Primarily Bike Paths Tour Reviews page 5
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- ★★★★★ AJM - Indy
This was the best of my Four European Bike Tours
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
We traveled in late-August to early-September of 2025. The scenery was more stunning than I imagined it would be and the weather was perfect nearly every day; sunny skies, mild temperatures, and cool nights. (Most European hotels do not have AC so cool nights were a real blessing.)
Our e-bikes were in excellent condition and all of them worked flawlessly during the entire trip.
The breakfast's were hearty meals including meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee, and some pastries.
Some thoughts about the cycling. Using a GPS app to map your day's ride is critically important if you do not want to get lost. Austria is full of biking and hiking trails so it is very easy to take the wrong trail at trail intersections. We used Garmin's Explore app to navigate the biking trails and it worked really well. (A link with the GPS coordinates will be provided by the touring company.) On a related note, Google Maps worked much better in Europe than Apple's Maps app when walking around towns and villages.
The paper maps provided by the touring company are nearly impossible to follow while riding but they do have a benefit. The night before each day's ride--after studying the map--we would make notes indicating the distance to select villages, bridges, lakes, and intersections, etc. (The maps provide these distances.) Our notes then served as our sign posts ensuring that were were on the correct road or trail during the next day's ride, and also plan our lunch stops.
Though this was not explained in any of the literature I read, at every hotel we stayed we were given a two day "summer card" ("Sommerkarte") free of charge. (We did have to ask for it at one hotel.) These cards are incredible deals. They allow for FREE transportation on local and regional buses and trains, and also provide free admission to select museums, free rides on the Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See, and free access to the water falls in Krimml. Not sure why an explanation of this tremendous benefit was not provided.
Just for clarification, the "taxi" that you catch at the train station in Zell am Ziller is a large passenger van pulling a trailer. Your bikes are loaded into the trailer and then everyone piles into the van for a breathtaking 45-minute ride to Krimml. (Your luggage will be in the van as well.) By the way, the bike ride to Zell am Ziller is less than 15 miles and the village is beautiful so I would recommend getting there before noon and then having lunch at one of the restaurants along the river before catching your "taxi" to Krimml that afternoon.
Our favorite activities:
Schmittenhohe Cable Cars in Zell am See- Use your summer card to catch the bus to the cable car facility and then ride to the top of the mountains where you can hike trails and have lunch. The views from the mountain tops are stunning.
Water Fall at Krimml- Again, use your summer card to access that water fall. You can walk up to the base of the waterfall and/or walk up the trail that leads to the top of the falls. There are lookouts about every 200 feet of elevation gain.
The Schloss Tratzberg Castle in Jenbach- It's probably a 10-mile detour on your first day, and somewhat expensive (summer cards do not work there), but well worth it. I believe this is one of the best preserved castles in the world. The current owner of the castle accompanied our tour (we were the last tour of the day) and he embellished much of the narrative provided by our guide.
The Family Gundolf Dinner Show in Innsbruck- A quirky Austrian variety show that includes dinner and a beer. It's kind of a Lawrence Welk meets Hee-Haw fusion for those old enough to remember those programs.
Salzburg- I only mention it because the reviews I read of Salzburg before our trip suggested it was kind of a one-dimensional city. ("Sound of Music.") It was much nicer than I anticipated with many shops, delicious restaurants, and one fascinating "speak easy" bar called Burdoch's Punch and Cocktails. At Burdoch's, you tell the bartender the name of a drink you like and then she creates a similar alternative using all sorts of random ingredients. I like "French 75's"; she made me something that was even better. The bartender and waiters were also excellent conversationalists. SHOW MORE- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Nico Gillis
A great way to start exploring Europe by bike!
Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This trip was great! The route we followed was very doable for everyone in the group, with mostly paved trails and followed well-posted rivers. Our hotels were each unique, charming and comfortable. Every city we stayed in had things so see on a short walk and all the meals were great! Our guides were knowledgeable, kind, and great company. Every day felt unique and the group got closer with every ride and shared dinner together. This trip was definitely a great memory that I will cherish for years to come.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 31st - September 5th
- How many tours have you completed?
- First time!
- 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?
- Czech Republic, Germany
- ★★★★★ Dennis A
Innsbruck to Lake Garda
Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
Beautiful is the only way to describe scenery. Only thing difficult about this trip were the directions! Had problems almost every day getting out of cities. Particularly difficult in Merano. Circled city in dangerous conditions trying to get to trail.
- ★★★★★ William (Gary) Barthold
Eastern Europe 2025
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
All in all an excellent trip. The bike tour team in Europe and the U. S. were very helpful and friendly. The navigation app on the whole was helpful, but at times didn’t work. The hotels varied from excellent to good. The directions to the Barokk Hotel (Gyor) were confusing. The bikes were excellent. We had no issues.
- ★★★★★ Richard H
Superb cycling through the beautiful Tyrolean mountains and valleys of Austria and northern Italy
Innsbruck to Lake Garda Across the Southern Slopes of the Alps
Two days up (Austria) and four days down apart from the uphill bits (Italy) with the Reschen Pass in between - pretty much sums up the highly scenic cycling tour from Innsbruck to Lake Garda.
The supplied navigation app downloaded onto your mobile phone works very well - and although the largely paved route is generally very well marked - knowing exactly where you are at all times is both comforting and essential. But your mobile phone battery needs to be in a good state - and it's highly recommended to carry a back-up battery pack.
Overall, the hotels are good (3* & 4*) as are the breakfasts, with the best (Mirage at Lago del Garda) saved for last! But the navigation app does not lead you to your hotel. Upon reaching the day's destination (usually the town or village centre) it's necessary to do a bit of research (eg Google maps) to learn where you need to be that night. Which can be anything from a couple of hundred metres to several kilometres away. Also, deviating off the route (planned or otherwise!) can be a challenge, particularly in the larger villages or towns. This applies in particular to Rovereto as the cycle route skirts the town, but detouring to the historic centre is neither obvious nor easy.
The baggage shuttle service works well, and only once did I reach my destination first - but only had to wait ~20 minutes.
The supplied e-bike ran well and has an excellent battery capacity. The (non-derailleur) gear change system took a bit of getting used to as you need to stop pedalling when changing up or down. Not at all intuitive when used to a derailleur! But an e-bike is not essential for this tour - especially if opting for the shuttle from Landeck to Nauders.
Overall, an excellent and well planned self-guided tour: highly recommended!- What was the date of your tour?
- mid-August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1st in Europe, lots in New Zealand
- 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, Italy
- ★★★★★ Nico Gillis
A great way to start exploring Europe by bike!
Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This trip was great! The route we followed was very doable for everyone in the group, with mostly paved trails and followed well-posted rivers. Our hotels were each unique, charming and comfortable. Every city we stayed in had things so see on a short walk and all the meals were great! Our guides were knowledgeable, kind, and great company. Every day felt unique and the group got closer with every ride and shared dinner together. This trip was definitely a great memory that I will cherish for years to come.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 31st - September 5th
- How many tours have you completed?
- First time!
- 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?
- Czech Republic, Germany
- ★★★★★ Stuart Burns
Great experience
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
They say cycling is the ideal pace of travel, fast enough that the scene is always changing but slow enough that you can take much of it in. While the App is at time challenging to give accurate information when you need it on the whole it was a huge plus over using paper maps and probably better than Google Maps.
The accommodation was of mixed standards, some of it in less ideal locations and/or looking tired on the outside but internally the rooms were all clean, comfortable and with excellent showers.
We were lucky with the weather but if you got a good soaking every day you may struggle to dry kit, but the bag moving service worked impeccably, sometimes the bags were even waiting in our rooms rather than the lobby.
The question is would we do it again and would we use bike tours and the answer to both is yes. The support was very good and the experience was memorable, hugely enjoyable and a little bit of an adventure.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Heather
Classic River bike ride
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Hotels exceeded expectations…except 1 palace.
Pedalo app was excellent….a few small errors.
Unable to get a proper fitting helmet. One size does not fit all. Ended up buying a large helmet.
- ★★★★★ Peter Hitchen
Enjoyed very much. Well organised.
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
I felt that we were safe and in good hands should something have gone wrong - which it didn’t.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 20265
- 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?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Jim Grosd
Romantic Danube
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was our fourth time riding this trip. One can never tire riding this beautiful cycle path, the beautiful countryside, small town’s and villages, farms, orchards, city centers and buildings that are hundreds of years old, castles, etc. We prefer to go with the “Upscale Version “, perhaps a reflection of our age. The hotels and locations were excellent.
We select the upgraded bikes and they were in perfect condition. We combined the “Tauren Krimml to Passau “ cycle route on this trip and enjoyed the ride immensely.
I have worked with “Bike Tours.com” for many years now and really appreciate the excellent customer service and support!- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
BikeTours.com staff reply from Jan
Thanks for your business over the years, Jim. And great pics! Have a wonderful rest of your summer.
- ★★★★★ Joe M.
Off the beaten track.
Prague to Vienna via Cesky Krumlov
Great rural scenery, uncrowded roads, quaint historic towns. Nice itenerary.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Czech Republic
- ★★★★★ Michael F
Fantasic experince!!!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We enjoyed our trip from Passau to Austria. The local tour operator, Pedalo, did a great job interfacing with the hotels, moving our luggage and taking care of any issues with our bikes. Gave us everything we needed to succeed!
A few notes:
a) Be aware that the first two days are among the longer legs of the trip, so be prepared to leave early those days
b) The route goes on both sides of the Danube pretty much continuously, with a few diversions onto local roads from separated bike paths. You do not have to follow the recommended route if you want to check out something on the other side or save a few Euros from the bike ferries, but the planned route is a good one to follow. If you just follow the R1 / Danauweg signs toward the right towns you will be fine.
c) The hotels vary widely in quality and level of staffing. Check them out yourself during the booking process.We used regular bikes - if you choose e-bikes be sure you understand the range capabilities and where you can charge your bikes in the middle of the day if needed.
- ★★★★★ Elaine Kubicki
Stunningly Beautiful
Bicycle Paths of the Dolomites (based in one hotel)
This was my third trip with Bike Tours and it did not disappoint! The setting at Hotel Laurin in Toblach, Italy was stunningly beautiful! Every ride surrounded you with mountain views. Most of the paths were paved and well marked. There were only a few moments of confusion regarding the path to take. Hotel Laurin was very accommodating and served excellent gourmet meals every night and a hearty breakfast in the morning. At the hotel, there were several saunas and a steam room as well as an outdoor pool that awaited you at the end of your ride. The only concern I had was the initial confusion around the maps and rides that were self-guided as well as how these particular e-bikes operated (the e-bikes were great once you figured out the mechanics of them). An orientation by the rental bike company, Fun Active Tours, that provided the maps and bikes, would have been most helpful; and, I was not the only guest who thought an orientation would be helpful. I also had a problem with my attempt to rent a helmet from Fun Active Tours that responded in a less than accommodating way. However, Bike Tours considered my situation and responded most helpfully. In all, it was a fabulous trip which I would highly recommend! Elaine Kubicki
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 3-8, 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ Anne Jesse
Top Notch Tour of the Mosel Valley
Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
This was the most wonderful way to experience the Mosel River area. Our cabins on the Princesse Royal were quite comfortable and spacious, including the private bathroom. The boat was beautiful and accommodating, and the meals were perfect for bicyclists. We appreciated the option to cycle on our own, but could join either group if we chose. The guides were energetic, helpful and entertaining. And the rest of the staff were very accommodating and friendly. And we were so impressed with our fellow travelers on the boat. Apparently they have hit the sweet spot with marketing and attract the most interesting types of cyclists.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- I have been bike touring for over 30 years and have bike toured in 58 countries.
- 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?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Tim K.
Excellent overall trip
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
My wife and I really enjoyed the countryside between Vienna and Budapest. Bratislava and Györ were particularly interesting and picturesque Cities.
- ★★★★★ Jim Gross
Great Ride
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
Our fourth time riding this route over the years. Everything was great! Bike Tours.com did an amazing job organizing and handling our requests.
The bikes, hotels, GPS routing, etc were all great.
We love the bike paths and beautiful countryside of Germany and Austria.
- ★★★★★ Patrick M
Great experience
Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
TL;DR summary - We had a great time and didn't realize biking the Mosel Valley was a bucket-list sort of vacation until we did it. One other item I would note is that this tour is listed as "family-friendly", but it's really geared to adults only.
The longer version - Overall, we had an excellent experience. I personally found the bike riding from the industrial area outside of Trier to Cochem as some of the most enjoyable bike riding I've done in my life. We generally stuck to the path near the Mosel and had lots of opportunities to enjoy small towns, get off the beaten path to hike/bike climb to beautiful views, and enjoy the scenery of the vineyards and hills around the Mosel. If I have the opportunity to bike around this area again, I'd jump at it.
The local tour operator was great. We had some issues on the road, and they were able to help us out including bringing a replacement bike and driving people from one stop to the next. They went above and beyond in my expectations.
I feel like there were some communication breakdowns between BikeTours and the local operator/hotel/vineyard that caused us some unneeded stress and center around having two kids as part of the biking party.
1. We were provided a biking option that didn't work - Prior to booking with BikeTours, I inquired about options for my 8 year-old daughter since this tour was labeled as "family friendly". BikeTours offered a Follow-me as the only option beyond a regular bike (a tandem and Tag-along were not options). I have one, and it worked well on other bike rides with my daughter when she was a little smaller so I was fine with it. When I followed up a couple weeks prior to the trip, BikeTours didn't have a Follow-me booked. I had to find the old email thread and send it over to BikeTours to show them what we had agreed to prior to the booking. Upon our arrival in Trier, the local tour operator had the Follow-me set up but seemed skeptical that it would work very well. They were right as the amount of weight on the back tire and back bike were too heavy to keep the bikes stable. My daughter ended up biking all by herself, and we never used the Follow-me. It would have been much better if we could have spoken with the local operator directly since they own the bikes to understand our options. BikeTours was a complicating and unnecessary middle-man.
2. We were booked at an Adults-only hotel. As best as I have been able to figure out, we booked this trip prior to an updated contract between the hotel and operator. I'm guessing the hotel changed over to adults-only recently but BikeTours did not communicate ages of my party to the hotel. The hotel was very accommodating and let us stay, but it was definitely awkward.
3. My two kids were booked for wine-tasting - again, the vineyard was accommodating and pulled out a couple grape juices for my kids to try, but it was definitely geared for adults. SHOW MOREWith that said, the local people made it work and the trip was still fun. It checked boxes for my brother and sister-in-law and for my family. However, I don't think BikeTours should mark this trip as "family friendly" - maybe more "family doable". The bike path is very flat and in good condition. The daily lengths are not super long. There are plenty of places to stop and get ice cream or other treat. Plus there is wine - lots and lots of it. But ultimately, this is a tour designed for adults, not for kids.
This is the second time we have used BikeTours. The first time was excellent all around (we did a family bike tour along the Danube - Linz to Vienna). This one was mostly good. Aside from the issues noted above, biking directions were clear, hotels were great, the route was spectacular, and booking was relatively painless.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2025
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Tom Schulte
Enjoyable Days on the Rhine
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The cities food and trails were great. App on our phone was a great guide. Majority of paths were in excellent condition . Bikes and luggage transfers were flawless. Thanks again BikeTours for a great adventure.
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