Bike Tour Reviews page 106
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
- Wales
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★★★★★ Larry Siegler September 8, 2023Great trip
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique II (and reverse)
The bike and barge trip exceeded our expectations greatly. We highly recommend this trip. The crew was wonderful and the meals were delicious. There were many additional items that made the trip memorable ie canal cruise, nightly walking tours of the towns, great stops on the cycle ride. It was a spectacular experience.
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★★★★★ Jan Sjökvist September 8, 2023Perfect tour
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
Everything, indeed, worked perfectly. No problems whatsoever with bike, tour information was excellent, very good hotels always close to city centers. My luggage always waiting for me at the hotel of the day. I am impressed of how well everything worked out.
Generally the bike roads were good, with some exceptions, but a few kilometers with quite bumpy gravel is acceptable.- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Guy Levy September 11, 2023Great trip with some annoying snags
· UNESCO Sites of Albania
We were a group of 8 members who did a self guided tour with e-bikes. the route of the tour exposed us to Albania's beautiful landscape, heritage and lovely and warm people. The route is quite challenging due to the mountainous terrain and we were glad that we chose to use e-bikes. All in all we really loved it. Yet, we encountered a few troublesome matters that with due attention can be solved.(i) we had numerous problems with the e-bikes, mostly related to chain falling w/o any reason, back cog-wheel that became loose etc., that ended with replacing two of our bikes and a number cases where on road assistance was required. We understood from comments made by the local agents that these had been common problems with the type of bikes we had been given, hence either bike maintenance needs improvement or a different bike brand should be used. (ii) A much greater portion of the tour then described in the website was on main roads with heavy traffic, which we felt made cycling not very safe and certainly not relaxing/enjoyable. (iii) The maps provided together with the e-files of the routes were not always consistent with actual conditions. A more frequent adaptation, of especially the e-routes, to actual roads conditions seems in order. (iv) the hotels provided could be somewhat upgraded. In many cases they were not up to a par with 3 star hotels in Europe (this had been our 9th cycling tour in Europe so we do have some experience).
- What was the date of your tour?
- August-September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Albania
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★★★★★ Alvaro Pacheco e Silva Filho September 11, 2023Great trip by the Dordogne Valley
· Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
The trip was great and our guide new everything about the places with visited. Highly recommended.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Annik Stahl September 11, 2023Could have been better
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
The tour leader (Helmut) was great, as was the boat crew. There were some fun times biking but the miles and miles of harsh gravel was not in the description of the trip. (This was not "country roads" -- this was ROCKS and my back ached for days afterward.) Had I know, I would not have chosen this trip as I just had surgery. I found the food to be absolutely awful. The dinners were beond strange and hey, maybe something besides HAM HAM HAM every day for lunch? I lost 4 pounds during that trip.
While I know there are some great trips to be had with this company (my dad has been on several and said this one was the worst). this was not one of them. Like I said, some fun time biking but not enough to recommend this trip.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Meir Ben Ari September 12, 2023Montenegro bike tour
· National Parks, Lakes & Canyons of Montenegro
This tour was excellent. Amazing views, very nice villages, very good food and cheap.
I would like to mention the support we received from Darzen the local supplier.
Darzen was very serviceable. Every request he handled with great willing. Every call he respond and gave us a great confidence that there is somebody that is taking care on us.
I would like to thank Biketour and Darzen for this experience.- Countries included in this tour?
- Montenegro
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★★★★★ Garry Wyndham September 13, 2023Extraordinarily varied and wonderful scenery.
· Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
This was one of our favorite ever vacations for the scenery, the food and the physical challenge. BikeTours is a great company and the tour is super value.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ MICHAEL BAR ZVI September 13, 2023
Great trip
· National Parks, Lakes & Canyons of Montenegro
1. The route was lovely
2. The hotels were fine
3. The bikes needed improvement. We got them dirty with bad tires
4. Transfers were just fine
5 The local agent was just fine. Promptly dealt with any problem that was referred to him- Countries included in this tour?
- Montenegro
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★★★★★ Paul Crisafulli September 13, 2023Beautiful beaches, caves and countryside!
· Algarve Coastal Route
The perfect way to see all that Portugal offers! Great people, great food and beautiful sights. Tour guide company provided best hotels, great towns to explore and great service.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Lorinda Troppmann September 13, 2023Trip of a lifetime
· · UNESCO Highlights of Dalmatia by E-bike and Boat
The trip exceeded all of my expectations. Coming from Alaska, it was refreshing to see the people of Croatia to be set apart from what we see in the USA. I did not see anyone passed out on the streets or strung out on drugs. You could walk freely in the evening on the islands and feel safe. The beauty was breathtaking and the crew was generous in their hospitality. My friend that joined me on the trip talked me into doing an E-bike, and I am so grateful that I did! I was able to enjoy the entire trip that way and still got a great work out. I would do this trip again!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Charles Anderson September 13, 2023Great Trip!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Everything went off without a hitch. The e-bikes were the way to go and made the hills and mountain pass easy to handle. The directions and hotels were excellent. Definitely recommend the extra day in Bled, Slovenia as there was a lot to see and do. Thanks BikeTours for putting together a fun trip!
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★★★★★ Joanna Havener September 14, 2023
Loved every minute!
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Our tour leader was fun, knowledgeable and very safety conscious. The route was almost all flat, only one big climb on Wednesday. The ship's crew was helpful and saw to it that my husband had potato chips in his lunch. They accommodated my wish for vegetarian meals. The small towns were charming and I loved learning about their history. Highly recommend this trip. (My husband and I are in our 70s and the ebikes were a great help to us.)
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Rosemary McDougall September 14, 2023Best of both worlds: Italian language and cycling in Italy
· Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia
What a fantastic tour! The rides were perfect and the teachers/guides were outstanding. Giovanna and Carla were the best Italian teachers, patient and helpful. The riding itinerary was challenging yet doable for all participants. The idyllic terrain from Otranto to Lecce showcased the Salento region and the spectacular views of both Adriatic and Ionian Seas completed the picture. All accommodations were great as well as the scrumptious Italian food and Orecchiette cooking class. Visits to various beaches helped to relax everyone along the route. An ideal tour for anyone interested in learning Italian and enjoying the scenery along the way while riding a bicycle (bici).
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 1-10
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Beatriz Battistella Nadas September 14, 2023
Great views, wonderful little cities
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
It was an excellent tour, the landscapes are stunning. The hotels are very good, with comfort and well-prepared breakfast.
The bicycles corresponded to the description, the transfers took place according to schedule.
Some stretches are a little long, on the second day's stretch for several kilometers there wasn't even a cafe or snack bar for a rest.
The day of departure from Bled has a very tight schedule, little time. The hotel has breakfast scheduled at 7:30 and we must be at the train station at 7:45, an impossible schedule to keep and, as breakfast is essential for the day's cycling, it was very bad. -
★★★★★ Michael Burkardt September 16, 2023Beautiful Countryside
· Tuscan Wine Classic: Pienza to Castellina via Siena
Our Bike Tour Company Cicloposse was exceptional, the best we ever had. There was not a single detail they missed, providing a booklet covering highlights for a given day of each town we'd pass through and as well as where to eat. We had a minor issue that was no fault of their own and the customer service was top notch. They're professional and knowledgeable. The only hiccup was a closed bridge that added a hour to our ride that day. Warning: unless you are a very strong rider get an E bike. Some climbs are miles long with a 14% grade.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Greg B. September 16, 2023OMG....Absolutely amazing!!
· Basque Country by Road Bike (Upscale Lodging)
This was my first bike tour and exceeded all expectations. I was with others who had been on dozens of bike tours and they said this was one of the best (if not, THE best) for multiple reasons. 1. Bike Tour Company (Bizi Cycle Tours) - company started just a few years ago by married couple. Virginia Berasategui is former pro triathlete and is the guide and husband (Ander) is responsible for business end/logistics/food. They are a fun couple who were raised in the area seem to know everyone. Based on ability, they can and will adapt routes. 2. Location - Beautiful location for riding...beaches, countryside views, mountains, and vineyards. This trip incorporates 4 days of road and 2 days of gravel cycling through vineyards. Tour de France (2023) took place here during first three stages and this tour includes many of the same roads. Roads are pristine since they were paved in advance of Tour. 3. This tour combines cycling AND gastronomy (and wine!)...and amazing experiences. Each full day experience was unexpected and seem to top the day prior. Bike tours typically emphasis either cycling or the food. This tour combines both in a big way. 4. Price: this tour is a great deal and was longer and included more that the large American tour companies. None of the 'big boys' offer this same type of experience/routes. Other: the terrain here can be challenging in Basque. Beginner or causal cyclists should go with electric bikes. If you like going on longer rides and/or like to push yourself, this tour is for you! My group wanted the full cycling (and eating) challenge, and we received it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ john saunders September 16, 2023Interesting and friendly country, beautiful countryside
· Best of Slovenia: Highlights Across the Country From Bled to Piran
This was a very good trip to explore and see various parts of the country. Overall, the trail markings were good. Good use of smaller roads with less traffic, but some roads were Busy with no shoulder and cars appearing to drive too fast. Accommodations were well-placed, except for Ljubljana Where the hotel was placed too far from the historic District where you would prefer to spend most of your time there. It was over 30 minute walk from the historic district. The bikes were durable, and we experienced no mechanical problems, but they were of a low quality, heavy, and not suited to some of the climbing that was required. We opted to purchase the route and map booklet for 30 euros which was poor quality and not useful or worth the money spent. Most of the important information was already provided in the materials. The Maps were useless in that you could not read road names, or city names because the font was too small and the poor print quality. On our last day in Piran, We had confirmed with bike tours, that we could schedule a late day transport back to Ljubljana so that we could spend a full day in Piran but apparently the local operator, Helia, only transports at 9 AM. Bike tours did a good job of arranging alternative late day transportation for us, but the Helia Representative was rude and unaccommodating And refused to discuss the matter.
Again, as to the bikes, which were basically “city bikes”, where the mileage each day is 25 to 35 miles, we believe most people would prefer better quality bikes, and we certainly saw other tour operators in the country that were utilizing higher quality bikes that were not electrically assisted. We would recommend that better quality bikes be offered or at least an upgrade to a higher quality bike that is not electric assisted.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Ellen Speare September 17, 2023Danube waltz bike tour
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
I chose this trip for my 70th birthday with friends. riding through the beautiful countryside was wonderful. sitting on the deck going through the Danube river was so relaing and lovely. The food and accomadations fro perfect. Loved this whole trip.
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★★★★★ Carol RALEY September 17, 2023Awesome trip
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Slovenia is an absolutely beautiful place to visit especially by bike! We spent time in Bled before the trip so we felt like we saw a great deal of the country. Some difficulty withe Guibo and signage was hit and miss. Ebikes functioned well but had some issues with plastic parts falling off (chain guard and rear fender stabilizer ) Nothing critical but just annoying. End of summer tired bikes I suppose. Otherwise great trip!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Carol Stack September 17, 2023
Fabulous Easy Biking Trip
· Algarve Coastal Route
We were very impressed with the arrangements made for our self guided bike trip across the Algarve. All the staff we met were incredibly helpful (shout out to Angus and Curt), the e bikes were terrific, the route fun and interesting -- it was just a delight. One hotel (Jupiter Algarve) was too much of a party hotel for us -- but we survived the late night music. The route had originally been configured west to east and we rode east to west so there a couple instances in which we were riding the wrong direction on one way streets. We had a wonderful time and so enjoyed seeing Portugal up close and personal.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- 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?
- Portugal
