Italy Tour Reviews — 61 to 90 of 514
Jeffrey C.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Staff/tour guides were outstanding. Highly recommend.
Joseph M.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
36 family members + 2 guides+ the Captain and his Crew = The Best Time Ever!
We had a glorious time on the Ave Maria and biking the trails and roads from Mantova to Venice. Stops at small towns along the way.....the cheese factory...the amusement park museum.....small cafes...beautiful churches in every town....then Venice....what a jewel!
Our compliments to you all. What a wonderful bike and barge trip. Highly recommended.
Pétur Bolli J.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Lake Garda
Italy
Very nice hotel, Enjoy Garda Bike hotel, we recommend to stay there and the staff is so helpful and nice.
Perfect stay :)
Karen U.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
An opportunity to see and bike the less traveled. The barge moored in quiet off the beaten path places - but each had something to offer. The crew on AveMaria was amazing, worked well together, made our travels very comfortable and the chefs were top notch. It would have been nice if half way through the trip the bed linens were changed out. We appreciated access to the wonderful cappuccino maker and access to chilled drinking water (both still and bubble). It would be helpful to include that guests should bring along their own water bottle. It was a very memorable adventure.
Amichai A.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most memorable part was trying to find the ship at the first day. When I receive at home the "How to reach the starting point", I already had doubts and wrote to you about it.
Trying to call the number you mention several time with no answer all did not contribute to a the starting of the journey.
JV • 9 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent bike boat tour. We apologize for the difficulties you faced in finding the ship on the first day and for any inconvenience caused. We will review our processes to ensure clearer instructions for reaching the starting point, despite having successfully guided 100s clients with the same instructions improvements are always possible. We also apologize if you were unable to reach us by phone; while we have no record of your calls, we will investigate further to improve our communication channels. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to improve our services. Thank you for choosing our bike boat tour, and we hope to have the chance to serve you better again in the future.
Betty N.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Poreč
Italy, Slovenia, Croatia
First of all, the itinerary: Days 1-4 are a waste of time. Don’t expect to see anything scenic or interesting for 4 days. First night/day 2 are in maestre, you may as well be in Akron Ohio. Boring, industrial, hotel is next to some car dealerships. Cycling begins with a trek through Maestre into Venice where you catch 2 ferries. BEWARE, ferry #2 takes max 4 bikes, as 28 lined up behind us to load only 4 every half hour. Some waited 3-4 hours to get on a ferry. Day 2 ends in Carole. What a dump. Cheap cheesy family destination for young families on limited budget, hotel smells of wet towels. The cycling is a grueling mix of relentless sunshine with nary a patch of shade, endless cornfields and gravel and dirt “roads”.
Did you want to see the Adriatic? You will have to wait, cornfields, and bumpy gravel roads await you. Occasionally we passed through some of the most unremarkable Read More towns that I never needed to know and will now forget.
Day three description reads: “ride towards the Julien alps”. Why even write this? You could write “ride towards Ireland” and it would be equally as relevant. There is not a hill or mountain in sight. Day three you wind up in Portogruaro. Another subpar hotel. Tiny tiny room, uncomfortable beds, more weird musty smells and poorly functioning AC. ( we paid for the hotel “upgrade”, I shudder to think what the base price rooms were.)
Finally at the end of day 4, suffering from Stockholm syndrome we encountered a few columns from an ancient Roman structure and took some pictures so our friends and family wouldn’t know what fools we were to be spending time in Italy this way. Aquileia is comparatively cute, but perhaps we were starved for scenery by then. There are probably 5 or 6 restaurants and there’s a pretty church.
Days 5-7 offer a bit more to see and we finally spend some time cycling by the Adriatic. The route provided to exit Trieste on day 5 was a one hour tour of shipyards and industrial parks, thanks for that. Slovenia and Porec were both charming. Most of our group were exhausted upon arrival every day, one gentleman was injured. Everyone seemed generally disappointed in the bike routes and the lack of scenery.
Hotels ranged from nothing special to downright bad throughout. I DO NOT recommend this tour. For reference, last year we did Norway cycle/hike and were blown away with the hotels, scenery, inclusions, route etc. Book that!
Tripsite Tour Advisor • 9 months ago Tripsite Staff
I also regret to hear that the accommodations and the overall experience fell short of what you were looking for. We take our customers' feedback seriously and continuously strive to improve our services. However, we want to clarify that the route has not been changed in recent years, and the majority of our reviews have been very positive, indicating that many travelers have enjoyed their time and experience on the tour.
While we can't undo Read More the past, we sincerely hope that this experience won't discourage you from considering another trip in the future. It's important to us that you find a tour that meets your expectations and allows you to have a memorable and enjoyable experience. If you decide to give us another chance, we would be more than happy to connect you with a customer who has completed the same tour so that you can hear firsthand about their experiences and get a better sense of what to expect.
Once again, we apologize for any disappointment and any inconvenience you faced during your tour. In any case, we appreciate your honest feedback. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Thank you for your patronage, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you on another adventure in the future.
Kind regards,
Carla
Peter N M.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The trip allowed us to see the smaller cities and beautiful country side of northern Italy. The crew was outstanding and the food wonderful.
Valeen H.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Puglia Food & Wine
Italy
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!
Van C.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Istria to the Adriatic
Slovenia, Croatia, Italy
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.
Robert E.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
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).
James B.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The times together with others. Dinner, riding etc.
Sarah W.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
I was surprised and impressed with the quality of the meals. Even though the breakfast / lunches were the same format, they varied them up in small ways (different types of eggs, different bread rolls, sweet pastry). All of the staff was top notch!
If you get a bunk cabin, bring a battery operated fan for the top bunk. While the cabin a/c works well, the top bunk will be several degrees warmer than the bottom.
Alberto T.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Florence
Italy
All bike tour was perfect
Nathalie M.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
My husband and I travelled as a group of 8. The staff was fantastic. The Ave Maria barge was spacious and we loved the food onboard and the upper deck was fantastic to relax after the rides or before breakfast.
Pedro U.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Florence
Italy
Frienship of our group, and landscape views of delta po river!
Try to avoid the main road with a lot of cars and trucks
Eduardo G.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Florence
Italy
Great ride in Comacchio with very friendly staff in the hotel!
Palestrina is a short unworthy ride, and limitations on the ferry for bikes was a nightmare!
Road conditions were bad, and with some dangerous spots!
Carla • 10 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Eduardo. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. We knew this tour would be different considering the area just experienced catastrophic flooding, which is why we had offered a cancellation or alternative route. We did our best to provide an itinerary that was still worth your visit. I hope you were able to bring home some good memories!
Alejandro E.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Sicily - Syracuse, Noto Valley, & Baroque Villages
Italy
Ok, ir is a wonderful combination of history, culture, with pretty beach, we are in vacation, all the year use the car, in holidays use the Bike. Was perfect. The GPS trackking that you purpose me was perfect, I i used with Maps.me and
Never lost.
One suggestions is mark with favoritos the point of interest in the GPS Route. I am not sure, if it is possible.
Neil H.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The trip was very good abd the staff was excellent!
Richard W.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Flavors of Italy: The very best of Emilia-Romagna
Italy
The trip happened just as we had envisaged it when booking. No hitches or last minute 'Sorry but.....'
All this in spite of the horrific rains and resultant flooding in coastal Emilia-Romagna the previous week (early May 2023). For our 8-day self-guided weather was ideal, not a drop of rain.
Bikes were class and delivered to us at the start in a very friendly helpful manner.
We went for the upgraded hotels and didn't regret it for a moment. They were superb, varied and well located.
Forward routes were pleasant and well-designed. We felt that the loop-rides were on the long side and very castle-oriented.
Tripsite, well done. Take a bow.
Louise R.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy
Excellent trip, ver well organized. The hotels for the first three days were excellent, On the Ave Maria, the crew and the guides made the trip really, really enjoyable. The food was fantastic and the accommodation great. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Renee R.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This was our first barge and bike trip. It exceeded hopes and expectations in all ways, organization, daily planning, leadership and communication by Elena and Alex who left no detail unattended to. They were caring, very knowledgeable and outstanding leaders, showing compassion and support for a struggling participant, while ensuring those struggles did not impact anyone else. Alberto and Elisa provided delicious, very high quality meals changing daily to meet our local geography and always with joy and enthusiasm. Riccardo's knowledge of his boat as captain and ability to immediately attend to any issues was consistently impressive. This experience has made us return home with a strong desire to book our next bike and barge trip as soon as we can.
John S.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The food was outstanding. The cycling was very enjoyable.
Shirley and Steve B.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Puglia Food & Wine
Italy
We loved every part of this trip, but especially our guide, Giulia. She really brought Puglia to life for us, knowing the area so well! We left feeling as though we had made a new friend. The contrast of biking the countryside and the historic towns was fantastic.
Being avid cyclists we would have like to bike a little faster or been able to bike ahead of the slower participants. Since we had only one guide we had to stay together. Adding a guide to the trip would have allowed the group to spread out a little.
Lisa S.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
There were many highlights.
Poppies growing in the fields, fantastic meals, especially the dinners, amongst them. Thanks to the crew for very efficient bike deployment in the mornings and end of day. Captain very skilled.
We are used to boating, so cabins quite good. However some type of screens on the portholes would make sleeping a bit more comfortable without as many mosquitoes and not having to use aircon so much - so a good investment to invent some screens.
On the biking side, keeping the group together was good, but having one day being more free to bike with map and explore on our own might be nice. However we understand the importance of not loosing anyone. Stops in shade would be better than in the sun.
Loved Georgio's sense of humour and depth of knowledge.
Overall a fantastic experience and first time at bike and barge!
Samantha T.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Our favorite day was probably our stop in Bergantino - we knew the cheese tasting would be fabulous. The stop at the Museum of the Ride was unexpectedly terrific - a real highlight.
DAYNA S.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Puglia Food & Wine
Italy
Stunning views and quiet lanes are uniquely beautiful during the month of May in Puglia. Prime wildflowers, fresh food and easy navigating were assets . The route is practically perfect.
Barbara W.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Puglia Food & Wine
Italy
We were taken on some one way streets in many of the towns which was a bit confusing but added to the story.
The food was incredible and the selection of restaurants was wonderful. It made it easy each night. We just went where the planners selected for us and we did not have to ponder each day where to go. One thing though....too much food! It was wonderful but three selections for each dinner was way more food than any of us could ever eat.
I had an issue with my E bike but was told I did not know how to use it which upset me. I did know what I was doing and one of the owners saw there was a problem but there were no extra bikes on hand to swap out with me. It turned out OK. My bike functioned when I most needed it but I had to switch it on and off frequently to get it to work. I managed just fine but at the end when I was told by one of the employees at the bike shop that the Read More bike was fine...I just didn[t know how to operate it ....I was a bit upset. When I picked up the bike the person checking me out on it told me "people do not like this bike". I did not complain. I just wanted them to know that it should be checked out because the next person might have issues too and might not be as flexible as I was.
All in all it was a wonderful trip. The cooking class at the bike owner's mother's home was so much fun.
Phyllis L.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Umbria
Italy
This was a lovely bike ride. The scenery was beautiful. The tour operator was very helpful and responsive. The hotels were all very comfortable. We loaded the GPX tracts on a Garmin making it easy to stay on course. On the day we road through Foligno, the Giro d'Italia was taking place. It was fun to watch. The village of Gubbio (my favorite next to Assisi) was still decorated for the Corso dei Seri. As far as the ride, we knew that the some of the roads would not be the best quality, but the elevation was more difficult than we were expecting. We were on a road bike and a low end hybrid. The hybrid was too heavy for the elevation. Even walking the bike up some of the hills was difficult. The poor condition of some of the roads made it difficult for the road bike. We were given route options to avoid gravel roads, but there were some asphalt roads that were not the best quality. I would do this ride again, but on a different bike, possibly a gravel bike if it is available. All in all, this was a great bike ride. The Umbria region is a beautiful area, but without the crowds.
Cheryl W.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Lake Garda & the Adige River
Italy
The biking on dedicated bike paths through vineyards and apple orchards with soaring mountains in the background was the most memorable part of the trip- so beautiful! My only suggestion for improvement would be to provide one handlebar bag for each person on the trip- they did come in handy!
Joseph G.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Flavors of Italy: The very best of Emilia-Romagna
Italy
The cataclysmic flooding event was memorable. We appreciated Javier’s support and direction when our route was blocked.
Unfortunately we were unable to remove one of our spd pedals at the end of the trip in Parma because the staff person in Bologna over tightened it. We are beginning the Mur river trip on June 4 and would appreciate your delivering it to us for that trip.
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