Bike Tour Reviews  page 142

  • Danube Bike Path
    (5/5) john thell 11 months ago

    Wonderful Danube

    · Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    We loved the trip along the Danube. Great scenery, great accommodations, wonderful food. Unfortunately we had several days of rain but we found some cafes and Gasthof’s along the way

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • A memorable tour of Bilbao’s maritime icons
    (2/5) Aileen Gray 11 months ago

    Tour was not 5 hour tour as stated

    · Bilbao Gold Coast E-Bike Tour

    Excellent guide. We left bilboa at 10 am. Arrived in Getxo at 1220. Had option to return with guide or pay 7 each to return on our own. Return was 45 mins. Not worth 55 euro we paid.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 17
    How many tours have you completed?
    20 plus
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 1/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (4/5) William Gibson 11 months ago

    Dolomites to the sea in Trieste

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    This was a fun trip overall. The route begins with beautiful scenery thru mountain valleys with it's conclusion into the wine country north of Trieste. Numerous historical sites along the way with castles, churches and town centers to see. The lake in Bled is stunning.
    Accommodations were mostly fantastic with excellent food for dinner and breakfast.
    We had a few problems at the start with missing bike accessories for the e-bikes. Luckily this was easy to sort out at the bike shop in Dobbacio the evening before our ride.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    Some self guided gravel biking in Colorado
    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?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy, Slovenia, Austria
    • Sunset at Bled (photo by William Gibson)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Along the Rhône River from Geneva to Lyon
    (5/5) Rebecca 11 months ago

    Lovely route along the Rhone

    · Along the Rhône River from Geneva to Lyon

    My friend and I had a great time on this self-guided bike tour. Navigation was fairly easy, and we liked having the option of short or long routes for several of the days. This itinerary gave us a good balance of time in large cities and small villages. Staying in Perouges was a highlight.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Germany's Riverside Heritage and Culture by Bike and Boat
    (4/5) Timothy Linehan 11 months ago

    A Sampler of Riding Along German Rivers

    · · Germany's Riverside Heritage and Culture by Bike and Boat

    Great barge, crew, and food. Knowledgeable, helpful guides.

    While there were interesting sights along the Main, and the Rhine, I found the riding along the Mosel to be the most scenic - and the least affected by traffic noise, etc.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
  • Norway's "King of the Fjords"
    (5/5) Geraldine ( Gerry) Sayerd 11 months ago

    Stunning Natural Beauty!

    · Bergen to Sognefjord: Cycle Norway's Greatest Landscapes

    As very special cycling experience… rain or shine, Norway delivers! We loved the rolling terrain, ferry system and the excitement of discovering the unique charms of the characterful, remote villages on the Sogneford route. We especially loved the older hotels including; the Kviknes Hotell in Ballestrand and our favourite, the Walacher Jotel in Solvorn. Both provided old work ambience with modern efficiency. The Walacher Hotel was a very special dining experience and not to be missed both breakfast and dinner. Our last day cycling on the “ romantic route” was lovely and very memorable from the ferry to Urnes, cycling chug up the very steep hill to the old stave church and the challenge of the unlit tunnels. All experiences added to our sense of accomplishment and are now part of our story of cycling in Norway. We will return! Thank you to the warm welcome and care from your team.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Norway
    • En route to Balledtrand (photo by Geraldine ( Gerry) Sayerd)
    • Misty reflections on the fjord (photo by Geraldine ( Gerry) Sayerd)
    • The romantic Walaker Hotel in Solvorn (photo by Geraldine ( Gerry) Sayerd)
    • The Romantic Route… spectacular waterfalls all day… (photo by Geraldine ( Gerry) Sayerd)
  • Innsbruck to Salzburg
    (5/5) Mark Anderson 11 months ago

    Well Organized!

    · Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails

    Tour Date (wk beginning Sep 7, 2024)

    Our chosen tour was the self guided tour and my wife and I rented a tandem for the ride. the weather was the only thing we would have hoped to of had different. We started out in the 80's F and ended in the low 40's with all day heavy rain.

    Bike Tours and their local providers/coordinators did an excellent job of coordinating all the parts and pieces from the bike shop where we picked up the tandem in Innsbruck and including all of the accommodations and luggage movement along the way. Everything worked perfectly.

    One comment I have heard in many other reviews was that the map book is difficult to follow. We decided to also rent a GPS as well to help with navigation. That was a good move as the GPS was easier to manage in the rain and then we pulled the map book out when we needed additional details.

    The map book directions were hard to follow initially, but that got easier with familiarity after the first day. When you receive the GPS it's not preloaded with the route. We didn't realize this ahead of time, but after loading the Garmin app in our phone we would load each day's route from the map book into our phone and then transfer to the GPS the night before. We both grumbled a bit as we completed this process the first night, but this became much quicker after the initial run as well.

    I would definitely do another tour with Bike Tours!

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sep 7, 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 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
  • Learning Italian from the Saddle
    (5/5) Bill Allured 11 months ago

    A great way to experience Puglia in Italian

    · Learning Italian from the Saddle: Language Classes & the Coast of Apulia

    The bicycling was magnificent with varied and spectacular views. A vary civilized break for coffee and Italian language every day, along with delicious lunch stops (with more Italian) really illustrated the concept of “Slow Tourism”, which the local partner specializes in. Our teacher and guide, Giovanna, was a gentle and excellent teacher as well as guide. When thunderstorms were predicted, she anticipated possible stopping places so we were confident in our ride. The only down side was that we don’t know what to follow it up with next year, except maybe do it again!

    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    •  (photo by Bill Allured)
    •  (photo by Bill Allured)
    •  (photo by Bill Allured)
    •  (photo by Bill Allured)
    • 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)
  • Lake Constance Classic
    (4/5) Jo Ribordy-Christofferson 11 months ago

    Not for the inexperienced traveler

    · Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)

    The trip itinerary was very good, the bikes were good, the motels were good, the luggage transport was good. The biking instructions were terrible. We only received a very small undetailed map for each day. We needed to use Google maps to navigate for most days of the trip and we were definitely lost on many occasions. International phone service is a must for this trip! Cycling along the lake was easy but getting in and out of towns was very challenging.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    10+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Mosel and Saar
    (5/5) Kim Wasik 11 months ago

    Biking, Vinyards, and Castles

    · · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat

    Biking along the beautiful Mosel River with a view of the Reisling Vinyards, and a warm reception aboard our floating hotel was a wonderful experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 7 2024
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Germany
    • The view from Zell (photo by Kim Wasik)
    • 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 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (5/5) Linda Barone 11 months ago

    Excellent trip but GPS needs some updating

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    This was a wonderful trip. The bikes were excellent, most of the scenery was stunning, the hotels were good for the most part. The one challenge we had was many of the directions have not been updated to reflect bike path construction and restaurant closures. The other issue was the distances we actually traveled did not match the distances on the downloaded GPS. One day we rode ~100 km, when the GPS said we would ride ~ 65 to 70 km.
    Still, we had an amazing, nicely challenging adventure and saw some of the most beautiful countryside that we wouldn’t have seen if we weren’t on bicycles. We would recommend this trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2024
    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, Slovenia, Austria
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Danube River and Black Sea
    (5/5) Michael Hallowell 11 months ago

    Layers of history

    · Danube River and Black Sea

    We have done dozens of bicycle tours around the world so we have a good idea of what a good tour looks like. This one met our expectations. Lots of local history and culture, reasonable biking distances, good hotels and knowledgable guides. We also stopped and foraged along the way, eating everything from walnuts to peaches for fun. The bicycles were well maintained and appropriate for the surfaces we traveled (perhaps a third of the trip was on dirt farm roads, cyclists with gravel or mountain bike experience-like us-will have no trouble, that said, the two people on our trip without such experience did just fine.)

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    46
    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?
    Bulgaria, Romania
    • Tyulenovo sea arch (photo by Michael Hallowell)
    • The door to the Black Sea Vama Veche, Romania (photo by Michael Hallowell)
    • Hotel view Tyulenovo, Bulgaria (photo by Michael Hallowell)
    • Ancient graves hewn into the rock (photo by Michael Hallowell)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 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 Guides (if applicable)
  • Dolomites to Trieste
    (5/5) Jodi Ready 11 months ago

    Great trip!

    · Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps

    My friend and I did the tour on one of the upgraded regular non-electric bikes and I was very happy with the quality. You should be already quite comfortable with bicycles as they were handed over to us with no instruction. A phone mount was not included, and between the two of us, we only got one handlebar bag. There were no water bottle holders either.
    The route was excellent and, as promised, was mostly on non-motorized, paved, well marked trails. You have the option of being driven over some of the bigger hills, but my friend and I opted to ride them ourselves. Of the paper forms provided, the written directions were much more useful than the maps, and I found the app useless and intrusive so I deleted it and used the downloads of the routes they provided ahead of time into my chosen app (Gaia for me and OnX for my friend) for the map. It worked much better, especially in combination with the written directions on the papers provided.
    The accommodations and food in the hotels were excellent. our bags seem to always arrive before we did and there was a clean dry place to park our bikes.
    I loved biking along the Drau river with beautiful views of the amazing dolomites.
    The route brought us by interesting museums (we went to a chocolate museum, as well as history museums), pretty lakes, and we were informed of good food stops, and interesting viewpoints. I also enjoyed biking through some of the small hillside villages where you could see how some of these remote communities live.
    I enjoyed the camaraderie of others doing the same program. We would see each other at breakfast, sometimes at dinner and occasionally on the route.
    We chose to spend an extra day in Bled. We thought we would need a break from the cycling. We found that wasn’t the case, but enjoyed the lake and the castle so we’re glad we stopped. Because we took the extra day, they gave us an alternate route to the last hotel, but we decided to follow the one that the rest of the group took because it went through some beautiful places that we wanted to see. It really didn’t change our average daily distance to do that.
    There was one area that required taking a train. We called to find out the logistics while we were on the tour because it wasn’t clear from the material, but I was impressed with how it worked. Someone from the tour group met us at the station, had tickets, and helped us and our bikes onto the train. Then someone was at the other end to pick us up and make sure we got to where we needed to start our ride again. They were easy to identify and very friendly and helpful.
    I had a great time and would look to this company again for another tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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, Slovenia, Austria
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    •  (photo by Jodi Ready)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 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
  • Amsterdam to Bruges: South Holland and Zeeland
    (5/5) susan mcbryant 11 months ago

    The best!

    · Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland

    Thoughful bike routes, great accommodations, beautiful scenery. This trip was seamless and we would highly recommend it to anyone.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Belgium, Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Ride with the waves
    (5/5) Andrew Brooks 11 months ago

    A chill informative cycle along the coast of Brighton

    · Brighton Coastal Bike Tour

    Duncan was a great guide on our cycle around Brighton, he was super friendly and very knowledgeable on the local area. We had originally booked on the South Downs tour, but were not feeling up to going up and down hills. Duncan was happy to accommodate, and so took us on the Coastal Route which was mostly flat. The weather was great for a casual cycle. Clear skies and a calm breeze. Would highly recommend for anyone wanting to explore and learn a bit more about Brighton.

  • Pearls of Dalmatia
    (5/5) Robert 11 months ago

    Great great trip

    · · Pearls of Dalmatia by Bike and Boat, Romantica

    What a great trip. Except for the condition of the "hybrid" bike I had (did not use e-bike), everything about this trip was beyond expectations...cabin, food, support, guides. My wife and I have been on other bike trips and have loved them. This trip was truly the best we have done. Everything was done to make the trip 5 stars. Modifications, when needed, were made with consideration for providing the best experience possible. For the casual rider or not in top notch condition
    individual, an e-bike, is a must and will make the riding experience way fun. The islands are beautiful. The ride routes have challenging climbs. Guides were extremely knowledgeable, and supportive. The Romantica is charming and seemed the perfect match and vibe for the itinerary.
    There are newer and more "glamorous" ships we encountered, but was glad to be on the Romantica.

    Highest recommendation.

    As noted above, my only negative was the non e-bikes provided us. I am an very experienced rider and the bikes provided (the first one was not in acceptable riding condition, and the second provide was just slightly better) were poorly maintained, with shifters not working properly, rusty chains, etc., the wrong size for me, and the rides would have been way more enjoyable on a "good" bike. E-bikes appeared in good condition and well maintained.

    In spite of this, I loved this trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    3rd bike tour
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 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)
  • Prague to Dresden
    (5/5) MHK 11 months ago

    Lots of fun! Well organized!

    · Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers

    Loved the accommodations especially in the smaller towns. Breakfast was wonderful. Bikes were in good condition. Our local contacts responded very quickly to any questions we had along the way. Would use them again. 😊

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Czech Republic, Germany
    •  (photo by MHK)
    •  (photo by MHK)
    •  (photo by MHK)
    •  (photo by MHK)
    •  (photo by MHK)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 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
  • Lake Constance Bike Path
    (4/5) Renata Ostwald 11 months ago

    Self guided tours

    · Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    Great experience, hotels were great and luggage transit even better. The only thing disappointment I had was regarding the routes…. It’s so easy in Europe ( once you know what path to take since it’s all signed ). Guidance regarding which sign should be followed would have been helpful. But it was an great trip

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2024
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Route selection
  • Along the Rhône River from Geneva to Lyon
    (5/5) Maggie Stapleton 11 months ago

    Absolutely Wonderful!

    · Along the Rhône River from Geneva to Lyon

    I had a terrific time on this tour. Everything was extremely well organized, from orientation at the beginning of the trip, to the daily route navigation, and luggage arrival at accommodations. The scenery was beautiful, and each town and hotel had a lot of charm! Highly recommend.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection