Italy Tour Reviews — 31 to 60 of 694

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!!

Beautiful scenery and villages to visit. We had a wonderful holiday. Everything was organised well and went smoothly.
We were met on the first day by Petra who made sure our ride with GPS had downloaded correctly, and who advised us about places to visit and restaurants to go to.
Paulo then came along with excellent bikes, which worked perfectly for us for the week.
Given the poor state of the roads, we would recommend gravel bikes and NOT road bikes for this trip.

Swimming in the Adriatic - twice - was a treat enjoyed by most. The first time we were on a public beach and rented an umbrella for shade during the two-hour break. The second time was on a more remote, private beach. People indulged both before and after dinner. It was a welcome relief from the record heat. TIP TO OTHERS: bring beach shoes - that sand can be quite hot on bare feet
THE MOST MEMORABLE - Standing on the top deck as we floated past the Medieval buildings and beautiful people of a city with no cars – Venice. We drank our apertifs and toasted to a splendid trip. TIP TO OTHERS - for women, wearing a casual dress in Venice is really a thing.

Biking together in the countryside of Italy along with stopping at the towns small piazzas .

The crew and tour guides were fantastic The food was great
The bike ride itself was not for all levels of bikers...lots of city biking that made many riders nervous. A large guided group made it difficult to keep everyone together, causing large gaps
The sites were sometimes great and other days just riding along a dyke with not much to see
The tour guides Hein and Marjoleine were very knowledgeable and interesting to listen to
The unfortunate plumbing issue on the boat upon embarkation wasn't ideal but they moved us upstairs to another room and others were put up in a hotel for 2 nights...they were dedicated to resolving the problem which was done on day 3.

This is our third bike, boat, and barge tour. The barge vessels create a cozy and friendly atmosphere with the crew and fellow cyclists. The Vita Pugna crew offers excellent service. The meals were delicious and freshly prepared with regional products from each area we visited. Michaela, the bike leader, was energetic, meticulous, and knowledgeable. We used e-bikes to enjoy the ride; the trail is flat and suitable for regular bikes as well. Everything was clean. The barge could use a cosmetic refresh, but overall, the vessel is great.

Thirteen years ago we took one of our favorite family vacations aboard the Ave Maria from Mantova to Venice. We decided to recreate the trip with (now adult) children and their partners. The only week that worked was in the opposite direction and on the Vita Pugna. Before we knew it, we had other friends and family sign on and we filled 9 of the 10 cabins. As the trip approached we were concerned that the reality would not meet our memories or that a different direction or boat might lessen the experience.

We were thrilled to find out that any such fears were unwarranted. From the moment we boarded the Vita Pugna in Venice until the sad day we departed in Mantova, we had an absolute blast. The boat is not opulent, but very comfortable and well appointed. The food was excellent -- the wonderful Silvia not only made delicious meals every day, but nimbly adjusted to a number of us with different dietary tastes and restrictions. Our pursor/sommelier/captain in training Michele was a joy to be around and will make an outstanding captain soon. The captain, Ricardo (Bugy), was so helpful and fun and we thoroughly enjoyed interacting with him. And Giorgio, our fearless leader and guide, was funny, informative, patient, experienced and a pure joy to be around. The entire crew spent an enormous amount of time helping us to enjoy our trip.

The trip was simply fantastic.

I loved the small family-like atmosphere of the boat. I also loved the built in guided tours.

food, the crew, the bike leaders, both. the boat was very nice. Perfect again!!

We’ve just completed our cycling trip and would like to sincerely thank you for the well-organized experience. We appreciated the smooth handling of all administrative and logistical aspects.

We’d also like to share a few points for your consideration, which we believe could help improve future trips:

Bike type: The bikes provided lacked suspension, which made them less suitable for some of the terrain we encountered. We recommend offering bikes with suspension for increased comfort and safety.
Route updates: On three riding days (departing from Trento, from Verona and Vicenza), we encountered unmarked detours due to construction. These detours enforced us to navigate on our own and substantially prolonged the routes. The maps and navigation materials should be updated to reflect these changes to avoid confusion.
Hotel feedback: The Doge Hotel did not meet the standard of the other accommodations and fell short of expectations. We suggest reconsidering its inclusion in future itineraries.

Thank you again for a memorable trip.

Amir and the Cycling Group

Beautiful countryside and amazing rides. The onsite tour support was above anything we could have asked for, fast responses, and help with taxis and trains.

Beautiful views from ending towns. Bike company and route organizer very nice, and very helpful. Disappointed that our Tripsite helper failed to make sure that the route she specialized for us to ride longer routes did not get follower through, so our rides were very short making it very disappointing. Finding water and food along the route was tough. Only bars and gelato shops tend to be open mid
day, so short routs dropped us in ending towns when most shops and good restaurants were closed. Finding not overly touristy things to do was tough.

This was the guided version. I thought, overall, it was a great trip and I would recommend it. The countryside we cycled through was interesting and we were mainly on paved, secondary lanes/roads - so very quiet, for the most part. The towns we stayed in were very picturesque and the accommodation were wonderful (with one exception in Alberobello, however, it was fine, just not up to the standards of the others). The meals were wonderful - exceptional local fare. Highlights: the meal at an Agriturismo, along with a mozzarella and burrata making demonstration; visiting a local olive oil operation, swimming in the Ionian Sea; Masseria Bosco with it's lovely pool, accommodation and Aperol Spritz. The one thing that made the trip challenging was the weather - 33 to 36 degrees. I highly recommend an e-bike and the guided version. The guide offered a great deal of information about what we were seeing and the history of the area.

Great trip because of staff and expertise and skills of local partner. Knowledgeable, flexible, responsible and fun. The five stars are for the local operator.

Tripsite did a less than adequate job of conveying information about the route and the rides, specifically about length. There needs to be better communication between Tripsite and the local cycling company. We were not given complete or accurate info before we left.

Our guide, Cenzo was the most memorable part of our trip. His friendly, personable & humorous nature added to the wealth of cultural, historical, horticultural and geological information he shared with us. He was earnest and always ready to solve anything that came up.
Rocco also was a joy to be with, always taking care of any issues we had during our travels, giving advice regarding restaurants, and other sites to see.

The easy beautiful long rides through the country side and the GPS.
Didn’t actually stay in Venice, which was odd, no gondolas …
Very few water stops and very few places to find food between 12-5.

The riding was fairly easy except for the last part of the day when we had to ride up some steep hills. We definitely appreciated the hotels that had a swimming pool. The food experiences were amazing--fun and tasty! We were not aware we would have a picnic after the wine tasting so that was a necessary surprise.

I think we might have paid for an upgraded room (junior suite?) as that was all that was available. It was more of a triple with a very tiny single bed. If that was in Torgiano, then that was not worth it. That room was the something found more in a two star hotel. Not well decorated, no view or patio.

The rich and varied vegetation on the islands!! the sparkling blue water surrounding the islands! Stunning views! Food onboard was so delicious! The family that owned and worked the boat were very friendly and inviting!!

This family run adventure is the perfect way to explore the Aeolian Islands. The Sundail ship provides an intimate atmosphere to interact with the other guests during your week adventure.

Using e-bikes made it easier. We had some detours which we should have being alerted. The hotels met our expectations. Biking through the bigger towns was difficult as cars don’t stop even though we had the right away.
Next time I want to try the bike and barge.

The diversity of the islands from one to another. Each was uniquely beautiful and different. Also the sailing between the islands was wonderful and so relaxing.

This trip was fantastic. The bikes were top notch and the luggage transfer went perfectly. We enjoyed the scenery and the out of the way routes, although some of the trails could have used grass trimming.

I most appreciated the small group experience. there were only 18 on our tour and it was perfect. Our group of 6 booked a year ago so we could get a spot on the Vita Pugna and I was very happy with it. I cannot imagine have a group bigger group, perhaps 30 and I think that would have slowed down our progress on the bikes immensely. This size group I felt like we all had the opportunity to meet others, enjoy the company of different people each meal, but also got to know them a little bit. I was also very happy with the support and service of all of the staff (Capt Bugie, Silvia, Michael and Hugo)