Italy Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 686

This bike trip was a wonderful experience. We were able to visit many small villages that we likely would not have seen otherwise, which added a unique and authentic dimension to the journey. The hotels were very comfortable, and the bikes were in excellent condition throughout the trip.

Having the extra day in Syracuse at the end was especially valuable, as there is so much to see and explore in Syracuse and Ortigia. While there was more traffic than we expected, it was manageable and did not detract significantly from the experience.

The tour is described as easy to moderate, and I would agree with that assessment. The first day was the most challenging, but overall the rides ranged from easy to moderately demanding and were enjoyable for cyclists with a reasonable fitness level.

I would highly recommend this tour for its stunning Mediterranean views, charming villages, and well-organized itinerary.

Great trip!!! We also added the self-guided bike portion starting from Bolzano! Everything went very well....RidewithGPS had no issues, hotels were good. The barge experience was awesome!! Our meals were absolutely over the top - those 2 Italian chefs know what they are doing! Guides were exceptional - they know their history and they know bikes! Would highly recommend this trip!

Excellent crew, especially the tour guides. The places they took us would have been difficult to find on our own, making it a unique experience.

Being on bike paths going through the countryside was a highlight. Tour guides were terrific, and we were very impressed with how the whole barge team worked together on all aspects of the trip.

I did the self-guided pre trip, Bolzano to Mantova, the mountains and landscape are incredibly beautiful. Loved visiting places I had never been, i.e., Trento is lovely. The meal prepared by the chefs on the Ave Marie were amazing, better than other barge trips I've taken.
On the downside, I was a solo traveler so I was assigned single hotel rooms, and my room at the Magdalena in Bolzano was the size of a closet with a single shorter than average twin sized bed. But I booked and paid for a double on the barge portion of the trip. The same one time trip cost as couples paid. I should not have been penalized for being a solo traveler since I paid the same amount as couples.
The only other feedback is related to the group size. There were 25 or more of us on bikes. It's like herding cats, plus we overwhelmed the local coffee shops and cafes when made scheduled stops.

We enjoyed learning about the culture and history of the areas we visited. Our guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

We loved our time on this tour – the Umbria scenery was beautiful and all three towns have a different character that made exploring them interesting. All of our hotels were lovely and had great breakfasts. The various dinners, wine tastings and cooking class were first-class and we really enjoyed the culinary part of this trip. – the wine tasting dinner at Enoteco Properzio in Spello was a highlight. We found the walks to be as described – definitely some hills involved but the views were worth the effort. Super liked the app that provided not only all of the walking directions but also all the information for the hotels and dinners/wine tastings. Every aspect of this tour went off without a hitch – the logistics were great. Would definitely recommend this tour.

The e-bikes we had were sturdy,the batteries powerful and we never got close to fully depleting them on a day's cycle. In particular the route finding app with its spoken commands and detailed map was great. Much better than the written route description we have had on previous bike tours. Mostly on small secondary roads, gravel tracks (quite bumpy) and cycle paths, the times we were cycling on major roads was hazardous. No injuries, though I was nearly wiped out by a car on a round-about.

It should be mentioned that customers will need to purchase waterbus tickets for travel from Venice to the dock site.

A very easy and relaxing ride with a lovely crew and a well-maintained boat. While I’ve done several bike and barge trips, this one doesn’t quite measure up to the others. I find this part of Italy less charming and quaint for cycling through the countryside, more pedestrian. Despite that, it was overall a great experience.

Boat/biking trips are our favorite way to travel and this is our favorite trip ever! The family who crews this boat made our time aboard safe, well organized and full of adventure. The scenery on the islands is stunning! The e-bikes we used were perfect for the terrain and comfortable. Our tour guide kept us safe, informed and entertained. This trip is absolutely deserving of the 5 stars in every category!

The final day, the trail through the countryside and along the river were the most beautiful. Also liked the stop in the small town bakery. I especially like visiting the small towns, eating and wandering around to learn how they live and what their customary foods and drinks are.

There were 30 riders, sadly 3 were injured, one seriouisly and needed surgery. I would recommend avoiding cobblestone streets which is where 2 of the 3 accidents occured. The busy streets were also an additional hazard.

The boat was very nice and cozy. I loved the fact it was ran by a family. The staff were nice and helpful. Nice tour guide also.
What I liked the most was there flexibility of changing our Island hopping according to the weather. We ended up having the best weather possible during our trip ❤️

I really enjoyed the people and exploring a small part of Italy. Our crew was amazing.

The trip was great. All of the itinerary was wonderful places to visit. The hotels and baggage management on the first three days was four-star.
The boat was very nice and we enjoyed it even more than the larger boat on The Danube trip. The food was amazing and Albert & Danny deserve a shout-out. Our guides Micaela and Ricardo were great guides, though Micaela could’ve slowed the pace some for us “push-bike” riders.
We loved the trip and will definitely be back. Thinking Spain/Portugal will be our next one.

I loved being able to experience things I would have never found on my own. Meeting Franco the gondola builder, the cheese factory and the beauty of the river area were fantastic. The crew and food were outstanding. They were all very helpful and friendly and fostered a positive community among the guests. One tip is to bring a twin sheet as there is only a comforter on the bed.

Overall the trip was great. Beautiful scenery abounds. I would rate the trip a “moderate” effort vs easy as every day ended on a mountain top- but we did it and earned all the delicious food and wine! E-bikes worked well.
One aspect of the trip that was unacceptable was the person that provided the orientation, “Petra”. She was condescending and somewhat antagonistic. I asked a few questions and stopped asking as she was completely annoyed with the entire situation. During the trip we forgot a critical piece of luggage at a hotel and asked her to bring it, her response was “this is a huge inconvenience”. Although she did it, she never spoke w/ us when we saw her at the next hotel. Really bad PR for Tripsite.
This is our 3rd Tripsite tour and will use them again.

The Bike and Barge on the Ave Maria exceeded my expectations. The boat was very comfortable (twin beds, bathroom for each room). The room had more storage than expected which is good because I overpacked. The food was fantastic from the mushroom risotto to the homemade lasagna and tiramasu. The chef, boat captain and bike guides are extraordinary hard workers and such a pleasure to be around. We can't wait to go on another trip with them. Although I initially thought this was a self-guided tour, it is not. However, I am glad it was guided by Silvia and Caterina...two amazing people that made the trips a lot of fun.

Our bike and barge trip from Venice to Mantova was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. Each day’s ride was beautifully planned, with amazing scenery, charming towns, and just the right balance of activity and relaxation. The daily stops gave us such a rich taste of Italian culture, history, and countryside life.

The food on board was fabulous — fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented — truly a highlight of the trip. Accommodations were excellent, comfortable, and thoughtfully maintained throughout the journey.

Most of all, the guides and entire crew were exceptional. Their knowledge, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm brought everyone together and created such a fun, friendly atmosphere among the group.

This was an unforgettable adventure. It was perfectly organized, wonderfully led, and deeply memorable. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique way to experience Italy!

The crew, the meals, Francesco was an excellent guide.
Accommodation was great.

Wonderful tour. Experienced 3 day self guided portion. Barge crew was great. Georgio was very knowledgeable anout local area. He was an exceptional guide. Felt very comfortable asking questions.

We had a fabulous trip! The route was beautiful and everyday brought new surprises. We especially loved riding inland into the mid evil villages up in the mountains. The scenery was spectacular and lots of sights to explore. We would highly recommend this tour!

Hello,

Overall, the trip was very good. The landscapes were beautiful, and the bikes provided were of good quality.

On the other hand, there were some negative points to mention: the absence of water bottles for the group, which had been promised in the contract, and the hotel in Aquileia, which I believe was well below the standard we had expected.

That said, I would also like to highlight the excellent assistance and responsiveness of the local team, which was very much appreciated throughout the trip.

Biking from Bolzano to Trento surrounded by mountains and scenery was memorable.
The extra days in Bolzano were well worth it. Lots to do with gondola rides and hikes to wineries.
The bike app worked pretty well, although some instruction was either confusing or a bit late.
Unfortunately we were kicked off the ferry ride on Lake Garda with bikes due to transportation strikes so had to take a van. We missed some scenery, but also had a faster trip to Pescheira.
We got caught in quite a downpour one day and the next day was looking stormy also, so we took a train.
Easy getting train tickets, harder getting spots on the train for bikes. We got the last.
Venice was nice, but naturally crowded. Hotels were mostly nice accommodations. Hotel staffs were pleasant and helpful. Hotel Majestic seems to go by different names and was initially difficult to find.
We enjoyed the self-guided bike tour, even though we didn't use E-bikes.

The navigation app was great, cycling tour was a nice variety through country side and villages. Breakfasts were great, one of the rooms in accommodation was too small for two people and bags.

The biggest disappointment was our ferry trip across lake Garda was cancelled as our bikes could not be taken, we all had to go in the van, we couldn’t go on ferry and bikes be transported, this was to be the highlight of the trip for us so we were very disappointed. We had booked this trip months in advance so could not understand how our bikes could not be taken. No compensation offered.

The boat was very nice, the scenery was lovely, food great, and the group interesting with people from a variety of countries. Guides, especially Stefania, were very good.

This is the second time we’ve done this trip, so it was all very familiar. Our guide this time, Giorgio, was amazing! He made our various stops so interesting with his stories and all the history he has at his fingertips. The food was excellent on board the Ave Maria. Venice is the highlight, as you might expect. Suggestions for improvement - get a better guide for the walking tour in Mantova. The one we had seemed to think we were art history students. We didn’t get a very good overview of that wonderful city. Also, the Ave Maria should have a simple sheet to hand out when we arrive in Venice giving people explicit instructions about the various ways to get from the boat’s docking location to the airport. I’ve been to Venice 4 times, so I know how to navigate the transportation system, but many on the boat were confused and a bit anxious. All in all, though, this is a great trip and one I would recommend in a heartbeat.

Great crew, very welcoming and helpful. The food was amazing and plenty of it.

Cycling with Sylvia and Francesco! The places they decided to stop and tour-cheese factory, glass blowing in Marano, grandpa distillery… All great experiences. The food on board was fabulous! Chefs did a great job. Boat was orderly, clean comfortable. Would travel with them again in a heartbeat!

This one of the best bike rides we've done in Europe! It was our 7th one and our first guided tour. All the others were self guided. And even though we loved the self guided ones, this was a nice change. The crew on board and the other people on the tour were amazing. It was like we all knew each other forever. The guides were a wealth of information. The chefs on board were over the top. There creations each day were excellent. Never heard anyone complain! We loved all the stops each day and the history they provided about each place. Loved Bolzano too. What a beautiful place. Would like to spend more time there. I could go on about all the things we loved about this trip and look forward to another one with Tripsite! Job well done!!