to Pokljuka with us. (they were on electric bikes).
The hotels were good. Regardless of the size of rooms, the beds were comfortable and the breakfasts were bountiful and varied. The hotel in Ljubljana was a 45 minute walk to the city center, but it allows one to see the sites and restaurants along the way. We downloaded the maps on our devices and they were adequate for navigation. It was helpful to have 3 navigators in our group of 8 people.
Bikes that we used were hybrid ones. They were a definite plus with all the climbing involved with this tour. Sometimes, the small towns we entered had short ascents of 10-12% grade, so it was helpful to have the low gears to pop into. There were a few problems with the bikes. One of the hybrids was not in good condition for riding and was replaced before we started our tour. It was helpful to have the bikes at the hotel the night before ( Day 1) so we could adjust and test ride the bikes. The one electric bike had a problem the first day while riding the hills. It was discovered that a sensory cable was not connected after going to a local bike shop to have it looked at after the second day of riding.
Bike Tours, the company, there were some problems with communication regarding bike choices. There were problems with obtaining the bikes that were unnecessarily stressful. Overall, they were good enough to use, and eventually the issues were resolved. Also, I'm not a big fan of putting a 75% deposit down 9 months before the tour date which is unusual from the other 6 self guided tours that I've done. Make sure to read the fine print regarding the tour. Extra luggage other than one piece is charged extra. Also, we opted to find our own transport options to and from airports/towns, which were cheaper than what is offered. Staying a night in Kranj after our arrival from Ljubljana airport, before going the next day to Bled, worked out wonderfully.
Discovering the Best of Slovenia was a treat. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is adventurous and curious. The food, the culture, the people, and the sites were incredible! SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- many
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Kathy D
MIghty Dolomity
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Truly enjoyed the trip. Great bike paths for most of the route. Beautiful scenery and great overnight stays. A few hotels didn't have air conditioning but that is not unusual in this part of the world. Unfortunately, Europe is experiencing a very hot summer in 2022. We greatly enjoyed the route and all there was to see and do along the way. The bikes were not what we had expected. Very heavy, more like a beach bike w 21 gears. If you take this trip and are used to a better bike, as we are, upgrade the bike you use. Very difficult riding these very heavy bikes up some of the hills. We took a train on Day 3 for a break - mostly because of the bikes. Saving grace - the train system is fantastic and they all have capacity for bikes at a minimal cost. The app was very good once we figured out how to use it. Would have been helpful if FunActive Tour Company had given us some instruction on how to use it prior to us departing.
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★★★★★ NewbieBiker
Great vacation!
Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Excellent way to see the Austrian countryside. Really enjoyed cycling thru each little town. The cycling was very easy with only a couple of hills during the entire week. There were a couple of times when we were on a very busy road for a short period of time, maybe a Kilometer or less but the drivers there are very accustom to cyclists. Most of the time was either on a designated bike path or country road with very few cars. The food on the boat was very good. The staff was very kind to tell us places to go or their favorite restaurant. Make sure to stop at some of the cafes while cycling and have a Knodel or other local delicacies. Don’t be intimidated by the distances to ride each day. We have never ridden more that 5 miles but found it very easy to bike the distance each day. I do recommend either biking shorts or a memory foam seat cover if you are not used to riding all day. Also recommend not getting a cabin on the bottom deck as the windows don’t open. Our only complaint was that the person giving the daily briefings on the routes was not very friendly and a couple of times the route wasn’t clearly marked. The rest of the staff was excellent.
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★★★★★ Donald Allen
Improvisation on the river
Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Due to the flooding of the Elbe river much of the bike pass was under water. The tour company rep, Lukas, did it wonderful job of working out a route for us each day. Unfortunately we had to bike some of our journey on busy highways, there just was no other way. Everything went smoothly, no small matter with the situation at hand, and we were again pleased with our trip. Looking forward to our next adventure with Bike Tours.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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★★★★★ Damon Di Florio
Fun Way To See Europe
Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Nice routes to get to each hotel, plenty of time to add in any extras, lots of pretty towns and villages along the way. Great breakfasts each morning at the hotels, very comfortable beds to sleep in and just enjoyable riding each day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first self guided (solo) tour but have done 4 European group tours
- 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, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Dan1
With the Dolomites as your splendid background, ride through ancient towns until you reach the unique watery world of Venice.
Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Highly recommend getting to Bolzano early so you have time to spend a day visiting the Italian Alps. The Dolomite Highway is awe-inspiring.
The bike trails were great. Mostly paved, and when they weren't, the majority were well packed. The tour route goes through picturesque countryside. The daily destinations are beautiful and historical.
The tour includes a 5+ hour ferry ride on Lake Garda. It is a gorgeous ride with the ferry zigzagging down the 35 mile length of the lake. Feels like you are in a National Geographic special. A couple of other recommended "must do's" - visit the Scrovegni Chapel in Padova and take in an opera at the Roman Arena in Verona.
Girolibero was our tour company. They provide great tour book of entire area and towns on route. However, they give it to you (along with bikes) the morning that the tour starts which allows little or no time to really utilize the great information. It would be much better if they provided a month earlier so you have time to research in advance. Should also provide bikes the prior evening so you can get up and leave earlier in the morning.
Some of the directions along the route could have been marked better. We followed other tour companies' markers more often because Girolibero's were fewer and far between. The bikes were excellent. In great shape and mechanically solid with smooth shifting.
We paid for the upgraded hotels. However, a few of them were in sketchy areas; like near train stations.
I don't mean to sound negative. Overall, it was a great trip and very glad we did it. Only offering suggestions to make the tour even better for future riders.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 26-31
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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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★★★★★ Annej
Deep immersion in foothills of the Bavarian Alps
Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
Did this tour in the fall when it was too cool to swim. Lots of beautiful scenery of Bavarian farm life. Loved the charming local inns. Needed more guidance on what to see along the routes. The Eurobike arrows made it easy to trace the route. At times the route was very rough- gravel- but bikes had front suspension which helped.
Biggest suggestion is to inform us what days local markets are scheduled and when hotel restaurants as well as those recommended, are closed. one night we had to bike 30 minutes in the dark to find food. The hotel was too isolated.
In Augsburg it was extremely inconvenient to be at a hotel so far from train station. We did appreciate having our request to meet at our hotel honored.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 20-28
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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