Bike Tour Reviews — 5041 to 5070 of 6495

Great experience, although a very large group to be riding together. The food was good but not great. Made some friends and really enjoyed the trip.

Jantien was amazing! She was always available, ready to help in anyway, answer questions, run a tidy and very clean ship... in short, do anything to make our stay pleasant and stress free. It was obvious she was genuinely concerned for the happiness of her, as she called us, "Dear Guests". We looked forward every day to her well thought out and wonderfully prepared evening meals. The staff were all highly focused on the same things, a testament to Jantien's leadership. We have no hesitation in recommending Jantien and the Merlijn.

We truly enjoyed this trip, with beautiful flowers in every town and swans everywhere. One night, we had a bevy of swans peaking in at us as we ate dinner!. The bikes are great, with comfortable seats and smooth gearing. The dinners were always a delicious surprise. Sanders and Els were wonderful hosts, and our guide, Seitze, was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Mosel area, including Roman aqueducts, medieval castles, World War II sites, and, of course, the history of the EU. Nancy was my favorite big city but we also had a night time walking tour of a little town overlooking the Mosel, called Liverdun...where delicious Madelines come from! Very cute town. We went in early September and the cabins were a bit warm even at night. You can open windows, but it could be uncomfortable in the summer. Biking was mostly flat so not difficult but I definitely got some exercise. Another favorite: stopping for coffee and pastry each morning!

The scenery along the Dalmatian Coast was spectacular. A young Croatian guide (Ben) was hired to replace the usual Dutch guide (Bernard) who had broken his hip seven weeks before in a bike accident. Ben was kind, knowledgeable and fun. Bernard and his girlfriend were along on the tour as we only had six members in our group and a cabin was available. Apparently Bernard has some "financial interest" in the boat as well as being the usual tour guide. Bernard seemed to have something to prove from the first day. He had a problem letting go of control and letting Ben do the job he was hired for. When Bernard was along on the days' excursions he was overbearing and sometimes suggested unsafe maneuvers on the bike. I overheard him say American women were wimps. His girlfriend suggested that it was not just American women but men as well who might not be comfortable with a particularly dangerous turn off a road and onto a bath along the sea. By the end of the week he had mellowed somewhat. I suspect mostly due to his American girlfriend.

The captain was loud, drank too much and changed the itinerary to suit his needs. Yes, some of it was weather related. But, we were told the first day by other staff that the captain had a woman at every stop and expect our schedule to reflect it.

The food was awesome!! The gals doing the cooking, Ivana and Antonia were fun, very smart about Croatian history and funny. Without the Croatian staff the trip would have been a bust.

What I enjoyed most about my Boat & Bike trip were the rides through the countryside in the early mornings when it was quiet, and the only sound was the hum of my bicycle. Secondly, were the times we moved the boat during breakfast. I found myself staring out the window at life and business along the canals. Lastly, the new friends we made, from Britain, Australia, and Canada!

Most memorable part: The incredible scenery and the knowledge of our guide.

This was my third bike and barge with Tripsite, but it was not my favorite. The boat, crew and food were terrific. The route however was flat as advertised, but the night stops were not fun or interesting. Zelo had only a cemetery and an Irish pub. If I was asked by a friend which bike and barge to take for possibly a once in a lifetime trip, I would recommend Bruges to Amsterdam and the Mosul River trip first. We had a wonderful time and everyone on the boat and the guests were first rate. I would take another trip on The Ave Maria, but would want a more interesting route.

The country side, the guide was very personable and knowable of the routes, sites with a very positive and safety conscious attitude. More time in some of the major centres (Gent, Antwerp) I would recommend that travelers arrive at least one day preferable two in advance of the bike & barge departure and stay at least 2 days afterwards to enjoy the cities of Bruges and Amsterdam. The availability of e-bikes was essential so that those less experienced in pedalling the distances could enjoy the biking part of the trip.

The Zwaantje and crew are top notch, and present a great value. Some of the routes in northern France had a little too much traffic. Riding in Belgium and Netherlands seems nicer. Once is enough for this tour.

Jantien & Henz were supreme hosts and their barge Merlijn delightful. As for tips just sit back, relax & enjoy the marvelous holiday that they provide.

I really enjoyed the variety of the tour, including bike rides through pastoral countryside and alongside canals, and walking tours through fascinating historical cities and towns. The food and drink were highlights, both on and off the boat, and I really enjoyed traveling with a great group of fellow travelers. The crew and guide were fantastic! The Tripsite guidebook included suggestions for tipping the crew and guide. Our group felt that the suggested tip amounts were not adequate, so we tipped a lot more than what was suggested.

The most memorable parts was the Saar River part of the ride, biking above the River with our guide and riding thru the vineyards. The little towns and the Roman History. Had no idea about the Roman history in this region before this trip. The Levees on the river. Just the general beauty of the area. The grapes growing on the sides of the mountains. Both our barge crew and all the people on the trip. FUN! FUN! FUN!

Croatia is gorgeous and the food was great. The cook, ivanna, and the guide, ben, were amazing with understanding the participants skill level and dietary needs. The cycling was not as described or the descriptions could have been better. One full day we were on a pedestrian path with many people to dodge- not fun and not real cycling. Molat was the best route!
The captain was difficult, drunkenly, egotistical, chauvinist and making lewd comments whenever addressing women.

The total crew got involved in the trip and were always available to assist us with any problems or questions. It helped to break the ice with other bikers and soon we were one cohesive and fun group.

Most memorable are the meals. The daily ports and after dinner walks. 1 issue - directions to the barge were horrible.

Most memorable part? There were so many, but Chantilly Castle and the Montmontre area of Paris that we had a tour of immediately come to mind. Make sure that you can ride a bike and can manage at least 30 miles on a route with the same level of climbing, otherwise use an e-bike to help you along. Bring 2 pairs of street shoes, as some days they might get wet. Remember that there will be an opportunity to leave a tip at the end, and it should be about 5-6% of the booked price. Drink wine and beer, talk to people, don't be shy about anything and remember to have fun.

It is very hard to say what was the best, as everything was so great, beautiful, and interesting. The staff and bike guide went above our expectations, we would recommend this trip to all.

So many memorable parts it's hard to pick just one. On this trip, I'll say the warmth of the chef and captain, the meals were outstanding, and I loved meeting and cycling with people from all over!

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip but the weather was a bit average - no rain but lots of cloud and a bit cool.
The food was great as were the crew, the bikes, the other passengers and the boat. We thought Wouter (the guide) needs to "loosen up" a bit and learn more of the history etc. of the region. We also found the first couple of days on the bikes a bit boring, too much forest and not enough villages etc.
All in all very good!!

The whole trip exceeded our expectations but the barge Iris and the crew were outstanding.

Most memorable part: Cycling challenge of the unexpected and spectacular scenery.

This was our first time at a bike & barge trip and it was a great adventure! Staff was amazing and the other guests all gelled - we all worked together to have a fun experience. Getting to see various areas in Northern Holland up close was amazing. Be prepared for weather changes! Layer and bring clothes for rain! But most of all be prepared for a great vacation!

My wife and I did the 13 day Prague to Krakow self guided cycling tour the last week of August thru the first week of September 2017.
We both enjoyed it immensely. Europe Bike Tours spent a couple hours with us reviewing the trip material. The paperwork Vitek went over with us included:
A contact list and program itinerary.
A description of the day, route description, problematic turns/crossroads/tips, highlights, bike repair shops, medical care, places to eat, plus a graph showing distance and climbed meters.
Turn by turn directions for each day.
Regional maps with the trip route highlighted.
Plus a map of the town we were staying in each night.
Hotel vouchers
A GPS route was also available which we used and highly recommend.(It makes the biking more care free as you do not have to reference maps constantly, which saves a lot of time.)

We were provided with hybrid (crossover) bikes which were very comfortable and suitable for the terrain. The terrain varied immensely from paved trails to rough trails through the woods.
The bikes held up well. We had no flat tires or any other mechanical issues. The bikes had a bag on the front to hold what you needed during the day plus a cover in cased it rained. Helmets’ were also provided.
We chose the standard hotel accommodations. They were all good and some were exceptional. The hotel location was always great; right in the center of town.
The luggage transfer was great. Our luggage was at the next accommodation by 4pm or earlier each day.

We purchased the half board dinner option which we would not recommend. Although the food was good to excellent in all the locations except for two, I was led to believe that we would receive 3 main course options and this was not true. You took what you got. We do not feel there were any benefits with this option. There were plenty of restaurants available to choose from for the same cost where you could select from a full menu.
Prague and Krakow are both beautiful cities, with incredible architecture and history. Both cities have stately market squares, bridges spanning the rivers which run through them, plus numerous parks, cafes, restaurants, cathedrals, clock towers, castles, palaces, etc. We added four extra days to our trip giving us 2 extra days in both cities which allowed us time to explore them, which was totally worth it.
The cycling route takes you through beautiful towns and countryside. It follows rivers where ever possible.

Overall I highly recommend Europe Bike Tours. Vitek took very good care of us ensuring all went well.

We just completed an 18-day independent cycle tour with Tripsite. They mapped out a custom route, provided GPS and map navigation, amazing hotels in the centre of the communities, and luggage transfer.
The the day we met cycle company representative in Amsterdam and throughout the trip we had the support to ensure our trip was memorable.
Every hotel was an experience with a local flavour in the centre of town. It was close to shops, dining, and filled with friendly people.
The cycling was fun with lots to see and the opportunity to visit towns, sites, and some great riding.
If you want a great trip either a custom, pre-packaged, group, or independent, Tripsite is your first and only choice.

The most memorable part of the trip? Everything: the boat, staff, accommodations, food, cycling director, bicycles were far better than I expected. The daily orientations by the cycling director were very informative, not only about cycling conditions, but also about refreshment stops and sightseeing. This trip could not have been better.

My friend and I rode the Camino de Santiago from Porto the coastal route. Scenery was wonderful!
We did the self-guided tour using the Garmin gps. Once we got familiar with reading the gps the route was fairly easy to follow. We started with only 1 Garmin, but got a second gps on the second day of our tour. I highly recommend having 2! We found it very helpful double checking the route between the two of us.
The accommodations were outstanding! And each hotel had such a nice breakfast each morning!
Everyone we had contact with was helpful and friendly.
The description of the route "easy to moderate" would be accurate for persons who are physically active on a regular basis. Portions of the route could be very difficult for some.
I would suggest more emphasis on long days riding than the mileage. The bikes were very comfortable, but heavy in comparison to the bikes we are accustomed to riding. And the route conditions vary so much along the way that it is slow bicycling.
This was my first cycling trip and I loved it! Would highly recommend it!

Friendly knowledgeable staff, delicious food, great bikes! It truly was the vacation of a lifetime, and we can't wait for the next one!

The most memorable part was clearly the scenic routes, food, friendly people and cities selected for lodging. Great hotels! Tripsite delivered on services as promised.
We were disappointed/frustrated with the lack of route details and direction into and out of the cities. Despite the network of paved bike trails/paths, we spent too much time confused asking locals for direction to our destination. Perhaps for persons accustomed to biking in Europe, the vague directions presented no difficulty, but for persons from America not familiar with the signage and more accustomed to turn by turn cue sheets, we were frequently challenged to find our path. Asking directions from local residents did give us an interesting opportunity to communicate across languages. We would recommend you add more detailed directions into and out of cities.
Thanks for your arrangements to make our trip possible. We really did enjoy our bike tour around Lake Constance.

Most Memorable Part: Getting lost!
The Bavarian Lakes region is lovely and not many travelers that I know have been there. Despite a cool rainy spell, we enjoyed our ride. When it was pouring rain for 2 days, Eurobike transferred us with our luggage and we were quite happy that they allowed this. The lakes and historic old towns were interesting and the countryside was outstanding. September may be a little late in the season to do this ride; the temperature was in the 50's and 60's and the rain was a problem.

Most memorable part: The scenery, food and the cycling on quiet roads or bike paths.