Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Lgoeller May 19, 2016First Bike Tour
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
My husband really prepared for this trip, and I was glad he did. Biking is the only way to go if you want to experience every second of your adventure. We both like to participate, so we thought touring in a car was not a good option. The things you see, people you meet, and experiences you have are great! Be prepared for rain and thankful when it does not. The directions were good, but the English version was not always correct. If you are worried that you won't be able to make it on a bicycle, rent an e-bike!
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Jannykae May 19, 2016
Unbelievably fabulous!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We were surprised at how lovely the week long trip was for us a first time bike vacationers. It had just the right amount of challenge and comfort combined. The weather was lovely and the landscape perfect for this kind of biking.
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Dennis June 15, 2017
Austrian Springtime
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Everything went very well. The tour operator met all the schedules for baggage transfer and mountain shuttle with no difficulty. We particularly enjoyed the half-board meal arrangements which provided some contact with other travelers.
The trails are paved, in good condition, easy to follow, and provide an abundance of local scenery. However, if you do not speak German, be sure to bring your phrase book! Most of the people speak at least some English but the road and warning signs are not often translated.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 28 - Jun 03, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ alicia July 7, 2017
A great bike ride
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
My husband and I took this ride in late June 2017 as we were in the region for a wedding. It was an absolutely fantastic way to see a beautiful part of the world. The towns were charming, the scenery beautiful, and the people friendly. This trip is definitely not well-suited for anyone who is looking for a heavy dose of nightlife as the towns along the route are all fairly small. Think villages and ski towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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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★★★★★ Newbie August 9, 2017
Beautiful Austria!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was a wonderful tour for a "beginner" like me! The countryside was gorgeous, the bike paths varied, and the extra sights mentioned in the navigation book were easy to find and well-worth stopping to see. Everything organised by the tour company ran like clockwork: the bike delivery, hotel reservations, luggage transfer and mountain-pass transfer.
The three of us on this self-guided tour did not always agree on the direction to take, which led to quite a few "navigation discussions" and a few wrong turns, but that actually added to the adventure of the experience. Two days out of our five ride days, including the longest day, were in the rain (pretty heavy rain, in fact). Judging by the printed material, this is not unusual for the area, so be prepared!
A great experience - the area, the ride and the organisation!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Start date: 23 July, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- 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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★★★★★ Ernie August 12, 2017
Scenic Tour
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The scenery was even better than the promotional pictures indicate. The arrangements were great, the hotels were wonderful, and I would recommend the half-board option. Food was super. Rained on us several days but it was still beautiful. Directions got a little vague in some cases through the cities. We were very happy with our experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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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★★★★★ RobertH August 30, 2017
Innsbruck to Salzburg Austria: OUTSTANDING!!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This is a very well run self-guided tour that takes you through beautiful Austria. I was out of the regular "American tourist" areas and experienced true Austria. I had the 7-day tour with a rest day in Zell Am See - highly recommend this option. I did some hiking and a boat trip during my "rest day"! Beautiful mountains and lakes. All my B&B's / hotels were excellent and the staffs were so nice. I also did an extra day at the end of the tour in Salzburg. Wonderful city. The bike was excellent and the represented on Day #1 was very nice and explained working the GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 14 to 20 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8 to 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ DavidW September 5, 2017
Amazing scenery day after day
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We have cycled in most countries in Europe and picked this trip for two reasons. 1) Our adult daughter was traveling with us, and she loves mountains, and 2) I had major knee surgery this past winter and wanted a ride that was fun but not overly strenuous. This trip met both criteria and more! The scenery from day-to-day was unmatched. My wife and I had visited some of these locations in winter, but the summer was a different and wonderful experience. This trip would be great for novice riders because it would be very hard to get lost (mountains on both sides). Also, being able to ride on dedicated bike trails with very few stretches of road is a great benefit. Just enough gentle climbs to keep your heart pumping.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 20-26, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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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★★★★★ jfred June 20, 2018
One of our best trips.
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We've taken lots of bike trips, and this was one of our favorites. Innsbruck is well worth a day. The first day down the Inn River is a little disappointing; valley is beautiful, but lots of light industry. After that it becomes spectacular. Up the Zillertal through farmlands, then over a high pass by van to Krimml and down the Salzach River all the way to Salzburg (not as interesting as Innsbruck unless you are really into Mozart memorabilia). We had electric bikes which were much appreciated, but it could be easily be done on conventional bikes. Accommodations were great as were the breakfasts. As for the Austrian food in general, enough with the pork already!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Started June 11, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- At least 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Trisha June 25, 2018
Trip was a beautiful bike ride through the alps!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We had a wonderful bike trip from Innsbruck to Salzburg on electric bikes. The mountains and valleys we biked through were spectacular. I would recommend this trip. The hotels were very good and in great locations. Breakfast were also very good.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 4, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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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★★★★★ MichaelandErin September 17, 2018
Spectacular Scenary
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We thoroughly our cycling trip between Innsbruck and Salzburg. Day one was a nice scenic warm up ride mostly along a river. The second day ride, heading 'up' another valley (still fairly flat in valley, with beautiful mountains on either side) was enjoyable....but the highlight of that day was after the ride. Our transfer minibus picked us up (promptly) that took us up and over to another valley to the town of Krimml. Fortunately, we had enough energy left to hike up to the top of the Krimml falls (tallest series of waterfalls in Europe). Spectacular. Down another valley the next day to Zell am See, where we spent our rest day. Lot's to do there, if it's sunny....but alas, we were rained out (which we were relieved we were not cycling that day). Our highlight day followed, with the combo of stops...one heading inside an extensive cave network (trails inside for the public to travel a fair distance into the mountain), and another stop after that one involved a short hike trail up into a narrow gorge (bring rain gear, waterfalls and mist made it like walking thru a shower in places). Again, unexpected and very, very scenic. Our wrap up in Salzburg we were glad we tacked on a extra day to see some of the local sites.
Overall, we had a great time. The accommodations were just the right fit to our tastes...friendly, cozy and comfortable. The rental bikes sturdy. The route is mostly bike trails, usually paved, but not always...and with only modest time on side roads. The self guided bike map book was pretty good (although we did have to pull out our smartphone map app to clarify some directions at times). The distances were long enough to feel like we'd traveled someplace, but short enough that we still had time to enjoy the sights.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Smedley September 20, 2018
This is the reason that we bike!
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Wonderful trip, but that doesn't tell you what you really want to know. So here goes a day-by-day review and a few overall impressions.
Innsbruck - arrive a day or two early to experience the city and mountains. Purchase the 'Innsbruck Card' and save on many of the city's attractions and transportation. Hotel Cafe Central - nice facility close to the 'Old Town'. Ask for the recently renovated rooms.
Zillertal - good first day ride. Take time to stop at the Swarovski museum complex. Gasthof Hotel Post - nice facility, great menu. Ask for a room away from the dairy farm next door.
Krimml - short ride, no hurry to arrive at the pickup point for the van ride across the pass. The falls at Krimml are amazing. Prepare yourself for a good hike to see them up close. The Gastehaus Waltl was comfortable. Plenty of dining options in the town.
Zell am See - Scenic ride. Use the extra rest day to explore the mountains. Weather permitting go to the glacier, ride around the lake and hike the hills. Great dining options. Lebzelter Hotel - in the heart of town, comfortable inn.
Lofer - best riding day, mountains close on both sides of the narrow valley. Gorges and cave are must visits. Nice lunch at the golf course at the midway point. St Hubertus Hotel was inviting.
Salzburg - last day of riding was the most challenging. Hills and gravel paths dominated the day. Navigating through Salzburg requires a good map and/or GPS. The Goldenes Theater Hotel was the only accommodation below the standard set by all of the other hotels. Spend an extra day or two in the city.
General impressions: one of the most scenic rides in Austria with great stops along the way to explore. The booked hotels were excellent with the exception of Salzburg. The route map/directions need to be updated. GPS really helped out especially in the larger towns. Bikes were in great shape but they should be equipped with odometers since the route map is based on distance traveled turn points. You won't be disappointed boking this trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- August/September 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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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★★★★★ robbo1 June 24, 2019
Fantastic scenery
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
An amazing trip with awesome scenery and excellent accommodation. Saw the Krimml Falls at their best and alpine vistas were totally amazing
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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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★★★★★ ned75 July 4, 2019
excellent trip very worth doing
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
the landscape was great, the bike tracks were equally good. Cannot fault the hotels either.
just one little problem the suitcases arrived late only on one day and it was the rainy day and we looked at sitting around in wet bike gear for three hours. the good thing was that the hotel in Lofer the Hotel St; Hubertus gave us a dressing gown and cakes (at no charge) until the bags arrived. what a nice gesture- What was the date of your tour?
- 16/June 23/June
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4th
- 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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★★★★★ Robyn July 18, 2019
Beautiful Austria
· Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
I loved this tour.
We stayed in Innsbruck an extra night, got the Innsbruck Card and went up in the gondolas to the surrounding mountains. The hotels we stayed in were very clean and nice. It was hot so we went swimming in some of the lakes that we passed. My favorite is the ZellamSee . We hiked to the top of Krimml falls which is an amazing waterfall. We hiked up the gorges along the way. In ZellamSee we took the gondola up and traversed the top of the mountain and then took a chairlift down. At the end of our trip in Salzburg we stopped at a local pool and relaxed on the green grass under the trees and reflected in what a wonderful trip we had.!- What was the date of your tour?
- June 23-30
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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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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★★★★★ 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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★★★★★ 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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★★★★★ 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
