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Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews  page 119

  • (3/5) JPeter October 3, 2016

    History seen

    Venice to Florence: From Rialto Across the Sea to Ponte Vecchio

    The accommodations were satisfactory to good (hotel in Choggia was wonderful). The trip was as expected and explained in the brochure. For the most part the directions and markers were decent except in Florence. Little to no markers seen and the directions to the parking garage given were incorrect for Florence, frustrating.

    What was the date of your tour?
    09/17 to 09/23
    How many tours have you completed?
    2 including this one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    Venice to Florence
    • 3/5 Value
    • 2/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Julia Bouchard October 8, 2023

    Beautiful countryside

    Balkan Treasures

    The countries we visited were awesome. The local tour operator left a lot to be desired. Before leaving the US we tried multiple times to download the gps routes onto our phones. Biketours.com stated they do not support the app we were supposed to use…..when we arrived in Trebinje our first day, none of us were able to see the routes…after phone calls with local operator, he walked us through using an app with his username and password-less than ideal. We eventually had the routes on our phones,but no way to mount phone on handlebars. Eventually we got one phone holder that immediately dropped the phone while spinning around!
    Initially I was given a bike that was way too small. Tour operator wanted me to use it for the first day which had the longest climb of the week. Eventually he did supply a proper fitting bike that night. We never had anyone to check the bikes with us….
    Many of the hotels were quite nice but when we were transferred to Stari Bar, the hotel owner said we did not have reservations. He gave us awful rooms, over the kitchen noisey, sink that didn’t drain…..husband got food poisoning from the restaurant. Albania was disappointing because the lake was so dirty and riding in the city was dangerous The Balkans are awesome but the local tour operator was not up to the standard I expected and received on previous bike tours.com trips

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Countries included in this tour?
    Albania, Montenegro, Croatia
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 1/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Karen and Martin Keller 9 months ago

    All bike tours are not equal

    Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    We are experienced bike tourists and have used several bike tour companies as well as planning our own tours. For this tour in particular: Accommodations were all very nice. The luggage transfers were timely and efficient and Roman, the driver, was great. The GPS worked well. The bikes were average and in good repair. A suggestion would be to have various saddle options. Overall the items and logistics of the bike tour co operator were in control of were very good. Specific to our experience, the actual mileages were different than initial itinerary causing final day plans in Budapest to be foiled. In our opinion, this stretch of the Danube radweg is not as scenic as the Passau to Vienna section. To no one’s fault, our specific tour was plagued by extreme heat and 3 days of solid torrential rain, which made this a less than ideal experience. Tour operator came through to try to assist us with alternative transportation options, which we appreciate.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 4 - 10, 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    17
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Richard 69 May 29, 2022

    A nice ride

    Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine

    This is our eighth time cycling in Europe so we are experienced cyclers. This is the first and only time we had any problems. When we arrived in Strassbourg in the evening and checked our bikes we noticed right off that one of the bikes had a problem. We called Eurobike the next morning to resolve the issue and we were underwhelmed by their response. After several phone calls and two and a half hours taken out of the day we planned to spend sightseeing in Strassbourg I finally demanded that they bring us another bike which they reluctantly agreed to do. If we had not taken an extra day in Strassbourg there would have been no way for us to complete the first leg of our tour. So there was that.
    We have always chosen the B level hotels and have always been more than satisfied. This tour the hotels were hit and miss. The Hotel Ibis in Heidelberg gave us a room that was literally the size of a closet nd it was more than a mile walk to get to the historic old town. The hotel Asgard in Worms was also a long way from the city center. I will say that all the hotels served a good breakfast.
    The bikes were the typical rental bikes that we always get so they are a little heavy and slow so no surprises there. But we found the road surfaces to be very rough in many places which made for very slow travel and we found ourselves reaching our destinations much later than we planned.
    We cycled through forests and lots of farmland which was fine but we really did not cycle along the Rhine as much as we would have liked. The scenery was pleasant enough but not nearly as spectacular as other tours we’ve taken.
    The printed directions are always confusing and at times our route was not as well marked as we would have liked so there was a lot of stopping to check our phones. We found the app that we downloaded to be very helpful.
    It’s always fun and exciting to be cycling in Europe and we did enjoy ourselves and had many fine meals along the way. Unfortunately this ride did not compare favorably with the other seven tours we’ve taken.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18-25 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Germany
    Strasbourg to Mainz
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 1/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Canada November 4, 2015

    A bit of a disappointment

    Lake Constance Bicycle Path

    We booked the high end tour and in general were very pleased. Most of the hotels were lovely and located conveniently to the bike path. One exception was the Marina hotel we were sent to. We passed by beautiful villages but instead of staying in these lovely locations, we were sent to a marina where there no amenities nearby. We explored through the nearby campsite and located a restaurant much more reasonably priced than the marina hotel restaurant. When we had asked at the hotel about nearby restaurants, the hotel said there were no others nearby. It was also very noisy as they were working on the boats. Also we were disappointed with how little you actually got to bike along the lake. Being as this is a huge vacation area most of the lakefront had homes on them. So we were sharing the road much more than expected with often little or no views of the lake.
    The bike tour company was great and the bikes were of a good quality (though with the bumpy terrain shocks would have been appreciated).

    A lovely touch was the beautiful room at the Hotel Halm in Constance where there was a bottle of wine waiting and a lovely corner room.

    How many tours have you completed?
    Three
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    Lake Constance Bike Path
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Kitty Brodie July 31, 2024

    Not quite what we expected

    Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)

    We booked a self-guided 5-day tour from Vienna to Budapest.
    There were a few things that did not sit well with us on the organizational front.
    The tour itself was great once we got started and the cities/hotels en route were great.
    The bike service was great... we had a mechanical issue on Day 1 of riding, and the bike was replaced the next morning.

    Organizationally:
    Confirmation of tour was delayed until the 1 day before the original day of departure.
    When I tried to cancel because we wanted to book something that was confirmed, I was told this was not possible.
    That seemed unfair, when the tour operator has the right to cancel, but not the client.

    The initial orientation meeting on "Day 1" in Vienna did not happen until "Day 2".
    Nothing at all was arranged for "Day 1" other than the hotel in Vienna.

    The 5 day tour turned out to be 5 nights, with the 1st night in Vienna, where we already were staying.
    So not 5 nights on the road, but 5 nights in hotels. Starting on the morning of "Day 2" makes the tour really only a 4 day tour in my opinion.

    The bikes that were brought to us on the morning of "Day 2" were not the right bikes that we had ordered.

    Pick up time for our bags from the hotel was not mentioned in the orientation meeting.
    Consequently, we missed the pickup time on the first hotel and had to pay for a taxi to bring the bags to the next hotel.
    This again seemed unfair.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2024
    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?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary, Slovakia
    Vienna to Budapest 5-nights
    • 1/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
  • (3/5) Kevin Rudd August 24, 2022

    Could have been better

    Sweden’s West Coast: Helsingborg to Gothenburg

    The ride was generally good. The route was relatively remote with few points to stop and places along the route to interact with the citizen of the areas visited. Poor preparation of the e-bikes two of the 6 bikes were not at the pick up location and not properly charged. The first day was difficult riding heavy bikes without power. Very disappointing start to our trip.

    Hotel accommodations were fair. The opening property was excellent, while the balance were two and three star quality properties. That said, all the people at the hotels and the bike rental location were friendly and helpful. I would have welcomed better hotel locations and would be willing to pay more. Self-guided does not need to be budget.

    In general, of the other guided and self-guided rides in Europe this ride was 4th of 4.

    How many tours have you completed?
    4, 2 guided and 2 self-guided
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Sweden
    Sweden’s West Coast
    • 3/5 Value
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Karen Metsos September 24, 2022

    Not the Best

    Andalusia: Southern Spain

    This was our third bike tour and to be honest we were disappointed in general. While the hotel accomodations and the towns that you slept in were great and places I would visit again, but the overall biking experience was a different story. The bike journey each day was mostly about trying to get to the next town. The experience along the way in terms of where you cycled and the towns you went through was a let down. For example having done the Passau to Vienna cycle a few years back the lunch stops and places to take breaks were amazing, charming, convenient and scenic. This trip didn't offer any of that. The lunch locations were simply a place to rest and keep going. The tour operator in the self guided books didn't offer any recommendations of where to stop for lunch or breaks compared to the previous 2 tours we did (Passau to Vienna and Puglia). On the previous two tours these types of tips and recommendations added extreme value to our trip.
    A couple of tips... if you do decide to do this cycle definitely spend the extra 30 euros for the GPS as it will vastly improve the navigation experience as bikes aren't set up to display the guide book and if the tour operator is reading this, having an upgraded room option would be a good idea as the hotels were great as well as the towns. On a couple of the locations we paid extra for an upgraded room upon checkin and it made a difference!

    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Spain
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from jan September 25, 2022

      First, thanks for your business and feedback as we and our partners slowly climb out of the covid reboot. Though the tourism industry is rebounding we are doing so after much fatigue so it certainly hasn't been perfect for us or our partners. Starting next year we will be providing our own branded travel packets which will do much to address the overall travel experience, options, and directions. Thanks again for your support!

    Andalusia: Southern Spain
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Karen5 October 21, 2019

    Hungary countryside

    Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    Fortunately I always have fun. If the group had not taken lunch from breakfast buffet we would have been without food until lunch. Route directions could have bern clearer.

    What was the date of your tour?
    9/30 - 10/5
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 22, 2019

      Hi, Karen. Thanks for your review. We're glad to hear you're a person who always has fun! Thanks for letting us know about the need to be cognizant of lunch stops and/or availability of options and the directions. We will pass your feedback onto the tour operator so they can improve these aspects of the tour. Thank you again for this feedback.

    Vienna to Budapest
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Linda Farnworth May 30, 2024

    Not impressed with Ave

    Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov

    The bikes were not good. One day the range of ebike battery barely made it, my chain came off twice, seat kept slipping down, other equipment not great, and worst of all the seats were TERRIBLE.
    The ride was nice though with good scenery and a challenging ride.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18, 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Czech Republic
    Prague to Vienna
    • 3/5 Value
    • 2/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Pedals August 8, 2017

    Great and not so great

    Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)

    Having just come off 2 weeks biking in France we had something to compare this trip with.
    The first 3 days or so were magic - lovely views, fantastic track surface and finally cool weather. The accommodation was great,especially after we were upgraded twice, and can be recommended.

    The bike gear was top class but my bike however was not. Euro Velo bike hires have to realise that the standard puffy commuter seat they supply are not comfortable for guys used to proper bike seats - enough said. Also on the second day when I went to use the smallest front chain ring it turned out that 2 of the mounting bolts were missing and it got wrecked so one third of my gears were gone. Managed to get this repaired after a couple of days but wasn't really satisfactory. This should not happen!

    The directions and maps hardly ever match up completely on these type of trips but we were certainly not happy to discover at the end of a long hot day that the instructions for the approach to Salzberg were in fact for someone coming from completely the opposite direction - a victim of cut and past to be sure, as was the odd paragraph still in Austrian, but this should have been edited properly. A shame as the general standard of the material presentation was of a high quality.

    Be aware if you want to do this trip that the last few days are along the stop bank beside the river and are boring - very little in the way of scenery and culture. Next time we will detour inland.

    Sorry but overall a 3 star effort.

    Warning - in case you may be considering a taxi ride from Innsbruck to Krimml to start your trip make sure that the driver is legitimate. Ours was a temporary fill in, had not driven out of town for 4 years and was a thoroughly unsafe driver. Much too fast and I suspect maybe on something. He almost ran off the road a number of times and clipped the inside kerb a couple of times . Haven't been so scared in our lives as passengers apart from jeep trips in Nepal and Pakistan. This should not happen in a first world country and if it had been practical solution we would have got out and walked!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    mid July 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    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?
    Austria, Germany
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson August 9, 2017

      We asked Hubert Simader of Radreisefreunde, manager of the tour operator, to respond:

      I´m sorry to read that these clients had a technical problem with the gears. I guess there was a problem during the transfer of the bikes on our trailer; otherwise, I have no explanation. We normally have excellent feedback concerning our rental bikes (including the saddles we use). Unfortunately, you didn´t contact us during their trip - otherwise, we would have managed to solve the problem immediately (e.g. change the bike or fix it locally). I´m very sorry for that.

      We normally update our tour descriptions at the end of each tour season, but my colleagues who are doing the travel documents will check the description for the hotel in Salzburg immediately. So far we haven´t heard from wrong directions.

      Relative to the scenery, the first part from Krimml to Salzburg has an outstanding panorama with fantastic views. The landscape after Salzburg changes, but I would not rate it as boring - it´s just different. And you still have some highlights along the way to Passau (e.g. the world's longest castle in Burghausen and the beautiful Baroque towns Obernberg and Schärding. For those who want to have the amazing views from the mountains all along their way, we have a tour that is entirely in the Alps. But as we know: Tastes are different.

      Besides these issues, I hope you enjoyed your cycle trip. Thanks for the constructive feedback, which allows us to improve quality for future clients.

      (Relative to the taxi transfers, we want to point out to other clients that we didn´t arrange a transfer for these clients - they booked it on own. Of course, all our drivers have long experience and safety is one of our most important points.)

    Tauern Bike Path
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 1/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Cycle2017 September 25, 2017

    Our Venice to Porec Challenge

    Venice to Trieste and Istria

    This tour proved to be more challenging than anticipated, partly due to torrential rains on 2 days and windy conditions most of the week. Concerns included long riding distances with limited facilities between some of the planned stops -e.g. -few restaurants or stores to purchase snacks and more water. The signage didn't always match the tour directions, creating confusion and likely longer rides than planned. The final day -70 km, with 50% uphill is a challenge for casual riders. Casual recreational riders will find some of the days long and some of the terrain challenging. The local provider provided excellent support when we were flooded out of a hotel and unable to ride due to area flooding, and also assisted with transportation for the final transfer when a member of the group was ill, and weather conditions were miserable. Despite this, our group, 3 recreational riders and 1 experienced rider, enjoyed visiting the beautiful cities along the route -when the weather cooperated.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 10-16
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Jay Bonitt July 9, 2024

    Easy But Hard

    Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)

    The App for the bike path route was VERY GOOD. However, at the end of each day the app and map took us to the city for that day's destination, NOT to our hotel. The hotel in Aschach was not near where the app ended the day; and the hotel in Enns, while on the bike path, was several miles (and across major highways). If the hotel was on he bike path, why didn't the app take us directly to it? Finally, when entering Vienna the end of the app was no where near the hotel (a 20 minute taxi ride in heavy traffic). This glitch could easily be fixed by the tour operator by guiding riders directly to their hotel each night. As it was, after a good day of cycling, the day often ended in confusion and nowhere near the destination hotel. The bikes (one a road bike the other an e-bike) were excellent. If the app took us directly to our hotel each day instead of guiding us to the center city, I would rate the trip excellent. Unfortunately the hotel destinations were left to us to figure out, and Google maps did not always work.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    7
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    Danube Bike Path
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Jeffrey Yarne October 1, 2023

    Do your research

    Algarve Coastal Route

    Note: we have ridden the flatter and paved bike trails of the Danube and Bruge to Amsterdam. If those rides are rated 1, this ride should be more than 1.5 primarily due to the amount of loose gravel paths coupled with deep ruts from cars. Also is you are close to 5’1” even the extra small bikes with narrow tires might be tough to handle. The area is warm in late Sept 2023. And if you are expecting smaller towns we found the stopping places generally large catering to many tourists which is the primary industry. There are some wonderful places to eat. All hotels had air conditioning although some were noisy others were nice and set back from the crowds. The Portugal people are very nice and the local tour company is as accommodating within reason although if you break a chain in the midst of no where it is a challenge. It would be good to bring at minimum a master link and chain river tool for a roadside repair.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Portugal
    Algarve Coastal Route
  • (3/5) Jeri April 12, 2017

    Lovely spring countryside

    Florence to Rome

    We did the self-guided version of this tour, and loved cycling through the Umbrian countryside. The routes were well-planned to avoid traffic. Bikes were adequate. Baggage transfer and all such arrangements were handled very well. Trip notes/gps were mostly good with a few glitches, but we were the first riders of the new season, so I would imagine the divergences will soon be cleared up, and we never lost our way. The tour company also uses a system of small trail markers that were very good. What we did not enjoy: the overnights. Towns were generally pretty dead other than touristy things--and not a lot of that. Little along the route days as far as nice places to stop (parks, cafes, or the like) either. Hotels were okay, but nothing special.

    What was the date of your tour?
    1-8 April 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Italy
    Florence to Rome
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) JessieV July 11, 2018

    More Challenges Than Expected

    Berlin – Copenhagen

    The scenery was lovely and the bike route was easy to follow, and also mostly on dedicated paths, which we very much enjoyed. The daily mileage, however, was more than anticipated - approx. 40+ miles per day. This would have perhaps felt like a minor increase, but the bikes they gave us compounded it exponentially. These were the worst bikes I've had on a tour (I've done four others). The bikes included seat and fork suspension, which I imagine the tour operator thought would be useful for the few segments of the route that end up on cobblestone or gravel, but they made the bikes SO HEAVY! Even gentle inclines became difficult - and we're from Seattle, so we're accustomed to riding up hills! We'd stand and pedal in hopes of getting more leverage and our bikes would basically turn into pogo sticks. We dubbed this maneuver "go sticking". The other thing that was challenging, was the lack of amenities along the way. We did a bike trip in Italy in 2017 and every 10 km there would be somewhere to get water or an espresso or a sandwich, but in the Germany section especially these things were few and far between. My overall recommendations would be to 1. reserve the electric bike 2. pack a picnic lunch each day

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 18
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Denmark, Germany
    • 2/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Ronb September 25, 2017

    Good value for money way to see the Baltic countries with great guide.

    Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn

    Our guide Romas was excellent. Lots of stories about where we visited. Most hotels very good with useful location. Easy riding. Bus always available if somebody wanted to rest. Great way to see Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Riga hotel not up to the standard of the others though it had perfect location.

    What was the date of your tour?
    27th Aug 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    10
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    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?
    Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Bob Sterndale October 3, 2024

    Beautiful trip but problems

    Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)

    The scenery was breathtaking, the bike paths mostly fine but with seriously difficult and dangerous exceptions, the hotels very pleasant and the e-bikes fine with one exception.
    The trip started on the wrong foot at the first hotel: Hotel Krimml Fälle. We were assigned a room with no heat (as were others) on a cold day. After two hours of lame diversions and excuses, while we sat in the lobby to keep warm, we were given a heated room. In all other respects the hotel and restaurant were fine.
    Getting to Krimml is a bit confusing. OBB will sell you a train ticket (from Salzburg for us) all the way to Krimml. The trip involves a narrow-gauge train from Sell am See to Mittersill hbf (end of line) and a bus trip from Mittersill to Krimml. There is a bus stop in the middle of Krimml village, steps from our hotel.
    The first day of biking were delightful. The hotel in Sell am See was beyond our expectations.
    The second day of biking started well but we encountered a long section of closed trail. We were in a narrow valley with little development. The only parallel path was a shoulder-less two-lane highway with plenty of high-speed traffic, not an acceptable bike route. Trees and brush had been trimmed along the nice paved bike path recently. All the slash had been left on the path, for 2 or 3 days from its appearance. We picked our way through the mess for maybe a couple kilometers. Then we came to a section with blown down trees obstructing the path, another ½ to 1 Km. Getting through this required some bushwhacking with the heavy e-bikes. Not fun.
    Day three of biking was fine until we came to a flooded underpass on the outskirts of Salzburg. We needed to cross the A1 highway to get to Salzburg. A bad storm a few days before had caused numerous problems across Austria. We did find an alternate route but advance knowledge would have saved us a few Km of pedaling.
    Day 4, however, brought us to highway biking. As we approached the village of St. Radegund we were directed onto a busy, shoulder-less two-lane road for a steep ascent of a kilometer or more. It was a strenuous ride even with the e-bikes. Your web sites offers this description of the tour:
    “The tour route is mainly on dedicated bicycle paths (about 80% of the time). The remainder of the tour is on quiet roads and dirt or gravel roads. This tour is suitable for families with children.”
    This stretch alone disqualifies the tour as a family-safe route. The experience continues:
    A short distance beyond the scary hill climb is a 5.2 Km stretch of riding on the same road. The tour map shows this section as a bike path on the side of the road pavement. The “bike path” in this area is about 18” wide, separated from the high-speed traffic by a 4” wide white stripe. Narrative direction for this day’s route were not helpful, signage was poor, the “pink” house referred to is now yellow.
    The unpleasant day was capped by a steep climb to the hotel in Burghausen. Pushing a heavy e-bike up a hill doesn’t work! You need to pedal it up so that it assists with its own heavy weight.
    Day 5 brought us to Bad Fussing. This day was mostly uneventful. Directions to the hotel in Bad Fussing were vague, calling for riding 4 Km on a busy road with no shoulder. Instead, we found a bike path at the German side of the bridge that led right in to downtown Bad Fussing. The directions should include this route. Plan your day to allow an hour or two at one of the baths, you will be glad you did!
    Day 6 was uneventful, mainly along the Inn River to Passau.
    One e-bike problem: the rear disc brake on one of the 4 bikes was useless, apparently the brake pads were worn away (bikes had coaster brakes too). In all other respects bikes were fine. Battery capacity was generous. I think the lowest reserve at the end of any day for any of us was 50%.
    An otherwise delightful trip was marred by surprise bike path closures and stretches of unsafe highway biking. This is not for children. The scenery was awe inspiring. Hotels were good to excellent. E-bikes were good except for one problem that didn’t spoil the trip.
    We would have wished for more current information on bike path conditions from the local partner. We provided reports to them of closed paths as we encountered them.
    Your tour description misrepresents the conditions of the route. We would not have booked the trip if had been accurately described.  SHOW MORE 

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 16, 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    about ten
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Germany
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from jan October 3, 2024

      Thank you for your business and detailed feedback. Unfortunately the storm that hit your area during your vacation impacted 1000s of folks which resulted in the on the ground teams being totally overwhelmed. Unfortunately we cannot control mother nature. That said, thank you for traveling with us and we hope to see you again!

    Tauern Bike Path
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Steve Lilley 10 months ago

    Challenge completed!

    Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    As a couple we enjoyed completing the challenge in extremely hot conditions.
    We were disappointed in not sighting or swimming in the Danube more often: it’s a mighty impressive river!
    Riding enabled greater appreciation of the country and people than by car: crops and farming in particular.
    The final ferry ride for over an hour was a great finale!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June
    How many tours have you completed?
    Many
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    Vienna to Budapest
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Steve Lilley 10 months ago

    Challenge completed!

    Vienna to Budapest (Classic)

    As a couple we enjoyed completing the challenge in extremely hot conditions.
    We were disappointed in not sighting or swimming in the Danube more often: it’s a mighty impressive river!
    Riding enabled greater appreciation of the country and people than by car: crops and farming in particular.
    The final ferry ride for over an hour was a great finale!

    What was the date of your tour?
    June
    How many tours have you completed?
    Many
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Austria, Hungary
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection

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