Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Christopher 1 day agoFirst Rate Bicycle Tour
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
The tour company provided excellent service on our guided, group tour in early November. My wife and I were the only two people on the tour, but the tour went ahead with a van and at least two guides every day. Our tour was at the end of the dry season and the landscape was parched. We encountered some rain but most of the time the weather was excellent for cycling. The tour company was very good at accommodating customers bringing their own bike. The company's ebikes also were very good bikes for the terrain. I highly recommend this tour.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Margaret Farran 5 days agoAlways a fan of Croatia for biking!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
The Boat & Biking along the Dalmatia coast and islands was wonderful. As it was October, the weather was perfect, sunny, warm but not hot with chilly mornings but we warmed up quickly once on the bikes. No rain, lucky us. The views are dramatic and various towns the boat stopped at charming. This was our second boat and bike trip in Croatia. Can't say enough goods things about the country except "Go and experience it!" Our boat was comfortable, food delicious, crew very pleasant and helpful, e-bikes worked well and last but not least the two guides were absolutely fabulous. A great trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Keith M. 1 month agoThe Best Way to Experience the Countryside Between Innsbruck and Vienna
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was a very well organized and well thought out way to experience the beautiful countryside between Innsbruck and Vienna. Chris at the bicycle rental shop in Innsbruck was very helpful and provided us with handlebar mounts for our phones to easily view GPS tracks, bicycle repair tools (including tire levers, spare inner tube, patch kit, hand pump, and CO2 inflator) and lock and pannier bags. Bicycles have been well maintained and were well suited for this tour. My wife used an e-bike whereas I used a 24 speed hybrid bicycle with a triple crankset giving me a wide range of gearing just in case it got hilly. Accommodations were good, mostly lodging facilities intended for winter skiing, with very good European breakfasts and excellent Austrian coffee. Our luggage was always available at the hotel when we arrived. I am 70 years old and have toured by bicycle throughout the United Staes since my teenage years but I found this tour far more enjoyable since the route we took was mostly on paved or crushed stone bicycle paths without auto traffic to deal with (in the United States I have bicycled through many beautiful national and state parks but have always had to deal with automobile traffic making it more difficult to enjoy the natural beauty). On this tour there are a few miles (but only a few miles) where we did need to ride with auto traffic in the cities. There are also some backroads and roads through neighborhoods that have very little auto traffic. There were a few very minor hiccups with the GPS tracks and the bicycle path signage. Although we found the GPS tracks very useful, on very rare occasion there were times that the GPS tracks did not perfectly match with the bicycle path signage which led to a little confusion but this was easily resolved after checking Google Maps. It was great that a shuttle was provided from Zell am Ziller to Krimml since the highway between these two towns is fairly steep and narrow with lots of auto traffic. The shuttle also got us to Krimml in time for us to hike up to the Krimml waterfalls. It was also nice that the shuttle took us to a higher elevation which resulted in a down hill coast on our bicycles the next morning. We were fortunate to have a layover day in Zell am See since it was the only day to rain on this tour. Although we are comfortable riding in the rain it is something we like to avoid which can be challenging to do in Austria. There were also a couple of minor hiccups with our lodging but these were quickly resolved by a phone call to Helmut Wagner, the bicycle tour operator. When we arrived at the hotel in Zell am See there was no one at the reception desk and we later found out we needed to go to the hotel next door to check in. When we arrived in at the hotel in Salzburg we were told by the reception personnel that we would need to pay for our room but again a phone call to Helmut Wagner quickly resolved this issue. I mention these minor inconveniences so one is prepared to be flexible and not to panic since these issues are easily resolved. Overall, the experience was most enjoyable and the scenery amazing. I strongly recommend this tour for anyone that enjoys bicycle touring through very scenic mountain valleys and historic towns. I am thankful that biketours.com has vetted this tour and made it easy and affordable to experience. The personnel at biketours.com were very helpful with the booking of this tour and patiently answered all of my questions. I will definitely book future European bicycle tours through biketours.com. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Dozens
- 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
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★★★★★ Jim R. 1 month ago
stunning...but get an e-bike unless you are in great shape.
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Cool towns, friendly people, food is more on seafood side other ships can have more variety apparently. I've done this route - or variations of it - a few times. Highly recommend this e-bike tour to see the "game of thrones" part of Europe. Definitely go for a swim in the Adriatic.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Rosemary M. 1 month agoEverything we hoped for and more!
· Croatian Vineyards and Villages of Undiscovered Istria
The self-guided bike tour (Undiscovered vineyards and villages of Istria) was amazing. Our tour guide was excellent; he provided all the necessary information before we started and ensured the bikes were set up properly. The touring bikes we had were great, the maps were accurate and the accommodation excellent. Everything went according to plan and would definitely recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first bike tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Christine Wilson 1 month agoThis trip was a pilgrimage for me and it exceeded any expectation beyond!
· Loch Lomond to Edinburgh: Lakes & Valleys of Scotland
This trip was a pilgrimage for me and it exceeded any expectation beyond! Our tour operator Nick Green was great! He rode to our lunch spot in Drymen just to check on us as we rode hybrid bikes (not e-bikes). The routes were extremely challenging but so worth the effort as the landscapes we covered on our self guided tour was spectacular!! The rides were multi-terrain so the bikes were great for the variety of terrains we covered. Our accommodations were wonderful and the people we meet in Scotland were warm, friendly & helpful. I am so glad we upgraded to king size bed rooms as after a challenging day of riding it was so nice to stretch-out and sleep! I would definably confirm check in times at each hotel as they vary. It truly was a trip of a lifetime!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Scotland
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★★★★★ Fred 1 month ago
Castles and wines of the Alentejo region of Portugal
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
There were four great hotels and one doesn’t have to be a serious cyclist to get around
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Chuck A. 1 month agoNice ride
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
We enjoyed our trip to Spain and were glad that we opted for e-bikes as our 70 year old legs would have had a hard time with the hills during the first few biking days. The bike staff were great and very attentive to our needs, they even went out of their way to return a lost iPad. We especially enjoyed Haro and LaGuardia. Both cities were what we were hoping to find in Spain.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Julane Anderson 2 months ago
Beauty abounds!
· Loch Lomond to Edinburgh: Lakes & Valleys of Scotland
Scotland has it all: beautiful scenery, warm and helpful people, dedicated bike routes. The tour operator booked us into lovely hotels/B&Bs that were conveniently located, and we were more than satisfied with the hearty breakfasts. Upon the recommendation of the tour operator, we booked dinner ahead of our trip at each accommodation, a useful suggestion as there were occasionally limited dining opportunities. Yes, it rained some, but the sun also shone brightly. We were wise to rent e-bikes as the route was occasionally quite hilly. My only suggestion to the tour operator is to equip the bikes with front and rear fenders to keep rain gear clean and also front and rear lights to improve safety when riding in traffic during rainy periods. We secured tickets to a performance at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, a short walk from our hotel, adding to our enjoyment of the town.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- more than 10
- 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?
- Scotland
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★★★★★ Marcia Schattauer 2 months agoGreat Trip
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
What a beautiful ride through Greece! I loved riding through all the olive grove and grape fields, seeing the sheep in the street and the goats. The weather was perfect everyday. The bikes were great! The towns were fun to explore. We especially like Vytina and Nafplio. Our hotels were great. We asked for an upgrade to have a Seaview in Nafplio and we were glad we did! Our upgrade was right by the water and close to everything! The staff of Arcas were very helpful.
It was rated a 2 but I would say it was more of a 3. There were a lot of long descents but there was a fair amount of uphill as well.
I used a trek touring bike and I bike regularly 2-3 times a week 15-25 miles, but the hills were
challenging for me.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Ronnie 2 months ago
A Wonderful Self Guided Bike Trip
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
This trip was excellent in few respects.
The organization, communication with the company and follow up by Inshaaf during the few weeks leading to the trip were efficient and timely.
The routes were spectacular and both the written guides provided to us by IberoCycle and the RideWithGPS courses made the navigation easy and the stops easy to find.
The inns were not luxurious but were nice, clean and functional. Breakfasts and dinners were great.
This trip exceeded our expectations.
We were wowed by the views of the countryside and beauty of many of the villages we cycled through.- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ James M 2 months ago
What a great way to travel!
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
Great trip with some really great people on our trip with us. So many beautiful locations along the way. Very hot during the day in Greek Summer, so keep that in mind. There were sections of roads that were not ideal for bikes (on busy roads for not more than a few kms at a time) with not much in the way of a shoulder to ride on for sections. Some pretty steep downhill sections as well, so need to be careful in parts! Overall though, a great experience. Looking to add similar trips into future travels!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Laura 2 months ago
Wonderful adventure!
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
This was a fun and easy bike tour. The accommodations were varied, fun and great! The tour company was helpful and knowledgeable. The introduction before we left was very through.
The scenery and sites were interesting and beautiful.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Holly B 2 months ago
A perfect mix of activity, relaxation, and culture
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
We traveled with two other couples - none of us had been to Croatia before, so it was new for everyone. The convenience of the airport to the port and the detailed instructions on embarking put us all at ease.
Our cabin was comfortable and clean and there was plenty of room fit socializing and games during down time. Our guides were awesome- professional, fun, funny, knowledgeable and very attentive to the group. We were lucky to have a wonderful group from various parts of the world to get to know.
The rides were a good length each day with some challenging terrain, but very doable with ebikes. The tours that were arranged at various ports were a terrific add and each of the towns we were in port at felt safe and easy to explore in.
Overall, this was a trip that was well-priced- not fancy, but safe, clean, and fun.
I would highly recommend this adventure!- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- 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?
- Croatia
-
★★★★★ Terry A 2 months ago
Amazing Trip!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
An incredible way to explore the coast of Croatia, including several islands and national parks. What a beautiful country! Our guides, Tara and Serge were the best - well organized, great communicators, personable and fun! The Magellan is a beautiful boat, well equipped, with a great crew. The food was fabulous. Our e-bikes were very comfortable and the daily mileage was very manageable. It was nice to have time for the walking tours, exploring the towns on our own and eating dinner in the local establishments several nights during the trip. We went at the end of August and the weather was perfect, in the 80s, which meant we could swim off the ship in the Adriatic Sea every day. A big bonus! Definitely recommend this trip with no hesitation.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my second.
- 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?
- Croatia
-
★★★★★ William Spees 2 months ago
Let the good times roll!!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
The trip was amazing. You could really feel the love for their country coming from our guides. They adjusted itinerary so we got rides in even when the weather threatened to cancel. I feel like they also accommodated the fact that this group really seemed to enjoy swimming int he sea. The ships crew took care of everything in the back ground. Amazing food and service.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 29, 2025
- 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?
- Croatia
-
★★★★★ Wendy Kercher 2 months ago
Alpine cycle paths in Austria
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We had a great week cycling through Austria. The bikes were in great condition. The bike shop was very accommodating and switched out the handlebar stem to make the bike more comfortable. We found the self-guided navigation easier than on past trips because we downloaded the routes provided to a cycling app on our phones. Family-run hotels in the overnight villages were all nice, however the breakfast at the second hotel in Strasse was disappointing.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ AJM - Indy 2 months ago
This was the best of my Four European Bike Tours
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We traveled in late-August to early-September of 2025. The scenery was more stunning than I imagined it would be and the weather was perfect nearly every day; sunny skies, mild temperatures, and cool nights. (Most European hotels do not have AC so cool nights were a real blessing.)
Our e-bikes were in excellent condition and all of them worked flawlessly during the entire trip.
The breakfast's were hearty meals including meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee, and some pastries.
Some thoughts about the cycling. Using a GPS app to map your day's ride is critically important if you do not want to get lost. Austria is full of biking and hiking trails so it is very easy to take the wrong trail at trail intersections. We used Garmin's Explore app to navigate the biking trails and it worked really well. (A link with the GPS coordinates will be provided by the touring company.) On a related note, Google Maps worked much better in Europe than Apple's Maps app when walking around towns and villages.
The paper maps provided by the touring company are nearly impossible to follow while riding but they do have a benefit. The night before each day's ride--after studying the map--we would make notes indicating the distance to select villages, bridges, lakes, and intersections, etc. (The maps provide these distances.) Our notes then served as our sign posts ensuring that were were on the correct road or trail during the next day's ride, and also plan our lunch stops.
Though this was not explained in any of the literature I read, at every hotel we stayed we were given a two day "summer card" ("Sommerkarte") free of charge. (We did have to ask for it at one hotel.) These cards are incredible deals. They allow for FREE transportation on local and regional buses and trains, and also provide free admission to select museums, free rides on the Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See, and free access to the water falls in Krimml. Not sure why an explanation of this tremendous benefit was not provided.
Just for clarification, the "taxi" that you catch at the train station in Zell am Ziller is a large passenger van pulling a trailer. Your bikes are loaded into the trailer and then everyone piles into the van for a breathtaking 45-minute ride to Krimml. (Your luggage will be in the van as well.) By the way, the bike ride to Zell am Ziller is less than 15 miles and the village is beautiful so I would recommend getting there before noon and then having lunch at one of the restaurants along the river before catching your "taxi" to Krimml that afternoon.
Our favorite activities:
Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See- Use your summer card to catch the bus to the cable car facility and then ride to the top of the mountains where you can hike trails and have lunch. The views from the mountain tops are stunning.
Water Fall at Krimml- Again, use your summer card to access that water fall. You can walk up to the base of the waterfall and/or walk up the trail that leads to the top of the falls. There are lookouts about every 200 feet of elevation gain.
The Schloss Tratzberg Castle in Jenbach- It's probably a 10-mile detour on your first day, and somewhat expensive (summer cards do not work there), but well worth it. I believe this is one of the best preserved castles in the world. The current owner of the castle accompanied our tour (we were the last tour of the day) and he embellished much of the narrative provided by our guide.
The Family Gundolf Dinner Show in Innsbruck- A quirky Austrian variety show that includes dinner and a beer. It's kind of a Lawrence Welk meets Hee-Haw fusion for those old enough to remember those programs.
Salzburg- I only mention it because the reviews I read of Salzburg before our trip suggested it was kind of a one-dimensional city. ("Sound of Music.") It was much nicer than I anticipated with many shops, delicious restaurants, and one fascinating "speak easy" bar called Burdoch's Punch and Cocktails. At Burdoch's, you tell the bartender the name of a drink you like and then she creates a similar alternative using all sorts of random ingredients. I like "French 75's"; she made me something that was even better. The bartender and waiters were also excellent conversationalists. SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ Stuart 2 months agoGreat trip
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Fun adventure. Piran area was excellent. Caves were an interesting visit. Some roads a bit busy
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ Paul 3 months ago
Outstanding
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
It was a great time. Had a few hills, but all were manageable with the electric bike. The company that ran the tour was excellent.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my 5th
- 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?
- Spain
