Germany Tour Reviews — 751 to 780 of 1354
Larry B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Biking along river was the greatest. Budapest and Bratislava wonderful. Time in Vienna too rushed. Strongly advise participants to take an extra day or two in Passau before the trip—a lovely small town.
Tama L.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Lake Constance
Austria, Germany, Switzerland
My dissatisfactions, two nights in the suburbs of Constance, out of the way, should not be used. Konono staff excellent, but cost us for taxi to get there and back to the train. Route book imprecise. What is the route sign we were supposed to follow? What good is a dotted line on a map when there are multiple routes? Which are more scenic? Less hilly? Passing by cafes? Unpaved in a forest? Exactly how do you get to the Rhein Falls ferry? Book never mentioned the three elevators that take you up and down. We had frustrations every day.
Is it a beautiful trip? Absolutely. The Mozart and Park Villa are beautiful hotels, although not air conditioned.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Tama,
Sorry to hear you were dissatisfied with certain aspects of this tour. As far as the hotel locations, we always try to provide the best hotels possible (location, quality, reputation) but this is based on availability. This region is very popular and hotel development hasn't quite caught up with demand.
In reference to the Route Book....we strongly recommend that clients also request GPS tracks to supplement Route Books. The tracks are more interactive and tend to be more precise. If requested, these tracks can be downloaded beforehand and used with a GPS or your smartphone. See this Blog to learn more.
Im glad you still had an enjoyable time and appreciated the beauty of this region. We hope to help you plan your next trip!
Brad W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arlene II Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
Much of the bike ride was difficult to navigate. Signs on the road are not always clear. Expected more country rides but much of the bike ride was through cities with many vehicles (somewhat dangerous). If we elect to travel with Tripsite again, we will do more research to determine ease of navigation along the bike route and how much of the route is through traffic.
Peg Hanson
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Lake Constance
Austria, Germany, Switzerland
I booked the Category 4 hotel package and was extremely pleased with all the hotels. Location was good for all except the Park Hotel in Uberlingen. It is located at the top of a very steep hill and was very difficult to find even after you saw the sign pointing the way!!
The breakfasts at all the locations were amazing and so beautifully displayed. A wonderful way to start the day!
The bikes were comfortable and almost brand new. Panniers, front bag and trip meter were all very nice.
Now the not so positive...
I had read all the reviews before booking and noticed the negative comments about the bike route directions. Since these comments were from a year and 2 years ago I assumed they had improved this info. NOT TRUE. The book with the routes is almost worthless. Getting from city to city was not always the problem but once in a city the Read More situation changes. It is even more challenging when you do not speak the language. The locals are more than friendly and always willing to help. However they often assume we know more than we do and even their help does not get us to our destination. A suggestion would be to provide the cyclists with GPS or a HOTSPOT so that we could download the routes on our phones. I realize that if the customer is from Europe they can do that easily but those of us from the USA depend on a wifi connection for this service. I stayed recently at a hotel in Madrid that provided each room with a Hotspot at NO EXTRA charge. If a mid level hotel can afford to do this you would think a cycling touring company could do the same. I realize Tripsite does not have control over some of these situations but if they could encourage this company to try some more advanced methods of guiding their clients I am sure everyone would be happier. I had a wonderful holiday with fabulous weather, beautiful scenery and memorable meals. I will be booking with Tripsite for my next cycling tour. Just wanted to raise this issue to help future travelers be aware.
Annette • 6 years ago
I have found I download the app mapsme and put in the hotels before I leave home. I can still access this by satellite and not needing data when getting near. or can probably do the same with the Google maps app and again use offline...also helpful en route.
Pleased the trip went well, we are looking into it for next year.
Dean Y.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Great bike routes. Vast majority on nice bike paths.
Darlene D.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Merlijn Bremen to Magdeburg
Germany
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!
Judy J.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Merlijn Bremen to Magdeburg
Germany
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.
Donald V.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
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.
Peter and Denise Marzo
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
1. The boat was outstanding (5 star)
2. All the meals were nothing short of scrumptous (all three..every day) (5 Star)
3. The SE staff were knowledgable, polite and always willing to help. (5 Star)
4. Embarking and disembarking was seamless. (5 Star)
5. Our onboard guide was outgoing and fun to talk to. (5 Star)
6. The rooms were tight, but manageable. two single beds, good storage for your clothes and a small but efficient washroom.
7. The bikes were well serviced and enjoyable to ride. If you're not a seasoned cyclist, don't worry, the gears were easy to change and many of the people opted for the ebike option which really helped.
8. Biking directions were a challenge. At first we thought it was a language issue, but many of the German people were getting lost as well. We saw Read More no vineyards, one castle, and we traveled through many cities. We had three in our group take spills, mainly because of the city routes we had to take. The "Look for Signs" were often non-existant or hard to find and we found that our group of 10 cyclists were spending too much time conferencing, trying to find the correct route.
Twice we encountered local people who actual lead us to get us back on track. This was definitely challenging, but boy did we bond!! We stopped in small towns having lunch in the town squares, trying local beers and cheeses. Restaurants willing to let us eat our bagged lunches in their restaurant when we bought some drinks.
Suggestions:
1. Arrive a couple of days early to explore Mainz, it's a beatiful city.
2. We flew in and out of Paris and the train system is amazing, but I would suggest closer Airports (Frankfurt to get to Mainz and Paris for Strasbourg).
3. Get comfortable being lost and embrace the journey. We always found our way and have some incredible stories about our rides.
4. Talk to the locals they are magnificent and were always willing to help.
The bottom line is that we are already planning our next bike and barge adventure, there are lots to choose.
My actual rating would be a 4.5 out of 5
Mary R.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube-Iron Gates
Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia
The cruise through the iron gate was a highlight of this trip. Cruise director did a great job throughout the cruise. Weather was much warmer than average and many days of biking were at 90 degrees F on roads and trails with little cover or shade so were somewhat more difficult than anticipated. It was a great experience but people need to be aware that most of the riding in the Eastern European countries are on the side of roads sometimes without a bike lane and there was some traffic.
Wendy • 6 years ago
Did you just do the trip? I am seriously considering this trip with my husband. Would end of April or mid June be better? Those are the 2019 dates offered we are considering.
Any other tips/advice or details you can add would be appreciated. Thanks
Mary R. • 6 years ago
Wendy • 6 years ago
Mary,
Thanks ever so much for all of the useful information you provided. We have booked next June and are quite excited. We love the bike and boat combination. It’s a great opportunity to have a nice mix of travel/touring and exercise. We did Brussels to Bruges last year and loved it. Mantova to Venice is booked for this fall.
Again thanks much. Who knows. Maybe our paths will cross on some trip.
Josephine S.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Prague to Dresden - A Tale of Two Rivers
Czech Republic, Germany
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.
Janene M.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
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.
Maxine W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Danube Bike Path - Passau to Vienna
Germany, Austria
We four had a blast biking thru vineyards. Nice flat well marked path.
Maxine W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Danube Bike Path - Passau to Vienna
Germany, Austria
We four had a blast biking thru vineyards. Nice flat well marked path.
Terry P.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Patria Koblenz to Saarburg
Germany
Most Memorable Part? Scenic bike rides along with meeting a lot of nice people.
Susanna from Tripsite
6 years ago
Tripsite Staff
Bavarian Lakes
Germany
I also loved my bicycle with its NuVinci internal gearshift, it made it so much easier to shift on the uphill terrain.
All of my hotels were clean and comfortable. I especially enjoyed the hotels run by its owners in the smaller towns.
The map and route booked is a great help but you want to ask for the GPS-tracks. I got lost 2x because I wasn't paying attention on the maps. I strongly recommend downloading the GPS-Tracks on your smart device or GPS device.
Read More >I did this tour in mid-May and I remember dealing with headwinds while riding south. This made the skill level of this tour feel harder than what I expected. Looking at the climate of the area June - October has definitely calmer winds.
Ask me if you any questions.
Mary Beth R.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Scenery was gorgeous, food was superb. Accommodations good.
If you took Albert out of the equation I would give much higher ratings. He was inadequate with trail details. His info was hard to follow on the maps. Someone described him as a Peacock. Very apt. The rest of the staff was very good although you need another person in the dining room. Way to many people for the amount of people serving.
Don’t advertise that you have WiFi....you really don’t .....
Janet H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Wonderful time with friends. The maps and route descriptions need to be more exact.
Saundra F.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
The scenery, along our bike route was like a dream! So spectacular! I felt I could bike forever! We did a video of all of us peddling through the lush trees! It could be a commercial for happinesses!
Glenn S.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
Most Memorable Part: The scenery and history while cycling though the Danube river valley.
Carol J.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Andela Lora Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
The daily biking was wonderful. Every day was a new adventure with many different points of interest each day. A good variety of biking and places to see. Our guide was excellent. He was personable, extremely informative and shared all his knowledge of the area where we travelled each day. Juergen (sp?), our guide, was always patient, personable, enthusiastic and a lot of fun. Meals, staff and entertainment on the ship was excellent.....our beds were made up every evening and linens and towels changed daily as well....excellent job!!....my friend and myself booked a bike and barge through Tripsite last year and recommended to 16 other friends who booked with us for this trip this year. I will definitely recommend to others again for next year..... not sure where yet....but will be checking into that in the fall. Fabulous trip!!
Teresa H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
La Belle Fleur Bavaria Tour
Germany
Loved the whole experience! The scenery was beautiful and we got to experience the country in a way you could not with a car or by train. We quickly bonded with the other people and became friends!
Sue • 6 years ago
I saw this ls listed as easy however the description has moderate. Was it hilly? What is your opinion of difficulty? Thanks!
Sandra B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Biking through Budapest was most memorable! We were amazed at the fabulous bike paths through the city. The car traffic was courteous to bikers and honored the cross walks. Biking through Vienna was great, too. Not quite as well defined, but it was so different to have the freedom to explore the cities, visit sites and landmarks via bike, and much more efficient than walking.
Terri • 6 years ago
Sandra B...Did you take the guide package or tour on your own.
Sandra Bersin • 6 years ago
Terri, We toured on our own. We wanted the flexibility of stopping where we wanted, for as long as we wanted. We ran into a festival in Vienna, browsed the booths, watched traditional dancing, had a beer and shared a regional dish. We then visited the Naschmarkt where I was able to find the only store with a full selection of Zotter Chocolates. We also had time to enjoy a slice of Sacher Torte at the Sacher Cafe.
In Budapest, we pedaled up to Buda Castle, the Royal Palace and stayed for the changing of the guards. It's like a little city up there! After the palace, we visited the Great Market. The guide discouraged guests from riding independently in Budapest because of bike thefts, but we brought an extra lock. It was a busy time and place, so we weren't worried.
In Budapest, we also visited the Széchenyi Thermal Bath in the evening on our own. The guide/cruise director never mentioned them, but we follow the advise of travel journalist Rick Steves where ever we go in Europe and he never fails us! It pays to do your own homework before going. Have a great trip!
Winifred • 6 years ago
Hello Sandra - your review is very helpful. Our family of 5 (3 adults and 2 teenagers) are planning to take this tour on the Carrissima in 2019. We hope to be able to do the self guided tour for flexibility and to save some $. (1) Did you have difficulty finding the route/signs etc? (2) Would we need to be able to speak local language to ask for direction? (3) Have you kept your travel notes and would you be willing to share them? Thanks much in advance!
Barbara
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Prague to Dresden - A Tale of Two Rivers
Czech Republic, Germany
Just returned from five days of cycling through the Czech and German countryside from Prague to Dresden: A Tale of Two Rivers. A wonderful experience - beautiful countryside, quaint accommodations, good food and excellent service. Lukas and company of Europe Bike Tours do all they can to please and support their riders. Try it - you'll love it!
Thomas A.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The trip was beyond our expectations. We have taken other bike and boat tours and this was superior to the others. The food on board the boat was wonderful. The cities visited were beautiful and interesting. We took the guided bike tour and the guide, Jurgen Gehrke, was wonderful. I would encourage anyone interested in a bike and boat trip to seriously look into this trip.
Avace W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Having a guide who provided all the extra touches for touring for our perfect sized group of 10. Dinners on the boat were very dragged out with no opportunity to change tables and meet other guests. Food was beautifully presented, but the petite portions left me starving after a day of biking. I made sure to stock up on a big breakfast. Director made a big deal of tipping whereas this could have been explained ahead of time, so more time could have been spent on what to see in the quaint, darling villages. More info on what to see along the way would have enhanced the adventure. We did a lot of homework ahead of time on what to look for in each village and that helped us to appreciate the history and stories. Highly recommend a guide, but keep groups small for safety and management purposes.
Barbara C.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Our private guide, Axel, was excellent. I strongly recommend a guide because it took away all of the worry about maps, directions and getting lost. He was also very knowledgeable about the history and geography of the areas we visited. I would definitely do another bike tour with Axel.
Lou Ann C.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The scenery was amazing and fortunately, the weather cooperated and made it even more perfect. My only “suggestion” (not complaint) was that coffee was not available in the rooms. Being an early riser, a lot of us “seniors” prefer to have our coffee in the room while getting ready for breakfast! :).
Beverly B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Most memorable part: Being on the water at night and looking out our bedroom window to see the Budapest Parliament bathed in a golden glow against the clear night sky.
Terrence Zito
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
We had a great time along the Danube river! The cycling was very good and the bikes adequate. The crew of the Theodor Korner were especially nice and competent. The tour guide was really on his game! Unfortunately, the boat itself needs a thorough rehab- our stateroom had an odd odor and was extremely noisy due to mid-ship engines. If we decide to do the Danube tour again we will choose a different boat!
All Tour Reviews by Country
Boat/Barge Reviews
- Liza Marleen
- Magellan
- Magnifique II
- Magnifique III
- Magnifique IV
- Mare fan Fryslân
- Merlijn
- Florentina
- Normandie
- Princess
- Olympia
- Panagiota
- Pape Prvi
- Primadonna
- Princesse Royal
- Prinzessin Katharina
- Romantica
- RV River Kwai
- Sailing Home
- San Snova
- Sarah
- Stella
- Sundial
- Swiss Crown
- Thalassa
- Flying Dutchman
- Vietnamese Junks
- Vita Pugna
- Vivienne
- Wending
- Zwaan
- Zwaantje