Europe Bike Tour Reviews — 691 to 720 of 1751

Each day of the ride was fantastic. My only suggestion is that the beginning and end could be better organised. At the beginning we were not met at at the hotel as advised and we did not receive the promised tour of Lisbon . At the end the GPS did not take us to the finish and it was not clear where we could obtain our certificates .

Overall, the self-guided tour was excellent. The trail system was impressive, going through cities, towns and countryside mostly along the Vltava and Elbe Rivers. There were some tricky spots and we made some wrong turns, but always managed to get back on track. Make sure to get the electronic GPS maps and download and test them before you leave. It was essential to have all three sets of directions (electronic, maps and written directions). It was really special to visit all the historic towns and places in the Czech Republic, including Melnik and lunch at Strekov Castle as well as seeing all the spring flowers and crops growing everywhere. We stopped and paid our respects at the Terezin Memorial, the Nazi concentration camp, which was a sobering experience. Please note that in Hrensko, the trail to Pravicice Gate, (the natural bridge) goes through a major forest fire burn area, which really detracted from the experience. If we had known how devastated it was, we probably wouldn't have made that side trip. According to other travelers there was no forest fire damage around Edmund's Gorge, the other major attraction in the area. My advice would be to skip Hrensko and press on to Bad Schandau and take extra time to visit the Bastei Brucke between Bad Schandau and Dresden.

Beautiful architecture and countryside

We finished this trip in May of 2023.

We did the self guided with just my wife and I. We are in our late 60s so we used the e-bikes as there are some hilly areas. We picked the highest hotel category and also spent three nights in Prague prior to the trip.

We loved it. The spa towns were amazing as were the hotels. The breakfasts every morning were fantastic. The rides were almost entirely on very lightly traveled roads or bike paths. The countryside is amazingly beautiful and so were the towns. We felt very safe everywhere we went. We called ahead and signed up for spa treatments several times. We have done many rides and this ranked up there with the best.

Our entire experience was way beyond our expectations. The city, seaside and countryside route allowed for a great snapshot of Portugal and Spain, the service provided by the guides and the amazing lodging where 2nd to none. And we were fortunate the other 18 attendees from Brazil, Canada and the USA were fun and courteous. No matter your bike skill level you will have a more enjoyable experience if you select E-Bikes.

We had a wonderful trip from beginning to end. We decided to trust that it would all be good so we didn't research anything ahead of time so that we could be surprised. Every day was a pleasant surprise. We chose E-bikes and were very glad. We were all E-bike snobs and this trip totally changed that perspective. The routes were split between paved roads and dirt roads. The dirt roads were rugged and we loved them. The paved roads were well chosen. The side trips were well thought out and truly worth doing. We used the provided GPS device and the Ride with GPS device. We found the Ride with GPS easier to use and cross-referenced it with the GPS device for accuracy if we ever got off course.
The hotels were great. Each one was different and represented the region/village we were in. Part of the fun was seeing what would be for breakfast every morning. We were always greeted warmly and they accommodated the charging needs of the bikes. The hotels were convenient to towns to explore and sample the local cafes, mercados, etc. The one hotel that was not close to a town had an amazing restaurant, heated pool and beautiful farm to explore.
The local bike guide, Top Bike Tours, did an excellent job of planning the trip out and supporting us throughout the trip.

We loved every part of this trip, but especially our guide, Giulia. She really brought Puglia to life for us, knowing the area so well! We left feeling as though we had made a new friend. The contrast of biking the countryside and the historic towns was fantastic.
Being avid cyclists we would have like to bike a little faster or been able to bike ahead of the slower participants. Since we had only one guide we had to stay together. Adding a guide to the trip would have allowed the group to spread out a little.

Sergio was an excellent guide. The accommodations far exceeded my expectations - extremely high end/luxury hotels. We had a large and diverse group - many from Brazil, Canada and US - with no language or riding skill barriers to making our journey an absolute blast.

Stunning views and quiet lanes are uniquely beautiful during the month of May in Puglia. Prime wildflowers, fresh food and easy navigating were assets . The route is practically perfect.

The lodging and breakfasts were terrific, especially in Vienna, Bratislava, Gyor and Budapest. The bikes were very good; in excellent condition with good features. We have biked all over Europe along the main rivers, including the Danube. We expected to ride along the Danube more on this trip, but realize that Eurovelo does not have bike paths close to the river, for most of the trip from Vienna to Budapest. We did the Athletic tour which was good for us, but we did have challenging weather (rain, wind, cool temperatures) on one day.

The accomodation was excellent. The Netherlands are a wonderful place to explore on a bike, it looks like a natural park in whixh a few people live. I have rarely seen such respect and care for nature and animals, it was breathtaking.
Bike lanes are also in a very good shape.

The beautiful places we bikes. The sights. The out of the way country roads.

We were taken on some one way streets in many of the towns which was a bit confusing but added to the story.

The food was incredible and the selection of restaurants was wonderful. It made it easy each night. We just went where the planners selected for us and we did not have to ponder each day where to go. One thing though....too much food! It was wonderful but three selections for each dinner was way more food than any of us could ever eat.

I had an issue with my E bike but was told I did not know how to use it which upset me. I did know what I was doing and one of the owners saw there was a problem but there were no extra bikes on hand to swap out with me. It turned out OK. My bike functioned when I most needed it but I had to switch it on and off frequently to get it to work. I managed just fine but at the end when I was told by one of the employees at the bike shop that the bike was fine...I just didn[t know how to operate it ....I was a bit upset. When I picked up the bike the person checking me out on it told me "people do not like this bike". I did not complain. I just wanted them to know that it should be checked out because the next person might have issues too and might not be as flexible as I was.

All in all it was a wonderful trip. The cooking class at the bike owner's mother's home was so much fun.

This was a lovely bike ride. The scenery was beautiful. The tour operator was very helpful and responsive. The hotels were all very comfortable. We loaded the GPX tracts on a Garmin making it easy to stay on course. On the day we road through Foligno, the Giro d'Italia was taking place. It was fun to watch. The village of Gubbio (my favorite next to Assisi) was still decorated for the Corso dei Seri. As far as the ride, we knew that the some of the roads would not be the best quality, but the elevation was more difficult than we were expecting. We were on a road bike and a low end hybrid. The hybrid was too heavy for the elevation. Even walking the bike up some of the hills was difficult. The poor condition of some of the roads made it difficult for the road bike. We were given route options to avoid gravel roads, but there were some asphalt roads that were not the best quality. I would do this ride again, but on a different bike, possibly a gravel bike if it is available. All in all, this was a great bike ride. The Umbria region is a beautiful area, but without the crowds.

My wife and I just finished this beautiful tour of Segovia and the medieval towns nearby. This was our 6th self-guided bike tour in Spain and we loved this tour. The roads in general were quiet and when you did encounter cars the drivers were very considerate and went well over to the side of the road to carefully pass us. We live in California and it's nothing like this in California, an understatement. You start off in Segovia which is a remarkable city with the massive Roman aqueduct dominating the city as you enter. The hotel was nice and we spent an extra day there walking the city and that was well worth the time. The accommodations were all nice with excellent staff. You will find it challenging if you're a vegetarian on this tour. This is land of meat meat and more meat with pork being the dominant meat. One special surprise was the wildlife. Eagles, storks, foxes, massive vultures in the canyons outside of Sepulveda. I grew up a birdwatcher and the rides were filled with incredible birds and wildlife. Quite incredible. We biked Umbria, 300 plus miles and didn't see anything like that there so that was a special treat. The storks on top of the churches were fun as well and you could see their offspring spreading their wings. A great tour and one we both highly recommend.

Excelent experience. All was Anna tell us.

The hotel & bikes woooow!!!

The only why, the Tulipanies was cut 1 week before. We don’t see this espectacular view.

All right. Great travel.

The biking on dedicated bike paths through vineyards and apple orchards with soaring mountains in the background was the most memorable part of the trip- so beautiful! My only suggestion for improvement would be to provide one handlebar bag for each person on the trip- they did come in handy!

The magical moments were riding in avenues of trees along the Danube, on paths in the villages in northern Hungary, the old city In the stunning giyor and in all of Hungary it is a complete surprise in the landscapes and the historical cities.

The cataclysmic flooding event was memorable. We appreciated Javier’s support and direction when our route was blocked.
Unfortunately we were unable to remove one of our spd pedals at the end of the trip in Parma because the staff person in Bologna over tightened it. We are beginning the Mur river trip on June 4 and would appreciate your delivering it to us for that trip.

Loved entire trip, but best of all was cycling through the quiet, pastoral countryside with the cow and sheep bells accompanying us: don't hurry through farms and small towns to reach each day's hotel! Also, santillana del mar is just incredible, a step back in time.

Our excursion along the Ebro River was spectacular . The ever changing scenery was breath taking . The roads , for the most part , were quiet and free of traffic . Accommodation along the way was well organized by the tour company , Iberico, Our hosts were very welcoming , rooms were clean and comfortable and the excellent evening meal and breakfast that were offered reflected the region .

I would strongly recommend that e bikes be the chosen mode of transportation as there are many, many very long and steep climbs. Perhaps Pack and Pedal in their rating of the trip, could state «  Easy to Moderate «  with E bikes .

This particular trip will be remembered as one of our very favourites.

Many thanks to Trip Site for organizing all the details for us .

Pat

Scenery was terrific and accommodation was very good. When arriving at each town or city don’t continue all the way to central point as per Ride With GPS, as you may be well past your hotel already. Switch to google maps as you enter the city and search your hotel.

The district was very interesting and there were many scenic and historic areas of interest to me

Best bike trip ever!
Ignacio, Borja and Phillip from Ibero cycle, to the accommodations to the scenery which was jaw dropping at every turn, we enjoyed every minute!

Beautiful scenery! Very pleasant hosts at accommodations. Inclusion of five dinners and breakfasts worked well, especially considering the rural nature of this tour. Hilly terrain...consider e- bikes.
Overall, our best bike trip ever!

Beautiful scenery! Very pleasant hosts at accommodations. Inclusion of five dinners and breakfasts worked well, especially considering the rural nature of this tour. Hilly terrain...consider e- bikes.
Overall, our best bike trip ever!

This bike route was wonderful…so much variety. The cycling was very enjoyable with a few challenges along the way to keep things interesting. To experience the El Camino by bike was an amazing experience. The tour guides did everything possible to make our journey safe, interesting and fun. The accommodations were top notch including two outstanding hotels. With the help of the guides we experienced wonderful local food. This trip is a must do…..and would recommend using an e-bike.

My kind of adventure, exercise, Europe, great food, fun people, and challenges.

Portugal is beautiful, food fabulous, lovely hotels and a challenging ride on the Camino.

I never knew there could be so many different types of trail surfaces, and on this trip, you could go from one type to another without warning. That made it a bit challenging but it also made it interesting.
The other thing that made it both challenging and interesting in doing the self-guided tour, was figuring out where the path went as it meandered through backstreets of towns. GPS was definitely necessary, but there were still times when you wondered, a little, where to turn. I noticed that signage did get more abundant as we got closer to Santiago, which made it a little easier.
There were also a variety of hotel types, which also made it very interesting.

Everything! One of ours best trip ever. Our tour guides were very caring and supportive. Sergio and John (sorry, I am sure I didn't spell your name in Portuguese) were always available and provide us with everything we needed including adventures and great crafted tour. They were very professional and always available. We had fantastic time and plan to travel with them again. We biked through beautiful and diverse landscape, we visited beautiful towns and villages, enjoyed great food and fantastic atmosphere a small group of people who loved active traveling.