Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ diane g
Salzburg to Salzburg has fantastic scenery but directions provided are unbelievably poorly developed
Tauern Bike Path (Salzburg-Salzburg)
Salzburg to Salzburg over 6 days is higher than a level 2. The terrain is hilly. I do not recommend this self guided tour because the german-speaking outfits they contract with provide totally inadequate self-guiding instructions. They do not know what a cue sheet is. They do not provide any directions as to north, south, east, west; they do not provide any street names. AND, the directions in English are very obviously translated very poorly from the German. In addition, there is no way to find your hotel once off the bike path. You have to depend upon good route finding skills for this hotel finding as well as the entire trip. We had this same experience with bike tours.com 7 years ago and thought they might have gotten better at directions. We gave bike tours feedback at that time, and our friends gave feedback on their german-speaking directions on their self-guided tour, and nothing changed. Hence I am writing this review without making a customer complaint becaue I do not believe bike tours will fix this problem. AND, THIS TOUR REQUIRES ONE TO CONSULT 3 SETS OF INSTRUCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE TRIP. 2 sets of friends had exactly the same experience. 2 stars are for getting our luggage to each hotel before we arrived; and the hotels were gracious and accommodating.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ EDWH
Fun, but a few qualifications
National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
We had a great time but the parks were not quite as interesting or attractive as we had hoped. And some of the bike rides (the 3rd day in particular) difficult hills with nothing at all to see. Description said a ride around Vraner Lake and we never even saw it. That was coupled with the hottest week in the summer as temps were near or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Guides showed little flexibility in schedules or changes to accommodate the heat.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 29, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 25 or 30
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
-
★★★★★ Labia
Glad we did it - but too hot in August
National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is our third bike tour. The boat was much nicer than others we have been on. The cabins were very large and a good size bathroom. The food was good (not great). It was nice to have two tour guides. The downside was that it was really hot and the sun too blazing to enjoy the bike rides a lot. The landscape I would also say is a bit repetitive. All in all I wish we could have done it some weeks later with fewer crowds in town and especially cooler weather.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 18 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Croatia
-
★★★★★ Anne Temple
Beautiful but given bike with defective wheel and inadequate spares/pump
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The ride is beautiful, hotels very comfortable with pleasant employees and great breakfast. Our rating would be higher except for our experience with one bike and the repair kit provided by the operator in Innsbruck. Also, if you are not familiar with Garmin, be sure you have a good alternative.
We had two flats in the same place on the inner seam of the back tire. We understand that tire changes were our responsibility and were prepared to handle them. We were provided with only one spare, no co2 cartridge because the operator was out of the attachment needed to use them, and a small inefficient pump. The advice given to us if we were to get a flat was to change the tire, pump it up as best we could with the inefficient pump and then go to a service station where we could then fill the tire up to its required PSI. This is a rural route with few service stations and much time was wasted.
The morning after the first flat we spent a couple of hours locating a bike shop that was open (tried 3) that had the right size spares. In addition we purchased a better pump which we were very glad to have with the second flat. That second flat occurred on the ride to Lofer. A biker who helped us noted that we didn’t have enough tread (profile) on the tires and we were lucky we hadn’t had rain.
Helmut was unable to provide a different bike for the last leg into Salzburg. Rather than spending the time finding a new back tire to buy and thus getting a much later start that we were comfortable with, we elected to take transport to Salzburg.
A special thanks to Helmut for his responsiveness and assistance.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
-
★★★★★ beyeKur
Downsized tour, questionable difficulty rating.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
Overall we are all glad we did this tour, but we agreed that an honest review was required. Our group of 4, downsized the tour to 3 days of unguided cycling in the 4 star hotel option. Two of our group had, one month previous to this tour, completed a 7 day bike tour in France that was rated as a 1-2 in difficulty. So, expectations were to have a comparable tour since the difficulty rating was the same. This was not our experience however. Our contact person for the Alentejo tour was really great during the first day orientation, answered all our questions, checked us out on the bikes and gear and left us with her personal phone number in case of problems. Terrific! Our group range in age from 66-76, all fit (2 active bikers one runner) and ready for the challenge. The first 6 miles or so were on the main highway to Lisbon (fast drivers and trucks closely along side the shoulder used for biking). Then when we turned off to the quiet roads as in the suggested option, the dirt roads were not in the 1 or 2 difficulty category rating as outlined in the tour. These unpaved roads were more like 4-5 difficulty as they were often like mountain bike roads for at least 1/4 of the days' 35 mile route. Steep upgrades, deep ruts from recent rain, many rocky and sandy roads impeded travel. It rained much of this, the first day. Even though our tour operators could not control the rain, they should have reassessed the level of difficulty and road conditions and report honestly about current road conditions status of deteriorated due to recent rains. Two of our group opted out for day 2 due to exhaustion and lack of faith in level of tour difficulty, but the two who continued enjoyed the quieter country roads which were less harrowing than the dirt roads, but more trafficked and still above level 1-2. Day three was great, though still there were several long, lowest-gear slopes more of a 3-4 rating and still on medium trafficked roadways. This days' outlined tour was also changed--we walked the 3 miles each way to the top of the hill town, as the 'road' very steep and all jarringly cobbled (in the level 9-10 difficulty range). Safety concerns: due to roads with traffic, tour company should supply high viability vests and warning lights. Hotels were great, maps good. The personnel we dealt with was great!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 11-15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson
We're sorry for the misleading ratings and characterization of the terrain. We've increased the difficulty level to 3. For clients who are interested in this tour and would like to see detailed elevation profiles for each day, please contact our tour advisor team at info@biketours.com.
This is a great tour operated by a top-notch Portuguese bike tour company.
-
★★★★★ David Turner
Beautiful Scenery, Too Many Busy Roads
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
This was our sixth European cycle trip and the first one that we felt the description of was misleading. The information indicated that 80% of the route was on country roads. To us that means small quiet roads that go through villages with infrequent cars or farm equipment. We found that far too often we were cycling on secondary roads with fast moving cars, trucks and buses and no shoulder. There were several close calls with cars passing us on curves. We expect traffic entering and leaving cities, but this was stressful and unpleasant. The few designated bike lanes and small roads were fine and made for enjoyable cycling.
There was severe weather forecast for the first day of our ride. We, and some other cyclists expressed concern about the weather to the representative that we met prior to the start of the ride. He absolutely downplayed our concerns at our first meeting and also the morning we were to begin when the rain was torrential. Wisely we decided to take the train to a station close to our destination. We still got drenched getting to and from the station. The other four cyclists tried to ride and had to be rescued after 10 km. Luckily some very kind people helped them out.
The Guibo navigation system worked well, however on one cycle day, the route ended 15 km. from our hotel. We had to self navigate the rest of the route. We managed, but there was a bit of stress figuring out the best route with the least amount of traffic. A less experienced group could have found themselves in a difficult situation.
The scenery, the people and the food were all good, but we would not recommend this ride to others. We realize that weather is out of anyone’s control, but we felt our concerns were taken lightly and the advice given was poor.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ Anne Stanek
Challenging but interesting tour.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
This was a particularly challenging trip for us as we biked in 92 degree heat every day of the tour. The rides were long, there were many hills and it was extremely dry. Luckily, a couple of us used EV bikes which made a big difference. I think this trip would feel very different with cooler weather. All the folk who we dealt with were so warm, welcoming, helpful, etc. We visited some very cool towns - Evora and Monsaraz were my favorites. We stayed in some lovely hotels - ancient buildings fixed up comfortably with modern conveniences and a working farm. We ate fabulous breakfasts. We stopped at some interesting sites - monoliths, pottery factory, marble quarry were three favorites. It was a good trip despite the challenges.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ Mary Ricks
A 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
-
★★★★★ James Cieslak
A Greay Way to Experience Greece
Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
Enjoyed a quieter side of Greece and met wonderful people along the way. The mountains were beautiful, sea side riding scenic, the agricultural valleys relaxing, and the ancient sites were amazing. We were a group of experienced riders ( ages early 60's through late 70's). E-bikes made the physical part of the trip very enjoyable and not too difficult. The cycling routes kept us off of the main highways the vast majority of the time. Greek hospitality was everywhere. On our daily routes we were offered water, invited into a home for a meal, and received gifts of fruit and nuts all along the way. One of our best trips!
Points to consider for future cyclists on this trip:
1-The e-bikes were either Fuji (step over seat) or Breezer (step through) models. Request your preference when booking. Had a few problems charging batteries overnight. Double check that your bike is indeed charging before leaving it for the night.
2-Use the app 'Ride with GPS' for your routes. Much easier than the materials provided by the company.
3- Hotels in Vytina, Tripoli, and Napflio were very satisfactory. The hotel in Paralia Astros (Ariandne Hotel) was unsatisfactory. The pool was not maintained (green, filthy water present) which led to a mosquito problem throughout the hotel. A new hotel is needed.
4-None of the bikes had water bottle holders. Had to carry water in the pannier or strapped to the rear rack (bring a few short bungee cords for that purpose).
5-Request a full sized tire pump. Flats happen and you'll make changing tires much easier.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Bev Langsch
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
-
★★★★★ MRJ
Three couples traveling together, self-guided.
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
We has an absolutely wonderful experience on our bike tour. This was our third trip with BikeTours.com, and once again, they did not disappoint.
The bike trail was fantastic, the food was fabulous, and the towns were peaceful and scenic. We had perfect weather, enjoyed beautiful stops along the way, and felt safe throughout the entire journey.
We took advantage of most of the suggested stops along the way and were so glad we did. We also spent a couple of extra days in Ljubljana and Piran. Both destinations were wonderful additions to the trip, giving us more time to gear up and wind down.
The bikes were high-quality and comfortable, and the Guibo app worked perfectly. It made navigating the route easy and stress-free. Traveling self-guided gave us the freedom to enjoy each day at our own pace while still having everything we needed right at our fingertips.
It was the perfect combination of adventure, relaxation, great food, beautiful scenery, and time with friends. After three great trips with BikeTours.com, we’re already looking forward to our next adventure!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3 with biketours.com
- 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?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ Danelle M
Slovenia is a gem
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Our trip through Slovenia was perfectly organized, lovely and interesting. Ljubljana surprised us with its vibrancy and beauty. Piran is an absolute gem. In between was lovely countryside and interesting stops including the Lipica Stuff Farm, the massive Postjona Cave, the fascinating Predjama Castle. Something new each day. We were given excellent e-bikes and luggage service was perfect.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept/Oct 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ julesmcsa
Great trip
Castles and Wines of Portugal
What a way to see the castles of Portugal! The history of the country is amazing, and seeing it all at eye level, literally, was amazing. Perfect weather. Our tour guides were fantastic. The food was overwhelming, there was just so much of it! Tasted a lot of wine, but expected more. Thank god for our E-bikes; some of the routes were too high for us. Overall, very enjoyable trip. We did not care for some of the accommodations: the farmhouse was too remote for us (we wanted to be in the city).
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 19th
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ Pam
Survived and more
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Self guided - loved the freedom. Saw a side of Slovenia we otherwise would not. So many hills! Only issue was my initial bike was too small (and was changed before we left) and my male partner was given a women's bike (large) which was too small. Received in Ljubljana and the person issuing did not notice. We realised after a couple of days and by then too late to do anything. It was weekend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ Astrid Kaulitz
Great week on the bike in a beautiful countryside
Castles and Wines of Portugal
The combination of plan, map and digital tour-advise was great to find our way.
The tour was all in all beautiful and interesting. The planning had been done before covid and was not adjusted now. Some recommondations were wrong this way. day2 : Cafe Pola could not be found, Manizolas Farm could not be passed. There was a huge fence. day 4: there was no leather factory any more, day 7: Tasca do Anotonio dos Potes does not exist any more.
Mario was always to be reached and helped promptly. Very nice!
Hotels were a good choice, every spot was different. only the Solar de Alqueva in Reguengos de Monsaraz was a bit uncomfortable. Breakfast poor.
I had expected more knowlege about the wine. The wine tasting was mostly in the day either in the morning (wine and bike is not that becomming) or in the early afternoon. You never really could plan how long the trip was - so we had to taste the wine at night with the meal, but had no instructions.Anyway we had a great week.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ Vickie Brunstetter
Central Portugal is delightful by bike
Castles and Wines of Portugal
It was wonderful to ride through vineyards, cork trees and small towns. Staying in the posadas and other quaint accommodations really added to the trip. Of course the wine tastings were wonderful as well. It was very educational to visit different wineries. Our only issue was with the bikes that did not consistently maintain the power assist.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ Reigh Walling
A rich historical past and a vibrant and diverse present. That's Portugal.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
If you told most people that you were going to cycle Portugal, they would only think of Lisbon. Well, that is a beautiful city, but an hour's train ride took us from coastal topography to a totally different landscape of rolling hills topped with cork trees and vineyards. The tour was a nice mix of ancient walled cities and rural rolling roads. Cows graze amid the monoliths. Sheep browse for grass under the olive trees, each wearing a tiny tinkle bell around its neck -- their movement producing a melodious windchime symphony. Accommodations ranged from a rustic farmhouse to an actual palace, and the route and attributes of the tour also bridged history and modern culture. But it's Portugal's people who are the real stars of the tour. And of course, the food.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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?
- Portugal
-
★★★★★ AMY COOK
A lovely tour
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
This tour was lovely, so much beautiful countryside and fascinating historical sites.
It was quite a bit more mountainous than the promotion description lead me to believe and on of the hotels was considerably less nice than the rest. But overall it was a great trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Slovenia
-
★★★★★ William C.
Getting acquainted with the Trossachs
Loch Lomond to Edinburgh: Lakes & Valleys of Scotland
A very authentic taste of Loch Lomand and beyond. The accommodations were varied but all were good. The distances were doable and the scenery was always changing. Some of the trail signs were confusing or obscured but with technology we always got to our destination. The bikes suited our needs and were well maintained. Fortunately we did not need the tools provided often but came in handy for minor adjustments. How great to be in Scotland during their FIFA win!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June, 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many! Over 20
- 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?
- Scotland
-
★★★★★ Kim L
Great scenery, fascinating history
Medieval Heritage of Transylvania
The good:
Most of this tour was like stepping into a beautiful alternate reality where the hustle of modern life doesn't apply. We saw loads of horse drawn wagons, shephards tending to their flocks of sheep, community wells, and very little modern "progress". The food was amazing, the housing was awesome, the local tour company was more than responsive and super helpful.
This trip doesn't have bike paths. The very beginning of the ride and a good bit of the last day is on busy roads. The rest of the tour is on extremely rural roads.
Many places the water wasn't drinkable. Not a huge problem, but you do have to plan ahead (buy water). Unlike other European bike trips we've taken there weren't coffee shops/restaurants/gas stations for breaks.
We loved talking to the guest house owners and hearing their view on the history and culture of Transylvania.
If you want to get off the beaten path this is a great trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Romania
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