Italy Tour Reviews — 451 to 480 of 686

This trip was the perfect balance for experiencing Italy as well as being physically active. The most memorable part of the trip was being with a group of like-minded active and curious people!

The knowledge about the country that our guide, Hein, provided at sporadic times. He was very astute to stop on a hillock for a small respite when there was no “cafe” in sight. Great information.

Great trip. The scenery was breathtaking and the hotels were in good locations close to the center of towns.

Loved this trip! We went in September and it was perfect weather. So much to see along the way. Lots of small towns to ride through and such beautiful scenery. The hotels we stayed in were good and the morninbreakfasts delicious. Don’t hesitate - book it!!

Loved this trip! We went in September and it was perfect weather. So much to see along the way. Lots of small towns to ride through and such beautiful scenery. The hotels we stayed in were good and the morninbreakfasts delicious. Don’t hesitate - book it!!

Great trip....tour guides outstanding ,more than outstanding....the food was fabulous and all staff were wonderful....first 3 days of self guided biking were well worthwhile.....stay hydrated if it is warm as cramping can occur.

This was the first trip to Europe for my daughter and myself. It turned out to be a wonderful college graduation present for her, and a great way to dive into retirement for me. The company was excellent and varied. Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating. The food and staff was excellent. I hope I will get a chance to do this again with the rest of my family.

We loved the varied scenery and warm and friendly Italian people.
The hotel accommodations were very comfortable and more than adequate. We would have been satisfied with a less luxurious hotel in Trento. We would have liked to explore the town and find a different restaurant, but there was no time. That is one of the drawbacks of cycling so many miles between towns; not enough time to explore.
The Ave Maria and the entire crew were first rate. We want to particularly thank our tirelessly helpful and fun-loving guides, Marinella and Stephania. In addition, the food was artfully created and inspired.
Our one complaint is about the poorly written instructions on the 3-day, self-guided part of the trip, which sometimes caused stress. The instructions were not only terribly written, we also had different editions of instructions among our group of 12. The most exasperating time was at Riva del Garda when we cycled back and forth through the town at least 3 times, looking for the correct ferry dock, after asking and being misled several times.

We started out in Bolzano, going from Hotel to hotel the first three nights, and then on the barge for seven more. The scenery of the hotel to hotel was spectacular! The Ave Maria was a fantastic boat, the crew was great and very accommodating. The only negative is- I wish we could have spent more time in each town we went past. But with only ten days, squeezing anything else like more time is impossible.

Overall the trip thru Italy's Piedmont was very well handled, breathtaking scenery, (lots of hills), friendly people nice hotels very well done. One item I would caution others of is the description of the hills as moderate. Some are but 4-5 kilometers of 11 percent grade is more than moderate the 16 percent grade on some short stretches started me thinking of Hors catégorie type climbs. A description of the grades and distances could help others decide to get ebikes or do more training. I did enjoy the ride it was difficult but doable even if a lot of whining did happen.

This bike ride was scenic and full of pleasant surprises! The fields we passed were full of fragrant flowers and fruit hanging off of the trees. The towns were small enough to get around by bicycle easily with lots of options for food and activities.

We had some difficulty reading the paper maps because the English translation was not always words we would use to describe the route. (Also the mileage was in kilometers) My GPS did not work. That was probably due to our inability to make the technology work in another country ! So, we just got used to getting a little lost every day.

We are adventurous people so none of this would prevent me from doing it again! We rode the self guided route.

There was one day there was a long stretch of a gravel bumpy bike path. We opted to go another route on our own to avoid it. That was an adventure in itself!
The last day the hill was steeper than anything we had ever ridden and we did Cape Bretton in Nova Scotia with 17% grade hills. So we walked up!

Overall the trip was absolutely wonderful, people were super helpful etc. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Mantova to Venice was wonderful. Very pretty scenery with lots of unique places to stop.

We loved the beautiful, amazing mountain scenery (with very few hills) of the first three days. The written instructions, though, are of a badness difficult to describe. We rated the tour 4/5, and the lost star were because of the extremely poor instructions. If we hadn't had maps and stickers on sign posts, we wouldn't have been able to make it through. The frustration really distracted from the overall enjoyment of the trip - an English speaker with an accurate odometer really needs to rewrite the directions. For example, they talked about "crossing a railway" (or maybe a "railway bridge"), so we spent about 20 minutes trying to find a way to cross the railway - but really it meant to pass underneath an elevated railway crossing. Also, the symbol used to indicate a warning (I think of a turn easy to miss) is a hand pointing to the right. One not unnaturally assumes that this means a right turn. It does not.

Otherwise the barge, scenery, activities, food, and guides are all exactly what we hoped for and have experienced on earlier trips. No problems with luggage transfers, and the hotels for the first part of the trip were all great.

The food on the barge was terrific--as was our guide Fabio.
Come prepared for 5 serious days of biking as well as bringing the right/complete biking clothes.

I feel the bike should have been rated moderate-not easy moderate!

The perfect trip for families with young adult children. We enjoyed the different kind of roads, the food, the sights, every town we stayed at. Our guide Matic was excellent. We are looking forward to a new adventure with Tripsite.

A thoroughly satisfying experience in all departments!
The staff were welcoming and friendly, instructive and knowledgeable. I felt entirely safe in their hands.
Accommodation has been well designed and thought out. I shared a cabin with a friend and it was easy to find our own space within a relatively confined space.
The food was DELICIOUS! The meals exceeded expectations and were presented beautifully; the chefs having entertained us with their 'Two Ronnies' routine at the outset of each repast. I have made a batch of refreshing lemon and ginger cordial since my return, which is perfect for a hot summer day and reminds me of a very happy holiday.
The bike was a delight to ride. I'm not a regular cyclist and I found the daily trips enjoyable and, with the regular stops, entirely within my capabilities. The one day off I had, sailing along the canal, added an extra dimension as it was so restful and enjoyable to watch the wildlife and the scenery glide by.
The guided trips were enlightening and I now have a 'feel' for the part of Italy we traversed.
From the start we felt like guests at a houseboat party. It was interesting to meet and enjoy meals with others from various countries and backgrounds.
I shall be talking about this holiday for a long time thanks to you all.

The views on this tour were breathtaking. Northern Italy is so beautiful. For a mountainous region the pedaling was not difficult. Take your time and soak it in. Great food and drink in the region.

Best part: Riding through amazing scenery and picturesque villages in Northern Italy!

We went to Sicily in May 2018. Biking was beautiful especially along the sea. Inland there were some areas that had lots of trash. No problems with directions. One or two hills a day.

Nice to bike along the Mediterranean coast and a chance to swim at a few beaches. Also nice to bike through the agricultural areas and seeing tomatoes and eggplant growing and watermelons being harvested.

Most Memorable Part? The poppy fields along the bike ride was especially beautiful. Instructions need some updating.

Hein was a most engaging and entertaining guide/trip leader. The rides were well planned with interesting stops and sightseeing, beautiful scenery and it didn’t hurt that we had spectacular weather. Post ride relaxation and camaraderie on the deck was great as was the value priced bar for beer/wine! The evening dinners were wonderfully prepared meals, truly excellent and overall the trip was very affordable, an A plus value.

Montova was a really lovely spot and I liked the cycling around there. It might be easier in the towns if the cyclists all had either jerseys or pennies to identify the group so locals see we are all together which would prevent us from getting cut off or unable to pass.

Had an absolute great time on this Tour. Venice was amazing and Mantova as well. Our cook was Erica who is wonderful chef. Every meal was impressive— creative and delicious. This was my fifth bike/barge tour and she is definitely the best cook. Really enjoyed my fellow Travelers, as well.
Vita Pugna

Every aspect of the trip was as expected or better.

Most memorable part? All of it! Fantastic! Most memorable: Hein! And Marco! The whole staff! Loved every minute. Loved the e-bike too.

I was so impressed with the level of service and detail on this trip. Completely exceeded all expectations from the guides and the rides to the food and the lodging. So much fun! It didn’t hurt that we had perfect weather. Hoping to do it again!

We were a group of eight old friends and found this trip very enjoyable. The tour organizer, Klemen Stular was very responsive to our questions and preferences, and even worked to adapt the route to accommodate our request to visit a winery! The trails had some loose gravel so it required extra caution (and muscle) on steep hills, but the off-road trails made this particular tour the most special. The equipment was well-maintained, easy to use, and reliable. The tour operator was very conscientious about making certain everything fit the rider. The scenery was glorious and the people warm and welcoming.

Ostuni was a lively, great city- a major contrast to the rest of the region which is apparently deserted until summer is in full swing. I also really appreciated having my bike replaced, but I obviously wish the standard bike I got in the first place were more appropriate for long distance rides.