Staff Picks Bike Tour Reviews (page 9)
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★★★★★ David Doehr July 7, 2023Holland is Bike-Centric!!!
· Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof
Holland was a wonderful tour, and here is specifically why:
The entire country is bike-centric - which means everyone (in cars) yields to bikes,
The bike lanes are impeccable in quality,
Our bikes (rented from Tulip Tours) were outstanding 8-speed, belt drive, touring bikes (best yet out of 4 European tours I have done),
Hotels were all 4/3 star in quality - no losers in the entire route (sometimes there are),
Dutch prefer to speak English if you don't know Dutch, so there is no issue if you don't speak Dutch,
Pieter, from Tulip Tours, did an outstanding set-up and send-off with us (spent over an hour putting on our pedals, making sure we had our equipment setup properly, and then he went thru the Garmin device in detail, as well as showed us all of the printed dailies he made for us, and ensured that we had emergency contact numbers etc., (this proved vital as we had two circumstances when we needed help, and it was handled efficiently and effectively in a short (20 minutes) matter of time,
Our routes (programmed into the Garmin) were expertly designed by a cyclist, and included loops that were spectacular (Kroller Mueller National Park), this made each day special,
Landscapes were beautiful, big skies and clouds, at times the winds blew and it rained, but it just made me appreciate the Dutch resolve, as they were all riding bikes in it.
I highly recommend this tour, we capped it with three days in Amsterdam, which allowed us to take in all of the museums (NDSM is a must!) and a Heineken brewery tour which were all delightful.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Four European tours of 1 - 2 weeks
- 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?
- Holland
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★★★★★ erinmargo April 26, 2016Best vacation ever
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
There were so many positives on this trip. We were fortunate to have a fun group of like minded people on our tour. The villa is spectacular, Pometti was a fabulous, down to earth host, the food awesome, wine so good I shipped a bunch home and every location we visited was special. Marco & Guiliana are such a great team and excellent tour leaders. I have told many people about this wonderful experience and recommended to many.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ mkleyn October 3, 2017
Better than I expected!
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
Our guide,GiGI, was fabulous. He knew everyone's style and accommodated each of us. Loved the cooking in a homey kitchen. The restaurants we were taken to were in small local towns, and the food was fabulous!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 23-29
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first one.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ JamieinLA June 13, 2019
Ride, eat and cook through Tuscany
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
The ride through Tuscany was breathtaking. Guiliana, Marco and their family planned a wonderful week. Even with the rain (we only ride 3 of the 5 days), they made the trip memorable. And our cooking experience was wonderful. I’m glad I booked an ebike. The hills are steep.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 24, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Paula Seliga July 4, 2023
Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
We had excellent guides, hosts, chefs, restaurants, sites to see, bikes, fellow tourists, and accommodations. The only thing I would have changed is to begin the cooking classes earlier, so we could have eaten earlier. Difficult to pass up all that gorgeous food, but if you ate it, difficult to go to sleep with such a full stomach, and then get up and eat again!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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BikeTours.com staff reply from JV July 5, 2023
Thanks for your business, the pics, and a glorious review. Hope to help you again on another glutinous journey. :)
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★★★★★ Tom Lester 11 months ago
Tuscany visas
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
Great way to experience Val D'Orca area.
Tour guides were knowledgeable and supportive.
Staying at the agriturismo provided an authentic look of Italian farm life.- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Elizabeth Frisbie 7 months ago
One of my best trips
· Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany
This was the best way to see the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, Our two guides, Panos and Tom, were AMAZING. This is one of the best bike trips I have been on. The terrain was very doable with Ebikes. The accommodations and food were fabulous. Everything was very well organized. I would highly recommened this trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Italy
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★★★★★ sandyp May 2, 2016Wonderful family vacation!
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
Our self-guided tour lived up to our expectations and provided us with a great family vacation. They tour company did an excellent job of responding to our questions and requests. The countryside was beautiful, the bike ride was the right level of both challenging and gentle hills, and the people we met were friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this tour if you want to chill out....
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Whatever May 15, 2016
Castles and wines
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
The company Turaventur was one of the best that we have worked with anywhere. The bicycles we rented were excellent with front suspension and a suspension seat post they were perfectly suited to the varied terrain (dirt roads, asphalt, lots of cobblestone) we covered. I also appreciated the female specific gel seat. The routes they chose were really beautiful countryside, small towns and directions were well written and easy to follow. Their support was outstanding, they were available by text, email or phone seven days a week and were always very responsive The castles we visited were just phenomenal and though it was hard to believe after one gorgeous site after another, they just kept getting better! I was only able to do one of the wine tastings and enjoyed it a lot. my suggestion is to be sure to sign up earlly as they seem to fill up ahead of time.
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Isaac June 7, 2016
excellent guided bike trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
I am participating bike trip almost 30 years and this was the best one .
The service , very good guided tour explanations in every spot we visited .
The food ,restaurants are great. Worth every penny.- What was the date of your tour?
- 21May ,2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- 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?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Nancy N November 6, 2016
Very Educational and Interesting
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
We started this tour as "self-guided" but had difficulty with the maps. The tour company was able to provide a guide for us and what a difference that made. Not only did we not get lost, but we learned so much more than we would have on our own. Our guide was very knowledgeable and having someone translate for us was a big help. Plus we no longer had to waste time looking at maps.
We upgraded to the "charm hotels" which was amazing. Everyplace we stayed was just indescribably beautiful and serene. I highly recommend the upgrade and a guide.
We learned so much about the cork, olive, and wine harvests. We particularly enjoyed the leather and pottery factories.
Portugal is a great country with an incredible old world charm.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 18, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 international, many U.S.
- 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
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★★★★★ Nathan June 30, 2017
Great trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
The tour was a lot of fun. Location was great. Tour operator was very helpful. Hotels were wonderful. Only problem was that it was very hot. Probably best before June as weather is unpredictable. We had bad luck of a heat wave and riding in 100 degree heat was hard and made us rush through some of the middle towns. This was a shame as local people were very kind and towns were interesting and filled with a lot of history. Would be a perfect Spring time ride. The second to last day is very hard as is one earlier climb but overall a great trip. We plan on doing one of the other tours offered by this operator in the future.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 11-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Carrie Sciammas October 12, 2023Slovenia is wonderful
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
We had a fantastic bike trip in Slovenia. The country is beautiful as are the people we met along the way. The food was delicious and there were so many things to see along the route. We enjoyed seeing nature, castles, caves ( so many caves!), water powered saw mills, quaint villages, vineyards, Lipanzer horses, rivers, the sea, etc etc.
The app was a bit tricky at times and we encountered some road construction nearly every day but that is all part of the adventure!
I'd love to see more of Slovenia from my bike!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Carlosita November 12, 2018A 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
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★★★★★ Suzanne Kellett 10 months ago
Great ride through beautiful scenery
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
A great ride for everyone even those who may not be regular cyclists. The schedule is not too taxing for e bike riders who only cycle occasionally. The route takes you through some really beautiful scenery albeit a bit hilly at times and the hotels were all in great locations.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Heinrich Tillmanns 9 months ago
Amazing country by bike
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
We booked this tour to celebrate two of our daughters graduations from university. We were a group of 6 and everything went super smooth. Amazing e-bikes, scenery, amazing people and would book again!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- First tour
- 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?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Michael Schwartz July 18, 2023
Great Exposure to a Slovenia not seen by tourists
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
The bike tour of the Gems of Slovenia afforded us a glimpse into the hidden life of the country, at least the part we saw. The hotels were comfortable, especially the M Hotel in Ljubljana. Breakfast at the M Hotel and the Hotel Piran were great; the others middling to OK. The luggage delivery to each hotel was excellent. The routes from Ljubljana to Piran were good, although our navigation system failed us after the second day. The company faxed us paper directions but they were in black and white and were repeat documents of what we had already.
A few suggestions for change:
1. Provision of a cell phone holder (the plastic bag with velcro strips did not work)
2. A better GPS app
3. Two, not one, but two panniers
4. A way to ensure the charger for the E-bike does not fall out or be removed (someone removed my charger whether accidentally or intentionally I don't know)
5. A way to do laundry, either in town or at the hotel with turn around time to keep the momentum of the trip goingI would also consider making a town in Slovenia a central location with day trips to the surrounding environments.
Good job!
Michael
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 4 - 11
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two including this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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
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★★★★★ Pieter Van Niekerk July 12, 2023
Quiet, beautiful and well organized.
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
Excellent cycling roads with beautiful scenery. Well-spaced stops. Excellent GPS app. Good hotels. Good bikes and helpful upfront orientation.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Slovenia
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★★★★★ Chris Mauriello 7 months ago
Amazing trip!
· Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
I've been a number of European bike tours and this one was excellent. The mapped route is a nice change and variety of scenery.
Flat and through the vegetable filed when you leave Ljubljana then mild hills with vineyards and farms with a great ride down to the coast to Muggia with lots of olive tress and ending up in Piran, a very cool place on the Adriatic.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- 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?
- Slovenia
