Europe Tour Reviews — 2251 to 2280 of 6850

The scenery was amazing and everything I have ever hoped for! The hills were beautiful but would have been difficult to enjoy without the help of the e-bikes.

It would be helpful if the bikes were equipped with an odometer so that including distances to the next turn. In addition or instead of a 15 page direction packet with paragraph instructions on where to turn maps of each days recommended rides would have been extraordinarily helpful. Without google gps and our own planning we wouldn’t have reached each destination in our self guided trip without getting lost and having to backtrack to see where we went wrong. The first day was frustrating without knowing we just needed to use google instead of the provided information. In addition a plastics zipper bag to carry the maps was less than adequate in a country with so much rain. We took several wrong turns and didn’t feel directions telling up to look for a blue barn where helpful. A positive is that the locals are super nice and helpful!

I would have enjoyed to have more options of where to ride with a map marked with good routes. It is easy to get turned around in the mountains and one wrong turn not caught leads to a long day.

The highlights: the accommodations were overall great, my favorites included Huntington house (right on the shore, amazing food and cocktails), Coolakay (the best views), and Glendalough (loads of places to explore).

What could be better or I would change: Maps! Maps are a must have to navigate the mountains of Wicklow. When you pick up your bike make sure you check everything over yourself. Don’t trust that you picked it up from the cycle shop. I road about 20 miles with a loose front wheel. I assumed that picking a bike up at a shop my wheels would be secured on the bike but they were not, I feel very lucky I didn’t wreck. Longer ride days would have been fun for those of us that prefer a full day of cycling versus just a couple hours. The names of the reservations at each hotel or bed and breakfast were always different we never knew whose name to give. None of our names were listed on the room at The Bridge Tavern and we were told the room hadn’t been paid for, we were unable to reach our local emergency contact, in fact they never called us back. It was extremely frustrating, the fortunate part is that Tripsite emergency number answered the phone and solved the problem.

The actual biking in Ireland was a once in a lifetime trip for me!

We felt the whole trip was great . Our accommodation and food and wine was excellent.The e-bikes we had were awesome! The scenery was really beautiful especially from Otranto down to Santa Maria Lueca and we met some wonderful new friends that we will keep in touch with!

We chose this tour for its scenic appeal, and it delivered! We really enjoyed the routes (including the hills - we like to have some climbs). The ride from Parthenonas to Porto Koufo was particularly beautiful, in fact we circled back and did one section of it twice because it was so scenic and was a great nearly car-free paved section. It was almost comical -- another beach and gorgeous view around practically every curve. This area of Greece is beautiful. The routes do go through Mediterranean forest as well, which was also nice. The hotels were fine, and in some cases exceeded expectations (e.g. the Porto Kofou Resort). We weren't thrilled with the Explore (Garmin) app used by the provider, because it did not provide voice prompts, nor alerts when we were off course. There were some technical issues with getting the routes to load on an iPhone, but we ultimately figured it out. The weather was quite good during early June, yet we were ahead of the crowds so it was not overly busy. We recommend this tour if you are seeking a scenic location with beaches, beautiful Mediterranean coastline, and waterfront villages!

Olympia is an excellent choice for a bike and boat trip. The comfort and food were excellent and the serving staff exceptional. The Trails were super being mostly off road and either along the river or in the trees with birds singing. Some of the berths of the boat in the bigger cities were difficult to find so make sure you have accurate directions

Sergio and John knew every inch of the route, and were professional, knowledgeable and supportive. All we had to do was show up every morning with packed luggage - they took care of transporting it to the next location. Each day’s ride was well planned and the team arranged surprises along the way. All accommodations were more than adequate, and a couple over the top! A great group of travel companions and a scenic, and sometimes a little challenging route.
The downside? - the week went too fast! We were so fortunate to connect with a great group of people to make a fabulous trip and memories. Absolutely recommend this tour.

We loved the SE Manon, its crew and the other travelers. We met many interesting people as we had a large group from Brazil and another from Norway on with us as well as the usual large group from Europe.

We choose to not bike in the large cities, but rather used walking tours in both Bratislava and Budapest and had a Vienna Greeter give us an interesting walking tour around their ring buildings. We felt comfortable using the local transportation in all three of these cities.

We just finished our Guided North Holland tour. What we loved the most was the time the guide took to show us the hidden gems of Holland. If we had done our own tour, we would not have got the true flavour of the Netherlands. For example, we were able to go into working windmills the pumped water as well a windmill that made paper that is still in use today. The country is full of history and heart ache, our experience on our tour was excellent and highly recommend it.

Time spent in Bruges. Bruges is a beautiful small city.
Suggestions: More information for unguided bikers, e.g. places to stop, places of interest

The excellent mix of people on the boat from at least 8 different countries. Everyone was very friendly and interesting. We ate dinner with different people every night. A very fun group! My advice to other is to step outside of your own group and talk with your fellow travelers, the crew and the guides. Struggle through using your high school French or German. It's well worth it.

The food, crew, and guides were top-notch. It was our first barge trip. It was a very relaxing yet active way to explore historic cities and the roads and waterways connecting them.

The staff was absolutely tremendous. I have nothing but praise for them. The boat was very well appointed and meticulously maintained. Thank you all so much for fabulous trip and memories that will last a lifetime!

Adventure around every corner. Perfect layout, distances, travel plan, timing, and lodging details. Early June was the perfect time to enjoy this beautiful combination of coastal and mountainous terrain.

The trip was great but we were disappointed our room configuration requests were not included in our hotel bookings. When we followed up after the first night the Tripsite employee suggested we follow this up. We didn't think this was very good customer service.

We had long been looking forward to this Prague to Budapest cycling tour and it did not disappoint. The routes were well-chosen for ease of travel and for beautiful scenery and interesting touring. Our contact in Prague was on time for the briefing and gave us a good overview of the program; when we had questions, he responded quickly and helpfully. We added an extra day in each of Telc, Vienna, and Bratislava, which worked out really well to really absorb some of what those cities had to offer. The ride from Mikulov to Misselbach was a particularly busy, touristy day with lots to see and beautiful paths to connect them. The instructions we received for the second half of the tour were in a different format that took more work to review and absorb; unfortunately, this meant that we missed at least one site that we had been anticipating.

This was a fantastic trip. The biking was pretty easy and the days were set up so we could do a lot of site-seeing and explore a little "off map" if we wanted. The bikes and gear were really good for this type of tour, and the local reps were quick to help with any issues. My (adult) children arrived a day late due to travel delays, but the local reps made sure all their gear made it to that day's stop and we were able to head out the next day with no issues. All the hotels were great, there is a lot to do and see on each leg of the route. It's a beautiful, friendly place and I can't recommend it enough.

We had a few places that weren't necessarily on the map, but worth mentioning -
- During the Sweden loop, just before Sofeiro Slott is a lovely farm bakery, Brödkultur. Definitely worth the stop.
- On the Helsingør to Hillerød ride, near Havreholm is a zip-line and disc golf course, Til-Tops. The zip-lines weren't open the day we were there, but the area is very cool and worth hiking.
- Also in Havreholm we found Sylvest Keramik - A ceramics shop run by wonderful couple. Very cool art and just great people.
- Outside Værløse on the final day, we came across a wonderful little brew pub and restaurant at the edge of the forest, Bryggeri Skovlyst. A great place to stop for lunch and a great local beer.

Enjoy!

This is a wonderful tour of a unique part of Ireland - County Clare and the Burren, tha extensive limestone karst plateaus of western Ireland. The tour was memorable for its distinctive landscapes, including the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, the lovely little towns, and the many ancient historical sites along the way. The cycling wsa excellent - good paved roads, great routes, rolling hills, and those lovely scenic views. The lodgings were all quaint and charming - comfy rooms, kindly, generous hosts, full, fresh, healthy breakfasts. We added extra days in Ennis and Doolin, both good decisions, and probably should have further extended the trip in some places. The music definitely added another great element to the tour, as we spent virfually every evening visiting different pubs, listening to traditional, informal Irish music sessions that are common in this region.

beautiful weather, really great tour guide (one of the best!), food was reasonable (not the best).

Excellent well marked bike path. Be prepared for rain.
Do your homework in advance to make plans for eating if there is a holiday and your lodging is not near an open restaurants or a grocery store.

You definitely get to experience the beautiful country of Croatia on this bike & boat tour! The boat drops you off at one end of an island and you and your group bike up and over to the other side, where the boat meets you. I would strongly recommend an ebike… some says the elevation and distance was quite high. We had a lower cabin that was very spacious with two beds but only has a small (and I mean small!) porthole you can’t see out of. It doesn’t really matter because you don’t have WiFi or television in your rooms. This is nice because it makes passengers gather in the common decks! The food was fair… they did their best to accommodate people’s dietary preferences. Our cabin was not clean when we arrived or cleaned during our trip. They only make your beds and change towels once. Our guide, Cresco, was passionate about his country and biking. He arranged optional lunches and wine, cheese and olive tastings with local establishments. The only thing that can be bothersome is how many people smoke in Croatia.

Ocean views, varying terrain, awesome accommodations, some beautiful places, and of course well planned ride from our guides. The only thing I could have asked for is a little more information of the history in our towns we visited. 5 stars all the way.

Way too many memories to pin it down to one part. Amazing journey, what a great way to see and experience Europe!! Purchase trip health insurance!!! Woman on our trip fell and broke her femur. Had surgery in German hospital and had to be flown back on a special plan with a nurse! Big money!!!

The boat itself, bike quality, the food and friendliness, professionalism and energy of the crew were top notch. The level of cycling is very easy.
Unusual for a Tripsite barge/bike tour, there were young children on this trip which had negative impact. It altered the adult vibe, caused extended wait times for that group to catch up and created very significant safety problems for the guides during highway crossings. Also, the breaks/stops were far too long (incl. a lunch break of over 4 hours in one case).

Fantastic trip in every way!

Our guides were amazing. They provided variety, information and enough stops to inform, rest and recharge.
Our cook must have come from the most prestigious restaurant. Her variety, presentation and enthusiasm made every meal a treat.
The crew could not have been better. They attended to everything and worked as a fine tuned team to make our trip memorable.

I highly recommend this trip experience.

Riding through the countryside. Historic buildings.

The Porto to Lisbon cycling trip was absolutely amazing. We chose the self-navigated option with GPS route files given to us by Top Bike Portugal. The team at Top Bike Portugal met us on the first day and allocated our rental bikes to us. They helped us with the set-up and checked all the bikes to make sure they were in good order. The accommodation was fantastic. We expected only places to put down our heads after a long day of cycling, but every hotel we stayed at was beautiful and, apart from the hotel in Peniche, was central to the town we visited. The distances were perfect, even the longer days. I would recommend e-bikes. Most of us are fit and experienced cyclists, but some days we had strong headwinds and the route has lots of climbing. We were glad that we chose e-bikes. For people who enjoy an active lifestyle, this is an excellent way to explore a country. You get to see places you would never see from a bus, train or even a car. The team at Top Bike Portugal transported our luggage and everything went smoothly and there were no problems at all. I would definitely recommend this trip.

A fantastic trip that surpassed all our expectations. The routes were fantastic and safe, and took us to parts of Portugal we would never have seen on an ordinary trip.
The hotels were outstanding.

This was my second trip with the Merlijn and I will travel with them again in the future. The staff made our our living conditions on board very comfortable, the food is always amazing and the biking was outstanding. We had a family emergency which they handled professionally and efficiently. The friendly relaxed atmosphere that this boat/barge provides in a small group setting is exactly what we look for.

The incredible group of international participants and how we all enjoyed each other's company.

The trip was wonderful. Excellent staff, food and beautiful bicycle routes to follow. Sailing was awesome! Enjoyed all the other passengers too with only about 27 total people on the boat.

Had 2 awsome tour guides