Europe Tour Reviews — 1861 to 1890 of 6850

This tour was incredible from start to finish. The staff was a 10/10, the guide was a 10/10, Food was a 10/10, the outside of the boat was a 7/10, the inside of the boat was a 0/10. Awful. The rooms smelled of gas and mold, quite toxic. The wall was peeling off in the bathroom, no hot water most of the time, shower didn't drain. No mattress covers, no nice bedding - old and gross. Our room was near the generator so the smell of exhaust was terrible, unbearable and toxic the first 2 nights. You guys have to change this. It's not right you make people endure such terrible accommodation, it really takes away from the experience. We would love to recommend this, because everything else was so amazing - but in doing so it comes with a huge warning the rooms are gross and to prepare for the worst.

Amazing scenery and wonderfully organized. We were extremely fortunate with the weather for our 5day tour. Being late September, it was harvest season and we watched them unloading, weighing and processing grapes at the winery in the centre of Meersburg, as well as cycling through orchards of apples and pears at the peak of harvest.
On the weekend there were multiple events around the Untersee, including a rally car event, Porsche event, and moped event. Travelled through picturesque towns, as well as agriculture fields with cows and sheep with the iconic sound of their traditional bells. Most of the ride we were on trails designated for bikes exclusively, and where the bike trails were shared , with either traffic or pedestrians, priority and respect was given to cyclists. This route had very few hills. The hotels were well organized for bike storage

We saw such beautiful scenery and wonderful sites from ages past. But our tour guide made the trip for us. He was entertaining, informative, and we always knew what we were seeing. He welcomed our questions and kept us well informed of our next moves. He also put together an excellent video of our trip so I didn’t feel I needed to stop and take pictures of every little thing. He captured the trip beautifully. Also, the people we met I hope will be in my life from now on. Great experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.

We had a great time on this trip. It is easy cycling so good for newbies. The cassoulet at the Castelnaudary lodging was excellent. As was the place itself.

We used the GPS files so no problem navigating. Others mentioned the written directions could use work. Bikes were very good and we had no problems.

Would recommend taking the alternate routes some days. They go off the canal for better views.

For a picnic lunch go to Le Relais de Sully in Villesèquelande. Very well provisioned store.

If having lunch on the last day go to Marseillan Port, not Plage. Very limited options. Or power through and stop at La Parenthèse (accès N°23) almost at Sète. For which you will pay more but beautiful beach and food.

Our guides Isabell and Raphael were fantastic. They made every ride, every meal, every port come alive and exciting. They were very knowledgeable and able to share the history of all the areas we rode through. Route was awesome .
We also had a wonderful cohesive fun group of international riders.
New friendships and memories made
The boat needs some updating and maintenance to its electrical , air conditioning and plumbing. Great crew!!

One of the guests arrived on the barge not well. Instead of isolating himself in his cabin until he was better and or testing himself for covid he carried on. Within a few days a number of guests came down with covid.Even though the captain suggested covid is just like having a cold a number of guests were very sick , were unable to cycle, and obviously had a horrible time.

We had a wonderful adventure on this trip and got to see some stunning cities along the way. Cycling was wonderful the bikes and e-bikes were in excellent condition. The boat was beautiful and staff were attentive and courteous. Briefings were informative and routes easy to follow on self guided tours. Would and have recommended to friends.

Touring the beautiful countryside and visiting the pleasant towns otherwise not likely going to see was memorable.

Great trip the tour could use a rundown on the operation of the e-bikes. Bikes were great but a rundown on removal and locking the bike needed to be done. Seat adjustment needs to be covered as well. Crew was great just more time for the operation of e-bikes is needed

Our trip began in Passau which is a beautiful, scenic town in Bavaria. We were greeted on the Merlijn by the owners, Coen and Christina and our guide, Ilsa. They offered to take our suitcases to our cabins for us. I was immediately impressed. The food was excellent, and Christina made delicious sack lunches for us each day for the ride. I can’t emphasize enough how gracious they were and how well they took care of us. Additionally, the rides were through scenic towns and the quiet countryside, where Ilsa gave us brief descriptions of the towns and the areas of interest in each place. She was a terrific guide. I felt reluctant to get off the ship in Nuremberg because I enjoyed this trip so much that I would do it again in an instant. I highly recommend this trip.

The spectacle surrounding along the river, the cycling part, the good service on board.

Tips : It could be a good idea to arrange some stops for tasting visits, local wine, other local indigence, in the cycling tour.

The views along the Moselle River were spectacular. I especially loved riding bikes to the quaint little towns and through the vineyards. Every meal on the barge was delicious.

Carcassonne was a highlight of this trip. It is an exceptional city. I plan a return visit. The weather cooperated, only one day of showers. This is my 4th bike trip using Tripsite. I highly recommend them. They are extremely responsive and helpful in planning your dream vacation.

I really liked the bicycle riding. The scenery was beautiful and it's a great way to see the German countryside. Our guide Ilsa was fantastic and the crew of the Merlijn was first rate. The chef on the boat prepared tasty cuisine for us every night.

I really liked the bicycle riding. The scenery was beautiful and it's a great way to see the German countryside. Our guide Ilsa was fantastic and the crew of the Merlijn was first rate. The chef on the boat prepared tasty cuisine for us every night.

Provence’s history is very interesting & our guide, Alex showed us some less touristy archaeological sites. Loved cycling down shaded country lanes especially as the 90-95 degree heat in Sep was a struggle at times. Be prepared for potholes and gravel on many of those scenic backroads. Add a visor to your bike helmet to ward of some of the heat & keep your energy up. The L’ Estello had a lovely upper deck lounge & eating area. The cabins are small & do not all have the same amenities (hooks, storage). The bathrooms are quite small & for anyone over 5’7” hard to move around in. There is no separate shower stall therefore everything in the bathroom gets wet; you must remember to remove anything that you don’t want to get wet which is a daily task when cycling. Instead of a train from Paris to Provence, consider a flight to Montpellier; it is a 30 min taxi ride to Aigues Mortes. Good connections from/to your North American flight make it possible for you to avoid a layover in Paris or a 4 hr train (with transfers) ride.

The people made this tour. Some of the cycling routes were on major roads. Others were on gravel. Our guide Christopher was wonderful. Boat was ok. We had a room that had not been refurbished. Most other rooms had been updated. The main course of each meal was good but the vegetables accompanying them were overcooked and mushy. I would give the food a 5 out of 10.
Bikes were in great condition and repaired by the guides quickly if needed.

The Danube is one of the top places to bike in Europe – and I’ve done it many times over the last eight years. However, I did not enjoy the Primadonna. I wish that Tripsite would’ve told me that it was a “bargain” cruise. The staff was not very professional, and although breakfast was very good, dinner was somewhere between OK and unacceptable. Worst thing was the bike route description briefing. The cruise Director talked in circles and you never had a clear understanding of what you were doing. We had to ask a lot of questions and make notes to be clear. Many people in my group struggled - and the printed hand out they gave us was worthless.
Very disappointed in Tripsite for letting me book this for my group. I feel it was their responsibility to tell me that the Primadonna and it’s staff were the bottom of the barrel on the Danube boat and bike list, compared to others they offer.
In sales, they call that: managing expectations.
I wish we would’ve taken the Manon (which I did last Summer) – far better in every sense.

This trip was beautiful, the countryside the little towns and villages were all wonderful to visit. The guides were excellent and certainly new their stuff. The barge itself was very comfortable and the food was fabulous. The crew were very easy to get along with and the captain of the Quo Vadis was very generous and friendly. We enjoyed every aspect of this bike/ barge.

This tour was fantastic! To start off, you are on the most beautiful ship out there - the Merlijn. This ship is pure luxury! Also, the crew and owners are the best out there. Ilse, the guide was just awesome. She is full of energy and so much knowledge. I learned so much from her about the area we were biking in and sailing in. Don’t hesitate, book now for 2024 on the Merlijn. You won’t be sorry.

We really enjoyed this well set up tour through beautiful countryside with a carefully planned route. The maps and suggestions left time to explore and Lukas' team were easy to contact when a glitch occurred and was rapidly fixed. The accommodation was delightful and the bikes were perfect for the route (light enough frame to lift over kerbs, good range of gears). The route was mixed but mostly countryside. After the first day hill the route was mostly flat and presented no problems for us (we are 70/72) and we spent lots of time stopping for flowers, photographs and beer. We have used Tripsite before but this is now my favourite tour.

This was a fantastic vacation. The bike and barge trip also include a few hikes to castles and other attractions. It was a wonderful surprise and great to break up the day. The tours were well organized to ensure everyone knew where to turn and no one was left behind with a sweep always watching. Every day was slightly different and the time flew by. Perhaps the most memorable were the people. The boat crew and guides were fun and easy going which made the whole experience very comfortable. The other quests were wonderful. Overall great experience.

Trip was good, food was good, routes were good, the condition on the roads / trails chosen were not the best but that is really out of the control of Tripsite. A bit disappointed that there were no cycling jersey's on the boat for sale as well as we did not receive a Tripsite pre trip gift as we had in the past for being a repeat customer.

We were amazed at all the vineyards! We knew the area was famous for Riesling but we had no idea how immense the area was. We also loved the small villages. So much history there.

This trip had been postponed several times so we were really excited about finally getting to bike the islands and explore Croatia. From the experiences we have heard about from people who did this trip in the heat of summer, we knew that we would have a better chance in mid Sept for better weather and riding. That was definitely the case, although there were still some rather hot days.

Which leads to the boat, Romantica. This boat was okay, not great by any means. Small cabins which tended to get musty and damp. And the few days the weather got hot the indoor dining was extremely uncomfortable. The upper deck, unlike many boats, did not have a cover, so other than a few stretching sessions, became rather useless. No outdoor dining options on the boat. I would say the Romantica needs a major retrofit.

The guides, Alan and Ivan, on the other hand were amazing. Just a pleasure to be around and so helpful all week long. They were informative and kept the days interesting.

As others have mentioned, this is NOT bike trail biking. It is streets 99% of the time. Mid Sept was fine. But even the guides said in the summer some of the roads were almost unrideble.

I'd say stay away from July and August and do this trip in either the Spring or Fall.

We had the most amazing trip. The boat was beautiful, clean, and well equipped. Our guides were phenomenal. They were fun, flexible and knowledgeable.

What a fabulous time we had! We could not have asked for a better trip with the best guides in all of Croatia. Alan and Dora were the best. They packed our trip with such great experiences, we could not be more pleased. Thank you!

Gordes and Rousillon and St Remy where the best bike rides. Very Scenic and interesting. This is our first self guided bike ride. Hotels were friendly and great. Avignon is a great place to visit and see local culture and history.

Ride book is almost useless. helped with start of ride location. Maps are unreadable; trip route lost in all the colors. Without GPX phone maps would not have been feasible to do the rides. One phone battery is not enough for a days ride. Important you stress riders need backup phones or portable charger unit.
Bike set up was poorly handled. Phillipe was unavailable, his wife came late instead. She did not discuss all relevant issues for first time riders - pedal change mechanics, two different bike computers and operation, use of map book. Got a late start for ride in morning

The bike and barge along the Saar and Mosel (or Moselle) rivers is undoubtedly the most underrated journey in Europe. The biking was easy (I'm over 65, fit but no athlete, and used a regular bike) and would be a glide on an electric bike. The scenery and towns are wonderful, vineyards lining the hillsides and mostly small, charming towns. The biggest cities on the route, Trier and Cochem, are great spots to spend a day. A giant bonus were the crew and guides on the Quo Vadis- top notch all the way. A tip for future travelers- choose the route that ends in Cochem- it's all downhill!

The whole trip was amazing!! But the one thing that sticks out is when we we stopped at the Canadian war cemetery…. And after touring around… Peter our guide stood proud in front of us and read the Poem “Flanders Field”. It brought tears to most of eyes.
Tips& suggestions… please make sure you know how to ride a bike! Being a bike tour… this is very important, as our tour guides did have to make the decision to have one couple stay back as they were not confident on the bikes. It is an easy ride but we did ride in towns and over cobble stone road ways. But they had to make that decision for the safety for them and others and I know it was a hard decision, but for that we thank them.