Staff Picks  Bike Tour Reviews (page 13)

  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (4/5) Richard Riddell 11 months ago

    A great time in Alentejo

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    A great self guided tour in Alentejo region of Portugal.

    Great e-bikes, accommodation in the pousadas and excellent restaurant recommendations from our guides, and were brilliant making reservations in the restaurants we chose. The staff were on the whole very friendly and helpful and accommodated our extraordinary request on the last day - thank you.

    The only reason they didn’t receive 5 stars for us was we thought the farmhouse stay for 2 nights was not necessary, and the owner of the business perhaps shouldn’t front the customers/clients. A tad too direct in her manner which made us feel we were doing her a favour by being there!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • Innsbruck to Salzburg
    (3/5) Anne Temple 11 months ago

    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
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) Chris Mauriello 11 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
    • Leaving Ljubljana (photo by Chris Mauriello)
    • Arriving at the coast near Piran (photo by Chris Mauriello)
    • Piran (photo by Chris Mauriello)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
    (5/5) Ann Hippe 11 months ago

    Great way to experience rural Greece

    · Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula

    We really enjoyed the tour. The small towns we stayed in were a delight to explore and the hotels were in good locations and had great character. When we had questions about the bikes or other issues, the tour company was very responsive and helpful. I would definitely recommend this bike tour to anyone. Most of us had e-bikes which were very much appreciated as there were climbs that were a bit challenging

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Greece
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (5/5) David Hodgson 10 months ago

    Great scenery in Alentejo

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Very nice self-guided tour of the Alentejo region. Very good hotels and itinerary, decent bikes, good support from the tour company. We went in October 2024 and it was a bit wet.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Joelle R 4 months ago

    wonderful experience

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Great trip - the cycling area was beautiful and the guides were excellent. There was SO MUCH delicious food each day. Everything was well organized and communicated and we didn't have to worry about anything. I highly recommend this trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • View from a castle (photo by Joelle R)
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac May 7, 2025

      Hey Joelle,

      Thank you so much for your lovely review - we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the trip, the scenery, and of course, all the delicious food! And thank you for sharing that beautiful photo! We hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!

      Bozena

    • 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) Kathy Kinney Bowman 4 months ago

    Gorgeous scenery and a very authentic experience

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    If you are looking for beauty and authenticity, this trip is for you. Our group of 16 had a wonderful time biking through rolling hills overlooking sweeping vistas of wild flowers, vineyards, olive and cork oak groves. The whitewashed and marble hill towns with their castle walls and ruins were charming and authentic. The food was local and delicious and the wines were excellent. But best of all were our guides, Mario, Videl, and Joana, who were fun, informative, well organized, and always enthusiastic. A good example is a rainy day in Monsaraz where we spent the morning walking around the castle and village, ate lunch, then half of the group rode in the van to a nearby pottery village while the others walked to a nearby convent and megalith, then we swapped and when the sun came out around 4:00 any who wanted took a two hour ride in the rolling hills surrounding the castle. Our guides worked it all out over lunch!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • Typical scenery (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • Megalith (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • Picnic lunch (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • Main square of Vila Vicosa viewed from the castle (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • Olive trees and wild flowers (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • Monsaraz castle (photo by Kathy Kinney Bowman)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 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) Kirk G 4 months ago

    Beautiful spring Portugal journey

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    This trip exceeded my expectations. The three guides (Fidel, Mario, Johanna) were all wonderful, kind and patient with our entire group. Constantly trying to make the trip a pleasurable experience. The hotels were all good, and generally exceeded expectations. The food was also outstanding. High quality, more than enough (no limits) and lots of drink/wine options. Beautiful tour overall, highly recommend.

    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 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) Kathleen C 4 months ago

    Nice ride in Portugal

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    The itinerary was good. Hotels were very nice. Food was great. An enjoyable trip all around.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2026
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Rob R. 4 months ago

    Exceeded my very high expectations

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    I went in thinking the trip would be fun, a little educational, with good food, an appropriate physical challenge and beautiful vistas.
    The week was all of that and so much more. Our guides were terrific - not just knowledgeable and helpful but delightfully interactive and fun. They provided personal, deep insight into the region and a fantastic connection to the locale. The food was amazing. I mean truly amazing - both the restaurants and the lunches. And Portugal is beautiful. We had a truly amazing time.

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    two
    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)
  • Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems
    (5/5) Julie Krey 3 months ago

    Enjoyable ride through Slovenia

    · Emerald Tour of Slovenia’s Gems

    Very much enjoyed our bike ride. Flawless support and organization by the local partner as well as the GPS map enabled us to enjoy the ride without the hassles. Beautiful countryside and very friendly people and excellent accommodations. Only slight improvement would be a bridge detour and new road out of Muggia that were not on our GPS that would have been helpful.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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?
    Slovenia
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
    (5/5) Richard S. 3 months ago

    From The Mountains To The Sea

    · Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula

    From start to finish the trip was tremendously engaging. We covered beautiful and varied landscape. Time in the mountains and time on the water, could not have been much nicer. The high mountains were a ncie cool temperature and the sea was comfortably warm. All the biking was pleasant and manageable. It was a great family trip for the 4 of us. And, it was something that we hadn't done in a number of years. We are quite grateful that everything was so well organized. Support all along the way could not have been better. Highly highly recommend the trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2025
    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?
    Greece
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    •  (photo by Richard S.)
    • 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) John E. 3 months ago

    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
  • Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
    (5/5) Paula 2 months ago

    Experience of a lifetime

    · Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula

    What an amazing journey we had through Wow scenery and mindblowing history. The whole trip was so well organised and the tour guides and operation team were always so friendly i formative and helpful. The hotels were amazing all with outstanding breakfasts and service. The daily rides were nice and varied in terain. We saw so much of real Greece and the beaches in the second half were just gems!. We had the best week and will definately be looking to ride another such tour.
    All I can say is if your reading this Book it Now !! 🚲🩵🚲🩷🚲🍷🚲🥂🚲🍻🚲🥗🚲🏛

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    First one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Greece
    • Nafplio (photo by Paula)
    • Stunning Pelepoese (photo by Paula)
    • One of many well earned beach side lunches (photo by Paula)
    • 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)
  • Innsbruck to Salzburg
    (4/5) Trish Bainbridge 2 months ago

    Part of a European transit cycle

    · Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails

    The paper guides were difficult to read - we used a Garmin which made it much easier otherwise you were constantly stopping to check turnings- suggest you don’t use survey maps but custom bike maps. Hotel selection was ok but some rooms were noisy and windows facing busy roads. Worst hotels were Innsbruck and Salzburg which spoiled the trip experience.Trish

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    Many European but usually self designed solo travellers with own bikes
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Castles and Wines of Portugal
    (5/5) Elizabeth 2 months ago

    Went beyond our expectations!

    · Castles and Wines of Portugal

    Our guides were fantastic, the rides were pleasant and just challenging enough. We really enjoyed the historical experience.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
  • Best of Holland North
    (4/5) Bill H. 2 months ago

    Positive Experience, with a bit of extra effort

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    The e-bikes provided were top of the line, with the appropriate accessories of bags and locks. (We were glad we booked e-bikes because, while the landscape is flat, we needed the power to overcome the sustained winds in the North.) Orientation was clear and friendly, with a great local person. All of our bags transferred seamlessly throughout the trip. Three of the four boutique hotels booked for us were well-styled - but those three did not have elevators.

    The tour route provided via Ride with GPS was fine but without customization or annotation to reflect the interests we had expressed. A separate and limited list of potential sites along the way was provided, but none of them were identified on RwGPS, so we relied primarily on our own research to enrich the route with stops and side visits that added value.

    Perhaps the biggest issue was that we had a tough time trying to meet the 3pm bike return on the last day - and were ultimately a little late and under pressure. We typically needed until 6pm each day to enjoy the sites along the way and would recommend that the last day be scheduled as a full day before bike returns.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    None.
    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?
    Holland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Wine & Cuisine in Girona's Emporda Plain
    (5/5) Boris Kustin 2 months ago

    Great as always.

    · Wine & Cuisine in Girona's Emporda Plain

    Staff was very helpful. The places we've stayed were very luxurious. Planty of time to stop and enjoy sites along the way.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
  • Innsbruck to Salzburg
    (5/5) Tom A. 1 month ago

    Mountain valleys, forests, meadows, pastures, and rivers

    · Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails

    I believe this has been our 4th trip with BikeTours.com, and this might be the best one yet. If you’re looking for a pleasant ride through a lush green countryside, and generally cool weather (and can tolerate a rainstorm or two), Austria is an ideal place for biking, and this particular tour is one of the very best. This trip was actually a little easier on the legs (we only use “real” bikes!) than the other Level 2 trips we’ve taken, and the overall vibe and scenery were just what we were looking for. While we enjoy the bigger cities of Innsbruck and Salzburg, what we love best are the trails through the countryside, with a nice village every 10 miles or so for a break and a bit of Apfelstrudel. Austrians are so friendly to tourists that it’s simply a delight to be here. The cool weather and lush green vegetation everywhere are a big plus, particularly if you come from a drier climate like we do. We navigated with the provided .gpx file using Google maps. Best navigation experience by far!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    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?
    Austria
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 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