Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 2251 to 2280 of 4949

Having been home not even one full week, I am STILL at a loss of words to fully describe our tour- it was however, definitely a 'masterpiece' of a trip (if a trip can be so described!). Over the 52 years of our marriage, we have been exceedingly fortunate to have been able to travel not only all over the U.S., but to numerous other countries and places both on our own as a couple and with my husband's career. Late in life we have both discovered bicycling and had often thought we'd love to take a biking vacation. Unfortunately 3 years ago, having discovered he had Afib and needed open heart surgery resulting in a double by pass, we thought that dream would not materialize. Fortunately health improved, miles were logged in practice, and a trip optimistically booked with Tripsite. As we anticipated the trip we were apprehensive about whether Covid would sidetrack our dream, but fortunately we were able to go. The trip was everything and much more than we had dreamed!!! We LOVED the accommodations on the barge- the Magnifique IV is a beautiful ship, with seemingly everything well thought out and beautifully designed. The food- breakfasts, afternoon snacks, dinners- ALL delicious, attractively presented and unique. Chef John was not only skilled at his craft ,but went out of his way to be personable and to graciously AND humorously immerse himself with the onboard group. He is a treasure!
The rest of the crew were similarly efficient and personable. They never displayed any fatigue (hard to believe because they seemed to toil nonstop!) and they were always pleasant and accommodating! Captain, Hank was pleasant and visible whenever he was not at the helm. I recall him telling my husband about the barge and various aspects of river travel, and several passengers were fortunate to have visited the wheelhouse. Now for the two tour guides- Hester and Marie- I could take hours to describe them! They were truly the backbone of the cycling trip! Each very different in personalities, they lead their group of cyclists each day with the utmost care and confidence. I truly felt that we were in very knowledgeable and very capable hands. As all of my biking was with Marie's group, I must say I was most partial to her demeanor- she is very concerned about her group members, very willing to adapt her speed and pace to the group as a whole. She was always cheerful, very willing to answer questions whether it be about the route or what we were seeing along the way. I felt that she was capable of addressing any issue, and therefore felt very safe.
All-in-all this truly will stand out in our memories as one of the very best decisions we ever made insofar as a vacation was concerned. We met lovely fellow travelers. A few with whom we hope to have laid a foundation for a lasting friendship. We have successfully checked off and have proudly accomplished another item on our 'bucket list' . At ages 73 and 75 we can say we biked from Amsterdam to Bruges without the assist of Ebikes... and have come home with 100's of pictures and limitedness memories to last forever! It certainly was (in our opinion) an excellent value for it's worth. Thank you, thank you!!!  SHOW MORE 

We travelled with our adult children, another couple and my 83 year old dad who did not bike. We had a fabulous time, and still think about the trip even after some time has passed. It was a great way to see the country. Although billed as tulip tour, it was much more of a whole area tour. Yes, the tulips and other flowers were beautiful, even if we were at the end of the season, but being outside every day, riding bikes was a great experience. Our kids probably would have preferred a more high intensity trip, but the balance worked out well. Highlights for me included how the group as a whole gradually became a team. pushing into head winds through the dunes was the most challenging, and the last 2 days including the dunes, a few wrong turns and the amazingly easy bike back into amsterdam we probably my highlights.
suggestions for others: our guide, Pete, did his best to keep everyone happy in terms of difficulty. there were times that were seriously challenging for some of the members(specifically the dunes day). My suggestions include: if you haven't biked before, please do so. An e-bike is not a solution to poor biking skills: they are heavy and hard to start. There is a lot of stop and go in the cities, especially Rotterdam. Especially if vegetarian or vegan, consider bringing/ buying at lunch stops extra food/ more or diverse food. One of the lunch/ coffee stops in particular had fabulous food.
even though he didn't bike, my 83 year old father had a great time hanging out with our captain and crew and still logged something like 12,000 steps/ day.

We loved everything about this trip! The boat was clean and comfortable, the crew was wonderful (especially the tour guide, Andre). We loved the cycling through this beautiful country! It was especially exciting to ride through the countryside and explore the unique towns along the way. We were so impressed with the incredible bike path system and the friendly people we encountered.

The guides were fantastic—could not have been better. Rides were beautiful with little traffic, and food was great.

Most memorable part: Barge staff and bike guides

The crew and food and boat comfort were all great. The ebikes were good quality but such a flat topography and not much riding each day made them unnecessary, save your money! Another tip…this is ALWAYS a group tour, no self guiding so you only move as fast/well as the slowest mover in the group. There were several inexperienced cyclists on our tour so unfortunately, we moved like snails.

It was amazing biking through the country side of Hungary and Austria. It is not your typical USA tourist destination but I am so glad we were able to experience it.

Bikes were top quality and the tour instructions were excellent. It was an excellent route. Food on the Normandie was good and the accommodations very comfortable.

Biking through the amazing Wachau alley wine region of Austria was a highlight, but the lesser-known towns of Krems and Melk were amazing, too. I just wish there had been more time to explore, but the 7-day tour needs to keep moving, so we understand. Great crew, if obviously overworked (7 days per week for 21 weeks straight?!), made the trip.

We had a fabulous trip down the Danube on the Fortuna. The staff was excellent-attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. The biking was amazing, I am so glad I signed up for an e-bike, it made a big difference.
The one thing that I would caution to future bikers is that the time to get from drop-off to pickup is often tight and it can be difficult to get too far off the designated path to explore (which is something I expected more of).
My group of 10 all had an excellent time and I highly recommend this tour group and boat.

My favorite ride was through the Wachau Valley in Austria. We really enjoyed all the rides, but riding between the Danube and the vineyards, seeing the small towns speckled along the way, tasting wine and ending at the Abbey in Melk was the ultimate.

The biking! Loved being able to be mainly on a proper bike path and not on roads. Freedom to explore along the way and take your time getting to the next destination by bike.
Last bike day through Wachau valley was very rushed to have to make it to the boat before 3:30pm. So much to see we were scared to miss the boat and skipped a lot of experiences. That section would be better down downstream than upstream!
Better, detailed maps would have been nice.
Wi-fi on the boat was terrible or no-existent!
Food was acceptable but not fantastic.
Thank you for always having vegetarian option!

Easy and Wonderful. Amazing destinations on a comfortable ship. There is no need to think. The staff does all the thinking for you so you can enjoy your visits and bike rides. The bike routes are well planned and explained, both in the guidebook and by the cruise director in his daily briefings. I highly recommend downloading the route for google maps so that you can trace your progress and find your location easily on your phone. The distances are reasonable and the sights beautiful. I rented a standard bike from the boat, and felt comfortable and secure. My travel companions rented an e-bike from a private vendor in Passau, and loved them (the ship ran out of e-bike rentals). Dinner was delicious. The ship clearly had a first-rate chef on board. The air conditioner in the suite worked very well (we like our rooms to get very cool at night)--so we loved the temperature in the room. The organized shore excursions were great, especially the city tours by bike. We had a suite, which was very comfortable. It came with a mini-fridge, a spacious bathroom with great water pressure and lighting, and plenty of storage space in the cabin.

My most important suggestions:
Dinner took a bit too long: on some evenings, almost as long as 2.5 hours.
I wish we had stayed a bit longer in some places (e.g., Melk, Vienna, Aschach).
For passengers with walking challenges, more assistance finding easy-to-board taxis or tuk tuks when docking.
Guide book could show where WC facilities can be found along the route (pls note, no WC facility at the ferry station in Szob, Hungary).
A supplementary, shorter bike route could be offered for the Devin-Bratislava day. The one offered is very long and most of it a bit boring and bit challenging (too many turns along with long bridge that is intimidating to cross if windy). The offered option is great for those interested in doing long-distance biking, but for those who want to spend a bit more time in Bratislava, a shorter route could be offered as an alternative, maybe a short trip to the the Schlosshof and back to Bratislava without doing the full loop.

The Ave Maria entire crew and our bike tour leaders were fabulous. Food was awesome as well. Our only complaint is that we thought we would be on a self-guided tour and most of the trip that was not doable. Therefore we were in a group of 30 bikers at all different levels making stops for sites and commentary, often which we would have passed on. Riding in a group of 30 was not at all what we had in mind and very disappointing. Our tour leaders did a great job herding us and really did their best to meet everyone's needs and desires. The country side was flat, mostly farm land however and not terribly remarkable. We were told that Italy was not very advanced as far as bike paths went. Even though the countrysidewas not that great for us, we did get to see some beautiful and historic cities in the areas and of course ending in and around Venice was beautiful. So if you enjoy being part of a big group tour, then you will love this. If not, look for one of the bigger boats that give you maps and let you go your own way and pace.

Most memorable part of trip was seeing the Lippizon horses in Vienna.

I loved the Clam Castle we toured.
Amazing that a count and countess actually live there with their children!
One disappointment was that the cruise director spent most of his time giving cycling directions in German and very little time in English.
I found the route difficult to navigate but fortunately one of our friends was able to figure it out.

The crew was an exceptional team and demonstrated the camaraderie they tried to build within the guests. It was a fully led trip so that was important and made the experience so much more fun. Hugo was an informed and energetic leader supported by Francesco and a fabulous kitchen and boat navigation crew. Each day was packed with biking and walking activites, interesting sites, and lots of learning activities. In the end, though, it is the people you met along the way that make the difference.

Best part: How attentive and accommodating the entire staff (both the crew & guides) were to our needs and desires.

Biking through the gorgeous country side - stopping at the cheese shoppe - the attentiveness of the staff and the camaraderie of the fellow bike riders!

Tips - do as many activities as you can - yet if that doesn't work for you - spend a lovely day on the barge- reading , writing or simply enjoying the gorgeous scenery.

Really loved the trip - biking was flat, fabulous and scenic!

The trip was fantastic! The ship itself was comfortable and offered flexibility in seating with the upper and first decks, lounge area and dining room. Cabins were nicely done with storage room and comfortable beds. The crew was wonderful making sure every need was met. Having self guided before, we loved the guided option which led us through lovely villages, to coffee shops, picnic stops, and in through larger towns and cities without a worry. It was nice to have the option of not biking, and enjoying cruising the river or even to self guide as you wanted. The bike guides were fantastic engineering safety with a bounty of beautiful sights and history and facts of the sights. Having an after dinner stroll led by the guides was an unexpected treat. Hightly recommend this beautiful, relaxing, carefree yet full of activity vacation.

Absolutely the most fabulous trip we have ever been on. We enjoyed biking the trails, seeing the National Parks, making our way through the small towns and seaside villages and our guided tours. The views are stunning. The Croatian people are kind, friendly and very hospitable. Our guides were amazing, delightful, knowledgeable, thoughtful and entertaining!

Wonderful trip. Great crew with Sarah and Joseph as cooks, Willy as captain, and Michaela (?sp) as our guide. I have some dietary restrictions which they handled very well. Cabins are a little small but not inadequate given the small boat size. The stairway is somewhat awkward but manageable.
Michaela was a good informant about historical facts about the area. She is also a very good bike mechanic, having worked in a bike shop recently during the pandemic.
Good tour mates from multiple countries. Everyone got along well. Would definitely recommend this trip.

Great crew
Great food
great guide
awesome captain
wonderful eclectic group on board ... only 16
did i SAY unbelievable food ..... themed to the regional herbs .....which transformed food into a cultural lesson on the region
and Michaella the guide what a great trip she road us through or we road her through!
the camaque ride is a ride through the french wetlands - through the history of the crusaders and Knights Templer - the salt trade - then you get in the other side of Provence with its chic chic villages - fields of flowers and lavender and poppies .... a few hills that were daunting - but on the whole we had great bike paths minimal traffic and just a whole lot of wonderful vistas and aromas as we rolled through this beautiful part of the world ....(in this covid world being able to smell the flowers and fields was also a good daily litmus test ...) its a great trip a great experience with a great crew - i would happily do this ride again....

Excellent food; schedule done as advertised; crew was upbeat, helpful; guide in great shape. I suggest on the middle days to check out some of the small nearby towns to break up the long distances. Very good bike also.

Wonderful trip start to finish. The Fleur was cozy and comfortable. Terrific crew. Delicious food. We biked roughly 30 miles per day through forests, small towns, the countryside. Be sure to pack bike shorts. The bikes were in great shape. We were a group of 19, at least 6 people used Ebikes. We were fortunate to have 2 terrific guides which made a group of that size much easier to navigate. If you plan to do this trip you want to be able to comfortably bike 30 miles with some hills. Not unmanageable for people who cycle. This is a great trip for those who enjoy cycling through the countryside, stopping at cafes and historical points of interest . One day I decided to stay on the barge. I cozied up with a good book and watched the world go by. So enjoyable. Sailing into Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time was pretty special too. This was our first bike and barge and we are already thinking of our next.

The "directions/highlights " paper along with the offline downloaded directions were terrific. The company's expert experienced routing took us thru scenic backways and villages that we may have missed by simply following a directional app ourselves. We enjoyed being able to ride at our own pace, stop where ever we chose, visit sites, museums, villages, or take photos on our own timeline. This also allowed us to begin the day's ride on our own schedule, enjoy a picnic lunch or lunch in a village center, and return early or later, have a coffee or beer along the way, still knowing when dinner was being served!

We loved our boat/bike tour but the absolute highlight was the day cycling in the Wachau valley. We just wish the day had started and ended later so we could have sampled more wine!

The boat staff were fantastic - they really went out of their way to make our trip easy, fun and memorable.

The guides were wonderful, the staff on the boat was so friendly and attentive, cabin accommodations were lovely as was the boat itself, and the biking itself was fabulous! We met lots of really great people and ate lots of good food. ALL of these things made it equally memorable.

We are so glad we did the extension of Bolzano to Mantova! Absolutely stunning scenery along a paved bike path! 'Ride with GPS' provided the perfect directions for the first three days. Although we were surrounded by the mountains, the path was basically flat, following the River Adige downriver. When we reached the boat (early) we were welcomed aboard with a cool drink, our luggage had been transported, and we were able to continue to explore the city on foot.
Of course the boat & bike trip was equally memorable, especially the food -- a gourmet meal every night, prepared by a chef, who excitedly announced the meal, it's relation to the region and the perfect wine to pair. Bike tour guide was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and caring to all. Aboard the Vita Pugna, we were 18 total bikers, a perfect number! We became attached to all! The majority had booked through Tripsite for this and many other previous trips. Nice to hear they were very much pleased with the service, commenting on the excellent website, to find the the most details that enabled them to choose the perfect tour. Loved the side trips on the bike too! Museums, cheese factory, coffee stops, historical tours with local guides! This trip had it all!