5 Star Europe Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 4036

Truly Magical!

My wife and I over the years have done over a dozen self-paced bike tours with Tripsite and the Green Coast of Spain tour remains one of our favorites. We started with a little food tour of San Sebastian which is of course a stunning place to visit and easily added to the front of the tour. Oviedo is also easily added to the tour and well worth it. I recommend you watch Vicky Cristina Barcelona for the famous flight to Oviedo.

What makes this tour great.

1. Very few cars

First of all, in general, bikes and cars get along in Spain. Many more people bike in Spain and in general you will feel far safer biking there than in the U.S. You meander along the northern coast of Spain and have many spectacular views along the way. The tour of Altamira is also a must and happens early in the tour.

2. Off the Beaten Track

The towns you stay in are off the beaten track and give you a peak into life in Spain. You stay in smaller towns along this gorgeous coast and get to be part of daily life in Spain with few other American tourists. We found Santander quite interesting as well and it's not a city we had been to before. The tour ends in Gijon which was a very interesting city and it was a Friday night and the whole town was out and about.

3. The Food and the Cider

The last couple of days has you biking in the region of Asturias. This is the land of cider and they have Ciderias that specialize in you guessed it, cider. The whole way they drink it must be seen to be believed and it's recommended to give it all a try. Lots of great food to try here with seafood being a staple.

4. Biking on paths of the Camino De Santiago

We didn't expect to do big parts of the northern Camino but the tour has you riding on many of these paths and we were often alone biking on these beautiful paths along the coast. This was incredibly relaxing.

We found the rides very doable and we're in our later 50's. We loved this tour and highly recommend it.

Being able to see the country side at a leisurely pace with our friends. Stopped to visit the goats and trail side coffee shops. One of the most memorable of any of our trips was the boat leaving Budapest at night. A sight we will never forget. Food on board was very good and service was great. The only issue we had was we were a large group of 18 that sat at 3 tables and we were asked to not change places but we missed out visiting with our other friends. We liked it so much we came home and booked another trip with Tripsite

Three of us (two rooms) had a great trip through some incredibly beautiful landscapes. The bikes worked great (no issues with the batteries or anything else) and the ebikes were very handy for the very hilly countryside. The luggage got moved perfectly and the hotels were nice. Overall had a terrific trip!

Albania Highlights was the most amazing cycle tour. Well organized, our guides were friendly and professional. We experienced some of the most spectacular views I've ever witnessed. As you cycle, you'll be treated to panoramic vistas of lush valleys, rugged peaks, and a stunning landscape that stretches as far as the eye can see. We had fantastic fellow cyclist's to enjoy the Albanian hospitality. Highly recommend to future cyclist's.
Kevin and Vivienne Webb

We had the misfortune of booking our trip when global warming struck the region in October 2024. The DANA that struck the region during that time had a major impact on our trip, cancelling 3 days of riding. The folks on the ground are not to blame for the weather, but their reaction went far above expectations! Due to flooding and road washouts, they taxied us (at no charge to us) from hotel to hotel to end our trip.

The hotels were top notch, each with a distinct charm. The directions and provided GPS made for almost seamless travel (a couple of wrong turns because I didn't have the GPS tuned in fine enough.

Tripsite was a dream to work with for our booking! I was booking for a group of 8 seniors. One of them did not recover from a previous surgery in time to travel, so had to cancel 10 days before departure. They took care of notifying the providers and processed the refund quickly. I never actually spoke to anyone, but easily made all arrangements online.

This was our first boat and bike experience and we absolutely loved the whole experience! It’s the best way to see intimate details of a country, especially off the beaten path non touristy locations only accessible by boat in Kvarner Bay. The Linda is a very charming older boat and maybe not as fancy as some other boat options but it was very comfortable and we feel gave a more authentic liveaboard experience. The boat staff and bike guides were incredible!!!!! Because of the higher difficulty level (moderate to difficult) of this particular trip it seems to draw a more vibrant, adventurous and fun spirited cyclists! We had a blast with all passengers aboard! Made new friendships from around the world! As novice cyclers, we thankfully chose to ride E-bikes, as there are many long steep climbs that we pretty much breezed up them. Half our group, which are very experienced mountain bikers, rode traditional bikes and they got a workout for sure but they welcomed the challenge. All the meals aboard were wonderful and served family style. Early fall is the ideal cycling temperature and we found the water still plenty warm for swimming. Can’t wait to do another boat and bike trip!

Travelling in Puglia is quite different from other parts of Italy so well worth the trip. Our tour coming was exceptional. The food, the wine, the accommodation and of course the scenery were all wonderful. This is a great trip but beware it does include some rough roads so good bike skills are essential and an e-bike makes it a lot more fun.

Traveling by e-bike and boat along the Rhine felt like a luxury adventure with a touch of home. The wine regions reminded me of the rolling vineyards of Limburg, but the diversity here—Alsace, Breisgau, and Basel—was extraordinary. The cycling was easy and enjoyable.

My partner and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to explore three countries in one trip! Cycling along the Rhine was magical, with its lush vineyards and the majestic passage of Loreley being standout moments. The food was incredible—whether it was the Swiss chocolate, German sausages, or Alsatian pastries, every bite felt like a discovery. Basel’s Three Countries Corner was fascinating, and the medieval charm of Mainz was equally captivating. The guides made everything seamless. A perfect mix of culture, food, and nature!

Well, my first experience was in 2016, in Ireland, when I cycled alone in the Clare & The Burren region. It was great... Then in 2017 I cycled in Norway, Drammen, Horten, Sandefjord, Fredrikstad, Son and Oslo, and in December 2017 I cycled over Christmas and New Year in Vietnam and Cambodia. Last year I cycled around Lake Constance, which I LOVED! This year I went walking in CROATIA, in the Dalmatian region, and I LOVED it. I guess I'm a bit biased to say anything.

We thoroughly enjoyed our cycle through Puglia. Lovely quiet costal roads and interior laneways through the olive groves (unfortunately many dead trees due to a blight). The towns we stayed in were all unique and different. The food was generally of high quality and the tasting opportunities well presented. This is a great way to see all that Puglia has to offer

Finally getting around to a review from this past summer. We had great weather, and the biking was great. We learned a lot with our guide and allowed us a different point of view as travelers. Thank you! As for the ship, it was clean and comfortable, and Emile, the chef, was amazing! He put a lot of effort into accommodating everyone's dietary needs/concerns, not to mention the food was delicious! He handled the rude customers very well, and maintained professionalism even when they were extremely unreasonable. He went above and beyond with customer service and because of him, my time onboard was fantastic. If we go again, we want to ensure he will be the chef during our tour. The other staff members were very friendly and would sit with us all and join in on the fun. It is a trip I would recommend to all my friends.

The entire trip was memorable from the scenery to the accommodation to the wine and food. The tour company was amazing with great GPS tracks and briefing book.

Cycling through Spain on the Ojos Negros Via Verde was incredible. This tour starts out in a mountain scape at a medieval village and continues though a variety of landscapes including forests, country sides, and citrus orchards, as you make your way towards the Mediterranean. The whole trip is filled with nature and every city has interesting things to see. Spain is full of ruins of castles, beautiful churches, and incredible meals.

We were very happy with the thoughtful hotels selected, to ensure bike safety and a unique experience. All of the hotels had so much within walking distance, that once you were there, you could easily take a break from the bikes and explore things by foot. Being self-guided allowed us to make stops as we pleased and go at whatever pace felt best for us. We never felt alone though; a we had someone nightly giving us so much information about what to expect for the following day, how to plan, and helping us make reservations for meals. They were a wealth of knowledge and made a point to ensure we were having a positive experience.

Overall, this trip was perfect for people like my husband and I, who don't just want to only see the cities and the tourist attractions. This allowed us to be active as we traveled and we felt it was very accessible terrain, even though we are not professional cyclists. We also opted for e-bikes which are so fun. For anyone stressed around the milage the e-bike is the way to go. They are just awesome. Loved how well-planned things were for us, so we only had little details to worry about.

The trip was made more enjoyable by having a great tour guide, Hein. His local knowledge of history, culture and traffic patterns proved to be invaluable. The boat staff overall were also very accommodating and the food preparation superb. Even when we had a slight water leak in our cabin during overnight heavy rain, the crew expressed concern and responded quickly to the issue. Some suggestions for future tours include: 1) Providing name tags for the guests on the first day 2) Look into ways to improve the air flow within the cabins.

Overall we could recommend this tour and look forward to our next adventure.

The most memorable part, has to be parts plural. Loved the biking through the country and small towns, seeing people harvesting olives, drinking local grappa and coffee, walking thru the ports, listening to the sea organ in Zadar, swimming in a isolated bay from the boat. How can you pick one?

Great Trip!!
Amazing leaders on the barge.
Would suggest everyone to take
this trip. Venice to Mantova.

The boat was great, the crew was great, the cycling was great, the weather was great... simply wonderful trip.

Our group of six had a fabulous stay and 7 days of biking in the Tarn River Valley in September 2024. Claudia set us out on terrific routes each day - stunning beauty, beautiful roads for biking in this part of France - and Claudia - what can I say- such a lovely person (now good friend) who took care of us with tremendous energy and thoughtfulness. Back at the end of the day, her staff made sure we were fed the best of food and drink - wonderful relaxing dinners. We have all taken several bike trips in Europe through Tripsite. This was the favorite! Bikes were great! Beds and rooms were great. Food was great. I felt like a kid riding through enchanted forests … we’ll be back for more rides someday and another stay at Les Magnolias. You cannot go wrong choosing this trip.

All parts of the trip were memorable. One of the few boat/bike tours that does your laundry. Bring extra pair of warm underwear if doing it in October. Alcohol, sodas, diet sodas, tea, and snacks always available. Coffee almost always available. Crew was like friends and they went out of the way to cater to individual needs. I would do this trip again. I brought extra protein powder, sometimes European meals don't have enough. I had a GoPro strapped to my chest during bike rides and I could start it, stop it, and take a video or picture all with voice commands. I couldn't believe the number of castles, churches, war memorials, not to mention docking in Auvers the village where Van Gogh lived. Saw his grave and the meadow he painted the crows. I would/will do this trip again. I did Paris to Bruge, but either way should be nice. Great vegetarian options in the bigger towns (this is just a rule of thumb for all europe).

Beautiful ocean vistas and sunny weather

Be prepared to have fun and a wonderful experience.

The coast of Portugal is spectacular. The views were amazing and many of
the hotels were right on the ocean.

The bike paths were VARIED. Regular bike paths but also dirt and gravel, cobblestone streets,
secondary and main highways. I am very glad that I had an e bike ,a couple of the days are long
plus it's hilly in places and windy. The one small thing that would be nice is to have a day of rest in
the middle. To spend two days somewhere.

It was a beautiful trip and I highly recommend it.

The variety of food was a lot of fun. Seeing the little towns and villages along the way was also a plus. Trying different beers and wines was also fun. And of course the history in Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada was excellent. With the exception of the climb through town to Castille Almoalvador, the road choices were excellent, particularly on the last day.

The guided bike rides were fun! Our guides offered us opportunities for lunch at a winery, an olive oil tasting and more. The rides along the coast were magnificent.

Exploring the Loire by bike was really exciting. The highlights are the city of Amboise and Da Vinci's house. The route to Cheverny passes through some busy roads, which can be a bit apprehensive.

I loved everything about the trip. The biking across the various islands. The boat. The food, boat staff and the boat staff.

The name says it all, it truly felt like an Authentic Holland experience. Riding into a new Dutch town everyday felt like uncovering a hidden gem each time. The Magnifique II provided a warm and cozy place we called home for the week, an absolutely beautiful ship with a top notch crew. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat!

The rides were phenomenal… Would have loved to have slowed down a little to enjoy the scenery, but the scenery was spectacular. The food on the boat was unbelievable! The chefs did a wonderful selection of diverse foods. Our guides were very good and competent.

Make sure to stay in Split and Dubrovnik a couple of days to see all the site’s well worth it.

The trip was well- organized. A detailed itinerary was sent prior to boarding and it provided adequate information re: what to expect on a daily basis and what equipment was required. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly. The staff on board the boat were also friendly and responded quickly to requests. The food was great with adequate portions for all. The bikes were well taken care of and in good shape. Prior to the trip, staff from TripSite provided quick responses to questions. You could easily do this trip on a normal bike if in good physical shape. The optional guided tours at various ports were informative and added value to the trip. There was enough downtime each day as we travelled to new ports.