Europe Bike Tour Reviews — 991 to 1020 of 1753

The Canal du Midi tour is a wonderful cycling experience - generally easy riding along a lovely tree-lined waterway and across gorgeous countryside. The daily distances were about right, 30 - 40 kms, and allowed us to arrive at our destinations not all all tired and with enough time to explore and relax when we got there. I would think this would be a perfect first tour for uncertain, inexperienced riders and even for families. The stops were all excellent and varied - some rural, some more urban, most with historical significance (especially Carcassonne and Narbonne!), and the canal itself becomes a big part of the tour as you learn about its history and its many innovative engineering achievements. The food, of course, was also a highlight of the tour, and I would definitely recommend including the additional meals, as the restaurants selected were all first class, served exquisite local fare, and were in excellent locations. The hotels and inns were also all excellent choices. We are so appreciative of the local organizers for all these great arrangements, and also for the seamless support along the way - the bags were always picked up by 9:30, and they were always waiting for us when we arrived at our lodgings. Robert of Ruckenwind is clearly very passionate about cycling and he was an enthusiastic presence and a great resource throughout the trip. Some things worth noting beforehand, however: 1) the canal paths start out smooth and paved, and also very well shaded, but get progressively more uneven as you get farther away from Toulouse, some with rough gravel patches and others with mud puddles or dried, rutted spots that are hard to navigate; and the plane trees are dying in places so you are periodically exposed to the hot sun; 2) the routes often diverge from the canal, partly to avoid some of those rough patches, but also, I think, just to get riders off the canal to offer some diversity and to allow you to see more of the landscapes. This is generally a good thing, and you can never really get lost because you always have a sense where the canal is. But we did lose our way sometimes, and often had to rely on our GPS to find our way back. Anyway, thanks again to Tripsite, to Ruckenwind (especially to Robert!), and to the local operator for a truly memorable cycling experience!

We had a fabulous trip - self-guided with e-bikes from Porto to Santiago. The route is perfect - so varied, beautiful and fun. And the hotels! One of them was the best hotel I've ever stayed in (and I intend to go back there). Sergio was available at all times, for any problems or questions. I highly recommend.

We did the 8 day version of the Tauber Rive and Romantic Road tour, and it was just about right in terms of trip length, at least for us two, occasional bicycle riders. Riding through the various little villages, the fields of barley and sunflowers, etc was very memorable. The towns that you stay in each night are very photogenic and worth the time to walk around and take in the history and sights. The mileage on the trip itenarary is a little off, the worst case being Rothenburg to Dinkelsbuhl. This is listed as 60km and is really more like 70+. As a consequence, my wife's ebike battery died about 6 miles out of Dinkelsbuhl, and of course that is all uphill. Riding a dead, heavy ebike up hill for a few miles is no fun. Tripsite and Velotours did a great job supporting us, from the GPS track, to moving our luggage from town to town each day, to having the hotels all reserved ahead for us. I would love to do another one of these trips again in the future! One piece of advise, I would not attempt these tours without the available GPS track either loaded in Komoot on your phone, or on a GPS, or both. I used both along with the paper back up, and only got lost once.

The trip From Amsterdam to Bruges is a wonderful cycling experience - lovely scenery, charming towns full of history, great, fresh food, and easy cycling over the flat lowland terrain that defines the Netherlands. One has to accept the wind and rain as part of the experience, but we were certainly lucky this time with the weather - mostly sunny or lightly overcast days, with occasional drizzles and gusts of wind, particularly near the coastal areas. A highly recommended tour that provides a great introduction to the region.

The only concerns/suggestions I would offer are these: a) would prefer hotels located in/close to the town center, not in the suburbs; would also prefer locally owned hotels rather than chains,2) the maps were
Generally unhelpful - they are virtually microscopic, and certainly difficult to follow on a bike - suggest getting the GPS option, or just using the GPS on your phone, and 3) if wind/rain/distances are a concern, would suggest opting for the excellent and very efficient ebikes that are so common here in the Netherlands.

We took the self-guided Prague to Dresden bike tour in July 2021. The first night in Prague we had our information meeting and received our bikes and equipment from Lukas. He is terrific. Lukas also guides these trips so I imagine he does a wonderful job. I was a little anxious initially about doing the self-guided trip with my 14 year old son, but Lukas was so thorough and helpful in the prep meeting that I felt very comfortable with out choice. He provided detailed and clear maps and wisdom as to what were the key sights to see along the way. The natural beauty of the trip and the wonder of arriving into new towns and hotels each day was special. I would say the quality time I had with my son and the chance to experience all the new places together was the highlight. I highly recommend this tour. Self-guided works great for those that want to travel at their own pace and the luggage transfer to each hotel worked great. The bikes were of solid quality and Lukas included repair parts and tools in case we had flat tires.

We took the self-guided Prague to Dresden bike tour in July 2021. The first night in Prague we had our information meeting and received our bikes and equipment from Lukas. He is terrific. Lukas also guides these trips so I imagine he does a wonderful job. I was a little anxious initially about doing the self-guided trip with my 14 year old son, but Lukas was so thorough and helpful in the prep meeting that I felt very comfortable with out choice. He provided detailed and clear maps and wisdom as to what were the key sights to see along the way. The natural beauty of the trip and the wonder of arriving into new towns and hotels each day was special. I would say the quality time I had with my son and the chance to experience all the new places together was the highlight. I highly recommend this tour. Self-guided works great for those that want to travel at their own pace and the luggage transfer to each hotel worked great. The bikes were of solid quality and Lukas included repair parts and tools in case we had flat tires.

Rolling along the Ebro Valley was fabulous. The ride had a couple of grunts on day 1 and 2, but well worth it. The accommodations were great and sunflowers amazing!

Great trip plan - enjoyed all of the cities. Highlight was biking over the Apennes. Hotels were all very nice and wonderful people along the way. I would recommend confirming that the bicycle has been recently tuned as one of our bikes would not utilize one gear and slipped a bit. Also a couple of construction areas required us to navigate our way around but overall fantastic!

The lake was beautiful! Pretty much flat land the whole time. Enjoy the days! Rain was pretty frequent so get your rain gear.

Amazing trip in the Douro Valley. Excellent organisation and contact with our local contact Sergio.
The quality of all accommodations was very high, the itinerary was well chosen: low traffic and amazing landscape. We really appreciated the info about points of interest along the way (view points, visits, restauration possibilities, ... )!
To conclude, we requested a customized tour and appreciated the high level of flexibility.

We loved the Bed and Breakfasts Tripsite set us up with! Very charming with delicious breakfast food

The food! Wow, never have enjoyed the cuisine in the more than 80 other countries I have visited.

I absolutely loved this tour! The route had everything you would want. The daily distance we rode was a perfect length for sightseeing, eating and picture taking. The hotels were nice. I would love to ride it again! Several friends and family members have taken this tour after us and all have loved it!

We are two couples who rode this tour on two tandems. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire ride, which was mainly on cycle paths or on low-traffic roads. The sights, the food and the accommodations were outstanding and can’t recommend them strongly enough. Make sure to take a side trip to Mainau Island. Truly a tour any cyclist would enjoy. Just do it!

My wife Clara and our daughter Stephanie did this tour in the fall of 2019. Tripsite was once again outstanding in providing service and information and all the GPS files for the bike route. The hotels were all top quality and friendly service with the best ones in Innsbruck and at the hot baths of Padua. I was at first worried about the quality of the bike paths as we have done a dozen or more trips (10 through Tripsite) through the Netherlands and Germany where the paths as excellent. To my and everyone else's surprise the bike paths were well marked and of great condition with a few not-so-great patches here and there but great overall. We made good friends on the trip and we cycled alone and with others on some days and typically had meals with others in the group of 12 or 14 people. The sights are panoramic. I must note that we started on September 5th from Innsbruck at -2 degrees Celsius and snow on the very first day and ended in Venice with +30 Celsius on the last day. What a ride! On the 4th day and with temperatures ranging between 6 to 9 degrees Celsius we started with rain and cycled the entire route in rain getting to Trento absolutely soaked to the bone. So be aware that you should carry rain gear if you plan to do this route late in the summer and early fall. The entire trip was well worth it but I would like to make a recommendation to the organizers. On the 5th day, Trento to Peschiera should be changed to make the overnight at Riva Del Garda for three very valid reasons. First, the ride from Trento to Riva is long and many riders get to Riva almost too late to catch the last ferry to Peschiera. Secondly, the ferry gets to Desenzano in the dark and riding in the darkness is not very safe even for experienced riders. Third reason is that Riva Del Garda is a magnificently beautiful city with many great restaurants and boutiques and sporting events and a swim in the lake after a long ride would be such a treat instead of waiting on the lineup for a ferry. Clara and I have spent a week in Riva and also in Malcesine nearby and can verify that they are great places to stay and enjoy the tasty fresh seafood from the lake. So for safety and better relaxation consideration should be given to these suggestions particularly for the late summer and fall tours when darkness comes so early. Overall 5 stars to everyone and every place and to the young men who fitted every one on their bikes at the start of the trip and the fact that the bikes were of top quality and excellent condition. I know I am a year late to submit this review but have had a very difficult year with respect to my health soon after we came home. I am now well and looking forward to more adventures on the bike paths of Europe and hope to "bump" into you all over there in 2021. Keep the tires on the road and the wind in your back. Happy Holidays to all.

***** STARS ALL THE WAY. Again do not forget your rain gear and bring along a few essential bike tools for the adjustments needed by any rider who uses their bike day and day out for 2 weeks. Also, download an APP on your mobile phone so you can use the GPS files provided and minimize any possibilities of wrong turns. Happy cycling.  SHOW MORE 

Fizemos esse tour em setembro/2019, adoramos! Desde o transfer, bikes, roteiro até as pessoas, tudo maravilhoso! Muita história, emoções e comida boa! Recomendamos!

Excellent location for an authentic view of the Netherlands! We never had to rent a car, only a bike. We flew into Amsterdam and took a train to Barneveld and walked the short distance to the townhouse from the station. From there we had lots of marked bike paths as well as roads to explore this beautiful farming area. We easily walked to a grocery store and various restaurants. The accommodations at the townhouse were very comfortable and clean, and it was right next to a park and an elementary school. It was so fun to see children being dropped off by parents by bike in the morning! We also used the train (loading our bikes on the train with us) to explore nearby cities and flower festivals. Easy to do, and a real European experience! We learned about the history of the area during WW II and could see the earthen works fortifications along some of the bike paths. Would recommend you get a local guide to explain more about that. I highly recommend this location. We felt immersed in the country and didn't feel like tourists, although because we wore bike helmets we did look like tourists!

Four intrepid bikers completed the 8 day tour just ahead of covid-19 March 20, 2020. Lisbon and the coastal bike route were grand, as described. Maps could have been better quality. Two GPS supplied with route loaded, finding the correct route in towns and leaving villages was a challenge. Lodgings and restaurants very nice, some staying open when we were the only guests. Sergio, Enrique and Diego, and Tripsite were extremely helpful daily! Thanks. We are home now, finished with the virus quarantine, well and ready to create a photo log of the trip.

This was the best bike trip of our lives. We took it in early June, 2019 with e-bikes and upgraded accommodations. Unless you're a strong cyclist, e-bikes are the way to go for this trip. First, the hotels were amazing and in each one after the first the specific rooms reserved were wonderful. The first hotel in Avignon was simply awful. Not only because the air conditioning was out, but the room was tacky, in bad repair, and was musty. The tour needs to have this changed. The common areas were just fine, it was only our room. Another thing to change would be the route on the first day through Avignon - heavy traffic, a lot of road construction, and then cycling on a road with a narrow shoulder, semi trucks, and 30 mph winds. This was still a five-star trip. I hadn't done much research ahead of time, and so Les Baux de Provence and Fontaine de Vaucluse each came as a complete and wonderful surprise - I had not even imagined places of such beauty and charm. There were some minor problems with the GPS, particularly the road barred off in one place. Fortunately we had a hotspot which we took with us each day, and were able to figure out how to reroute ourselves using Apple maps, but we would have been in trouble otherwise. We went to the market at Isle sur la Sorgue, but it was impossible to visit with bikes due to the crowds of people. We didn't dare leave the e-bikes, even locked, so we had to take turns going in - but still fun!

We took this trip in late May, 2019, with e-bikes. It was a great trip with some amazing accommodations. Thoughts in no particular order: The first 3 hours of biking on the first day were pretty miserable, through industrial areas with no good place to ride on either the sidewalk or the road. Day 4 and Day 6 were spectacular, Day 4 was almost like a fantasy of a bike trip once we reached rural areas. The GPS was hard to read when the sun was out, and in several places we needed one person using the GPS and another the printed instructions. We've been on a number of bike trips, and the drivers in Spain were the most courteous and safe of any country - usually giving us at least 6 feet of space and never rushing us. The hotel (Organista) in Santillana del Mar was our favorite, with a wonderful host, Rafe, and an enchanting outdoor breakfast. (Note: this is right close to the Altamira cave, and we were glad we took the time to visit, even though it involved finding our own route back to the regular tour). Much better instructions are needed to find the ferry into Santander - we nearly missed it even after 30 minutes of going back and forth when hot and tired. Take all the small side trips the instructions suggest - you'll never be sorry and could easily miss amazing views and beaches just a 1/4 mile off the route.

This was my first bike tour. I’m 47 and exercise regularly with a focus on cycling/spin. I travelled with a friend and we had an amazing experience. We did the tour a few weeks after the major storm and had great maps and GPS which included a personal sit down with Javier (Lazypedals) to explain the tour and bike fittings. (This did not happen on the next tour we took and were greatful we had this one first). I’m 5’11 and found the bikes to be very ergonomic. Be prepared for extra weight in the panniers for tools and bike locks. Bikes also included a light that we did not need but can see it how it could be necessary depending on your activities.
We loved the varied routes but found there to be quite a bit of hill climbing for the rating easy to moderate. In end we felt very accomplished!
The sights and smells of the countryside were amazing. i can not emphasize this enough. We had outstanding (above avg temps early oct) weather, amazing accommodation for the star ratings and food. Augusto’s family farm was a highlight with meals served from his garden.
We do not speak Spanish and can’t thank the people enough for their assistance and patience. Gracias! ❤️
Tripsite was also very helpful with choosing the trips and offers excellent support for 1 day when we required it. The website is very user friendly complemented by people behind the scenes. I will look to book through this company again.

Amazing riding with different terrain each day. Wonderful scenery. Bikes good. Company good. Food good. Guide very good. Best cycling trip I have been on and I have been on a few. Can't wait to go back to Ireland.

We loved the scenery and the overnight communities. The trip was well organized and easy to follow with the Garmin. The bikes were excellent. I highly recommend this tour!

Excellent hotels! Make sure your bike is fitted by a mechanic at the bike store the day before your first ride. Our local host Ian was excellent but would never have been able to adjust the bikes to our requirements. We brought our own seats. A second device for holding the cell phone on the handlebars should have been provided.

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The itinerary, written directions and maps were great. Taking the ferry out of Venice and riding through the historic town centers were definite highlights.

The hotels were great & friend

Well organised, with bikes made available as required, bags portaged without incident, accommodation arranged as planned.
Overall good organisation albeit the bikes with their infinitely variable in hub gears seemed less efficient than conventional bikes.

Well organized tour led by personable, knowledgeable, and competent guides. Overall, a wonderful experience.

Good local staff!