Spain Bike Tour Reviews (page 3)
-
★★★★★ Christopher Attwood October 26, 2022The 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
-
★★★★★ Melanie Wood October 13, 2022
Lovely scenery and great Accommodations
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Lovely to ride all those miles on paths and low traffic roads. The ebikes were super and welcomed on a couple of paths that had been damaged by a huge storm the first night of the ride. Our hotels were great and got better further in the trip. Nice rooms and very helpful staff.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 7 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Total about 12, but this is the 4th with BikeTours.com
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Margaret Steyn October 5, 2022Fun cycle trip in an area new to us
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
The trip was a wonderful introduction to Spain. We enjoyed the challenge of the cycling, especially the wonderful dirt trails in the parks, Via Verde etc. There was a good mix of gravel roads, sand trails & urban cycle lanes. The Spanish motorists are very courteous & there is a wonderful bike trail system especially in bigger cities. The hotels (other than the one in Jerez which was a great disappointment & was not actually in the direction book or on the GPS!!) were excellent. We would have loved to have spent more time in Arcos del la Fronterra & less in Jerez. All other places were delightful & will have us returning. We definitely found having the GPS made a big difference. Bikes were okay & when we needed help (as a key got stuck in the battery ), we had good assistance.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 26th to 30th.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 cyclists in our group.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Margaret Steyn October 4, 2022
Fun cycle trip in an area new to us
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
The trip was a wonderful introduction to Spain. We enjoyed the challenge of the cycling, especially the wonderful dirt trails in the parks, Via Verde etc. There was a good mix of gravel roads, sand trails & urban cycle lanes. The Spanish motorists are very courteous & there is a wonderful bike trail system especially in bigger cities. The hotels (other than the one in Jerez which was a great disappointment & was not actually in the direction book or on the GPS!!) were excellent. We would have loved to have spent more time in Arcos del la Fronterra & less in Jerez. All other places were delightful & will have us returning. We definitely found having the GPS made a big difference. Bikes were okay & when we needed help (as a key got stuck in the battery ), we had good assistance.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 26th to 30th.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 cyclists in our group.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Chris Moolman September 26, 2022Fabulous trip!
· Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela
We really enjoyed the entire trip. Everything was arranged and organized just as it was promised: we were picked up and dropped off at airports - just as we had hoped for, the equipment was in good condition, our luggage was on time every time and in good condition - all in all just a fabulous experience. Some hotels were fabulous (and some nearly). Thank you so much, Biketours, for a fabulous experience - great memories that will remain with us.
-
★★★★★ Veronica Calderon September 24, 2022
Better than expected!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Very organized, hotels were amazing, people were friendly. Never felt lost or like i didn't know what to do. Couldn't recommend more, will definitely using biketours.com again. Thanks for everything!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Karen Metsos September 24, 2022
Not the Best
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
This was our third bike tour and to be honest we were disappointed in general. While the hotel accomodations and the towns that you slept in were great and places I would visit again, but the overall biking experience was a different story. The bike journey each day was mostly about trying to get to the next town. The experience along the way in terms of where you cycled and the towns you went through was a let down. For example having done the Passau to Vienna cycle a few years back the lunch stops and places to take breaks were amazing, charming, convenient and scenic. This trip didn't offer any of that. The lunch locations were simply a place to rest and keep going. The tour operator in the self guided books didn't offer any recommendations of where to stop for lunch or breaks compared to the previous 2 tours we did (Passau to Vienna and Puglia). On the previous two tours these types of tips and recommendations added extreme value to our trip.
A couple of tips... if you do decide to do this cycle definitely spend the extra 30 euros for the GPS as it will vastly improve the navigation experience as bikes aren't set up to display the guide book and if the tour operator is reading this, having an upgraded room option would be a good idea as the hotels were great as well as the towns. On a couple of the locations we paid extra for an upgraded room upon checkin and it made a difference!- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from jan September 25, 2022
First, thanks for your business and feedback as we and our partners slowly climb out of the covid reboot. Though the tourism industry is rebounding we are doing so after much fatigue so it certainly hasn't been perfect for us or our partners. Starting next year we will be providing our own branded travel packets which will do much to address the overall travel experience, options, and directions. Thanks again for your support!
-
★★★★★ Mary Ricks September 21, 2022A way to see some more of Spain.
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
The ride was great after the first day. Three of us were together and one bike kept losing its chain and something was rubbing. We called BikeTours and they delivered a different bike and we had no more problems. Ignacio from BikeTours was great as he kept in touch with all of us during the trip.
The first day did not offer much in scenery. Would have liked to start the ride with second day itinerary and continue.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20; not all same company
- 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
-
★★★★★ Bev Langsch September 19, 2022
Lots of ups and downs, super on Ebike
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Our group of three ebikers, average age 75, enjoyed zooming up the long, steep hills and then drifting down again. The route was on paved roads, with very little traffic. Wind and clouds in mid-September were with us, but rain came in late afternoon, and by then, we were resting in our new hotel. Scenery with mountains, very small towns and old churches was interesting. Hotels were varied, from very simple near Frias to renovated mill to luxurious in LaGuardia. The GPS routes were very helpful, but we usually read and reread the written information. The written notes would be more helpful if the actual number of the road was included. We had a bit of trouble adapting to Spanish meal times, but loved the tapas served in bars (only until 3 or 4 pm) and waited anxiously for dinner after 8.30. Three other bikers were doing the same route and joined us at mealtimes. The six of us had a wonderful time together.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 11, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Sharon Roberts September 12, 2022
Beautiful Spain!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Best curated trip I’ve been on so far. Hotels were pretty and comfortable and had wonderful staff. Bikes were in great shape and loved the electronic gps devices provided. The creative Catalonia folks were over the top helpful. Great mix of beaches, medieval villages and scenic views of the mountains and the med. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Fabio Freire de Carvalho Matos September 6, 2022One of the best journey in my live
· Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrim’s Route From Astorga to Santiago
The bike was not so good, but de experience was great. Galícia is a wonderfull place and its people are so kind and happy. I love the organization, all the hostel and hotels, the food, and the maps is very importants for de tourists.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Matthew Rogers August 4, 2022
Great adventure
· Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrim’s Route From Astorga to Santiago
So many great stops. Really loved Las Ferrerías even tho it’s the smallest town - low cultural interest but great people. Two improvements - for O Pino either stay in the town (rather than outside, we had to bike to dinner) or skip that stop. Would be a long day from Palas de Rei (another favorite) but might be worth it. Add another day/night in Santiago to make up for it. Loved Molinaseca - very lively town beach on the river. There are too many great memories to list here, but you guys really did a great job. O Cebreiro beautiful. The Galician castle detour highly recommended. I loved your throwback book of directions. Had to keep in our toes but getting lost sometimes is part of the fun. Going to hit you here with things to improve but it does not mean we did not enjoy our time. The bike I had was in terrible shape - your non e-bike fleet needs some help. By the way, you should tell people who are planning to not use ebikes that this is fairly strenuous! I’m a fairly strong cyclist and I was wasted after most days on the mechanical bike. Maybe it was the extreme heat though that made it seem tougher. Family loved the e-bikes, but the keys were broken, making it more difficult to charge at night. I think your mechanic in Astorga should have checked my back wheel better and should have had the tools to fix the key situation.
Many thanks for a super memorable experience. Will recommend 100%!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Over 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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
-
★★★★★ Andres Volosin August 4, 2022
Bike kids bike!
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
I was a great way to experience the Rioja area and great for our first bike trip with our kids.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Ken Schneider August 3, 2022
Great Trip
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Absolutely beautiful route with good places to stay. Significant climbs every day made the E Assist bikes a necessity for our group. (We had 6 people about 60 years old and in quite good shape). It was unseasonably hot for our week and a number of the smaller hotels in the mountains did not have AC. I'm not sure how often that would be an issue but sleeping was tough for a few nights. The local crew was friendly, timely and helpful. I would recommend the trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Dorothy Westerfield August 2, 2022
Fabulous trip!
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Possibly the most beautiful scenery we’ve seen yet. All the hotels were wonderful, and the self-guiding directions and maps were perfect. We would highly recommend this trip, but I do think it should be rated as a 3 in difficulty. Lots of hills, and I was very glad to have an ebike!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ marka3 April 4, 2022
wonderful bike tour
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Medieval Villages of Catalonia was a great cycling tour for us. We went in late March, and had very little rain and no traffic/crowds. Daniel was an excellent tour organizer. Very friendly, helpful , organized. The GPS systems( 2 of them) along with the maps made it impossible to get lost on our self guided tour. The hotels were good, and the bikes were very good. Highly recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 19/3 to 1/4
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 others
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ StuNH October 14, 2021A tour far exceeding expectations!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Reading previous reviews, what most needs to be said is praise for this tour is not over rated. It was an exceptional tour! We did the tour in late September into October. The high tourist season was past, so our entire tour was quiet, peaceful, relaxing. The weather was very pleasant, and swimming in the Mediterranean was delightful. We had 3 days on the coast to enjoy that. We loved the various cycling experiences - the "Carrilet", the coast (Costa Brava), and the medieval villages. The hotels were all outstanding.
Even though the tour was self guided, the tour operator remained in touch and was exceptional.- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/28/21 - 10/6/21
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+ (I've lost count)
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Kasey December 16, 2019
Seville to Cadiz
· Andalusia: Southern Spain
We did this tour at the end of November so the weather can be unpredictable. This region of Spain can be really hot in the summer so this was a good time of year for cycling with highs only in the 60's. However, Andulucia's terrain is, in general, not very lush or scenic and, in an area of Spain that is rural and farm based, it is particularly not scenic in November. The overnight stops along the way were very nice and the accommodations were well done. There were sections of the tour that were on busy roads, most of which were with a generous shoulder but a few with no shoulder. Fortunately, Spanish drivers are very courteous to cyclists and do not pass unless they can give you ample room. There we also sections of the tour that were off road and since there had been some recent rains, the trails were rough and muddy.
The bikes and equipment provided were of good quality and did not have any problems. The directions were for the most part accurate except for final approach into Cadiz when the gravel road ended before the directions indicated they should. From that point, the directions simply did match up to the road options. We had to rely on Google maps to figure out how to get into the historic district. We ended up on the pasao along the shore and cycled the last 6-8 miles on that into the historic district. Fortunately there were bike lanes we used to get to the pasao. Most of the last day of cycling is barren and not scenic so in retrospect we would have opted for the shorter option and taken the ferry into Cadiz and spent the last part of the day touring Cadiz instead of cycling all day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Late November, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
