Bike Tour Reviews page 107
- 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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★★★★★ Timothy Ricks September 18, 2023
Spectacular beauty
· Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne
Outstanding vistas! Spectacular beauty!
Pros: 1. Some really fine hotels, many with great views. 2. Reliable luggage transfers. 3. Reliable bikes. No mechanical problems with either e-bike or regular bike.
Cons: 1. Eurotrek’s maps and gps often do not match up with the routes you need to take to navigate each day. Result is that it is essential to bring your own Garmin device AND your smartphone in order to navigate when your hotel may not even be in the same town as the gps would take you. 2. Most Swiss hotels have no A/C, and with climate change, they are too hot. Open windows bring noise and insects, so not great sleep. 3. Eurotrek’s non-electric bikes are sturdy, reliable, heavy and slow. Be prepared for a good workout and slow riding.- Countries included in this tour?
- Switzerland
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★★★★★ Chuck Gottschall September 18, 2023
Great Trip!
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Great way to see Europe! The biking was GREAT! The staff was GREAT! The food was GREAT!
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★★★★★ eric dickman September 18, 2023
Great Trip
· Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
We really enjoyed our self-guided bike trip to Budapest. All the logistics were handled without any hitches. Our luggage was always waiting for us at our hotel each night. The bikes we rented were near new and well tuned and very easy and pleasant to ride. We relied on the Radreise Freunde app for maps and points of interest. Apart from a few bugs in the navigation, it worked great and the EuroVelo 6 was clearly marked.
The only negatives worth noting are that parts of the EuroVelo 6 were not paved which required us to ride on some buys roads which was unpleasant, or ride on gravel paths or even muddy tracks (for short periods). Each town we lodged in was charming in its own way. But there was not much to see in between destinations. So each day it was about biking and getting to our stop. One note to bikers, the EuroVelo from Vienna to Budapest is not shaded. We had a week of very hot weather and the sun was very intense so plan accordingly. Other than that the routes are flat and easy to ride, even with some of the longer distances.
We had once instance, in Gyor, where our hotel was not a "usually contracted hotel" and was 10kms out side of the centrum that required biking through some busy industrial areas and roads to reach our hotel. And we would have had to ride back into Gyor another 10kms the next day to start the ride had we not insisted on the tour operator driving us and our bikes to the start of our ride. Most unfortunate was we did not get enough time to explore Gyor which was the nicest stop on the tour.
The tour coordinators were all very responsive to our needs and helped with any coordination issues we had prior to, and during our tour.
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★★★★★ Richard Goldsmith September 18, 2023
A step into the world of Germany
· · Germany, Netherlands, Belgium by Bike/E-Bike and Boat
The A-Rosa Sena is a brand-new river boat. It is great. Every spacious room has a balcony. The food, all served buffet style, is abundant and delicious with many choices. The biking was well-planned and executed. They took very good care of us English speakers. The pace was fine. The countryside was beautiful. The trailside lunches they prepared were lovely. The leaders were knowledgeable and friendly. All around it was a great trip. Oh, there were only three passengers on the boat and one in out tour, who spoke English but we enjoyed that as we got to brush up on our Gremna.
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★★★★★ DOROTHY STEIMKE September 19, 2023
Lakes tour
· Munich & the Bavarian Lakes
Accommodations were good. GPS used way too much battery ran out of battery after 2 to 3 hours. Odometer on my bike was not set correctly. Wife’s E bike odometer correct. Scenery and lakes were stunning.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Kim L. September 19, 2023
Adventure of a lifetime!
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
My husband and I did the self-guided tour with the extra day in Lake Bled. The logistics went smoothly. The e-bikes worked great. The accommodations were good and the scenery was stunning! We downloaded the app and were glad we brought a handlebar mount for a phone. We wish the trip was longer!
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★★★★★ Tom Hawkins September 19, 2023
Trip postponed
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)
We were unable to do this fantastic trip due to an injury. We are how every very excited about doing it next year. It sounds like a fantastic experience!
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★★★★★ Elizabeth Gray September 19, 2023
Beautiful trip on the Danube
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
This scenic trip is beyond description!!! Boating on this beautiful river, in and out of small towns, bustling cities and incredible mountain and grapevine views was fabulous!
The boat was nice, clean ( very cold pool) and plenty of service, however; instructions were poor at best.
There were a couple that provided directions on the routes and many other events upon the boat, SE Mannon, however one spoke no English and the other struggled with describing in English the sometimes complicated routes. 85% of the travelers were non English speakers and were well informed by the German speaking gentleman. Many English speakers became lost in Bratislava and some in Vienna. The routes were beautiful and not too challenging to ride if you paid close attention during the briefings and asked a lot of clarifying questions. When you are t quite sure, ask again until you do. We found not understanding the German and Austrian speakers frustrated them a great deal but don’t get offended. You need the correctly translated information. As simple as “up stream or down stream” can be miscommunicated.
We had one bike that needed to be changed out, however, the people checking the bike said it was ok and we suffered 2 days with a bike that was not shifting properly. Day 3, new bike, no more problems.
Do not waste your money on ANy of the drink packages! It is only honored after 4 pm, even soda or coffee is charged outside the 4 pm- 11 pm hours. Dinner drinks are included in restaurant. Breakfast includes coffee but not soda as many drink in AM. Bring snacks back on board if you want anything to eat outside breakfast or dinner.
Now for the food: we had “guess that dish” every night Everything was covered in some kind of gravy. Pork for dinner the first 3 nights! Desserts were the most disappointing. Very bland puddings, and some had breakfast cereals mixed in. After day 2, we started eating dinner out when possible. One night we had spaghetti which wasn’t too bad however we couldn’t get any Parmesan cheese or extra bread to fill up. Breakfasts offered many options, however, the omelettes were not always cooked through. Stick with the waffles, they were good. Plenty of meats and bread to make sandwiches for your lunch ride. We generally stopped at a pub or beer garden for goulash or French fries and beer! Lots of little places to choose from although good places could be recommended in the route book! No one on board would suggest any restaurants in the towns. That was disappointing. We found a great restaurant on top of a hotel in Vienna with a fabulous view of the city and river.
In our info from Biketours. Com, we were told not to book travel from the boat before 12. The boat wanted us out of our cabins by 8:30. We waited up on top of the boat until our taxi arrived at 11:00. We were the last party to leave. None of the Americans got off the boat until 10-10:30. Lack of communication again.
It was nice unpacking only once for our bike tour, however we will probably stick with the bike/hotel version in the future! Croatia here we come in 2024!!! Still had a blast with our party of 6! Thanks Biketours! SHOW MORE -
★★★★★ Eric Meer September 19, 2023
Great Trip for September!!
· South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Trip went very smoothly. Towns were beautiful and quaint, hotels were accommodating as advertised, ebikes were brilliant and easy to use. Would definitely recommend standard bike seats or gel seats vs. the wider ones. 4-5 days takes a toll on the sitting muscles :). Would recommend adding a 2nd night in Bezier and doing only 1 night in Carcassonne.
Also, would recommend the company update it's map of Montpellier train station. The meeting point didn't match the map, but we figured it out.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Charles Bergmann September 19, 2023
Fantastic trip
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Trip really was great! Great places to stay each night. Great bike paths and scenery.
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★★★★★ Lisa McInerney September 20, 2023
Loved this trip!
· Sparta and the Mediterranean Coast
The perfect way to experience this part of Greece. The staff at BikeTours.com were awesome to work with and everything went as planned when we arrived in Greece. We were very happy with our rental bikes, accommodations, and transfers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
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★★★★★ Charles Hammer September 20, 2023
What we hoped for; got more
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
We chose this ride because the average daily ride is longer than some. Had been to other parts of Province before but this was new and special, enhanced hugely by what the guides brought to the experience. A cautionary note: there are several days of not so gradual elevations. Strong riders made the climbs on traditional bikes, but others really needed what the e bikes brought to the experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Glen Field September 20, 2023
Very scenic biking tour
· Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
The trip was very good, excellent bike paths, great scenery, very good hotels, excellent breakfast at all the hotels. A few communication problems stop me from giving this a 5 star review.
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★★★★★ Blain M Archer September 20, 2023
Wonderful adventure around Lake Constance
· Lake Constance Bicycle Path
we were three on this tour with one being a novice who had difficulty riding an ebike due to inexperience. He got better after the first 2 days.
we got lost a bit nearly every day but never felt real lost as we knew where the lake had to be most of the time and we were always going in the right direction. The reason for this was the signage was not always understandable.
we always found help from many nice people who were eager to assist.- What was the date of your tour?
- sept 10 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 11
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Bill Allured September 20, 2023
A beautiful experience, well-organized and planned out.
· Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
We received detailed trip information the night before our ride, along with GPS tracks, which made navigation fairly easy. Because we were primarily on back roads, there were many turns so we occasionally went a short distance out of the way. We highly recommend using a bicycle navigation app. Each hotel was a wonderful oasis along the way.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Zinta Harrington September 20, 2023
Magnificent and varied
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was our first biketour and I chose it carefully for our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers. The route comfortable with bike paths for a good part of the way. It was exciting with 3 countries, long declines, forests, fields, Roman ruins, historic towns, fairytale Bled, majestic Trieste. The accomodation was charming and the food enticing. The support was excellent as our luggage arrived each day and the transfers were well organised.
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★★★★★ Beverly Langsch September 20, 2023
Ups and downs
· Sardinia: A Mine of Memories
We had A hotels and it was wonderful to have a swim after a hot (+30°C) day of riding. But, these hotels were often away from town centers. Route was very doable on ebike, but riders do need instruction from local operater, regarding battery range. Several in our group had to do last 10 km, uphill, without battery assist. Only GPS instructions were provided; no maps or written navigation cues for backup, so cyclists need to be used to this system. The heat was difficult, so I would never consider this ride in summer. I loved the long downhills, generally low traffic, views to coast on day 5 and 6. Day 4 was a slow, easy day with 2 ferries, but was much appreciated after the hill climbing and heat on days 2 and 3.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 9, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many! Probably 15 or more
- 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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★★★★★ Rudy Paulich September 20, 2023
Italian coast Adventure
· Venice to Trieste and Istria
Study maps and cue sheet as early on as possible for a smooth tour.
I was unable to down load gps files as it said my device was to new.
Files and info should be updated so all can download files and pertinent info on trip. -
★★★★★ Frank Boyle September 20, 2023
Beautiful & flat ride across the Netherlands
· Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland
The scenery was spectacular, as was immersion into the historic towns and restaurants. The local tour company was particularly wonderful, reimbursing us no questions asked for the cost of repairing a worn out tire. I HIGHLY recommend downloading the optional GPX file to your phone and making sure you can use it before you arrive, we found it much easier to see the tricky navigation turns on the phone than on the small (and often hard to see) screen of the small Garmin GPS device provided.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ Karey Schoenfeld September 20, 2023
Great bike paths and scenery
· Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The trip was great - it was a beautiful area. It was the first time we had used e-bikes, and the bikes we had were top notch. There were a few more hills than we expected, but we didn't mind with the e-bikes! The app we had for our tour was also excellent. We took the high road into Trieste to avoid the traffic, and was glad we did.