Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews page 13
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- ★★★★★ John E.
Awesome experience
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Well organised bike trip in stunning scenery. Overnight stays were fantastic and great fun. Our cycling companions made for a memorable trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
- ★★★★★ David A.
A great experience
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
This was an unguided town-to-town bike trip, 6 days, from Ljubljana to Piran. I rented a (non-electric) bike.
The bike (Trek FX2 gravel bike) was good, and fit me well. The rear derailleur was a bit out of alignment. They give you a spare tube and some tools, which I didn't need.
The nav was pretty easy. You get a nav app (Guibo) that has some glitches but works OK. There are little arrow stickers along the way that confirm the directions, but don't replace the app
The route was about 50% roads with fast cars and no shoulder, 30% paved village roads with few cars, 10% bike paths, and 10% gravel farm roads. This was more cars than I would have liked, but the tour has to work with what's there.
The hotels were all excellent - generally the best available place in each town.
The towns, and the associated attractions (castles, caves etc.) were great.
The rides were moderate - 20-30 miles each day, some elevation gains. Day 2 gained 2000' and was a little hard. They generally took ~3 hours including breaks. Take your time, otherwise you might arrive too early to check in.
In summary: a very well-planned and well-organized tour. I had a great time, and would definitely consider doing another tour with this company. Also, I thought the price was quite reasonable.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
- ★★★★★ Anne H
Fabulous, scenic odyssey
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
What a wonderful journey! The scenery was spectacular as we biked through rolling hills, quaint villages, and especially as we arrived at the Adriatic Sea. A few days consisted of biking up and down some fairly significant hills, so get an e-bike if you aren’t in shape for biking uphill, which we thought we were but we underestimated how challenging the hills would be. The route includes several gravel roads but the bikes handled the bumps just fine. Slovenian drivers seemed very accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists and were quite respectful. Almost all of the roads that we biked on were sparsely traveled. The hotels were nice and they all had good hearty breakfasts for us to stoke up on before our rides. The tour company was responsive and we appreciated having our luggage delivered to our destination each day. Slovenia is a beautiful country inhabited by welcoming, friendly people. We loved it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Slovenia
- ★★★★★ Stuart
Great trip
Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Fun adventure. Piran area was excellent. Caves were an interesting visit. Some roads a bit busy
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
- ★★★★★ MominBC
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
- ★★★★★ Paul K
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
- ★★★★★ Jane B
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
- ★★★★★ Maria
Glorious wine country
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
What a fabulous country Spain is! We loved this tour. May is an excellent time to enjoy this area. Ibero Cycle gave us an incredibly thorough briefing before heading off and were available throughout if any problems came up. The roads we traveled were without cars even though we were sharing the road. Unbelievably quiet roads and stunning scenery. Small little villages were at our days end and accommodations were clean and comfortable. The terrain was mixed and many hills over the course of the week but we enjoyed every challenge. Arriving to Haro and then on to LaGuardia were real wine country. I would even suggest an extra night in LaGuardia to enjoy some more of the local sights and wine tours. Beautiful trip! Thank you Bike Tours for another great and memorable experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 21-27, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Laird
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
- ★★★★★ Carlosita
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
- ★★★★★ JJ1970
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
- ★★★★★ TJS53
Amazing 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
- ★★★★★ Mari
Amazing cycling through beautiful landscapes & small towns
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
The Rioja self-guided cycling tour was amazing! Our group of 5 friends were a mix of varying levels from sport cyclists and occasional cyclists – and we all enjoyed the route, especially the first few days biking through remote roads with few if any car traffic. Even the last two days where we were biking with more cars was not bad since we had designated bike lanes and the drivers were all very kind in giving us plenty of space.
Highlights were cycling through the canyons and along the Ebro River, stopping by small towns for pintxos, and enjoying the homemade meals especially by chef Alberto at Hotel Romanca and the lovely family at Posada Molino del Canto. The beautiful Hospederia de los Parajes was also a wonderful end to wrap-up our week-long trip.
My husband & I have been on several cycling trips and by far, the road bikes provided by IberoCycle were of the best quality. The bikes definitely made the cycling tour that much more enjoyable, especially with the daily climbs. The tour is listed as a Level 2 but compared to a prior Level 2 BikeTours.com tour in Italy/Croatia, the steep climbs made it feel more like a higher Level 2. All in all though, it was still doable even for our most beginner of cyclists (friend who hadn't been on a bike for 5 years!)
Overall, highly recommended!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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
- ★★★★★ Dorothy Westerfield
Fabulous trip!
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Possibly the most beautiful scenery we’ve seen yet. All the hotels were wonderful, and the self-guiding directions and maps were perfect. We would highly recommend this trip, but I do think it should be rated as a 3 in difficulty. Lots of hills, and I was very glad to have an ebike!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Ken Schneider
Great Trip
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Absolutely beautiful route with good places to stay. Significant climbs every day made the E Assist bikes a necessity for our group. (We had 6 people about 60 years old and in quite good shape). It was unseasonably hot for our week and a number of the smaller hotels in the mountains did not have AC. I'm not sure how often that would be an issue but sleeping was tough for a few nights. The local crew was friendly, timely and helpful. I would recommend the trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Andres Volosin
Bike kids bike!
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
I was a great way to experience the Rioja area and great for our first bike trip with our kids.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Pamela Oberst
Great introduction to Basque country
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
We had a great time on the Basque wine country. Met 4 new friends on the tour and plan on riding with them again. Recommend this tour for everyone. Nice mileage and time to explore places of Interest.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Philip Weickhardt
Highly enjoyable and well organised
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
We greatly enjoyed the beautiful and ever changing landscapes we rode through. The e-bikes we chose were greatly appreciated as there was quite a bit of climbing at some points each day. The routes chosen were good - mostly the roads we rode on were quiet with few cars. The hotels were mostly small and rural, but the hosts were excellent, the food good and the accommodation comfortable. The quality of the bikes, the orientation briefing and the collection at the end of the trip left nothing to complain about. The route guidance maps provided to preload onto the Ride with GPS App worked really well.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Lisa Price
Gorgeous vistas!
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
I've been on several bike tours; this was by far my favorite. The routes were well-planned with views that took you from the origin of the Ebro through the mountains through gorges, along rich valleys & fields, ending in the celebrated Rioja Valley- with charming historical towns all along the way. Detailed GPS instructions made the routes easy to follow, allowing you to go at your own pace and stop to take advantage of the many interesting sights. My first time on an e-road bike and I'm a convert- the equipment was excellent. The local team was very helpful and supportive, making sure everything ran smoothly. I hope to do this tour again!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- 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?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Paul
Outstanding
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
It was a great time. Had a few hills, but all were manageable with the electric bike. The company that ran the tour was excellent.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my 5th
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
