Bike Tour Reviews — 721 to 750 of 6274

First and foremost, the captain, chef and crew were outstanding. The trip would not have been the same without their host of talents & hospitality. The Merlijn itself was pristine with all the comforts of home. The passengers were treated like royalty. The bikes were upright which allowed for comfort and made the scenic views easily accessible. Our biking guide Ilse, was knowledgeable about all the historical sites we visited. She was extremely patient with her 22 riders. The cycling was easy with predominantly paved trails with minimal incline. Moving through large cities (ie:Trier) was often difficult with 22 riders often separated through stop lights. It may have been safer to split the groups.
It was our first trip to Germany and the scenery was stunning along the Saar, Mosel & Rhine rivers and many photo predominantly were included. We were especially impressed by the day we biked from Cochem to the town of Eltz, enjoyed an enchanting hike to the Eltz castle, toured castle and biked on to Koblenz. Another highlight was the tasting tour by the owner of Storck Winery in the town of Traben-Trarbach. The unexpected meeting of Captain Coen’s parents and rafting with their barge on the Rhine was delightful. We always looked forward to the cruises during and after breakfast!
Overall, the bike & barge was more than a bike trip. It was all the experiences of boating, dining, biking, hiking and making new friends from all over the world. We would highly recommend this trip!
Thank you Coen & Christina for making the magic happen on your Merlijn ☺️

Make sure you don't get booked on s boat as a hotel, dirty and bugs. They say gravel bikes but they are not. They do not send a mechanic to set up bike, just a tour guide who knows nothing. Bike was dirty and needed oiling. They said safety checked but found issues when given the bike. If traveling in pairs they only give you one copy even though you paid full price for both. They also only give one lock when we were told each would get one. Printed map and instructions not accurate. No instructions to specific hotels. Breakfast and luggage pick up times do not align.

We were looking forward to enjoying this well-planned out trip, mostly on well-maintained cycle paths, but the weather had different ideas! All started out great in Vienna on a warm and sunny day. Our hotel in Vienna was pleasant and the trip guide / Austrian partner, was very helpful and patient with the many travelers needing his guidance. But then Storm Boris hit with torrential rains and strong winds! We struggled through mostly wet and rainy days. However, we got great support in changing out our bikes, due to mechanical and ergonomic issues when we arrived in Bratislava. There certainly were some very enjoyable moments, especially the hotels and food (we chose the half board option) but we cut our riding short on the fifth day to avoid additional days of rain and cooler temperatures. The local partner helped us with securing a hotel in Budapest a day early and with a train ticket from Komarom to Budapest. We know that our trip would have been totally amazing had the weather cooperated! There was no way to predict the unexpected 10-year deluge in Central and Eastern Europe.

Rating this tour is challenging in a way due the the fact we were there during the worst weather condition's in that part of Europe in years. The Danube rising at unprecedented levels along with flooding. I'm sure you are well aware of all of this. The Vivienne crew and Leslie the tour director did an amazing job of keeping all of us on board safe and making every attempt to help us to continue to have the best possible experience we could given the horrendous conditions.
While we missed out on a lot of cycling and seeing and experiencing this part of Europe, we were very fortunate to be able to do what we could, given the conditions.
Again, Chapeau to Leslie and the crew of the Vivienne!

We like that each day have different options for additional activities that made each day special. We like the difference between landscapes of two rivers.

positive note- Professional friendly crew always helpful. The organisation was magnificent and the food was good and plentiful. The bikes were well kept and great to use. The original plans had to be changed due to the bad weather but other options were available. Riding without a guide meant that extra time could be spent taking photos and exploring what we wanted to do. The extra options turned out to be real gems- the castle at Greinberg was fascinating with all the historic ties, the bike tour of Vienna was outstanding (our guide's voice was loud & clear so that the 2 deaf people could hear the local snippets and frank, humorous commentary), Mauthausen memorial was extra kms & uphill but possible to quick visit time wise. The bus to opera & back worked smoothly. The only tour negative was the constant cold rain but proper preparation, clothing & attitude meant riding without crowds was much easier. On the last day one rider with hypothermia was picked up by van. The organisation was excellent and the evening briefings of what to expect the next day were very helpful.

Budapest and Vienna were fabulous cities to see. I would suggest that more info, printed the day before on bike routes be given out to everyone. The info meetings were hard to get all of the details and minimal route information changes. Also, bike routes for each day should be based on temperature and wind direction with advisories about how much water to bring along, where to get more. The bike route that was suggested for Bratislava was terrible: prior information on the 30 mph wind gusts that we headed back towards the boat in and 90 degree temperatures made the trip difficult and dangerous: my husband almost suffered from heat stroke and we could not find any place on route to get water after making the return after the bridge crossing.

The most remarkable part of the trip was the beautiful countryside we saw on Funen, and getting a brief picture of the Danish 'personality'. I loved having an e-bike as it made the hills a breeze, although I found the bike very heavy when trying to maneuver it crossing streets etc in the cites.

So pleased with the quality of the hotels! The app worked well and we were pleased with the quality of the bikes—-no problem with them. Especially enjoyed the comfortable seats! Thank you to Victor for delivering the bikes and giving us the necessary information for the tour.

The most memorable part of the trip was leaving Budapest after dark and floating past the lighted buildings and monuments along the Danube. The biking along the River was beautiful and diverse; wine country from Krems to Marbach was very pretty. Most of the routes were along bike paths though some intermittently were on rural roads and through the cities of Vienna and Budapest. Some days biking were very warm, but there were a couple of cold days with temperatures less than 10 degrees C. Its a good idea to come prepared for cool and rainy days both biking and sightseeing; layers with a hooded raincoat was essential. My wife and I are fit bikers riding often in the Colorado mountains, but opted for eBikes on the boat cruise. No regrets on this decision, we road with minimal eAssistance most of the time, but when the winds, and sometimes rain, came up on long rides, or we wanted to catch sites off the main route we had the ability to extend our rides and still make the timing to meet the boat at the next city.

The biggest downfall of the trip was the bike directions. It should be emphasized to be prepared to use digital routes and give them upon arriving. Unless able to provide them, people should be told to bring a mount for the phone on the handle bars, rain protection for the phone and earbuds. The detailed directions are not usable. We'd still be trying to get of Odense!?
The lodgings were personable and great except not crazy about Hotel Faaborg Strand. It was too far out to go on a rainy, windy night to town for dinner and they had only one selection on the dinner menu. They cater to conventions. A place in town would be much better. The ebikes were of very good quality. Giving people the rules of biking in Denmark would be useful. We had rain, cold and wind but still loved the beautiful scenery and especially loved the islands.

Annita is a great tour guide! She made special arrangements to get us into chateau that weren't open when we were in the area. Most of the small towns we went through on our rides were closed up during the hours we were there (12-2) making it a challenge to find points of interest beyond the scenery. We did go to a lovely Goat Cheese Shop and did a great cheese tasting. It would be good to add a wine tasting in Sanserre to the itinerary of this trip.

The Lycian Coast is absolutely beautiful. The water is the most gorgeous color of blue and so clear!
The bike riding was very hilly, so E-Bikes really made the difference.
The Admiral (ship) needs attention to detail. The crew worked day and night to correct issues: sewage smells, a/c, non functioning lights, plus much, much more. Until the boat is overhauled, I would not recommend it.
We also took the Extension to Istanbul. The Faros Hotel was amazingly helpful; truly service oriented!!

Loved it! We went as a couple and met wonderful people. Two things to suggest
1. Better app navigation
2. Lighter e-bikes ( other companies like VBT and backroads have lighter, safer bikes

Staff couldn’t be nicer and we had a flood emergency which was handled professionally and compassionately

.The trip was well managed by Lesley.He was great. The boat staff were not very helpful so that was a bit frustrating at times.Food was good. Lots of activites. Biking was fabulous.

The bikes, the ship, the crew and the food! All were fantastic! We definitely feel that our experience aboard the Vivienne was a value commensurate with the cost. The upgrade to a Superior room was worth that little extra cost as the views were beautiful. The bikes were in great repair, the e-bike controls were easy. None stop scenery as we rolled through woods, urban roads, country trails and picturesque towns. Even the weather did not disrupt our enjoyment as Captain Igor and all crew worked to keep us safe and entertained during three days of nonstop rain and 30-year record flooding on the river. We have great stories to share!

The staff on the Clair de Lune were fantastic, funny and hard working. The food was beautifully prepared, nutritious and delicious. I enjoyed the visit to goat cheese farm, moving through the locks, exploring beautiful old towns and traveling in a bridge canal over the Loire River. A couple of days were less interesting. Don’t forget your rain jacket.

The beautiful landscape,the bike ride, the points of interest. Our tour guide George was excellent and the crew did a great job.

Disappointing trip. Our only day in Potsdam nearly every museum was closed. Countryside and small towns just were not very interesting. I don’t believe this same itinerary is being offered next year. Food on Merlijn was just ok and we were given small sandwiches for lunch.

OMG amazing!!
We were trying to settle on one word along this journey to describe this trip. Part way through we chose "Stunning" however, on completion
this had changed to "Epic". Its difficult to zero in on a memorable part of the trip when it offered so many. the Harmonia was
a beautiful and spotlessly clean motor yacht. Our cabin on the main deck was a good size and very comfortable. The crew was hard working, courteous
and very professional who always made us feel special and safe. This along with wonderful meals, knowledgeable guides and gorgeous scenery made a trip we will talk about for years. Also, booking with TRIPsite was a pleasurable, professional and seamless experience - thus "EPIC"!
This will be the word going forward when we discuss this trip with our many friends and those we casually meet along the way.
Hennie, it was such a joy to have you join us on the trip and share your many travel experiences...

Stephen and Kathleen
London. Ontario, Canada

The most memorable part for me was the scenery. Biking through the "hinterlands" and Bavaria was very beautiful and interesting. The fruit trees and the family farms were charming.
The ride was more difficult than I expected and I was not expecting to ride on gravel and dirt paths. At times that was a bit challenging. I think the rating should be moderate to difficult.
We had too many people in our group, 14, and only one leader. She was wonderful but she had never ridden the route and was not very knowledgable about the route or the area. One of the participants had to ride "sweep".
I would have liked a little bit more free time. We had zero time to do any shopping or sightseeing in the villages that we stayed in. The 2 to 2 1/2 dinners were a bit long although delicious.
The hotels were wonderful and the food was great. Because of weather we did not have picnic lunches but our lunch stops were very good.
I felt we spent too much time standing around and waiting. At times things were a bit disorganized but I do believe that was because of the inexperience of our leader.

Unfortunately, the most memorable part was the weather--10 degrees, 25kph winds and rain for a goodly portion of the tour. Suggestion? Never believe the long-term weather forecast.

The staff were uniformly friendly and eager to serve, the food was excellent and the quarters very nice. Places we visited were lovely.

A few of the routes were shared with motor vehicles, and this wasn't clear. While it was not an issue for me, my wife was uncomfortable with it. Drivers in Europe are generally much more polite and tolerant than those in the USA. I would not have liked the experience as much in the US.

The TripSite team took care of all the details, was responsive to questions, and made our trip easy and worry free. Prague to Dresden was our second trip and we hope to book many more. We select the upgraded hotels and add on extra nights for an even better experience. The new navigation app made biking even easier. Advice to bikers: do your homework on the suggested side trips - some were nothing burgers but a couple were spectacular and worth the time.

This was a well conceived and executed trip; from the baggage handling to the overnight accommodations and the variety of breakfast provided we were pleasantly surprised. The bikes were well maintained and the Ride with GPS was accurate if not sometimes difficult to follow in the cities we visited. A cautionary note: The route from Faenza to Ronta is not for the casual rider! Both the long ascent and the traffic make this an "experienced" rider's ride.

Guide Fabian was wonderful. Guided tours were good. Loved the scenery. Sixteen in group was too many. In fact two chose not to ride and 14 was still too many due to varying abilities.

Cycling along the Danube and entering small villages as we cycled. It felt very “intimate” like we were part of the life of the village.

The meals were delicious, staff professional and knowledgeable!

Very enjoyable trip on flat surfaces theough mutiple countries , cities and cultures. Easy pace each day with plenty of items to explore. Overall great experience

The most memorable part of the trip was the scenery and the tour guides that TripSite arranged to give us challenging routes which allowed for gaping at and stopping for photo opportunities. My tip is to have sleeveless biking tops as well as a true waterproof jacket, so you are prepared for any weather. We had e-bikes with comfortable seats, but I would suggest bike shorts with a pad for the longer rides.
The second most memorable part was the food, local favorites and 3-course meals and olive oil sampling with cheese and tomatoes and bread!
Last, I signed up as a single and appreciated TripSite encouraging everyone to alternate what table they sat at; therefore, we met so many new people from all over the world.

Vienna and Budapest at night. Coffee and cake at 1600. Breakfast buffet. Large lager.