Staff Picks  Bike Tour Reviews (page 11)

  • Cycling Spain's Ebro River
    (5/5) JJ1970 April 28, 2019

    Great Tour

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    Excellent tour. Great bikes and great support. Amazing views and historical towns.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Carlosita November 12, 2018

    A most memorable trip

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    This tour following the Ebro River was very well organized. Each day was different. The directions were excellent, the roads were good surfaces, the innkeepers very nice, and the mix of history, nature, and wine country a good combination.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 7, 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    three
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
    • Lunch Zamanzas Valley (photo by Carlosita)
    • Tandem and waterfall in Nature Park (photo by Carlosita)
    • Love the wine in La Rioja (photo by Carlosita)
    • European Heritage Site--Cave of a Religious Mystic (photo by Carlosita)
    • Church and stream near Tobera and Frias (photo by Carlosita)
    • Nature Park (photo by Carlosita)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Laird June 25, 2018

    Amazing scenery and incredible Rioja wine region!

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
    • Ebro River view (photo by Laird)
    • La Rioja wine region (photo by Laird)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) arfarb March 28, 2019

    Exceeded expectations

    · Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems

    Some of the best cycling I have ever done. The food and people are just as amazing. Great options for nature and culture lovers.

    What was the date of your tour?
    March 20, 2019
    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?
    Slovenia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Cycling Spain's Ebro River
    (5/5) Jane B September 19, 2017

    Beautiful countryside in Northern Spain!

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    We thoroughly enjoyed this tour through the countryside along the Ebro River -- the terrain varied from the hills at the river's source, through beautiful canyons and into the broad valleys of the Rioja. The hotels were wonderful, with hosts who were friendly, helpful and provided great dinners. Our bikes were in perfect condition. Overall, this trip exceeded our expectations. This is Northern Spain, so more clouds likely, but it only actually rained one day of the ride. Morning cool and clouds turned to afternoon sun and warmth. Perfect biking weather.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept. 3-10
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Paul K July 23, 2017

    Amazing tour. Just as advertised

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    We had a fantastic time. Simon obviously has this tour down to a science. Everything was exactly as advertised. We loved the rural roads and small hotels we stayed in. We found the Terrain stunning. There were some challenging hills but overall anyone with a reasonable level of fitness would have no difficulty with this trip. I would book with this tour company again.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 18,2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    Two
    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
    • View of the Rioja with good friends! (photo by Paul K)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) MominBC July 11, 2017

    Wine Country Tour

    · Cycling Spain's Ebro River

    Much better than expected, we did the self guided option. Pick up was on time, the bikes were great and the route map and directions were easy to follow.
    Most roads were quiet and the hotels selected were superb. It was unforgettable and I will definitely do another one with this tour group.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 18-25, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (5/5) Lieve v November 8, 2019

    Amazing experience!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    This trip really was the perfect way to explore the region of Portugal. We saw the true heart of the country! The food and wine stops were amazing, the guide (Maria) was exceptional. Riding the bikes was a bit more challenging than anticipated due to the many undulating roads (stretched out hills and climbs), but it was a rewarding experience to have ultimately been able to accomplish it. The trip offered a wonderful mix of history and architecture, food and nature. Our only disappointment was a last minute change to the itinerary, which had us staying at a company owned farm for two nights, about a 20 minute cab drive from Evora. Part of the group had accommodations downtown Evora, which would have been much preferred for us too since the farm was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was the first one!
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • Photo 1 (photo by Lieve v)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Lieve v)
    • Photo 3 (photo by Lieve v)
    • Photo 4 (photo by Lieve v)
    • Photo 5 (photo by Lieve v)
    • Photo 6 (photo by Lieve v)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Catherine Buckley April 26, 2024

    Honeymoon biking

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    This was such a a great way to see Portugal. Because of the bike trip we stayed in some towns much less travelled - full of culture, wonderful people and astounding views/ old castles.
    Would highly recommend

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    First bike tour ever
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Patrick Fenton April 17, 2024

    Portugal bike trip

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    It was a great trip. We loved learning about castles, marble, cork, wine and Portuguese food.

    What was the date of your tour?
    February 2024
    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?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Patrick Fenton February 29, 2024

    Portugal bike trip

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    It was a great trip. We loved learning about castles, marble, cork, wine and Portuguese food.

    What was the date of your tour?
    February 2024
    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?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Lisa Sobieniak May 29, 2023

    Great Trip

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Local guides were excellent, responsive and knowledgable. He went out of his way to make everything work for us.
    Only problem was that bike tours .com did not let us know we needed to book winery tours in advance. Local guide did his best to fit us in.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    •  (photo by Lisa Sobieniak)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Ajit Venkatraman May 19, 2023

    Turaventur is a great your company

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    From start to finish the tour was excellent . Service was outstanding . Mario and Joanna were perfect hosts and guides . Deena at Evora farms house was great cook . Mario was very knowledgeable and gracious and is a perfect bike tour guide

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • Coffee break (photo by Ajit Venkatraman)
    •  (photo by Ajit Venkatraman)
  • (5/5) Gail Skutezky November 8, 2022

    Best bike trip ever - so much history! Beautiful weather

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    The trip was very interesting, lots of very beautiful scenery, warm weather, we saw places that you cannot get to by car. An incredible marble quarry, beautiful cork oak tree forests and chromalechs you don't see from a car road. The cafes were so quaint and welcoming. The hotels were 15th century convents, and a beautiful farmhouse with animals, one night we stayed in a beautiful palace attached to a castle that you could climb.
    The bikes were excellent. We had ebikes and they were very light. The food was excellent. The Portuguese love to please you!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 24
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Kenneth Crossman October 26, 2022

    Portugal Adventure!!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    We enjoyed our ride! The vistas, the accommodations and all the people we met along the way were great!! Wish it had not rained our last two days, but what can you do. We were able to ride with our luggage the day it was unsafe to ride our bikes, which was very much appreciated. Overall, a wonderful experience.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • (5/5) Christy Porucznik September 28, 2022

    Excellent way to see a part of rural Portugal

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    It happened that my husband and I were the only ones on this self-guided itinerary. We were able to follow the provided maps and GPS tracks with the occasional assistance of Google maps. The lodgings were excellent, likely nicer than we would have selected on our own, and the provided breakfasts ranged from adequate to amazing. I should not have been surprised about the hills, after all, castles were built on hills, but I have never spent so much time in first gear. I was glad not to have my kids along on this trip because the cycling was sometimes difficult, and we had to ride with traffic sometimes. Other times were on eco-trails and quiet country roads, so it wasn't constant traffic stress, but there was some riding with cars each day. There was also frequent riding on cobblestone and bumpy village streets, could be tough on tender joints. The provided bicycles were not fancy, but they got the job done, and once we got into the rhythm of when people eat in Portugal it wasn't hard to plan for coffee breaks and lunch. It happened to be quite hot the week we rode, and the sun is intense without much shade for breaks. Overall the support and logistics were well done, and I would recommend this itinerary for someone in fairly good shape who is interested in wine, neolithic sites, castles, and spending time in rural Portugal. It was a shock taking the bus back to Lisbon at the end.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Robert Alexander August 2, 2022

    Great trip, great guides.

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Tons of fun (notwithstanding that we got COVID on the trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2022
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Sue Larson May 18, 2024

    Exceptional Way to Experience the Glories of Portugal!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Our week spent on bikes in Portugal was a dream come true! Every detail was taken care off. The bikes were superlative, the accommodations were great, the food and beverages were yummy, and most especially, our guide Manuel and his assistant Joana, did a magnificent job of leading our small group, and introducing us to various aspects of the region’s culture. Their upbeat personalities, joyful spirits, and skillful knowledge made us feel so welcomed, informed, and valued. The rides were fabulous and this week will live in our memories and hearts for the rest of our days. Two thumbs way, way up!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    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?
    Portugal
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    •  (photo by Sue Larson)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) scbythesea September 29, 2019

    Highly recommended tour of an interesting part of Portugal.

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Our local guide was wonderful, very knowledgeable, helpful, and fun. The cycling was great in this part of Portugal, and we loved the charming towns and pousadas we stayed in.

    What was the date of your tour?
    14-21 September 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 teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) senorbogus November 10, 2018

    Rolling through beautiful Alentejo

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Our self-guided tour was a wonderful experience. We were very happy with all of the rich, multi-sensory stimulation we experienced every day on the trip. Lots of variety and interest, especially for us who are very interested in history and local culture. Highlights were getting to visit up close and in a very informal and uncrowded manner the many historic sites - castles, prehistoric graves and boulder installations, village crafts workshops, medieval churches and cathedrals as well as the pleasant agricultural countryside. We particularly liked it that we experienced zero crowds of other tourists. By the way, the castle that you show in your photo was where we had lunch one day. We were the only persons there. It was our hottest and longest day, so we really needed the rest, refreshment and tranquility. Special highlights were the beautiful, historic inns where we stayed - converted palaces and convents several hundreds of years old. It almost made us feel like royalty, and for a modest price, too.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Oct. 6-13, 2018
    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 teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection