5 Star Europe Tour Reviews — 3241 to 3270 of 4487

Really enjoyed the bike/barge tour on the Gandalf. The food & scenery were great. Enjoyed cycling into the forest & small towns. On the down side, be prepared for some wind. If new to cycling I would recommend getting the electric assist bicycle. The terrain is mostly flat but there are some hills which can be challenging with head on wind. Our guide, Fred, was very knowledgeable & friendly. He took good care of everyone.

Our guide, Chris, was exceptionally talented. He answered questions clearly and completely, and he offered many interesting comments about the various sites we traveled through. Our captain, Connie, was also thoroughly competent and provided additional insight about our travels, especially thru the various locks. Meals were good. Breakfast was standard European and I appreciated their encouraging us to prepare sandwiches and snacks for lunch. Be aware that the instructions for meeting the tour bus from the train station, Gare du Nord, were incomplete: You have to continue walking about 100 meters on Rue de Maubeuge beyond Rue Ambroise Pare to find the bus. Also, this bike trip was considered "easy" based on the relatively flat terrain and modest miles ridden.
However, the paths were not always very smooth; we experienced rocky, bumpy, pitted and muddy roads for much of the trip. In general, however, this was a very memorable trip; I'd do it again!

We loved our 'Best of Northern Zealand' tour. The hotels and breakfasts were amazing! A real treat. A must-stop is the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art at Humlebaek - fabulous. Also Sophiero palace in Helsingborg with impressive gardens.. would recommend this trip.

Great bike routes. Vast majority on nice bike paths.

The Merlijn and it's crew are extraordinary! Jantien and Henk treat guests like family. We had a great time riding in central Germany. Lots of agriculture, forests, small villages and history. Our guide, Ilsa, is extremely knowledgeable and makes the rides fun and interesting. Thank you for a wonderful and memorable trip!

The full range of stimulating experiences of all things Dutch with so many things different every day. The impressive first day, in particular, through and out of Amsterdam set up exciting anticipation for subsequent days that was maintained. If one highlight has to singled out, which is somewhat unfair, it would be the spectacular and unique ride over the Zealand Bridge and competing there with the raw forces of nature. Our tip would be to ensure you use the route maps and GPS in combination noting the advice that there are variances, and each evening check out the actual start of the route for the following day.

Most memorable part: We stopped at a small bar and had a fabulous time dancing and singing!

A fantastic tour, with knowledgeable guides that led us through Holland and Belgium. Everything aboard the Magnifique III was top notch and any concerns we had (our room was a little musty) were dealt with immediately and to our satisfaction. The biking was very enjoyable, primarily on bike paths and even when on roads the cars are very respectful of bicyclists. The routes at 50km lengths sound daunting but were the perfect length to fill the day along with frequent breaks for pictures and beer! I do recommend saddle time prior to the trip and bike shorts! The bikes were in excellent condition too. Overall one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. Highly recommend. If you are more adventurous you can download the maps on your phone and go self-guided. Many in our group did that and had no issues.

The crew of the Merlijn were fantastic and very concerned with guests comfort. It was a great combination of leisure and biking, a well seasoned and flexible guide, and great food beautifully presented.

The staff on the boat were wonderful. Very helpful, friendly and hard working. The food on the boat was excellent. They consistently turned out perfectly prepared delicious meals. The bicycles were in excellent condition and performed perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip.

The bike ride from Amsterdam to Bruges was a great way to connect 2 tourist destinations and get a different experience going through the amazing countryside. The fact that the Netherlands is so bike-friendly makes all the difference! The [local partner](https://www.tripsite.com/about/our-partners/) has a lot of experience with planning the right routes and selecting optimal locations to stop at night.

There were 3 of us from the USA traveling together. They told us to lock our bikes and take the key with us when we went into a store or restaurant. Toward the end of the trip we ( all 3 of us ) went into a store and did not luck our bikes. When we came out of the store one of the bikes was GONE. We took one of our other phones and called the USA to have the spouse lock the missing phone and track the bike on the GPS. The missing bike was 6 miles away at a big store. The shop owner called the police- the police went to the store- closed the store down for 45 minutes and locked all the 4 doors to the store. The police walked into the store looking for the red and black bike bag- saw it- walked up to the man , who was using the stolen phone and arrested him. He had stolen bikes before. They were so happy to catch him this time. The police never found the helmet and the man took $100, US dollars. They found the bike in the front of the store, as we knew the bike's # and brand. The phone was recovered. The thief was put in jail for 2 nights- we were told. The bike was returned to the barge. The victim was returned to the barge by the police. Lesson learned- NEVER LEAVE YOUR BIKE UNLOCKED and TAKE the KEY! On a lighter note- the wildflowers and wildlife a long the canals, were unbelievable! Would do it again, but lock our bikes.

Best part: Riding through amazing scenery and picturesque villages in Northern Italy!

[CycleTours](https://www.tripsite.com/about/our-partners/) gave us a unique and thoroughly enjoyable way to see a country that was new to us. We cycled through farms and villages where there were no tourists -- met local folks and saw how they lived. Our delightful and knowledgeable guide made sure that the pace of each day's cycling was do-able by people of different abilities -- often we'd cycle for an hour or two, stop for coffee; cycle for an hour or so, eat lunch. Cycle for an hour and stop for refreshment; cycle an hour and we're "home", where bowls of nuts, cookies, and tea/coffee/juice welcomed us.

Most Memorable Part: Sharing the beautiful scenery while biking with great friends

The routes were described well before each ride and usually easy to follow, however at least one person in your group should have a GPS. The guide and scenery were exceptional. The food was great but it was difficult getting vegetarian food for dinner even though I had requested vegetarian when I signed up.

The trip was amazing!! From pink Lakes, to Pink Flamingos, White Sandy Beaches, to the Punta Du Gard, Castles, Sunsets, Fields of Lavender, and Van Gough. This trip was a feast for the senses. What a fun trip. I've already booked my next one. This was excellent!!

I loved meeting new biking friends from other countries. Everything was wonderful!

Overall the trip was great. Route was rated as easy, but it was a little more difficult than expected. Lots of traffic in Paris and trails and streets were often more like off-road or mountain biking. That should be made clear from the beginning.

The barge staff, tour guides and fellow bike riders were the best part of this tour! Please know that this is definitely a bike tour. We zipped through towns at a steady pace but it wasn’t unbearable for a novice bike rider like me. However there wasn’t much time to visit any towns and do some sightseeing.

Most Memorable Part: Riding through the Belgian countryside

We loved this trip. The route was scenic and easily navigated, the bikes were well maintained and the customer service was impeccable. It was an easy trip with the exception of one leg at the end, but electric bikes made it doable. Absolutely recommended. The only point of confusion was occasionally the GPS would point us in 2 different directions. One was the main route and the other was an optional side trip. At times it was confusing as to which way to go. Otherwise, things were exceptionally well planned. See this wonderful part of Portugal while it’s still less visited by tourists.

A bike and barge trip is the perfect way for active people to tour Croatia. The biking was challenging, but doable, and the scenery made up for it all. Our guides were experts, and had our safety and enjoyment foremost in their minds. We thoroughly enjoyed the tours of the various cities, towns and parks provided when not biking. The meals on the boat were gourmet, and the accommodations quite comfortable. The crew treated us with the utmost respect and caring, plus, we got to meet lovely people from all over the world. This was one of our most memorable and fun vacations!

I have just returned from a most pleasant bike trip Prague - Dresden. The well paved and mostly flat bike paths made the cycling quite easy and enabled us to enjoy the wonderful scenery of the countryside. The hotel rooms were clean and spacious, especially the Chateau Liblice, which was a real treat. We were well fed and got plenty of drinks. The Czech and german beers are excellent, the wines are not bad either. Our guide Vitek made every possible effort to meet all our expectations.His stories helped me enrich the knowledge about the country, its history, people, traditions. But above all Vitek is a very nice, kind and friendly person.
Thank you Vitek for all the fun we had and for making me enjoy every minute of the trip.

Did a self-guided tour with a group of 5 women - had a blast. Flat terrain, beautiful scenery. Glad we built in time to explore Porto and Coimbra, both fabulous cities. Sergio was a pleasure to work with, highly recommend this trip.

Each day of the tour had its own special treat. A castle one day, a palace the next. The opera experience in Vienna was amazing. A day cycling through the vineyards with a relaxing place to sample wines. Crossing the river through the lock. The guide always explains in advance the best places to visit on the ride.

The guides, the boat, the food, the staff all contributed to making this a perfect vacation. Swimming off the boat into beautiful water after a long bike ride was perfect. Biking the hills required lots of stamina, but the scenery at the top was worth the work. Thanks to everyone for making this a fun trip.

The staff and the crew went together to create an experience that we won’t soon forget. From first class food and accommodation to well maintained equipment and tour guides who at every possible opportunity went out of their way to make sure that there was nothing that could be improved on. I finished the tour knowing that while I couldn’t have done it without an e bike, the enthusiasm, excellent coaching and mental route preparation by Lucy and Ben made each day while still a challenge, a wonderful scenic outdoor adventure.

I've done three "Bikes and Barges" trips that I booked through Tripsite, This was far and away the best one. The advance preparations made by the staff of the Romantica were excellent. The two directors were competent, knowledgeable, and friendly. The meals were balanced and well prepared and served in ample portions (truth be told more than ample!). The bike rides were well planned and beautiful. This was truly a delightfully awesome experience. Highly recommended.

Croatia was beautiful. Every time you thought you saw the most beautiful place we would go to another more spectacular place. Bikes were good esp the e bike for my wife who had asma. The guides did everything they could to make the trip special. The boat stopped lots for swim breaks. Food on board was very good. Our server Klatko made the meals special. The only negative is that all the staff smoked as most people in Croatia. I would recommend a double room on upper deck for more privacy and to get away from staff smoking. All in all I would definitely recommend this trip to everyone.