Tuscany  Bike Tour Reviews (page 3)

  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) David C September 22, 2017

    Well supported trip

    · Florence to Rome

    This is the best way to see a country. We experienced the pace of life in the countryside and found wonderful stops along the way. We used our own sense of time and always found our room and luggage waiting for us with no complications. The distances and destinations were well thought out and offered lots of variety for us. Breakfast was served every morning and it was a great way to fuel up and meet with other riders before the day begins. The trip was just as advertised. We rode along quiet country roads and lanes and we didn't get lost-the guide book and signage were very helpful and easy to spot.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 9-16, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    this was the first
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 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
  • (5/5) bobe September 20, 2018

    Chilling in Italy

    · Florence to Rome

    Awesome time riding through the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside from Florence to Rome. Was all we expected and more with the added knowledge of having the 'Eurobike' crew on hand if we needed them (not that we did). Well organised, great equipment and excellent signage to ensure we didn't end up in France. Can't wait to do it all again farther down South.
    Rob, Elano, Maggie and Dave x

    What was the date of your tour?
    25/08/2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Michael Kelly November 8, 2022

    All roads lead to Rome

    · Florence to Rome

    This tour was spectacular. This trip checks all the boxes — it has the art, beauty and walkability of Florence; the majestic history of Rome; tied together by the bike ride that got us away from the crowds in both cities and into the countryside and small towns, traveling at a perfect pace to appreciate this beautiful region of Italy. The luggage transfer was seamless. The hotels were very comfortable and (except in Rome) all were small and conveniently located near each town’s important sites and central piazza.
    You asked for feedback.
    One layover day would have been great, probably in Assisi where we found there’s too much to see in just one afternoon/evening. I don’t know how you would make it work, but you asked for suggestions.
    The intro session on Day 1 was a serious weak point in the tour. The evening talk was cancelled and the bike distribution on the morning of Day 2 was handled by a nice employee who only spoke Italian. It could have been a disaster with no instruction about the route or the unfamiliar ebikes, but the group worked it out.
    The hotel in Rome was comfortable but it was the only one not located in a convenient part of town and it’s focus on large groups traveling by tour bus was a jarring contrast to everything else about the tour.
    Some of the hills were longer and harder than expected, and traffic on a few short stretches was difficult. But our lasting memories will be the vineyards and olive groves, the quiet side streets and bike paths, the breathtaking hill towns, and the flexibility to stop at a cafe for pastries, cappuccinos or afternoon beers.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 1, 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our second
    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
    • 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
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Tuscan Wine Classic
    (5/5) Snowball September 27, 2016

    Best local bike company ever!

    · Tuscan Wine Classic: Pienza to Castellina via Siena

    The local bike company were responsive to our needs and provided really excellent bikes. Accommodation was inspired.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July
    How many tours have you completed?
    15
    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?
    Italy
    • 3/5 Value
    • 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
  • Umbria Road Cycling
    (5/5) Aging Cyclist October 27, 2019

    Great countryside, food and hotels

    · Umbria Road Cycling: Loop Tour Through Lush and Scenic Landscapes

    We had a tremendous trip. The hill towns and mountain views were superb, our rental bikes were of excellent quality, and the hotels and breakfasts were terrific.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    this is the first
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 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
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Jarusha October 20, 2016

    PERFECT 7 DAY TRIP THROUGH UMBRIA

    · Umbria Road Cycling: Loop Tour Through Lush and Scenic Landscapes

    BEST WAY TO EXPLORE A COUNTRY!
    SUCH a wonderful trip!
    My husband and just finished a 7 day road bike trip through Umbria and it was fantastic! BikeTours.com hooked us up with the most wonderful local bike tour company (Ecologico Tours) and we loved it! Everything from Paolo delivering and setting our bikes up for us, the the beautiful side roads we cycled on, to the gorgeous hotels every night - all fantastic! We were even well taken care of when we accidentally left our passports at a hotel and had to call Petra for help. I can't say enough good things about our trip with BikeTours.com and Ecologico Tours and will not only recommend them to friends but we are already planning another trip with them :)
    Thank you so much!

    Jarusha + Colin

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 29- Oct 6, 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    this was my first
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • On top of a beautiful climb in Umbria! (photo by Jarusha)
    • Relaxing after a day of riding! (photo by Jarusha)
    • One of many water refills in a little medieval village (photo by Jarusha)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
  • Florence to Rome
    (5/5) Steven Coventry October 10, 2024

    Well organized, fantastic trip

    · Florence to Rome

    We really enjoyed this self guided bike tour. The trip was very well organized, and the support was excellent. The app is a great way to easily stay on the correct route. The biking was great - scenic, and the right amount of miles/elevation per day to make it seem like a good solid bike ride while leaving enough energy to explore the really interesting towns along the way.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2024
    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
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 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
  • (5/5) Jon September 29, 2024

    Save some energy

    · Florence to Rome

    It’s not that hills are so big, it is that the grade of some of them is intense. We didn’t upgrade the bike and did ok but a lighter bike would have been nice on this trip. Save some energy for the end of each day when cultural treasures will call out to be explored. The hotels were each unique. We highly recommend the tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 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) rubbernecker October 23, 2019
    · Florence to Rome

    What was the date of your tour?
    10/5 to 10/11
    How many tours have you completed?
    1st
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) pizza June 5, 2017

    Italy tour

    · Florence to Rome

    We have done two other Eurobike tours and this was very similar. The roads in Italy are a bit less tended than in other parts of Europe and we were often on traffic roads but the scenery and the route was lovely! The weather was fantastic. I would suggest that you be sure to book your sightseeing in Florence and Rome ahead of time because they are both very busy and exciting cities. There were also some long difficult hills but well worth the climbs.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 20-27, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) carlosferreira January 9, 2018
    · Florence to Rome

    What was the date of your tour?
    october 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 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
  • (4/5) Steven October 13, 2017

    Fun trip

    · Florence to Rome

    Great way to see Medeval towns not jammed with tourists. Nice hotels, excellent local cuisine and sights. I wish the roads were better maintained with less car traffic and the bikes were lighter.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 22-29
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Tuscan Wine Classic
    (4/5) Michael Burkardt September 16, 2023

    Beautiful Countryside

    · Tuscan Wine Classic: Pienza to Castellina via Siena

    Our Bike Tour Company Cicloposse was exceptional, the best we ever had. There was not a single detail they missed, providing a booklet covering highlights for a given day of each town we'd pass through and as well as where to eat. We had a minor issue that was no fault of their own and the customer service was top notch. They're professional and knowledgeable. The only hiccup was a closed bridge that added a hour to our ride that day. Warning: unless you are a very strong rider get an E bike. Some climbs are miles long with a 14% grade.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • Florence to Rome
    (4/5) 0341MM June 12, 2019

    Pretty Scenery and Wonderful People

    · Florence to Rome

    This is my third European bicycle trip but the first one in which I did not follow a river. The navigation was more difficult than I imagined.
    I would strongly recommend three things: 1. Study your maps and instructions so you know what landmarks to expect on each day's ride. 2. Download the EuroBike app and be sure to load the gps coordinates into BEFORE your trip. (You may need a computer to do it.) You can find a helpful pdf document on how to do it via an internet search. 3. Watch for the cycling directional stickers at intersections. You hardly notice them when you first start the trip but rarely miss them once you get a hang of things. These stickers are very helpful and will keep you from making wrong turns.
    Once I integrated these three things into my daily ride navigation was easy and I could just the beautiful Italian countryside and the wonderful villages.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18 - 24
    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?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Tuscany and Umbria
    (4/5) Sam Roozendaal May 21, 2024

    Visually stunning trip

    · Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy

    This is a great way to see the sights of Umbria at a slower pace. The route is well designed with mostly quiet roads. There are some busy roads as you enter or leave towns but that is to be expected. There is a lot of climbing so we were glad we got the e-bikes. The hotels are mostly very good and close to the centre of town.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Mary-lou Huculak May 9, 2024

    Challenging but worth it!

    · Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy

    Gorgeous views over every hill and string every bend. Challenging even on ebikes but spectacular views.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May, 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • Rolling hills of Todi (photo by Mary-lou Huculak)
    • Charming accommodation in Castiglione del Lago (photo by Mary-lou Huculak)
    • Assissi is magnificent (photo by Mary-lou Huculak)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Louise C van Vonno July 20, 2023

    Fantastic but more challenging then we are used to!

    · Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy

    My husband and I have done over 10 bike tours around the world and this was by far the most challenging. If we had received the itinerary earlier than 6:30pm the day before we started we might have requested some route adjustments but there just wasn't time. We were assured by the local cycling company that provided the excellent e-bikes that we should be careful about battery usage but we would be OK. We were ok but truly exhausted at the end of most days. The route was excellent and we wanted to go back to some of the towns we visited when we weren't so tired.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June/ July 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    10+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    • 5/5 Value
    • 2/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) KAY SINGLETON December 9, 2022

    Most challenging of all bike trips we've done

    · Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy

    There was a great sense of accomplishment each time we reached the hilltop towns, often after an over 1000m climb; all of the towns were beautiful with awesome views; the accomodations were excellent; we found the descents scary at times and were glad to have good brakes; sooo glad we got the road bikes! would not do this trip without them!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
  • Florence to Rome
    (4/5) Kiwisabroad September 23, 2016

    Bike trip recommended

    · Florence to Rome

    The scenery was great - how could rural Italy be otherwise! The maps and instructions - and especially the 'E' stickers posted along the route, were excellent. The bikes were fine - no suspension but certainly good seats.

    We only saw our contact person briefly at the beginning and end of the ride and didn't feel especially well supported although I'm sure if we had had a major problem, someone would have stepped up. (I'm comparing with a Czech Bike Tours 5 day trip we did last summer.)

    We sought a gradient map of the route before booking it and only got a fairly hard to read and un-useful GPX one. Again, last year in the Czech Rep we found good gradient maps for each day on the website. It's quite nice to know when there's a big hill coming up! That said, the maps which were provided in the briefing the night before we set out had arrows in 2 colours showing steep uphill and steep downhill.

    We are 4 relatively fit 60-year-olds. The biking was tough at times but we certainly managed it. We WOULD recommend it. (As an indication, with a coffee mid-morning and a picnic lunch and photos taken along the way, we were on the road from about 8.30am-4pm, perhaps a little less.)

    The hotels were great, more charming than they looked on the website, although not always easy to find! (There are no more E stickers to follow). And - as we'd expected - accommodation was invariably in a town on a good sized hill! Hotel staff were great.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    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?
    Italy
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Tuscany Getaway
    (4/5) Tera Hurst July 13, 2024

    Amazing trip, highly recommend

    · Tuscany Getaway: 4 Nights in Siena, Montalcino & Pienza

    My brother wanted to do a bike trip for his 50th birthday. After months of research I finally landed on this itinerary and I am so glad we did it! Leading up to the trip bike tours staff was very responsive. The info they sent took awhile and wasn’t tailored to our trip, but they make up for that by answering all questions promptly and without making you feel like a burden!! We had some last minute changes they were very accommodating with as well. The local tour company was wonderful! They were very patient with all of our anxieties and questions. We had never done a trip like this and in a foreign country self guided was intimidating. They broke it down for us and it was amazing. The routes they gave us were stunning and we only made a few quick wrong turns. GPS app they use was helpful and easy to use and follow. We were directed to a different hotel than the one we were staying at twice which was a bit annoying but once we found our place it was lovely and so nice to jump in a cold pool after a hot long ride. Their lunch and dinner recs were delicious! And the one time we had an issue where our bike lock wouldn’t unlock they came out to our remote spot and helped! It’s such a magical place to experience by bike! They never made us feel like a burden and were so professional, accommodating and supportive. I highly recommend this trip. It’s totally worth the price.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    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?
    Italy
    • Day 4 in Montelciano (photo by Tera Hurst)
    • Heading to Siena (photo by Tera Hurst)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection