Europe Tour Reviews — 6691 to 6720 of 6832

Travel quite different from the usual, fantastic landscapes. Traveled on the MS Magnifique, excellent service and facilities. The group guide (Tom) is attentive and competent. So you can be conducting another tour. Congratulations.               Ruyter Aquino.

Our trip, Venice to Mantova April 27th 2013, was absolutely spectacular. What can I say, the venue, facilities, amenities, equipment, guides, cooks, etc ...all exceeded expectations. Our chief guide and host, the friendly and indefatigable Hein Hoefnagels, was superb in making a last minute route and program change due to the unexpected Po river springtime flooding issue.. A very fun time, meeting some great people, learning about and seeing many historical sites.. this truly was an unforgettable experience.. My Bucket List , instead of being reduced by one, has probably been 'added to' for a repeat. !!

A todos os envolvidos na nossa viagem, gostaríamos de dizer que ficamos encantados. Ficamos surpresos de saber que éramos os primeiros brasileiros em muitos lugares que passamos, no nosso roteiro. Precisamos divulgar melhor essa bela opção de viagem que voces estão promovendo.

obrigada mais uma vez

The April 14th, 2013 trip on the Elodie far exceeded my expectations. The dynamite crew provided excellent care and service. Meeting people from other countries, sharing stories, riding in the wind (and just a little bit of rain) and dining with each other for the week was a bonding experience. Ine, our guide, was patient and knowledgable, Vamme was a good captain who joined us on some of our city strolls and Sander was a chef extraordinaire ~ definitely the "King of Creme Brulle" ! My friend and I hope to take another Bike & Barge trip ~ and would arrange our trip around the Elodie. What wonderful memories!!!

We just returned from the Tulip Tour on the Elodie. It was fantastic. Our guide, Ine, was great, even going the extra mile by offering city walks each evening. Sander, the chef, created outstanding gourmet dinners enhanced by his enthusiastic description and presentations. Our captain was great, pitching in as needed. The bikes were brand new and of excellent quality, and the biking was really fun - challenging at times with the wind, which added to the enjoyment. We got to tour a working windmill and a cheese producing farm and learned a lot about the Netherlands. No tulip fields this week but that was the only disappointment and it was overshadowed by all the positives. A fantastic trip!

We had a wonderful week, despite the strong winds which made cycling more difficult. The tour guide was excellent and very supportive of any problems. The very late spring meant that we didn't see any flowering tulip fields, but the fields of daffodils and hyacinths more than made up for it. The crew of the Eva Josiena could not have been more welcoming.

What a fabulous time! The crew on the Elodie could not have been better. Sanders, the chef, put out gourmet meals every night, with wonderful breakfast choices each morning. Our guide for the week, Miriah, took such good care of us, was always cheerful & helpful, and we really saw an amazing cross section of the Netherlands.The April 7th trip, this year, was cold, and unfortunately because of the very late spring there were very few tulips, but that didn't dim our enjoyment, and it was highly unusual. Some of the mileages shown are a little short. Day 2 was possible to do 34 miles & day 7 was 22 miles. All do-able even for someone who hasn't kept up on their cycling.

A group of us will be doing the Tulip Tour on the Merlijn. A couple of years ago we toured Germany on Merlijn. It was a top notch experience and we are looking forward to this years trip.

Hennie recommeded this Tour to us in 2011 and we have gone in both 2011 & 2012. Unfortunately, we are unable to go in 2013. We went back the 2nd year because of the Hotel. The Family that owns and runs the Hotel is excellent and the service and dining is outstanding. We will definitely go back.

Al & Sue

My husband and I went on the Venice to Montova trip September 2012 and had a wonderful trip. Our guide Fabio was fabulous and the food was so good, I was worried I'd put on a few pounds. But with all the biking, I think I lost a few. The barge was so comfortable and the crew did everything possible to make our stay comfortable. We loved the towns and the sights, especially Montova and Venice. Such fascinating country. The terrain was flat enough that the biking was very manageable. One day we did more than expected, about 45 miles and it was windy, but we made it with the great bikes. We are definitely planning on taking another bike and barge trip through Tripsite!

We did south Dalmatia aboard Adonis. The island hopping was strenuous but the scenery grand. Great young guides and great food.

We really had a great time on this tour. Our young guides did a fabulous job, we enjoyed the Tarin and crew, and Cookie's food was terrific.

We absolutely loved Alsace, Osthouse, Hotel la Ferme and the bike rides. The villages, canals, tree-lined tow paths and the people..plus the wonderful stay at Hotel la Ferme. We did not want it to end.

We had visited Bruges previously and wanted to return to this beautiful charming place. The routes took us in all 4 directions from the city; each was interesting and beautiful. We loved the B&B stay.

My husband, I and two friends did the island hopping tour along the southern coast of Croatia in Sept 2012. The San Snova is a beautiful boat with a friendly very helpful crew. Sailing between islands was lovely. Our guides were always encouraging even on the steeper hills. Never have I seen such a beautiful country and crystal clear water as in Croatia. Each island was unique, the people friendly, the small towns charming and Dubrovnik a gem.

We traveled with another couple from Saarburg to Koblenz and enjoyed every part of the trip, even biking in the rain during a couple of days! The bikes we used were better than our bikes at home, the gears changed easily and the bike was comfortable. We were provided with suitcases to put onto the bikes so we could easily store our lunch, water bottles, coat, camera etc. Every morning started with a clear and concise presentation on the route we were taking during the day. We received booklets that contained information on our route and descriptions on what we were going to see along the way. The bike paths were paved and we rarely had to worry about vehicle traffic along the way. We toured beside the Mosel River, past many kilometers of vineyards growing on steep slopes; we toured through small villages with castles overlooking the countryside. We took time to stop in villages along the way to enjoy some of the local wines and beer and apple strudel. The barge experience was excellent - the staff were very helpful and interested in helping you with any issues that arose. Our only recommendation would be to have WiFi available for the guests so we could easily keep in touch with families through email however most of the villages did have internet cafes. Overall the experience was excellent and we are already looking at booking our next bike trip through this site - Italy here we come!

What could be better than biking in Belgium and Holland? Returning each day to the Merlijn with Jantien and Hank as your host! We loved it so much that we know any trip with them would be another life memory. After returning home we booked our next trip within 3 days! This year we go with them to France & Germany. There is a reason their trips book so far in advance. Don't wait! Book now for next year! It will be better than any expectations you have! We can't wait for this year's tour!

We really enjoyed the tour. This was our first time cycling in Europe and we are eagerly anticipating our next. We liked the flexibility of self-guided. The hotel was great and we loved Bruges!

Absolutely loved the trip on board the Merlijn. Wonderful staff and amenities on board, met a great like minded group of travelling companions. As a coeliac, the crew were very attentive and ensured all my dietary needs were met. Nothing was too much trouble.

As for the cycling and the scenery....what can I say? It was magic cycling along quiet bikeways through the vineyards and small villages, at all times in sight of the wonderful Moselle River.

Last but not least...the wine selection and quality on board the Merlijn was the best (and very well priced).

Already thinking about our next bike and barge tour...with the great help from Tripsite (of course).

We had a terrific time exploring the vibrant city of Berlin, followed by marvelous days biking thru rejuvenated areas of eastern Germany. The Merlijn is a ***** experience of delightful accommodation, excellent dining, gracious hospitality. TripSite provides thorough itinery information and offers rapid replies to questions to prepare for the Bike/Barge experience. It was our second booking and we had a wonderful time.

What a great tour! Beautiful scenery, easy riding, wonderful accommodations

This was a fabulous tour (April 2012). The boat was spacious and clean, with very good food & amenities. The bikes provided were in excellent condition. The hosts & staff were friendly & accommodating. The daily bike trips were interesting & well organized- too many highlights to describe. A great way to see many parts of Holland, especially if you combine the bike tour with several days before and/or after in Amsterdam. The staff at Tripsite provided all necessary information.

My wife and I did this tour with our two young children. I rode a tandem with a tag along so the our two kids had my leading through the ride. We had a wonderful time, and the help we received in booking the right family accommodation was fabulous. I highly recommend this tour as a family

We took this tour in October, 2012. It was fantastic. The history, the scenery, the chateaus of the Loire Valley are truly amazing. The little country inn was delightful, with steaming pots of hot chocolate with breakfast and elegant, world- class, dinners. The provided route maps were a challenge to follow, taking us deep into forests, etc. that were great to experience. But on Day 3, we switched to the official French bike route maps because they were so easy to use. I finally got to study the scenery as we pedaled along! Thanks, Pack and Pedal, for a perfect vacation. We'll be back!

I recently enjoyed the Paris to Bruges bike & barge tour and I loved it. The crew were fantastic, the service was excellent and the daily ride with a wonderful guide was great fun. It was one of the best travel experiences. Thanks to everyone on the Elodie for the ideal holiday. (I was on the 30th Sept 2012 trip)

Our group had a WONDERFUL time. I am one of six who went to celebrate 20 years of biking together. I loved all the rides, but the ride on the last day Krem-Melk was the best! I liked the fact that the cruise director had everything lined out for the rides and actually went with us. He also pointed out good places to stop along the way for local treats. I loved going to the small villages along the way, especially Vac in Hungary. I also liked all the activiities the boat crew had planned, a music quiz contest, skits and dancing on the last night and Roland on the piano-organ. The food on the boat was so delicious; something to celebrate each country we were in. It waas wonderful touring through Budapest and Vienna. I highly recommend this trip!

Did Castle of the Loire 3rd week of sept 2012. The weather was nice though we did get rain on our first afternoon. No complaints at all. We picked the 2 star option and were more than happy. All hotels clean and comfortable and the staff helpful and friendly. Food was fantastic. Bikes were also fabulous and the intinery/directions easy to follow (even when we got ourselves a little lost, easy to get back on track). We are 50 and of average fitness, the bike riding was not too hard. We will definately look at another tour soon. Thanks for the memories!

We loved the trip. The food was better than advertised, and the barge was more comfortable than expected. Our suggestion for improvement would be a second guide OR better overall maps for a breakaway group.

This was the best way to enjoy Europe combining bicycling through painting-like landscapes on a well balanced tour of culture, history and fun with a fantastic caring crew and fabulous food! The addition of a dozen Australians made it even better; and barging into Paris on a sunny afternoon with a glass of wine was divine. We're booking again in 2013!

If you picked a tour aboard the Merlijn for your next vacation, you made the perfect choice. It is not just a barge, it is a luxury barge. The ride through the Mosel Valley is stunning with the vineyards and quaint towns. But, beyond that it is the specialness of your hosts, Jantien and Henk that make this an outstanding experience. Jantien's warmth, humor and attention to detail is amazing along with the delicious meals she prepares. When you come away from the trip, you are left with wonderful memories and you feel like you were entertained in the home of a close friend.