Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 1921 to 1950 of 4967

Seeing Italy from a closer perspective than on most tours.

Bikes worked well, and the food and tour guides were excellent

The most memorable part of the trip for me was riding our bikes in the country between towns. We were able to see the crops in the fields, and the beautiful countryside dotted with houses and the green vegetation of spring. We were in Italy in early May and the weather was perfect - not too warm but not cold either. A particular highlight was riding along a canal and seeing the Ave Maria ahead of us. We speeded up, of course so that we could pass the boat, greeting the captain as we rode by. He responded by honking the horn and putting music on the loudspeaker for us to enjoy. The food was another highlight of the trip. We had fantastic, filling breakfasts, and delicious traditional Italian food for dinner each night. The chefs explained the courses, and where the recipes originated. We were able to nourish our minds and bodies together. Our group was immediately cohesive, and we had lively entertainment every night from card games to karaoke singing. The trip was one of the best I have ever experienced, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience biking in Europe.

The staff on the Merjlin were fantastic
The bike seats were a bit uncomfortable but overall the trip was great. The tour guides were were great unfortunately they did not explain the route prior each day

The 6 member crew of the Ava Maria was fantastic. Food was excellent and the barge accommodations were very nice. I was in a deluxe cabin with a window that opened and the cabin was very spacious and the water pressure in the shower was great and the beds were very comfy. TripSite stated we would be provided with a water bottle for our bikes but we were not which was difficult because a standard bottle of water would not fit in the bottle holder on the bike. WiFi only works in the main dining room which was OK. Bikes are in great condition and the bike guides (Helmut and Alex) were great. There is a fair amount of street riding with some traffic but the guides keep you safe. No diet coke on the boat but they allowed us to bring on our own soda.

Outstanding trip. The Merlijn is a first class ship. The owners and the crew were just out of this world accommodating. The food was delicious, maybe too delicious. My bike was fantastic. Can’t say enough good things about the ship and the people that own it. Liked it so much, I’m going back on it for three weeks next year in Germany.

Biking out of Venice was unforgettable.

The trip was amazing from start to finish. The Douro Valley is too beautiful for words. You just have to see it for yourself to believe it!

The Merlijn and their staff were excellent! The food was fabulous too! The only reason I am giving this trip a 4 out of 5 stars is the tulips were on somewhat dying on May 11th. We booked this trip in 2019 for April 2020 and then COVID took over all of our lives. Then we rebooked for 2021 and had to change 1 week later. Then 2021 was still not safe to travel so when booking again for 2022, we had to switch to start May 3 in Bruges with the tulip part at the end of the trip. I loved Bruges and thoroughly enjoyed biking in Belgium. I developed a cough so unfortunately I missed a lot of biking in The Netherlands. But I did enjoy the river views while on the boat and got to experience locks also. When cruising into Rotterdam, I saw one of the super yacht builders' ship yard (Oceanco) and that was exciting for me as we sell to the super yachts.

Great meals, excellent organization.
More substantial lunches would be good.
The tulips were finished by the time we got to the fields. I don’t think the May 2 trip should be advertised as a tulip tour.

The most memorable both positive and negative :
Having a small biking group aboard the ship we were on- we got to get off and bike through the countryside and explore in a way a bus tour group (like the other people on the boat) we not able to . It was a beautiful experience and great guides .
The most memorable negative was the boat was German and all the people on the ship were German and myself and my friend were the only 2 American and english speaking people. I would have appreciated a heads up that this boat rarely has Americans travel on it as I may have selected a different option for my trip and we were both unable to socialize or understand much of what being said . Being that every one on this boat was in their late 60's and 70's it was an old and old world vibe and I can not say that we were meant to feel welcome by anyone other than our waiter and bartender!

The boat, guide’s & scenery were fantastic. Be sure to select the e bike option. Great value IMHO

Excellent guide and great mix of guests made for a memorable trip.

Biking on charming country roads while enjoying beautiful scenery through small ports and towns on the Dalmatian Islands. Swimming in the turquoise-colored water of the Adriatic Sea.
Bring swim shoes or water resistant sandals to allow for walking on rocky beaches.

The food was very good, the accomodations were fine, the crew was very helpful and friendly. The route was less scenic than i had hoped for. Holland is prettier than Belgium (for what we saw) and the dutch bike paths are awesome.

What wasn't to like. Beautiful locations, really nice clean accommodations, friendly and knowledgeable staff, wonderful food, great e-bike tours and a wonderful boat ride. I was sold when I read prior reviews and they were right, I would totally recommend this trip

This was our first Bike and Barge tour, it was great. The stay on the barge was what I expected. The captain and crew were wonderful. Captain (Hans) gave daily briefings, chef (Marcel) created a wide range of meals throughout the week that were excellent, desserts by Maria were also excellent. We enjoyed the whole experience on the barge.
Cycling with a guide was also wonderful, Ron (our guide) has a great knowledge of the history and facts of the areas we cycled, is very friendly and personable. He found hidden gems. We laughed and had a great time with him. Our group was friendly and made some new friends by the end of 11 days. It's a great experience. Cycling was easy, flat but winding in places.
I would recommend this ride.

The friendships we made with others on the boat stands out as most memorable. We had such a great time. The boat and bike tours was such a beautiful way to see Croatia which absolutely blew us away with it's beauty, history and culture. The food on the boat was amazing and the crew made us all feel so welcome and cared for. The bike tour guides were so fun and gave us great information about each ride so we were prepared for each day. I can't say enough good things about the trip! The one tip I would add to your information sheets would be to bring a beach towel for the many swims.

The scenery was exceptional, the tour guides very attentive and ship's crew most helpful. It was an delightful introduction to a beautiful, clean and friendly country.

Great tour and fantastic boat. The Merlijn had it all - amazing food, friendly professional crew, gorgeous interior design, solid internet, spotlessly clean, and great communication. Several passengers had special diet requests that were thoughtfully accommodated. There are many small special touches - personal cabin intro, laundry folded neatly on bed, flavored cold water after biking, different table decor each night, espresso and small snacks available at all hours.

Our guide Lia was super energetic, friendly, knowledgeable and catered to the group's "wants". The first day fell into the moderate category - challenging surfaces (cobblestones, tank tracks, grassy sandy trails) and a long grunt up a hill in a field. Each day got easier with the last being an easy flat paved surface. Lia provided lots of information about the area's history, especially around WWII and its impact preunification. We visited churches, a castle, an artist's studio, and a concentration camp (briefly).

Tips: brush up on WWII era history before trip, reserve ebike early (6 onboard), ok to pack light as laundry is provided (for a fee).

I've been spoiled by their outstanding quality and don't want to book anywhere else. I'm looking forward to my next trip on Merlijn next summer!

It was one of the best holidays I ever had : everything was over my expectencies, boat and crew, relationship with other personnes, landscape, quality and variety of the activities, food … I will certainly have a new trip in Croatia in the next years !

Overall, a spectacular trip. It exceeded our expectations and was the best Bike and Boat trip we have taken so far. The Boat was in excellent shape and the rooms were HUGE compared to the other boats we have been on. The Bike Guides were great and they kept us busy with activities beyond just the biking (city walking tours, hikes, happy hour at a small tavern, swim stops in small coves, etc). Croatia is wonderful area to bike thru. (Note: It was quite warm in June, the weather in July and August can be even hotter for biking, especially if choose a non E-Bike). Food was excellent and the service was great. Comradery amongst the international guests was wonderful. One thing to note is it is guided bike trip so they try to keep you together as the boat comes in for short time at the end of the day’s ride to pick you up.
I would most certainly do this trip again and recommend it to all our friends.

The bike rides on each island far exceeded my expectations. The bike leaders were very knowledgeable and excellent historians.

The locations were amazing, and the e-bikes provided the perfect amount of challenge and enjoyment.

Going to Poland. This trip was too rural and remote. Very few stops and few points of interest. Mainly dirt paths or cobblestone paths that were very difficult to ride a bike on. The farm fields we drove our bikes through were awful, some were full of holes and quite dangerous. I do not recommend this trip for those who have back and neck problems or those who never have rode a mountain bike.

Biking on Spetses and walking around the village on Hydra. The dinner seaside at the port in Methana.
The crew and guides really had to step up there game when the chef had to depart due to a family emergency. They were able to make arrangements in each port for the meals we were supposed to have on board and did a great job at that.

What a wonderful mix of larger cities and small villages and towns that we would never have been able to locate on our own . An opportunity to enjoy both Venice and all its treasures while staying on the barge in beautiful, quiet Giudecca with it's charm of churches and artisan craftmanship . The biking along the Po River nature reserve was beautiful and a reminder of how important it is to care for our environment. Mantova along with other stops were charming with guides who shared their expertise of cities. The guides and staff on the Ava Maria did an admirable job of following the itinerary and keeping everyone safe, The chefs and dining staff served Italian local dinners that were the best I have eaten and a breakfast that appealed to all. Despite Italy being in a heat wave we were still able to enjoy the beauty of Italy.

Biking along the river and the built in tours of the trip.

Enjoyed all aspects.Nancy and Strausburg really nice to visit at beginning and end.

The tour guides were extremely flexible and able to adapt to an unfortunate situation and provide a remarkable dining experience after the trip's cook left due to a family emergency. The guides arranged for outstanding meals at local restaurants and we were able to experience a wide variety of excellent Greek cuisine. The dinner on the beach will remain a memorable experience. The daily bike rides along the "undulating" roads and ever changing sea views were also a great experience.

The scenery and experiences biking through the islands.