Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews
- Albania
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★★★★★ diane w
Joyful cycling and great views
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
One of the surprising bonuses of this trip was getting a feel for Austrian country life. The landscapes we cycled through had plenty of stellar views. But they also felt authentic in the sense that we were sharing space with rural working families and close-knit communities. Austrians in this region appear to be masters at integrating country roads, cycle paths, rivers, agricultural fields, lumber yards, clusters of rural homes, town centers (with the iconic long-steepled church), parks and other family-friendly spaces – all not far from a view of the Alps. The extra side trips to Krimmerl Falls, Lamprechtshöhle Cave and Seisenbergklamm and Vorderkaserklamm Gorges were especially worthwhile. (After quite a bit of puzzled searching, we realized it would have been helpful to have better directions to Seisenbergklamm.)
Generally we stayed on track with the GPX file maps mounted on our handlebars; occasionally a combo of other navigational tools came in handy: Google Maps, asking for directions, and/or trying to use the very detailed booklet with hardcopy maps and written directions, although this latter was not handy to do as we were cycling.
Also, it would have been super helpful to know beforehand that we needed to choose and upload a phone app that is able to read the GPX files – and then to more efficiently get the maps uploaded to our phone. (Three years ago, BikeTours simply gave us a link to the map files, so this new routine was unfamiliar to us, and we spent too much time in our Innsbruck hotel trying to figure it out.)
The only day that we were thrown royally off schedule was the very first cycling day. We ended up following the GPX map to the very end destination, which took us many kilometers past our target hotel, some of it up a steep mountain, only to find out that our lodging was not there at all. We had to backtrack a long ways. When we called the local guide to ask about this (not wanting to repeat the experience on subsequent days), he mentioned that we needed to pay attention to the booklet directions. There was a note in there about some of the lodging destinations coming before the end of the given day’s GPX route. However, many of the BikeTours reviews for this tour gave the advice to use the GPX directions rather than the guidebook because they are much easier to follow while cycling. We agree.
In the future, it would be handy to have a separate, clearly-worded, simpler document for each day that gives a good overview (clearer than in the booklet) and that offers reminders about what to expect that day. For ex., “Today you have the option to visit … Here are some pointers for locating these optional destinations … Be aware that your lodging may come well before the end of the GPS route; you may want to enter your lodging address into Google Maps to determine where your end point for the route is today. Etc.) SHOW MORE
Luggage transfer was always well-organized and all of the accommodations were pleasant, except at Hotel Zillertal. Beautiful views from the lodging, but the staff seemed overworked. (For ex., one individual was manning the restaurant, bar, cash register, and front desk check-in, and he was understandably exhausted and done with tourists.) In contrast, we especially remember the family-run Gästehaus Waltl, where we were welcomed with such genuine kindness and generosity.
We were glad for the layover day. Zell am See felt a bit too upscale touristy for our taste, and we maybe would have preferred one of the smaller towns in the area for our rest day. But the activity options still make it a logical location for most people.
We very much enjoyed exploring both Innsbruck and Salzburg on each end of the trip. The young woman who set up our bike rental in Innsbruck was super helpful and patient. She familiarized us with the equipment and supplied us with some extra tools such as the phone attachment for the handlebar.
After the tour, we rented a car to explore the Salzkammergut Lake District for a couple of days, just outside of Salzburg. Beautiful! Side note: We were scammed in a major way by Sixt Rent-a-Car after we returned our rental, so we would recommend looking at other rental options. (You can see more details, if desired, in our Google review for Sixt in Salzburg.)
This was our second self-guided tour with BikeTours, where I rented an e-bike (I like to stop and take photos) and my cyclist husband rented a regular road bike. This arrangement works well for us. We are both active in our sixth decade, and this tour was a good blend of cultural exploration, wholesome exercise, and memorable views.As was the case on our cycling tour three years ago, we leave with tremendous respect for the countries who provide safe and (very often) scenic trails, roadway passage, and clear signage for cyclists.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2026
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Kirk
Fantastic tour, exceeded all expectations
Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
The Baltic Capitals Tour is ideal for getting to know all three countries. Our guide brought history to life, making the stories of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia exciting and fun. The pace was leisurely enough to allow for great sightseeing, and the biking was delightful. An amazing and unforgettable experience.
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★★★★★ William
Stunning Mountain Scenery
UNESCO Sites of Albania
We were a group of five Canadian seniors. On arrival we merged with about two dozen fellow travelers from Britain, Canada and the USA, who provided great companionship, laughs and memories. Our guide, Juri, and support driver, Orson, went above and beyond to provide excellent service.
I would highly recommend this tour on an e-bike but not on a regular bicycle unless you are a seasoned bicyclist in excellent condition.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Albania
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★★★★★ Anne Wood
Four years in the making
Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov
Our group planned a self guided tour from Prague to Budapest for April, 2020. It was cancelled due to Covid. In September, 2024, we did an abbreviated Prague to Vienna self guided tour. It was well worth the wait even though Boris shut down several days of biking. The Czech Republic is a biking wonderland.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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?
- Austria, Czech Republic
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★★★★★ bill petrick
great trip
Tuscany's Legendary Gravel Routes
Good food, spectacular hotels, and beautiful scenery. They're based near Pienza. Juliana and Marko from the tour operator, in addition to booking the hotels, provided first class bikes, good routes, excellent navigation, and attentive service.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Wendy
First bike tour & trip over seas!
UNESCO Sites of Albania
A wonderful way to be immersed in Albanian culture, history, foods and drink! Guide was thoughtful, anticipated all our needs and was a wealth of information. Riding provided ample opportunity to experience changing topography and breath taking views. Wonderful meals of locally sourced foods. A great international group to ride, eat and relax with. This tour was outstanding!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This one only
- 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?
- Albania
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★★★★★ Wendy Kercher
Alpine cycle paths in Austria
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We had a great week cycling through Austria. The bikes were in great condition. The bike shop was very accommodating and switched out the handlebar stem to make the bike more comfortable. We found the self-guided navigation easier than on past trips because we downloaded the routes provided to a cycling app on our phones. Family-run hotels in the overnight villages were all nice, however the breakfast at the second hotel in Strasse was disappointing.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- 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?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Bill
Buck-list Trip
Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela
Our guide was fantastic dedicating himself to a memorable experience. He was knowledgeable on a wide variety of topics, recommended varied authentic dining experiences, and went out of his way to ensure a successful trip for everyone. Had I known that some for the "hills" exceeded a 12% grade, I would have prepared differently. The overall trip was ell worth the effort.
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★★★★★ Clyde Rogers
A really fun bike trip
Portugal's Atlantic Coast
We decided to try this tour as a way to see the countryside of Portugal, and it was a great success. We did the self-guided tour, so could stop where and when we wanted, and could set our own pace. We saw so many beautiful places that we never would've seen if we'd rented a car and figured out our own route.
The routes were well curated, avoiding busy roads and difficult trails for the most part, and fit our abilities well. I used a hybrid bike for the low gearing (some of the climbs were steep, and I used the bike's lowest gears), and my wife used an e-bike. The e-bike was geared well for the climbs, and although we were initially worried about running low on battery, she always finished the day with plenty of power to spare.
Our first two riding days were in a moderate steady rain. We had decent rain gear and both bikes had fenders, so we stayed dry and warm enough. We did the hybrid trail the first day, but switched to the paved version on the second because of the rain making the trails too muddy. I'd recommend just doing the paved version on any day with much rain.
We took this ride the beginning of November. The temperatures were pleasant, but the days were short. We stopped where we wanted, looked at lots of interesting scenery and views, and visited off-the-beaten-path locations, but generally arrived at our destination near sundown. We were happy we added a free day for sightseeing in Sintra, and in retrospect, probably should've done the same in Obidos.
We had an excellent trip, highly recommended!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Yavuz
The best ever
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
We had a self guided tour from Passau to Wien. Except the rainy days, the tour was fantastic. We are ready for the next one ;)
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9-17.07.2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Josh Shupack
Great bike paths and views
Lake Constance Bicycle Path
My wife and our boys ages 7 and 11 went on this tour. Most of it is on fabulous bike paths. Occasionally you have to bike through a town on roads or places with a lot of pedestrians. We had to skip a day and a half via trains and boats because it was a little much for our boys, but we still managed 150 km. I would recommend a day off in the middle.
The views are great, lots of places to stop for a swim, museum, or just a walk through a neat town. We found that it took a lot of the day just to bike and we didn't have as much time as we had liked for playing and exploring.
The distances for each day depend on what cities you're staying in.
Overall a really good experience for the whole family.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Katy Mason
Love those Dolomites!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We had a wonderful experience on this trip. The guide was easy to work with and very helpful. There was one route that was closed and not easy to navigate. I would say that is our only criticism - the GPS should have been updated. It made for a long day. Overall, it was just an incredible route.
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★★★★★ Paula Seliga
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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★★★★★ Rosie1633
Fabulous tour!
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
We thoroughly enjoyed our Loire Valley bike trip! We could not have had a better guide! He was attentive, incredibly knowledgeable, kind and funny. He even stopped to help another cyclist along the way who had a broken spoke. There was just the right amount of cycling, touring and eating. Our group is already making plans to do another trip next year in Europe.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 18-26, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ qc2017
Great way to see Austria
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
This is my first bike trip which I made with my 10 y.o. son. We found it easy enough distance wise (made it on regular bikes). The bike path is easy to find most of the time. There were some tricky places, though, where the route description could have been done better. The choice of he hotels for the category C is very good. A little advise: don't rely on the day distance in your travel booklet. Your hotel might be on the next day travel somewhat 20 km farther.
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★★★★★ Yuvi
Wine & Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/29-9/3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Hungary
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★★★★★ Zinta Harrington
Magnificent and varied
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was our first biketour and I chose it carefully for our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers. The route comfortable with bike paths for a good part of the way. It was exciting with 3 countries, long declines, forests, fields, Roman ruins, historic towns, fairytale Bled, majestic Trieste. The accomodation was charming and the food enticing. The support was excellent as our luggage arrived each day and the transfers were well organised.
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★★★★★ Zinta Harrington
Surpassed expectations
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
I had a few days off prior to a conference. What a perfect way to see the countryside, get over a long haul flight and jet lag. I chose the tour mostly for convenience but loved (almost every) minute of it! The bike, the route, the countryside , tbe towns, the windmills, the sand dunes, the hotels were so delightful I smiled like a child at Christmas for most of the trip. The hour or so cycling through the garden areas are not interesting out of season but that was a minor detraction on what was a fabulous reviver of a trip. Thank you to Pieter for his support and kind attention. Highly recommended.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 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, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Rhonda Aliah
Fantastic adventure!
UNESCO Sites of Albania
The perfect way to experience Albania from the saddle of great bikes. Erlis and Tani were wonderful, caring, capable and very courteous. I was the slowest cyclist and their reassuring presences made the trip very enjoyable. Had a great time! Would love to explore more someday.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Albania
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