Europe Tour Reviews — 931 to 960 of 6879

Making pasta was a fun event.
One gourmet dinner looked fantastic BUT did not taste great.
The hikes WERE DEFINITELY not as advertised!! Dangerous and unsafe in some areas. Walking through the olive groves was lovely. We are all experienced hikers and walkers but some parts too hard.
The architecture was delightful every where. Hotel in Fontebella was lovely. In ASSISI while walking became upon a visual a d musical journey of St. Francis that was unbelievably fantastic!!!
Our wine tasting at Saio was great.
Hotel in Spello was the best but we could only stay one night-disapointing!!
Best meal was Enotata Properzo.

So, how about adventuring and pedaling along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia?!

WHAT is there not to like?!
My week aboard was incredible!

We thrived on our well-appointed, gorgeous yacht, with other Salty Dogs and Intrepid Travelers, who knew how to cruise on a two-wheeler, share their stories, several even danced in our dining room!

We could stroll each evening while docked at a new and charming island quay. This Adriatic Sea adventure had plenty to write home about! However that could wait….

Add E-assist bikes, I was in two-wheeled heaven! Our bike guides were fun, creative, careful, and loved to story-tell!

We swam in comfy ocean temps, breathtakingly clear, turquoise ocean,YES and YES!

Our sailors knew their ropes, the chefs had ThatTouch, dining room staff warm and welcoming, handsome dynamic duo, our Captain and Chief Engineer set the scene for thoughtfulness and harmony between crew and visitors aboard M/V Harmonia last month, I will definitely be back for more!

Other highlights: dice a’rolling, cards a’snapping: one choice of an evening activity, aside a night cap or warm cuppa’ in our classy dining room.

Our yummy culinary delights? OMG!

My group of 8 Oregon baby-boomers were well cared for, and all of us are now inspired to journey again, somewhere, sometime with our Trip-Site hosts
Gratitude to all,
Cathy Ellis
September 2024
Eugene, Oregon, USA

The biking, sailing, and staff were great. We really enjoyed the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen and the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker.

We really enjoyed our cycling adventure in South Holland however, what was not mentioned was that the entire boat; staff and guests spoke German. This was not in the information that I read when booking this adventure. We did not understand the people at our table nor when we were cycling. The itinerary said the trip was September 21-29, so I was surprised when our trip was over on the 28th. I then needed to secure a hotel room that evening. Finally, I booked a room on the upper floor to have a view of the water and a window that opened. I did not read anywhere that the boat was in port each evening and I paid a premium to look at people sitting on a bench. We did not open the curtains or window for this very reason. I do feel that I should be reimbursed the extra fee that was charged for being on the upper floor.
Our guide Wolfgang tried his best to help us in English but he was difficult to understand. The food was great, and having coffee and cakes when we arrived back each day was fabulous.

We had a wonderful week on the Clair de Lune. The barge is small and the cabins tiny but when we went through the locks with less than an inch to spare, the width was understandable. The captain, Marco, was delightful. He spent time with us every evening and improved the quality of our trip with his presence. Dick, our guide, has excellent and has a great sense of humour!
Food was good. Highlights included visiting the Abbey de Fontmorigny and meeting its owner, Dominique, and visiting le Château de Meauce. A special experience was being taken inside the private and beautifully renovated living space of Cèdric & Séverine Mignon! The crew adapted well the the changes necessitated by damage to the canal near Briare. The bike paths as well designed and maintained and I felt very safe travelling on them. I’d highly recommend this type of a holiday.

How helpful the on board staff were. With the exception of Arie, the tour guide, I found everyone helpful and fun. The guys who managed our bikes were awesome, even wiping down our seats in the rain.

What wonderful views in Puglia. in addition to the biking, loved the cooking class and wine tasting- best guide ever, Julia went out of her way to help us and spent extra hours every day making sure our trip went smoothly and was fun.

Wow! Hands down, one of our best vacations ever!! Everything was memorable . . . gorgeous landscapes (new eye candy every day!), beautiful weather (Sept. 20 - 27) - 70's and sunny, challenging exercise, exquisite meals, dipping in the crystal clear Adriatic . . . and, best of all, getting to know our terrific guides, Romantica staff, and travel mates from all around the globe (Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.).
My husband (70) and I (64) love to bike ride, but we weren't quite sure what to expect on this trip in regards to elevation. The rides were tough, but so rewarding when finishing. I rode a regular bike 4 out of the 6 days; My husband rode a regular bike 5 out of the 6 days - it was so great that extra e-bikes were available so we had a choice on the most difficult days. Only 3 riders (out of the 26) rode regular bikes all 6 days.
We love adventure and active vacations . . . this trip was the best!!

Ended up being a Two-Country Tour due to high Danube water levels. It got a bit chaotic at times trying to understand where we were headed, when/where we would be riding, etc. While I think the onboard crew did a decent job of trying to adapt to the situation, I think boat operator should have had better contingency plans in place before ever leaving port. Watching/reading news reports the day the boat left Passau, water conditions were not unknown and it was predictable that the boat wouldn't make it to Budapest.

The bike rides we did get in were beautiful and the Danube area is definitely worth seeing. We were fortunate that most of the bike paths that had been affected by the flooding had been cleared and so only a few routes were detoured due to silt/debris on path. The bus rides we took to see a couple of the destinations we couldn't reach by water were longer than the time at the destination, but the time at the destinations was enjoyable.

Since we had anticipated it being the highlight of our trip, I wish we had made it to Budapest!!

The food was excellent without exception. Our guide was super helpful, supportive, safety conscious and knowledgeable. The people of Albania are very friendly and I always felt safe while riding my bike.

We loved this trip, our first group trip with a guide, and our first biking trip. The guide was knowledgeable and very interactive, and the support staff person thoughtful and proactive. Our guide even shared his traditional music talents, which was an unexpected bonus. The cheese making demonstration and lunch was a highlight, as was staying at a masseria (farm). Good food and great tour stops.

A few tweaks would have made the trip five stars. Some of the bikes had power issues which weren't addressed during the week, and the hotel in Alberobello was not as nice as the others. I wish the last biking day would have had more biking--the other days were full of side trips and culinary/cultural experiences, but the final day seemed to be just a functional direct short ride to our final destination.

Puglia is fascinating, especially the areas around Alberobello. A great place to ride.

This tour is a great value for the expenditure.

The Albanian bike trip started slowly on various fronts. Then, each day it built and built on the previous day’s experiences. Until, you were bombarded with so much beauty, good food and laughter that you could have been forgiven for thinking you had somehow slipped into heaven. Albeit, with Paragliders substituting for angels. I mean WOW.

Bato and Juli, the duo who looked after us;
were a father and son team. They were up to every challenge we hurled at them. They were competent, compassionate and charming.

My only recommendation would be to stay one extra night at the final hotel.

The reality of a 4:00 AM airport transfer after having had such a gratifying trip, was harsh! Ha

Our guide Ernesto was great. The size of our group and lack of support from tour company was the source of most issues!
I loved the locations we were taken. The food was amazing and again our guide Ernesto was great.

Visiting the city of Matera was a truly unique experience. The history and architecture was fascinating. Matera was a great place to begin our adventure through the Puglia region. The food was excellent throughout our tour and great effort was taken to be sure we were served locally grown tasty treats including yummy local wines.

The best part of the trip was seeing the different towns with their beautiful historic buildings. Unfortunately because of the prior week's rains which caused high water along the river, we weren't able to visit Budapest.

The scenery we passed through. It was beautiful. I definitely recommend going on the side excursion to the flower auction. Crazy scale.

The entire trip was stunningly beautiful, to the Adriatic Sea, biking on the numerous islands and the views of the mountains while traveling on the boat and riding our bikes. The tour guides were knowledgeable and attentive as well as the entire crew on our boat. The bike trips were full of interesting sites and easy to complete. If you’re looking for a relaxing trip that includes biking on numerous islands, swimming at some of the some most gorgeous beaches around then this trip is for you. Book it now, you won’t regret it.

The fun interaction with all the other people on the barge. Also, the fantastic guides and crew - all were great. Food terrific as evidenced by the 5 lbs. I gained!
While the terrain was flat, there was a couple of days when we had gravel and tree roots which made the going a little tougher and hard on the butt and lower back. An additional cushioned seat cover would have helped. Many people had Emile’s which were helpful over the rougher terrain. I never thought I would need one but I am almost 85 and have a broken down lower back. I really struggled on the second day when we did 50 km and some lengthy rough patches. People with e-bikes felt they were very good bikes, heavier than a regular bike but expected. The regular bikes were excellent other than a little more cushioning would help. The scenery along the way is not very interesting.
but earlier reviews mentioned that. It’s more about the fun of the group. This is likely my last bike trip but it was a great one. All of the bike & barge trips are terrific.

My sister and I bike and barge once a year on smaller barges with only about 12 staterooms. We opted to try a true, large river boat on this trip. Our trip was on the Swiss Crown. It started and ended in Passau Germany, with a destination of Vienna. We were impressed by the beauty of the boat and by our room, which had every amenity we could have asked for. The Danube bike trail was amazing despite epic flooding that had occurred little over a week prior. Our guide Carl was a delight. The meals were exceptional and well executed. The staff worked as a well oiled machine...always on cue. For those that are used to larger ships and river boats, this cruise is for you! It will not disappoint. As for my sister and I, although we loved this experience, we found we missed the intimacy that smaller barges provide. But the Swiss Crown was an elegant and lovely experience we will never forget!

It's impossible for me to name a single most memorable part of this trip; it was the total package- beautiful scenery, beautiful boat, delicious gourmet food, excellent cycling equipment, excellent fun guides and ship crew. The size of the group was good and happily we all got along great. We were also lucky with the weather as shoulder season brought some rain we dodged with a slight itinerary adjustment. Despite an initial snag due to a couple of cabins not being what people had reserved via Tripsite, the trip guides managed to sort things out to everyone's satisfaction thanks to kindness and generosity within the group and I am confident in writing that every single person aboard had a wonderful time.

We were paired with a fun couple at mealtime. They ended up cycling with us most days and we shared stories and laughter.

The maps were more helpful than the written directions. All hotels were excellent, rooms, service and food. The bikes were quite heavy for the distances involved. The women did not like the seats, rubbed their lady parts the wrong way. Questions were answered quickly through What’s App. Inform riders than many restaurants in Europe are closed on Sundays. Have a map that shows where the hotel(s) are located. Considering the Danube flooding conditions, the staff responded quickly, but it would have been nice to be better informed each morning about changing conditions.

This was the seventh bike/barge tour, in Europe, which I have taken. It was a wonderful tour. The boat, the crew and the guides were among if not the best. In particular the quality and the presentation of the food was outstanding,. I have three suggestions that in my opinion would have made the trip more comfortable. The first is quite minor but most North Americans use a facecloth in the bathrooms, I would prefer this to the two handtowels which were provided for each guest, Secondly, on each of my earlier trips better accommodations were made for guests to dry out light laundry or wet clothing. A clothesline set up on upper patio could work well for this, Finally, my experience is that cycling in a group of 31 is awkward and potentially dangerous. Our two guides worked together very well to control the traffic and allow the whole group to cross major roads safely but two smaller groups would mean shorter traffic delays.
Overall a great trip which I will gladly recommend yo others

The lack of communication on the lack of planning for weather. There should have been plans in place for us to visit all 4 countries that we paid for, or compensation for missing Budapest.

The scenery was beautiful, very memorable. The staff was excellent, accommodating and professional. Thank you for that. The e-bikes were great, and definately made riding fun. Unfortunately, due to flooding on the Danube, we did not get to experience important parts of the trip. The staff did their best to make up for this, but we did miss out on anticipated stops and excursions.

What a fantastic 10-day cycling trip to Albania! It was exciting to see the beauty of Albania on a bicycle from the Llogara Pass, a high mountain pass within the Ceraunian Mountains, to the coastline of the Albania Riveria. Our tour guide, Juli, and support team, Bato, did a fantastic job. The entire tour was seamless. The meals were preplanned and ready to be served when we got off the bikes. The routes were well-planned and beautiful, with excellent coffee breaks and interesting mini-tours along the way. I would highly recommend this trip.

EVERYTHING about this trip was spectacular. We were so impressed with our guide Antonio in his expertise and knowledge of the area of Tuscany. The friends we made are memorable and probably lifelong. The food, the trails, the villages, the group dinners, the pizza lunch— all of it is memorable. We’ll be back for another Tripsite Trip!! Caio!

The riding was fabulous. The routes were challenging, yet doable for me (on e-bike,) and the towns and views were just breathtaking. My husband is a strong rider, but opted for an ebike, and enjoyed challenging himself by keeping it at the lowest level.