Bike Tour Reviews  page 46

  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (4/5) Astrid Kaulitz October 13, 2022

    Great week on the bike in a beautiful countryside

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    The combination of plan, map and digital tour-advise was great to find our way.
    The tour was all in all beautiful and interesting. The planning had been done before covid and was not adjusted now. Some recommondations were wrong this way. day2 : Cafe Pola could not be found, Manizolas Farm could not be passed. There was a huge fence. day 4: there was no leather factory any more, day 7: Tasca do Anotonio dos Potes does not exist any more.
    Mario was always to be reached and helped promptly. Very nice!
    Hotels were a good choice, every spot was different. only the Solar de Alqueva in Reguengos de Monsaraz was a bit uncomfortable. Breakfast poor.
    I had expected more knowlege about the wine. The wine tasting was mostly in the day either in the morning (wine and bike is not that becomming) or in the early afternoon. You never really could plan how long the trip was - so we had to taste the wine at night with the meal, but had no instructions.

    Anyway we had a great week.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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?
    Portugal
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Florence to Rome
    (4/5) Paul Clark October 16, 2022

    Cycling a Disappointment but Good travel Itinerary

    · Florence to Rome

    My partner had a biking accident and, after completing the first day’s 60 km ride nonetheless, we decided to take the train and just enjoy this lovely part of Italy. There was just too much traffic and too few shoulders on the roads for us to feel safe and relax. The hotels were comfortable and clean and typically in the historic centre of these charming little towns. There were many sites to see and the daily hiking up and down the local hills while site seeing provided more than adequate exercise. Overall, a wonderful experience-despite the biking misadventure-which we will remember forever.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • South Dalmatia
    (4/5) Maureen Zaccardi October 22, 2022

    Great bike and boat!

    · · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat

    The trip was really a lot of fun. The guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and willing to do anything for us. The scenery was fabulous. Croatian islands are fantastic. The biking was less rigorous than I expected. Trip was good for first time cyclists. The boat was good.
    The only ISSUE was the food! It Was r terrible. We did NOT want to eat on the boat.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    60-70
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 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)
  • (4/5) Maureen Zaccardi October 23, 2022

    Great bike and boat!

    · · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat

    The trip was really a lot of fun. The guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and willing to do anything for us. The scenery was fabulous. Croatian islands are fantastic. The biking was less rigorous than I expected. Trip was good for first time cyclists. The boat was good.
    The only ISSUE was the food! It Was r terrible. We did NOT want to eat on the boat.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    60-70
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 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)
  • (4/5) Mary Stewart October 23, 2022

    Island hopping Croatia

    · · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat

    The best part of this bike tour was the country, islands, guides and weather. The food was not as advertised ( highlighted a gourmet chef ) The best meals were not on the boat. The guides and scenery were outstanding. The boat was ok. I felt that bike tours did not offer the same service as we would have had if we booked directly. I highly recommend doing a bike tour of the Croatia islands but with a premium boat and a better chef

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    50 plus
    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?
    Croatia
    • 4/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Tina Vessels October 25, 2022

    Excellent guides disappointed food

    · · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat

    There was a great discrepancy between the quality of the guides and the quality of the food on our boat. The guides the tour the islands were magical howeverMost of the dinners were uneditable Somewhere in the description there was a note about quality shifts however that was not the case for us

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    20
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia
    • 3/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • National Parks of Dalmatia
    (4/5) PegS October 26, 2022

    Wonderful Guides, Lovely Tour

    · · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat

    Great way to experience Croatia. Our wonderful local guides, Dora and Mario, were cheerful, infinitely patient, organized, and full of helpful and interesting information. Improvements could be made on the boat with the WiFi, which was spotty, and the food, which was bland with lots of white sauce. We were surprised that the rides were so short, typically finished by noon. This was our first bike tour on an ebike, and that was fun. Some days we rode with it completely off to get a better workout.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    12
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    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?
    Croatia
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Medieval Villages of Catalonia
    (4/5) Christopher Attwood October 26, 2022

    The Coast and Medieval Catalonia

    · Medieval Villages of Catalonia

    What a lovely cycle tour. Mostly on cycle tracks that avoid the hustle and danger of busy roads. We were in an exclusive group of 10 which does add to the flexibility and fun of the ride. Riding with GPS is a game changer. So easy and allows for "self-guided" tours. I do think more variations should be incorporated on the routes to allow one to tailor make the ride for distance and substance. All the suggested restuarants and photo opportunities were spot on. If "Unguided", a better backround pack of stops and their historical significance could be prepared. Great holiday and experience.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
  • Holland’s Super Tulip Tour
    (4/5) Frank Vaughan November 4, 2022

    Very nice trip

    · · Holland’s Super Tulip Tour

    We had a great time on the trip. Small boat with not a lot of people, and the guide was very good. We got to see some amazing places and he even took us on some side trips. The riding was easy just as described, and after each ride the guide offered an optional walking tour of the area. We feel we really saw Holland! Our only complaint is the boarding instructions had us going to the wrong dock. Give yourselves plenty of extra time to board!

    What was the date of your tour?
    March 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
    (4/5) David Coleman November 7, 2022

    Trip of my dreams

    · Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park

    Still looking for my refund from Bernard for an overpayment.
    Can get anyone to respond to my emails.Hope someone will respond to this inquiry. The trip was very enjoyable, great group of people. Sam was a wonderful guide

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • Best of Slovenia
    (4/5) Audrey Block November 7, 2022

    Great way to experience Slovenia

    · Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran

    Overall, we really enjoyed the trip. Hotels were nice with the exception of one, which was so-so. Route was interesting and showed off the beauty of the country. Beware -- one should be in good shape and expect to face a few steep hills, some on gravel backroads. Most of the roads were low traffic but even on busier roads Slovenians are courteous to cyclists.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    6-8
    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?
    Slovenia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • UNESCO Highlights of Dalmatia by E-bike and Boat
    (4/5) Puiyee Tse November 7, 2022

    Too short of the bike ride

    · · UNESCO Highlights of Dalmatia by E-bike and Boat

    The bike ride was too short. I would like to have double the bike ride time instead of staying on the boat. The island are great but not enough time to explore each place. The boat food was terrible.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (4/5) Vickie Brunstetter November 7, 2022

    Central Portugal is delightful by bike

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    It was wonderful to ride through vineyards, cork trees and small towns. Staying in the posadas and other quaint accommodations really added to the trip. Of course the wine tastings were wonderful as well. It was very educational to visit different wineries. Our only issue was with the bikes that did not consistently maintain the power assist.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 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?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Venice to Trieste & Istria
    (4/5) Steve Srebnik November 7, 2022

    Great experience

    · Venice to Trieste and Istria

    This was a great adventure for my wife and I taking us to small and not so small great beach towns as well as a pretty big city , Trieste, all in the Adriatic. Jasolo was a rocking town with a very nice beach. Most of the included breakfasts were very good and all were very acceptable. The hotels were also good, nothing special but certainly comfortable. Most of the hotel rooms were very small. Only reason I took off a star was I think I would have enjoyed it more if we were able to spend a stop over or two without a ride the next day. Since we typically arrived after 1 and sometimes closer to 2 or 3 we didn’t get to spend any significant relax time at the beaches. Overall I’d go again or do another trip. All was very well organized.

    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Medieval Villages of Catalonia
    (4/5) Evelyn Savage November 7, 2022

    Adventure

    · Medieval Villages of Catalonia

    Medieval Villages of Catalonia was an adventurous, fun and challenging bike tour. The villages were very interesting, the hotels very nice, the ebikes great and self guided directions mostly good. We had a few challenges finding some of the paths and the terrain was much more mountain biking than expected. But we found our way and enjoyed the beautiful countryside. One should be an experienced cyclist or mountain biker to enjoy the trails have some experience with directions to do self guided. Overall a very good way to experience the Baja Emporda coast and Medieval towns.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Spain
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Garonne Canal
    (4/5) Robert Sterndale November 7, 2022

    A beautiful ride through mostly rural, agricultural France

    · Garonne Canal: From Bordeaux to Toulouse

    Bordeaux and Toulouse are interesting cities alright but most of our time was riding through an expansive agricultural area. Finding our way out of Bordeaux was not difficult. Once we reached the canal we "sailed" along the paved towpath all day, every day. The bike trail was mostly well maintained paved surface with a few stretches that were bumpy. We saw active pavement maintenance so it is being improved where needed.
    The Roadbook navigating program served well as a way finder except on the last day when it took us to the wrong place in Toulouse a couple kilometers or more across the city from our hotel. That was a hassle.
    Being of a certain age, we opted for e-bikes on this trip. These were pedal-assist type bikes which we all mastered quickly. The terrain was mostly very canal-flat but the e-boost was welcome for the occasional rise and toward the end of the day the boost was welcome. The hotels along the way were not right on the canal and some hill climbing was involved there.
    Bikes were well maintained and thoughtfully configured for our various heights but no orientation or training was provided for the bikes, they were just left at the starting hotel.
    We enjoyed the hotel/B&B stays. B&B hosts were gracious and accommodating. Rooms were clean and comfortable.
    We did this in late September which is the end of their tourist season. Weather was fine. Bike traffic was light.
    The canal trail provided a very scenic but repetitious view. We saw an interesting variety of agricultural activity along the way.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    9
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Split to Dubrovnik
    (4/5) Sandra Page November 8, 2022

    Trip of a lifetime

    · Split to Dubrovnik: The Islands and Coastline of Croatia

    Two weeks of heaven. !! Was the perfect way to experience the coastline of Croatia and experience Split and Dubrovnik. Plenty of history combined with cycling, cruising and culinary delight. Wine, olives, chocolate, pottery and lavender for the local flare . Quaint towns, beautiful sunrise and sunsets from the boat. Our guides where amazing getting us to the best spots and being extremely knowledgeable and kept us safe !! Our guides we’re able to shift gears when needed and in the heat of July we’re able to accommodate a comfortable swim in a quiet cove everyday. The beautiful coves and swims turned out to be some of our most memorable moments.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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?
    Croatia
    • 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)
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (4/5) Reigh Walling November 8, 2022

    A rich historical past and a vibrant and diverse present. That's Portugal.

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    If you told most people that you were going to cycle Portugal, they would only think of Lisbon. Well, that is a beautiful city, but an hour's train ride took us from coastal topography to a totally different landscape of rolling hills topped with cork trees and vineyards. The tour was a nice mix of ancient walled cities and rural rolling roads. Cows graze amid the monoliths. Sheep browse for grass under the olive trees, each wearing a tiny tinkle bell around its neck -- their movement producing a melodious windchime symphony. Accommodations ranged from a rustic farmhouse to an actual palace, and the route and attributes of the tour also bridged history and modern culture. But it's Portugal's people who are the real stars of the tour. And of course, the food.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Munich & the Bavarian Lakes
    (4/5) Amir Zomer November 8, 2022

    Excellent ride with stunning views

    · Munich & the Bavarian Lakes

    The trip was wonderful –
    Stunning views along the way with lakes, mountains, forests and colorful villages.
    We upgraded the bike and were very pleased with their quality and comfort.
    The hotels were adequate for that kind of trip.

    Downside (The reason I gave it only 4 stars):
    - The hotels were not always close to the end of the daily route.
    Some days it was 2-3 Km away and in the worst case it was 20Km away!!
    Just imagine thinking you’re done with your daily route after planning the riding times and then you have to ride additional 20 Km.
    - The maps that we were given were not aligned to our trip – we used the App.
    - The App can be improved – a sound should be added to alert when you’re off the route.
    We sometimes found ourselves out of the route without noticing it because we can’t have our eyes on the screen all the time.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2022
    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?
    Germany
    •  (photo by Amir Zomer)
    •  (photo by Amir Zomer)
    •  (photo by Amir Zomer)
    •  (photo by Amir Zomer)
    •  (photo by Amir Zomer)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (4/5) Sandy Anderson November 8, 2022

    Lake Constance Upscale

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path (Upscale Lodging)

    This trip was good overall, yet we made a mistake by choosing Upscale Lodging because most of the hotels were not in the old towns, and we had to go through the city at rush hour with unclear directions. We would have preferred staying along the river in the old towns. Upscale lodging was not necessary.
    Secondly, the KaMOOT app that we bought and tried to use was a disaster. It lead you along any trail that came up...whether it was for hikers, or a dog path, so we were constantly rerouting on the first day, until we gave up on it and used the written guide.
    The bikepaths were wonderful and scenic and we loved that part of the ride.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection