Dolomites Bike Tour Reviews page 4
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★★★★★ Bruce Muir
Cycling in heaven
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Totally awesome riding with great navigation aids, awesome scenery and diversity of terrain, countryside, culture and cuisine
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★★★★★ Joseph Rinaudo
Beautiful scenery, very enjoyable trip
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Excellent accomodation and breakfasts. Very responsive to sms. Excellent new bikes. Great staff. Marco and Neva went out of their way to ensure we had a great day when we transferred one wet day. No criticisms. Five stars in all areas. Thank you Bike Tours.
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★★★★★ Marcie Bushnelll
So many amazing places, so little time . . .
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Equipped with e-bikes, two panniers, one handlebar bag, a bike lock and a repair kit, we were ready to leave Toblach and head east. We had previously biked from Toblach to Lienz, so decided to take the train from San Candido to Lienz to save some mileage. The train in San Candido had steep narrow steps which we had to muscle the heavy e-bikes over, but in Lienz, the entry/departure is flat with the quais. From there is was a very pleasant ride to Oberdrauburg. Dinner at the Hotel Post was good (we were no longer on the dinner included plan) and bike storage was always in a covered area with outlets to charge the e-bikes (we carried the chargers in our panniers). The next morning we took a local bus (at the Oberdrauburg train/bus station) to the summit of the Gailberg Pass. From the bus window, I was glad we avoided the 7 km (4.2 miles) steep hairpin turn highway as it snaked it way to the summit. Arrived at Feistritz an der Gail at another Post Hotel where we enjoyed dinner and a good rest.
The next day we entered Slovenia and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the bike paths, signage and bike refreshment places along the path. Again we opted to take the train from Jesenice to Bled to avoid some steep ascents, BUT the Slovenian regional trains are a sight to behold. Heavily graffitied and "vintage," we were thankful a young German exchange student helped us muscle the two e-bikes into an empty compartment at the back of the three wagon train. We purchased tickets for the ebikes on board (believe me when I say the trains may be old, but the ticket collectors are there for every single kilometer to collect bike fees, etc). Easier to get the bikes off than on, so when we arrived at Bled Jezero, we were relieved.
Cannot say enough good things about the Hotel Park and Bled. We opted for TWO nights and I would highly recommend consideration of same. Bled is just too beautiful to spend one short night. We reserved a wine tasting at a local restaurant (a ten minute walk from Hotel Park) and had reserved spots for the Vintgar Gorge the next morning. Easy to take the bikes to the entrance of Vintgar Gorge (again free parking). The 1 ½ hour hike in the Gorge is breath taking, but the 2 hour steep hike out (we didn't take a shuttle this time), was challenging.
Plans change and the train transfer turned into local partner taking the bikes/panniers/handlebar bag on a bike trailer and giving us tickets to a regional bus with instructions to get off at another train station 1+ hours away. Fortunately the train conductor was on the bus and assured us which station it was (everybody got off). Another couple got off two stops before us and a local rep made sure we gave him our luggage at that point. We got off at Kanal ob Soci for our ride into Gradisca d'Isonzo. We were high above the canal and it's a very industrialized zone. Perhaps the least scenic of all the days so far. At one point there was a ! sign with steps!! What? Yes, just around the corner was a series of steps and ramps to ascend a steep part of the trail. Figured out walk assist and managed to get the bikes up and over. That was a surprise.
There was some kind of HUGE market/celebration in progress with street blockages, tents, supply vans, etc. choking the streets of Gorizia. We counted ourselves lucky to have found our way out of this rather large metro area. Spent the night at Hotel Franz in Gradisca d'Isonzo and enjoyed a lovely meal at the hotel (seemed to be a local favorite).
Last day from Gradisca d'Isonzo was along the Coast highway. Had read reviews about traffic and such, but the bike lane was wide and the drivers respectful of cyclists. As we neared Trieste, more cars would be parked in the bike lanes, but we managed without incident. Upon arrival at the Trieste Centrale train station, we returned our bikes to a nearby partner location, emptied our panniers/handlebar bag into our backpacks and walked to our hotel near Trieste's pedestrian zone. Such a lively place come 7 p.m. Dined in a terrace cafe, had gelato, did some shopping and called it a successful tour. Thank you, Biketours.com for a great experience. SHOW MORE -
★★★★★ Mary Eaman
Everything was Perfect!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The itinerary was varied and beautiful, the hotels were charming and clean, the bikes were great, the support both pre trip and during the trip was fabulous. One of the best vacations ever. Thank you!
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★★★★★ Marissa
Really great first trip
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Highlights:
- Handy navigation app that usually seemed to work well.
- Really neat variety of hotels with absolutely ridiculous breakfast spreads. Dinners at the hotels were also incredible.
- Staff were very helpful when they could be - this includes rental shop, phone contact, and transfer assistant staff.
- I'd estimate about 60-70% of the route was on dedicated bike trails that were wonderful to bike on, especially compared to terrible US bike infrastructure.
Lowlights:
- We did not use navigation features on the app, just used it as a reference map. As a compulsive mapper, an easy way to export GPX/route info from the provided app would have been appreciated. I was able to download GPXs several weeks in advance, but the routes on a couple of days ended up extremely incorrect and misleading.
- It would have been helpful to have general guidance or resources on alternatives in the event of bad weather. We got fairly lucky on the timing of some heavy rain, but it definitely caused some anxiety.
- Nova Gorica and Trieste were kind of awful and hectic to navigate, but I don't know how you'd avoid them.The route was gorgeous and mostly easy. I'd recommend taking the long and hilly routes to Bled and Trieste if you're physically up for it. As an enthusiastic cyclist, it was hard to adjust to the heavy and clunky rental bikes (obvious solution: bring your own bike) and I can't say we'd have tackled any mountain passes, but they were comfortable and well maintained. I felt like we definitely got value for what we paid and I'd recommend this trip to anyone who wanted an intro to easy touring!
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★★★★★ Jodi Ready
Great trip!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
My friend and I did the tour on one of the upgraded regular non-electric bikes and I was very happy with the quality. You should be already quite comfortable with bicycles as they were handed over to us with no instruction. A phone mount was not included, and between the two of us, we only got one handlebar bag. There were no water bottle holders either.
The route was excellent and, as promised, was mostly on non-motorized, paved, well marked trails. You have the option of being driven over some of the bigger hills, but my friend and I opted to ride them ourselves. Of the paper forms provided, the written directions were much more useful than the maps, and I found the app useless and intrusive so I deleted it and used the downloads of the routes they provided ahead of time into my chosen app (Gaia for me and OnX for my friend) for the map. It worked much better, especially in combination with the written directions on the papers provided.
The accommodations and food in the hotels were excellent. our bags seem to always arrive before we did and there was a clean dry place to park our bikes.
I loved biking along the Drau river with beautiful views of the amazing dolomites.
The route brought us by interesting museums (we went to a chocolate museum, as well as history museums), pretty lakes, and we were informed of good food stops, and interesting viewpoints. I also enjoyed biking through some of the small hillside villages where you could see how some of these remote communities live.
I enjoyed the camaraderie of others doing the same program. We would see each other at breakfast, sometimes at dinner and occasionally on the route.
We chose to spend an extra day in Bled. We thought we would need a break from the cycling. We found that wasn’t the case, but enjoyed the lake and the castle so we’re glad we stopped. Because we took the extra day, they gave us an alternate route to the last hotel, but we decided to follow the one that the rest of the group took because it went through some beautiful places that we wanted to see. It really didn’t change our average daily distance to do that.
There was one area that required taking a train. We called to find out the logistics while we were on the tour because it wasn’t clear from the material, but I was impressed with how it worked. Someone from the tour group met us at the station, had tickets, and helped us and our bikes onto the train. Then someone was at the other end to pick us up and make sure we got to where we needed to start our ride again. They were easy to identify and very friendly and helpful.
I had a great time and would look to this company again for another tour. -
★★★★★ Linda Barone
Excellent trip but GPS needs some updating
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was a wonderful trip. The bikes were excellent, most of the scenery was stunning, the hotels were good for the most part. The one challenge we had was many of the directions have not been updated to reflect bike path construction and restaurant closures. The other issue was the distances we actually traveled did not match the distances on the downloaded GPS. One day we rode ~100 km, when the GPS said we would ride ~ 65 to 70 km.
Still, we had an amazing, nicely challenging adventure and saw some of the most beautiful countryside that we wouldn’t have seen if we weren’t on bicycles. We would recommend this trip. -
★★★★★ Marcie B.
Dazzling Dolomites and so much more!
Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
An excellent introduction to the Sud Tirol region via out-and-back bicycle day tours. Returning to our beautiful nest at the Hotel Laurin every evening was exceptional and we enjoyed a feast for the senses every single dinner. We had a reserved table for our entire stay (breakfast buffet and gourmet multiple course dinners) and the reception and wait staff were friendly, efficient and very customer service oriented. We selected e-bikes and are glad we did (we are 80 and 79 years of age and love E-bikes)! The itinerary had slightly changed from the original program, but it was easy to adjust our expectations based on shuttle availability. The routes were well marked and the app's instructions were clear. We knew there wouldn't be a handlebar phone mount, so brought one. Also we upgraded our T-Mobile coverage for 5G coverage for the month we were abroad.
We also appreciated the brand new pair of panniers and the handlebar bag (one per room).
The only day we encountered an unpaved route was the Cortina d'Ampezzo former rail to trail route. The drop off shuttle pointed in the general direction of the bicycle path, but it took the SIX of us to figure out it wasn't immediately visible. We had to pedal past the bobsled shed/track and push the bikes up a relatively steep embankment to access the then well-marked and mostly packed gravel trail into Cortina.
Fall weather can be fickle, but we biked every day in a different direction without issue. Raingear was indispensable on two of the five cycling days.
The ride to Lago di Braies can involve some traffic the closer one gets, but cyclists don't have to pay for parking and it's well worth the long climb.
All in all, we would rate this tour company, the hotel facilities and the quality of the instructions to all the bike destinations highly.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- 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
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★★★★★ Eugenia Farre
Dolomites to Trieste as a couple
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We loved this tour. We visited wonderful places. The hotels were excellent and the price/quality ratio was very good. The bicycles are in perfect condition. We always had a quick response when any questions. Highly recommended!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ HM
Trip worth taking
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
My wife and I recently embarked on the Dolomites to Trieste bike tour, and it was an unforgettable adventure filled with both challenges and breathtaking moments. The journey took us through some of the most stunning landscapes, starting from the majestic Dolomites and winding our way to the Adriatic coast.
The routes were indeed challenging, but the sense of accomplishment we felt at the end of each day was worth every pedal stroke. We made several stops at various nature points, each offering a unique and serene beauty. One of the highlights was swimming in a water park, which provided a refreshing break from the rigorous cycling.
The bike company did an excellent job of supporting us throughout the journey. They provided detailed maps and exploration tips along the route, which were incredibly helpful. Additionally, they offered an app with even more information, making it easy to navigate and learn about the areas we were passing through.
The culinary experiences were another highlight of our trip. We savored a variety of foods unique to each country we visited. Slovenia, in particular, stood out with its delicious and diverse cuisine. From hearty stews to delicate pastries, every meal was a delightful discovery.
The views of the Dolomite mountain range were simply breathtaking. The towering peaks and lush valleys provided a stunning backdrop to our journey, making every moment on the bike a visual feast.
Overall, this bike tour was a wonderful blend of physical challenge, natural beauty, and cultural exploration. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an adventurous and rewarding experience. I would highly recommend to someone looking for adventure and different experiences.
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★★★★★ Jacqui M
Superb!
Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
Absolutely perfect, could ride at your own pace all day, stopping where ever you needed. Scenery spectacular and it was also lovely cycling around the farms as well listening to the cow bells and birds. Bikes were fabulous, practically new and surprisingly comfortable! Hotel was fabulous and amazing food every day. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Hedda Othilie Hagen
Over all expectations
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We had self guided trip and we had so fun experiancing the different countries. It was the perfect way for us to travel. Its the best way to see italy, slovenia and austria
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★★★★★ Lisa C
Bicycle paths of the Dolomites
Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
This was a great trip for our family of four to explore a beautiful area. The hotel was very comfortable and the included food was excellent. The local tour company was very helpful, although it was a little confusing to follow their paperwork so make sure to meet with them directly before you starts to confirm routes and days for transfers. It would also be helpful to check with the bike company to see if there are any route closures or events that may interfere with your trip. We had a large bike race which closed one of our trails one day which we didn’t know about and had to ride on the road and another day had a partial path closure of unknown reason. This could hav easily been avoided if the bike company had shared this information. The bikes were great but you may have to be proactive/assertive to determine details of route changes. All in all we really enjoyed our trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Karey Schoenfeld
Great bike paths and scenery
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The trip was great - it was a beautiful area. It was the first time we had used e-bikes, and the bikes we had were top notch. There were a few more hills than we expected, but we didn't mind with the e-bikes! The app we had for our tour was also excellent. We took the high road into Trieste to avoid the traffic, and was glad we did.
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★★★★★ Cati
Stunning, best way to travel
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was my first bike tour and, wow, it did not disappoint. Scenery from the get go was absolutely stunning. You traverse incredible border towns between Italy, Austria, and Slovenia on this entire tour, staying at lovely Inns and eating incredible food along the way. My only gripe was that the written directions were confusing at times (have given feedback) but I wouldn’t let this deter you.
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★★★★★ Gregory Lebo
Awesome scenery!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This route is super scenic and the routing is easy enough to follow, especially in Northern Italy, Austria and Slovenia. The biking is easy although you may want an e-bike if you like to break away from the planned route to visit some castles along the way which are generally located at high points. The accomodations were all very nice and my luggage was reliably transported every day. It’s nice to let someone else plan the details while you concentrate on riding, taking photos, and enjoying the experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 4-11 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Nathan Hale
Beautiful!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This is a gorgeous route that really lets you see the changing terrain and cultures as you bike from the Dolomites down to the sea. It's gorgeous throughout, but the highlight is definitely Bled and we were glad to take the extra day there to explore some of what it has to offer.
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★★★★★ Christopher McAdam
A great ride!!!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We loved all aspects of the ride. It was great to span 3 different countries. We were glad that we chose the 23 days in Bled, we had a fantastic free day there.
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★★★★★ Christopher Schafer
Wonderful cycle ride through 3 lovely countries
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
This was a great first bike tour. It's mostly flat and off road on paved bike trails without cars. I felt safe the entire time. Although I was a solo traveller, I met other cyclists that were on the same tour and staying at the same hotels as me which made my solo cycling tour all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- My first bike tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
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★★★★★ Robin Jones
What a beautiful trip!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Seeing the Dolomites was always something I had wanted to experience. Starting the trip in Dobbiacco Toblach allowed us to be close up and witness the beauty of this mountain range. The couple who provided us with our bikes the first day suggested riding to Cortina since the weather was perfectly sunny that day. We rode and were able to see the 3 Sisters and it was amazing! The first day of the trip which allowed us to see the Dolomites was sunny and warm despite earlier weather reports calling for rain. It could not have been a more perfect day for a ride.
We had rain for most of the following days but because it was the beginning day of the season we didn't go in expecting sunshine the entire time. Someone once told me, there are no bad days only bad gear. We had come prepared and did not regret it. Each village we stayed in was nice and the people we came in contact with were friendly and accommodating. The hotels, although many were quite simple, were comfortable and clean. The food in all establishments was good and exactly what we needed. We opted for e-bikes because of the hilly terrain and felt the bikes provided were good quality.
All in all, even in the rain it was a wonderful trip that was well planned out. We did not use the route maps the tour company provided rather we built our own in Strava. However, the people on the same tour who were using the app seemed quite happy. I'm so happy we chose this tour and look forward to many more.







































