Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews (page 6)
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★★★★★ Coco September 23, 2019Amazing Croatian Cycle Adventure
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
So many positives to share... we did this tour with a group of friends, many of which had not been to Croatia, so it was a new experience. The itinerary was a nice combination of small villages, a fewer larger cities (Zadar and Sibenik) along the beautiful coastline of Dalmatia.
The riding was not difficult, but we live in mountains and ride regularly. Most of the group had eBikes, with the exception of a few of us. Compared to other bike tours we have done, this was predominantly on roads, which is a bit of a bummer, as other parts of Europe have so many dedicated cycle paths. In that sense, Croatia is a bit behind, but the roads were not terribly busy.
Our guides were fantastic, especially Toni, who is the epitome of a great tour guide. Safety first, great sense of humor, conversant in English, German and Croatian, very knowledgeable and plays the guitar and sings - what more could you ask for??? Ziva was new to the company, but her heart was in the right place and she did a great job of bringing up the rear.
Food was very good and plentiful - it was the first bike tour I’ve done where I’ve gained weight! Weather was amazing, sunny and in the 80’s everyday.
Opportunities to make this a better experience are few, but I’ll mention them... bottled water dispersed in the morning could have been cold, hard to drink warm water on a hot ride... hot tub was not filled and when we requested it, it was filled but cold. Funny dichotomy- drinking water was warm and jacuzzi water was cold. The lighting in the dining room was bright and fluorescent, not an issue for breakfast or lunch but it would have been nice to have it on dimmers for dinner. And last but not least, I would have like a bit more riding, but that’s me. Longest day is 20 miles.
Overall experience was overwhelmingly positive.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 7-14, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ KenK September 22, 2019
Awesome Bike Trip
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
This was a great way to experience the beauty of The Peloponnese Peninsula and meet so many friendly locals and fellow bikers along the way.
Our accommodations were all very nice and our baggage was transferred without any problems.
Our only criticism is with the quality of the bikes which caused us quite a few problems along the way. Luckily we were able to improvise repairs and continue on.
Four British bikers we spoke to that were with the same local bike tour company had the same criticism. The local company was helpful and friendly but their bikes needed tune ups and refurbishing.
Also....the thorns on the side of the roads on the Peloponnese Peninsula are notorious for causing flat tires...and we had lots of flat tires. Why doesn’t the local operator use the more puncture resistant bike tire technology? I was unable to get an answer to that question when I asked.
I don’t want to dwell on the negative.
We had a wonderful time and I would do it again but hopefully with a more reliable bike.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 7-14
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Greece
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe September 23, 2019
Hi Ken, thanks kindly for the feedback. We're so glad that you enjoyed the Peloponnese Peninsula and meet many friendly locals and fellow bikers along the way. Thanks especially for the feedback about the bikes. It sounds like some simple updates would take this tour from awesome to spectacular. We'll inform our local operator partner of your suggestions and work with them to improve this aspect of the tour. Thanks again and glad you enjoyed your tour!
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★★★★★ Issac Newton September 16, 2019Wonderful Ride Through the Scenic Valleys of the Alps
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
- What was the date of your tour?
- 30 Aug - 6 Sep
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Nada September 11, 2019
Austria alps
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 30-sept 5 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ BarbaraT September 10, 2019
Wonderful biking in Austria!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We loved our ride from Insbruck to Salzburg. The scenery was amazing, and the quality of the routes was excellent. All of the hotels were very nice. We left something on a bus at one point, and it was mailed to our final hotel, for which we are most grateful. The paper maps aren't really that great, and I would recommend loading maps onto a Garmin for ease of use and better accuracy. We had van support for luggage and didn't opt to have a guide, which I really enjoyed. I would take another tour with this company in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/30-9/5
- How many tours have you completed?
- lots but not with this company
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Cher September 1, 2019
Wow
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
First time in Croatia first time on an e bike great guides great adventure and well looked after from start to finish highly recommend
- What was the date of your tour?
- August
- How many tours have you completed?
- First
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ LeePDX August 20, 2019Awesome Family Bike Trip
· Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
Great vacation and memories to last a lifetime. The Tauern Bike Path is great, relatively flat and incredibly beautiful at every turn. Lots of great excursions within relatively easy bike or bus connection to route, including Ice Caves, Caverns, Salt Mines, Waterfalls, Trams, Lakes... Awesome.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/6-8/12
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Spencer August 18, 2019
An absolutly amazing trip!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
I loved every second of this trip! I had absolutely no problems with the bike, hotels, or routes. The scenery was just unbelievable the entire ride. I was worried about the weather but had a nice split of sunny and just slightly overcast days. I deviated from the route on 2 parts to add some extra miles and elevation and even had a blast with that! I would highly highly recommend this trip to bikers looking for a gorgeous ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8-2-19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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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★★★★★ Sewathom August 6, 2019
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Sewathom August 6, 2019
Our favorite trip so far!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Oh my goodness- where to start? This trip was amazing! Biketours.com took excellent care of us. All of the hotels were great, and we loved each of the towns that we stayed in. The bikes were very comfortable, and they gave us each a large saddle bag that came in handy for carrying water, snacks, cameras, and sunscreen. The route was pretty easy to navigate, as there are signs and well marked bike paths throughout the route. Basically, if you just follow the river, you're going the right way. Having said that, the direction booklet that they give is pretty much useless, so we supplemented with a GPS app. The biking is very flat and easy, so you'll have time to explore the towns, and do other activities along the way. They give you a few brochures but they don't really give good recommendations to things to do/see along the way. I did some research prior to the trip, and these were some that we loved:
1. Day 2: In Stans, we (very slightly) detoured to Wolfsklamm (beautiful hike through gorge and continue hike up to old monastry (St. Georgenberg) nestled on the top of a cliff overlooking the mountains. There is a restaurant at the top with gorgeous mountain views, good beer, and great traditional Austrian food. Its about a 6-7 km hike all in all. Also we made a little detour to Tratzberg Castle in Jenbach. The castle tour is offered with English audio, and was very informative and interesting. The castle is beautiful and well preserved.
2. Day 3: We biked to Mayrhofen before the transfer, and ate lunch at a charming little bakery. The biking on this day was through pastures and mountain valleys. Once we arrived in Krimml we walked from our hotel to Krimml falls. Despite doing some research before hand online, I had no idea how large and magnificent the falls would be. We hiked up to a restaurant located just after the first falls, and then further up past the second falls. Gorgeous hike, highly recommend. We could've spent much more time hiking in the area. Krimml was on of our favorite stops.
3. Day 4: Biking to Zell am See- we didn't really stop for any side adventures on this day, but again, the biking was great and we enjoyed walking around the lake once we arrived in Zell am See. There are tons of shops and restaurants in this town, and its the most touristy town besides Innsbruck and Salzburg.
4. Day 5: so many options for things to do for your day in Zell am See. We walked from the hotel to a trailhead next to the cityXpress cable car that led up to the top of where the Schmittenhohe cable car takes you. There is a nice restaurant and chapel at the top, and the views are incredible. There are multiple food huts to stop at along the way. We continued the trail in a loop fashion back down to Zell am See. Great hike, and so many other excellent, well marked hiking trails in the area.
5. Day 6: The only day we had rain, but still excellent. The low clouds and fog actually made for some beautiful mountain scenery. On the way to Lofer we stopped at Seisenbergklamm (another gorge hike), which was beautiful. We also stopped at Lamprechtsofen cave, which is one of the deepest limestone caves in the world. It was a also a must see while you're in the area. The hotel in Lofer, St. Hubertus, was probably our favorite. They offer a traditional buffet dinner, which was very fun and delicious, and our balcony had the most amazing view of the mountains.
6. Day 7: to Salzburg. We didn't stop for any side adventures along the way here because there is so much to see in Salzburg, but this was the only day we got lost. It wasn't terrible- just maybe 30 minutes in the wrong direction. Highly recommend the tour of Hohensalzburg fortress. Hotel is in a great location and very comfortable.
All in all, this was amazing cycling with good variety of scenery, towns, and things to do along the way. Couldn't have asked for a better bike tour. THANK YOU BIKETOURS!!!! SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe August 7, 2019
Thanks so much for the lovely and insightful day-to-day suggestions in your review. This is exactly what we love to hear! And doesn't destination research make all the difference? We're so thrilled you had such an amazing time!
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★★★★★ Harry August 1, 2019
Satisfied repeat customer
· Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
This is the third trip that I've done with Greenways and I remain very pleased with the impeccable organization, the thoughtfully planned routes, the helpfully redundant cycling instructions and the very engaging and pleasant territory. I combined the Salzburg to Prague trip with a Salzburg to Salzburg loop around Berctesgaden, and so my overall experience combined spectacular Alpine scenery with miles of classic Bohemian rolling wheat fields punctuated with forest and woodlot. There was a lot in this trip that exceeded my expectations, and virtually nothing that merits any harsh criticism. Getting over the hills north of Linz was a pretty good workout for an old guy!
As a solo traveler, I didn't have any meals included in the package, and that worked out just fine. The Salzburg loop was all on well-marked bike path, so direction-finding was all but bulletproof. The 'Heart of Europe' trip has some very detailed instructions and a GPS, and almost never presented any confusion. Having Google Maps on a phone helped to disambiguate a few times. There were some good suggestions for things to see, though I didn't always have time to stop and see them. Perhaps the tour deserves a repeat!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 15-25
- How many tours have you completed?
- many, both package and self-created
- 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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★★★★★ NancyinCO July 30, 2019
Amazing Scenery!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was our third bike tour through biketours.com and it was definitely the most scenic. This must be one of the most beautiful areas on earth. Each day seemed better than the day before. Zell am See was absolutely gorgeous, in Lofer we had a beautiful view of the mountains from our room next to a stream, and Bad Reichenhall is a very quaint town you'll want to stop at for refreshments. The inns we stayed at were all we could ask for; very well-chosen, professional and comfortable. The breakfasts were a highlight for me; all-you-can-eat spreads with a wonderful variety of fresh food to give you energy for the day of cycling ahead. I would highly recommend this tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 14 - June 21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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
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★★★★★ TJS53 July 29, 2019Amazing Scenery along the Ebro River
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
The route takes riders through some of the most sparsely populated and beautiful parts of Spain. Much of the ride along the river winds through a deep canyon. Although the route follows the river downstream, there is significant climbing (and some of it steep) everyday, but the pay off, terrific views and then long downhill stretches, is well worth it. The tour is ranked 2?, but it is a 3.
The route takes riders through interesting villages steeped in history. You'll see churches, castles, bridges, plenty of wheat and sunflower fields. There are quite a few opportunities to get off the bicycle, see the sites and interact with the locals. Be sure to see the castle and the cathedral in Frias. In Laguardia we arrived in time to witness the "running of the cows", an annual festival featuring a parade of town dignitaries and marching band that culminates with the release of cows that romp through the cobblestone streets. A good time was had by all, except maybe for the cows.
We took the tour during a record-setting heatwave, three days of temperatures over 100 degrees, so we started early each day to get to the next hotel before the heat became unbearable. I'd plan to do this trip during a time of year more likely to offer moderate temperatures.
The hotels were always good. However the Posada de Ormas, Hotel Romanca and the Hospederia de los Parajes in Laguardia were outstanding.
All in all this is a good tour and a great value.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6-23-2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Spain
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe July 30, 2019
Thanks for the review and comment about the difficulty. We'll be sure to note that in our year-end review of this tour. We're elated to hear you enjoyed your time in Spain, and thanks again for sharing what you saw and experienced.
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★★★★★ Julane July 28, 2019Holland is better by bike!
· Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof
We combined this tour with the Best of Holland South tour (Canals, Windmills, and Historic Towns), starting in Utrecht and ending in Amersfoort, The owners of Tulip Cycling, Peter Vos and Liesbeth van Vulpen, did a fabulous job arranging charming and centrally located accommodations and providing excellent bikes with spot-on GPS routing. These two tours offered everything (and more) that you expect to see in Holland: windmills, tulips, quaint towns, history, art, architecture. We recommend doing these tours in April when tulip, daffodil and hyacinth fields are at their peak and the Keukenhof is open.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ RiderSA July 25, 2019
It was a dream cycle ride!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
What a beautiful way to experience Austria and the Austrian Alps. The journey was well-planned, there was a lot of time to enjoy the scenery and cuisine, and the hotels were all great.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-8 July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ ArmannI July 25, 2019Wonderful trip
· Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
Pros: The perfect way to experience this part of Greece. The Greek people were very friendly.
Cons: One of the bikes broke down resulting in minor injury of one of the person in the group. When we were leaving the local tour company intents to claim us (without result) for the bike and driving the injured person to the nearmest hospital. The companys "clarification" for the claim for the bicycle was "careless" and/or "speedy" cycling even though we only followed the provided cycling routes. This resulted my in "one" star rate to the company. My "one" star has nothing to do with the people from the company that were wery helpful and nice. Regarding the bycicle I thougt such biking company would have its insurance to tackle such "incedent".
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6.7.2019 - 12.7.2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe July 26, 2019
Hello, and thanks for submitting a review. While we are overjoyed that you enjoyed Greece and it's friendly people, we're a bit concerned about the incident that occurred. Our Client Service Manager will reach out to you for more details via email. We hope the injured person is okay. Thanks again for sharing.
