Bike Tour Reviews page 44
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★★★★★ Damon Di Florio July 3, 2024Fun 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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★★★★★ Thomas Albrecht July 3, 2024Well designed route
· Highlights of Flanders: Belgium’s History, Art, Nature & Cuisine
Really enjoyed these great cities of Flanders, which I had not visited before. The route was complicated, but the combination of the printed maps and the Garmin kept us confidently on track. Had a few pretty hot days, but I believe that should be fairly rare for this route. Hotels were interesting and nice, with good variety. Overall, having taken several tours now with Bike Tours, I think I prefer more rural routes with smaller towns and villages, although I’m sure many others are very happy with the bigger cities. Much of the route was on bike trails, but in the bigger cities, bike trails along major streets have tons of bike traffic, so vigilance is a constant necessity. Quality of bikes was excellent, with no problems. Overall, a good trip!
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★★★★★ Sandra Babich May 25, 2023Great Trip
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
This was a perfect way to see parts of Austria, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia. Everything is very well organized and there is the freedom to leave the boat and cycle at own pace following the well laid out bike trails. The food on the boat was very good, staff were very courteous and always helpful, and our room was clean. We added extra time to our trip in Vienna because there is so much to see. Would also be a good idea for Budapest. Even though we had a considerable amount of rain and some flooding on our trails it was still a great adventure and enjoyable trip. Our boat was recently renovated and that was a bonus.
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★★★★★ Geri Lincoln May 25, 2023Wonderful trip
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
We had an amazing time, our accomodations were eclectic and diverse which we appreciated. Tour book was well researched and informative. The ground handler that gave us our bikes was not very well informed and did not give any options, tools or advise for fitting the bikes correctly, we had no issues but some others, especially those on ebikes were not well served. GPS routing would be an excellent addition to the books provided. Hotel Donauschlinge seemed to be having a bad day and the restaurant staff was obviously rude to those of us without German language skills. All in all, very well done. Having only two experiences that were less than perfect for an 8 day tour is a job well done!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Dantzel Crane May 28, 2023Beautiful sights, okay directions
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
We absolutely loved our trip to Italy! It was such a treat to be able to be outside and spend significant time in the Italian countryside, seeing the beauty that is there. My only critique is that often times the directions were a bit difficult to follow. It might just be that I am unfamiliar with the Italian road system, but there were several times where we needed to check the map that was given to us by the tour company against Google maps to make sure that we were in the right place and hadn’t missed a significant turn. Otherwise, the hotels were fine but nothing special (we did not pay for upgraded hotels), the bikes were great, and we loved our time in Italy so much!
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Janice Guimond May 31, 2023Loving Greece!
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
We had a really good tour. We love the self-guided approach, so that we can go at our own pace. The RideWithGPS app worked very well, and the turn-by-turn directions on it were excellent. We really appreciated the excellent restaurant recommendations (the food was SO good). The mix of scenery and culture were what we were seeking. The only reason I give this 4* instead of 5* is the issue of dogs. We were given a safety briefing and told how to deal with aggressive dogs, and that worked mostly, as long as we had time to react. There is a dog between Piana and Tripoli that raced out (with two other dogs) and I had no time to react and was bit on my leg. The bite broke the skin so I had to go to the hospital to get antibiotics and a tetanus shot. One of the other riders on the same itinerary was also bit by the very same dog! In Tripoli, we spoke to some locals who said, "we know that dog." So, this is a known issue, yet apparently no one has addressed it. One other rider on our itinerary got bit on a different day, by a different dog. So, that's 3 of 9 of us that got bitten. If not for the dog problem, this would be an excellent tour. As is, I still recommend it, but feel that riders should be aware of this issue. We had some very special interactions with locals, enjoyed the small towns along the route, LOVED Nafplio, and it was really fun to have three nights in Nafplio so that we didn't have to pack up our things as much. The bikes were very good. We didn't have any mechanical issues r flats, and the helmets were good (with visors). Things were organized well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
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★★★★★ Gib Egge May 31, 2023Nice, albeit very different, sequel to the Passau-Vienna ride.
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
We did the Passau-Vienna ride a few years back and wanted to keep going! This ride is a bit different, but still well worth the trip. Days are not difficult. Even the first (longest day) was not a problem for any of us. Flying into Vienna, we had time to settle in before the meeting with the vendor to go over travel documents and receive our bikes. Note that tourist tax is still due at check in, we were notified by this so no surprise. Some had to share a double bed as they didn't have enough two single rooms at the hotel in Vienna even though we requested one. The remainder of the hotels all had our rooms with two beds. Upon receiving or travel documents and bikes, there were a number of issues (bikes too big, squishy front suspension forks, lack of locks, no cycling computer) with the bikes that were addressed and fixed either on-site or in the next 24 hours. Two bikes were a bit too big and the riders used them for the first leg and got their smaller bikes in Bratislava. Apart from that, all 12 of or bikes worked well for the duration of our ride. All hotels met or exceeded expectations. Breakfasts all surpassed the standard continental breakfasts here in the states. We purchased the dinner package as well and all meals were filling and complemented the destination. One of our riders was a vegan and most places were able to deliver him a suitable meal. Only real issue was upon arriving in Bratislava, we were told by our hotel that they didn't have rooms for us, and that the company booked us other rooms elsewhere. I it was a bit of a challenge getting there as it involved bringing bikes up flights of stairs, but the substitute hotel was nice, returned to the overbooked one for our dinner. With the exception of one day, our bags were at the hotel before us. The ride was a bit different each day. Though it doesn't follow the Danube entirely like the Passau-Vienna ride, you do get some time along the river. Most of the towns were what you would expect traveling through the European countryside. A nice church, or castle here or there. Bike trails part of the time, trails that paralleled roads and then roads. Most of the terrain is in good condition with the exception of a section of the bike path before Esztergom which took some time to get through. Few hills or changes in elevation. The busy roads were the chief complaint from the group. Not many during the beginning but the last two days of the ride were a bit stressful for some. If you are comfortable with road riding, you will be fine. Often times, away from the capitals, we encountered clerks, and wait staff that didn't speak any English so have a good translation app or patience to communicate. Most of us liked this we really felt like travelers and not tourists. Navigational materials were excellent. The app that the company provided was helpful with keeping us on trail the whole time, and the printed maps were additionally helpful. I would recommend this ride if you have already done there Passau-Vienna ride and are looking for more. Off to plan the next one! SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Hungary
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★★★★★ ELHoo May 31, 2023A 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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★★★★★ Christine Comi June 1, 2023Lovely look at rural Italy
· Florence to Rome: Bike through the Heart of Italy
Of the tour group of 15 people, only 3 of us spoke English. We didn't know this tour was actually being executed by Rotalis, a German touring company. It was still a wonderful experience but not what we were expecting. Also, most of the group was using e-bikes. This meant that the cruising pace was much faster than I think it would have been if everyone was riding on their own power. I was one of 3 people riding on my own power and found it a real work out every day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20-27, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ John Hastie June 5, 2023Wonderful trip!
· A Taste of Italy: Emilia-Romagna
Evrything was great, but we didi have a couple of issues:
* The Garmin GPS unit was programed for an incorrect departure hotel. Destpite our attempts to join up with the route, it constantly told us we were off course. We ended up abandoning it and using google maps to get from point to point.
* Our hotel in Parma informed us that our reservation didn't include breakfast, which was unexpected.Other than that, the trip was wonderful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- many self-guided. two through tourig companies.
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Harry Dobrowolski June 9, 2023Best of Slovenia
· Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
11 days was perfect to enjoy the beautiful bike tour of Best of Slovenia. Food and Hotels had been outstanding. It’s worth to book hotel upgrades. Standard rooms are very small.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May/June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- more than 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Catherine Cram June 11, 2023Convenient Way to Explore!
· Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
We enjoyed our self-guided bike trip in the Dolomites, with great support from BikeTours.com. We appreciated the detailed route information and app support. My only complaint is that I would liked to have had a better bike to ride instead of the heavy, upright positioned bike provided. The bike didn't make the hills easy and it would have been more enjoyable to be on a lighter, more responsive bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 31st-June 6th, 2023.
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Karen Regin June 11, 2023
Beautiful Austria
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The upscale lodging is absolutely wonderful. There was only one property that did not exceed expectations. The contact in Europe was less satisfying. Directions were sometimes hard to interpret, we ended up with directions to one town when our lodging was in another town, and there was not any help with GPS directions. But the bikes were nice and the lodging choices excellent overall.
The bike paths are wonderful and the country is beautiful. We really enjoyed riding through the small towns and eating at local cafes. There is not much English anywhere so be prepared for that. Overall, we loved the trip! -
★★★★★ Carla Myers June 11, 2023Great Trip
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
This bike ride is one of our favorites, between the scenery and the options of some side trips during the ride and the wine tasting excursions. The crew was great. The only complaint was at dinner if you wanted anything to drink (even water, coffee & tea) you had to pay. Luckily the drink package was cheap, it was only good from 4pm to 11pm. Water, tea, juice and coffee were included at breakfast, we were on the road for lunch. They had everything you needed to make your sandwiches for lunch, including water, candy bars and fruit. Bring something to package your food.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 20, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Henk V June 15, 2023All the sights in 3 hours
Rome Highlights Bike Tour
My daughter and I took the tour with Allesandro as our guide. We only had one day in Rome and the bike tour was a perfect way to get the most out of our day. The bike shop is on a very pretty street with flowery vine plants covering the street over the power lines.
Allesandro is a biking enthusiast and he knows the city very well. Rome is quite busy but the route was mostly back streets without too much traffic (car or pedestrian). However, there were a few spots where we needed to be in traffic and the tour has a bit of climbing so I'm glad we took the e-bikes. The bikes were heavy but quality.
We got some great pictures at each stop on the way. It was only the three of us so we moved fairly quickly and didn't dawdle much at the sites. Allesandro offered to take us to a couple more spots beyond what the normal tour had but unfortunately it started raining.
I would easily recommend this tour, especially if you have limited time. And Allesandro was a nice guide for the tour. His English was 6/10 but he knew a lot and was very friendly. -
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★★★★★ Andrew Avramides June 16, 2023Great way to see Germany and Denmark off the beaten track
· Berlin – Copenhagen
Enjoyed the trip -some days were very long and so we caught the train to reduce the fatigue
The tour notes were very helpful to help us decide on the train option
We used the train twice but still cycled when we got the the town -this way we could enjoy the town
Some of the hotels were ordinary and I think they could be improved -
★★★★★ Mary Payne and Kimberly Leahy June 17, 2023Awesome until the last day!
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
My girlfriend and I did this trip on hybrid bikes in early June and it was a great trip. We are intermediate riders and have done lots of riding in Canada but this is our first bike trip. The hotels (Hotel Fernando 111, Parador Carson’s, Hotel Andalou, Parados Arcos de la Frontera, Hotel Villa Jerez, Parador Cadiz) were excellent, there was a nice mix of different biking routes/paths, some more challenging than others (because of the heat) and our luggage arrived at the hotels safely and promptly. Everything went as planned except on the last day of our ride, from Jerez to Cadiz, where the directions and roads in the guide book did not match the GPS . We got lost a few times as the directions were very confusing! We gave up when we got lost in San Fernando and decided to hop on the train for the last 10km of our journey.
Some suggestions :
*Better and bigger GPS
*Rewrite the instructions from Jerez to Cadiz
* more communication as there was no communication at all the minute we started the trip and nothing after the trip either.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- None
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Luis Ricardo June 18, 2023As good as expected
· Danube Bike Path 5-nights (Active)
Was an incredible experience. Good hotels and the path is easy to follow however a GPS is always recommended cycling the last mile. Next time I will choose an ebike.
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★★★★★ gerald murphy June 23, 2023Tauren bike path
· Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
The ride through this part of Austria was great - the snow capped mountains, green countryside and friendly people made for a great cycling adventure - the only disappointing aspect was the poor detailing in the maps that were provided.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ TF and DD NYC June 24, 2023
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!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
