Bike Tour Reviews (page 115)

★★★★★ (5/5) Marc Parks October 17, 2023

Great exposure to the highlights of Matera and Puglia

· Apulia - Heel of Italy

Overall our 14 experienced cyclists very much enjoyed our tour, in spite of a few start-up issues for those with no previous ebike experience. The route included several scenic, interesting places, in “the heel of the boot in Italy”, including fascinating Matera and Alberobello, and the lodging was wonderful, with sumptuous breakfast buffets. In addition our guides, Paolo and Alessandria, added interesting insights into local history and culture as well as attending to our every need, all while while maintaining a great sense of humor. All of us felt we'd love to return to some of the destinations for several days - a new destination each day of the tour prevented in-depth exploration. And in hindsight, those with no previous ebike experience should have used them for a couple of rides before coming on the trip.

Countries included in this tour?: Italy

★★★★★ (4/5) Karen Hanson October 17, 2023

Beautiful (and manageable) trip

· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers

Following the Vltava and Elbe rivers, with mostly excellent bike paths and a reasonable amount of miles per day, made for a lovely honeymoon trip! The Czech countryside was about to hit fall colors, and chestnuts were aplenty. The bikes they provided were in great shape (Trek and Specialized), and the gps files worked well. Highly recommend showing up at least two or three days early to spend extra time in Prague and get used to the time change. We weren’t able to take advantage of many of the optional side visits and biergardens along the way because many were closed already for the season, but we still enjoyed passing through small/tiny towns. And we made sure to pack our own wine and cheese for breaks! In the high season, we imagine it must be a much different scene. Overall, really enjoyed the trip and would recommend it for those who are looking for a relaxing vacation.

What was the date of your tour?: October 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?: Czech Republic, Germany

4/5 Value
4/5 Included meals
5/5 Bikes + equipment
4/5 Hotels or boat
5/5 Scenery
5/5 Ease of navigation
5/5 Tour documents
4/5 Local tour company services
5/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (4/5) Margaret October 17, 2023

Beautiful arrangements, somewhat difficult cycling

· Canal du Midi: Carcassonne to Sete, the South of France and the Sea

Carcassone is stunning. All of the hotels were good to excellent. The terrain is quite varied. The cycling was more difficult than I expected -- there are some serious climbs on the first two days, and most of the route is on public roads so you have to deal with cars. The tour company did their best to avoid traffic but they can't create a bike path where there is none. Fortunately, French drivers are used to bicyclists. I would recommend this trip to experienced cyclists but not to newbies.
The preparatory material was good. We were given printed maps and also an app for our phones. Both were good but the app was great because you could use it while you were on the bike, and it gave you an audible warning if you got twenty meters off the trail. The app also kept track of the percentage of the daily ride you had covered, and had a few more features. This was the first time I'd had an app and I really appreciated it.

How many tours have you completed?: 4 counting this one
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?: France

5/5 Value
4/5 Included meals
5/5 Bikes + equipment
5/5 Hotels or boat
5/5 Scenery
5/5 Ease of navigation
4/5 Tour documents
3/5 Local tour company services
3/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (4/5) David Hodgson October 17, 2023

Challenging cycling

· UNESCO Sites of Albania

Physically challenging; 14 of 18 folks on our tour used an e-bike and were glad they made that choice. The guide was excellent and I would recommend the guided package rather than self guided, especially as the meals were included. Excellent scenery. We traveled in mid-September and the weather was comfortable, not too hot. The bikes were of good quality compared to those provided on other European bike tours.

What was the date of your tour?: September 2023
How many tours have you completed?: 10
Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?: Somewhat harder
Who is this tour suitable for?: First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
Do you recommend this tour?: Yes
Countries included in this tour?: Albania

5/5 Value
5/5 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
5/5 Guides (if applicable)

★★★★★ (4/5) Ashley Douglas October 18, 2023

Awesome Trip and No Shame in Using Ebikes!

· Castles and Wines of Portugal

Thoroughly enjoyed this trip in spite of not riding bikes at all at home. Having ebikes allowed us to enjoy the scenery and navigate without overextending our physical capabilities. Hotels were excellent and perfect for the areas we were visiting. Some of them were in buildings thousands (?) of years old so don't expect elevators in all, but amazingly they all had swimming pools which we enjoyed after a hard day peddling ebikes!

Countries included in this tour?: Portugal

★★★★★ (4/5) Yael NOy October 18, 2023

Beautiful sea coast with great views.

· Portugal's Atlantic Coast

The sea coast was lovely. Hotels were conveniently located, comfortable and staff was extremely gracious. Fishermen villages along the way were not exactly as picturesque as expected. That part of the trip was a bit disappointing .
The local company was amazing any questions we had along the way were immediately addressed .

What was the date of your tour?: October 2023
How many tours have you completed?: 2
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?: Portugal

4/5 Value
5/5 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
5/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (5/5) Janet Bychek October 19, 2023

Beautiful tour with great support

· Bolzano to Verona: Orchards, Mountains & Timeless Culture

We were given everything we needed. The hotels were lovely and had great breakfasts. Stefano, our support person was very helpful, and when we had a problem he solved it for us very quickly. I would use biketours again without hesitation

What was the date of your tour?: September 16
How many tours have you completed?: 1st
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

5/5 Value
5/5 Included meals
5/5 Bikes + equipment
5/5 Hotels or boat
5/5 Scenery
4/5 Ease of navigation
5/5 Tour documents
5/5 Local tour company services
4/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (4/5) Stephen Graham October 19, 2023

Great area, careful with cars in France

· Freiburg and the Alsatian Wine Road

Fascinating area, half German half French. French side has the cutest towns, German side the safest biking. Beware biking on the French side on weekends, as locals drive to the vineyard towns for lunch or overnights, and they drive fast. Often no shoulder or bike path, drivers not always courteous, a lot of energy on avoiding catastrophe for less-experienced riders instead of enjoying the scenery. Support was good, replacing a bike with brake problems mid-trip. Navigation had one major error, sending us to a small bridge across islands in the Rhine near Strasbourg that had in fact been closed for months. A bit stressful at the end of a long day riding, but we found another way across. Minimal guidance as to where to stop for cafes, lunch, etc.; could use a more detailed list of suggestions. Some of the budget hotels are not in charming locations or walking distance from restaurants. The Grand Hotel in Strasbourg has seen better days.

Countries included in this tour?: France, Germany

★★★★★ (5/5) Shelley Vercoe October 20, 2023

Great trip

· Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps

We enjoyed this trip very much. The small medieval town centers were beautiful. Nice hotels and the tour company adjusted the schedule so we could visit Otzi. The scenery is gorgeous especially when the route veers away from the main roads.

What was the date of your tour?: October 2024
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, Italy

4/5 Value
5/5 Included meals
5/5 Bikes + equipment
4/5 Hotels or boat
5/5 Scenery
3/5 Ease of navigation
5/5 Tour documents
5/5 Local tour company services
4/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (5/5) Robert Taylor October 20, 2023

Best family trip ever

· Danube Family Tour 7 Nights

There were 13 of us in total from three generations ranging form 77 years to 6 years of age. Reception at trip start was great, accommodating swapping bike sizes for one of the children and a great send off. Some difficulty finding one of the accommodations. We were in several sub-groups and each of us got lost in Krems in our own way BUT no one was stressed because of the enjoyment we had from cycling such beautiful paths.

What was the date of your tour?: August 203
How many tours have you completed?: Six
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
Countries included in this tour?: Austria, Germany

4/5 Value
4/5 Included meals
5/5 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
5/5 Route selection

★★★★★ (5/5) Sharon Charpentier October 20, 2023

Only One Road - biking in Albania

· UNESCO Sites of Albania

Great 10 day cycling vacation in Albania. Our Guide, Arjan was amazing. He thoroughly reviewed each days bike route the night before and morning of to be sure we understood the plan for the day. He would tell us “only one road”. That was pretty accurate in the country side. I loved seeing the locals living a simple life with their mules or donkey with a hand made saddle, or the Shepard with his flock of sheep and sheep dogs to corral them in. The Mountain Views were incredible as well as the lake and sea views. The food was plentiful and served family style. Wine and beer for purchase was very reasonably priced. Most accommodations were nice and comfortable. One night we stayed in cabins on a farm! We saw so much- toured ruins from 400 BC, toured a castle and homestead as well as a monastery. The ride was well supported. Our van driver was always close by should we need assistance with our bikes or a fill up of water. I chose to rent an e-bike and glad I did as many roads had a steep incline. The e-bike allowed me to enjoy my vacation and not struggle to make it through the day. I’m glad I chose this tour!

What was the date of your tour?: October 2023
How many tours have you completed?: 5
Do you recommend this tour?: Yes
Countries included in this tour?: Albania

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)

★★★★★ (5/5) Richard Radonis October 21, 2023

Majestic Albania

· UNESCO Sites of Albania

Wow, we biked 300 miles in so many different terrains, saw how the rural Albanians live. They were very friendly. Seeing castles, monasteries, historic homes and beautiful countryside. One particular day we coasted downhill for about 20 miles
What a rush. Tour guide Arjan was awesome, fun, personable and knowledgeable.

What was the date of your tour?: October 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?: Albania

5/5 Value
5/5 Included meals
5/5 Bikes + equipment
4/5 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)

★★★★★ (5/5) Sally F October 21, 2023

Overview of Athens by Bike

· Athens Private Bike Tour

A great way to get oriented in the city of Athens. The guide was very knowledgeable. The tour route was carefully selected to keep us off the busy streets which was much appreciated! We got the highlights and definitely saw things I would not have stumbled upon on my own (example: changing of the guards in front of the presidential residence). Just the right amount of history and some great photo ops (views of the Acropolis, etc) that felt like local secrets that other tourists would not have found.

What was the date of your tour?: October 2023
Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?: As expected
Who is this tour suitable for?: Solo travelers, Families with teens
Do you recommend this tour?: Yes

5/5 Value
5/5 Bikes + equipment
5/5 Scenery
5/5 Local tour company services
5/5 Route selection
5/5 Guides (if applicable)

★★★★★ (4/5) Catherine Veitch October 22, 2023

Balkan triangle,epic Croatia.

· Cycling the West Balkan Triangle

Really enjoyed seeing so many countries by bike,a great way to see the countryside.Our guide was able to guide us through less busy roads..It definitely was an epic trip,lots of hills,some days long distances and warm.The accommodations were excellent,and really appreciated the snacks provided by the tour..

Countries included in this tour?: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro

★★★★★ (5/5) Joanne Slingerland October 22, 2023

Fantastic experience!

· Cycling the West Balkan Triangle

This trip was an amazing way to experience beautiful parts of Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. Our guides and support crew, Mario and Emir, are professional, knowledgeable and caring. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome and kept us safe along the way. The ride is challenging at times with many hills and traffic, but we also experienced quiet roads through lovely vineyards and coastal views. Each hotel was unique and charming—from beachfront resorts to boutique hotels within ancient walled villages. Lunches and group dinners were well planned and delicious with the opportunity to experience local cuisine. Croatian wines are exceptional! And the best part of all was meeting new friends to share our love of cycling and adventure. This trip is not to be missed!

What was the date of your tour?: October 2023
How many tours have you completed?: 4
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?: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro

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)

★★★★★ (5/5) Sandra Bentjerodt October 22, 2023

Viaje perfecto

· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic

Todo muy bien
La ruta muy bien indicada , fantástica coordinación
Hoteles de calidad con gente muy amable.
Teníamos paquete con cena y muy ricos los restaurantes

Countries included in this tour?: France