5 Star Bike Tour Reviews — 751 to 780 of 4571

In fact, the whole trip was memorable! There are a few reasons why the whole trip surpasses by far the "one memorable moment" that most people enjoy taking from a trip. Firstly, the captain, the cook, the guide, and the rest of the members of the crew demonstrated one of the highest levels of professionalism and also a most friendly welcome aboard throughout the trip. Secondly, the Merlijn was kept in such a state of good care and good taste that it was the perfect "home away from home". And thirdly, although pure coincidence, from the very first moment we set sail and, again, throughout the trip, the best rapport and camaraderie permeated the whole group of twenty people who didn't know each other previously and came from so many different walks of life.

Having dinner at Fisherman’s Bastion overlooking Budapest at night was just magical. Also, our first day ride at Danube Bend was a fantasic experience with the bike road along the Danube and the little bike ferries we used (and the Schapps wasn’t bad either!). All in all, great ship, great bikes, great time!

We really enjoyed this trip! The crew of the boat was wonderful and the meals were excellent! The landscape for biking was primarily flat and beautiful. I found the times we encountered motorists on our trail to be very safe. Our guide was experienced, energetic and made this trip so memorable!

The Canal du MIDI bike trip was an excellent and slow way to see the beauty of the countryside and experience the hospitality of locals. There was enough time at the end of each day to explore the villages and see the sights. Can highly recommend this bike ride. It was also fun to meet other cyclists.

We had a wonderful time in Croatia staying on the Romantica and biking and touring the Islands! The food was delicious and the crew and guides did a fantastic job!
I recommend renting electric bikes because it is very hilly. But if you are up for a challenge the hybrid bikes are for you! Enjoy!

Our Tripsite bike and barge tour with the Merlijn was absolutely fantastic!!! We now have such wonderful memories of the crew, food, our cycling guide, and the new friends we shared this adventure with. We can’t wait to go on another trip!!

It was an absolute blast. The team on our boat were fantastic! I would highly recommend.

Awesome experience. Great, caring, FUN staff! Especially fun with an e-bike!!!!

The trip was a great way to see rural eastern Germany and Denmark. The bike paths and low-trafficed roads were a great way to see a part of the world I had only seen in pictures. Saw things I never would have imagined seeing. Only for a very small fraction of the trip, well under 5%, did one have to be concerned about significant vehicle traffic. The accommodations were more than satisfactory. Please note though the accommodations met European decent quality standards NOT what some North Americans would expect. Some of the rooms were a bit smaller. no AC and low volume flush toilets. The quality of the breakfasts more than made up for any minor issues regarding the rooms. The map data was well laid out. Would definitely recommend downloading the GPX route files and using them on your phone to go from town to town.

The routes were very well planned with attractions to visit.
The service of the bikes rental provider was very good. I had a problem with my bike and they solved it immediately.
Accomodation in Mount Guesthouse is an outstanding part of the trip

The guides and crew were just fabulous. We definitely were able to gain insight to Croatia and the people.

If you want to see a country, then get out of the cities and see the country. The bike trip from Amsterdam to Bruges lets you do that. I have a lot of good memories that will last a lifetime. The crew worked well together and made sure everyone enjoyed themselves. Special compliments to our Chef as the evening meals were varied and nicely presented.

The beautiful bike trails and paths throughout Holland and Belgium gave us the opportunity to see so many wonderful things that we wouldn't have seen by car, train or on foot. Everyone on board the ship were wonderful and our tour guide, Jan, was great! It was wonderful to meet the other guests from so many countries. Great weather, which was helpful!

The vast and varied beauty of the rural areas and the trails through this landscape and the trees.

The biking was fabulous. The crew members were fun relaxed and very accommodating.The bikes were very easy to handle and perfect for the trip. I loved them!The barge was beautiful and more spacious than I imagined. I had an excellent time on this trip and would highly recommend it.

This was the most organized non-guided trip I have ever been on. We had a driver stay with us the entire week and provided support if you had a flat or any bike trouble. They picked us up or dropped us off to safer starting and ending spots so that we could stay at beautiful hotels and not have to ride on very unsafe fast roads with no bike lanes. They organized guided tours in some of the cities we stayed in. The hotels were top notch, really really nice. The routes were well organized and detours were sent to us a week prior due to road construction. I couldn't recommend this trip enough. Poland cities are beautiful, clean, the food is great and very inexpensive. The countryside is beautiful. Poland's cities are unlike other European cities now. The cities feel safe and clean. Please put this trip on your bucket list. Well worth it!

There are so many beautiful sights to see along the biking paths and roads. A guided tour is the way to go in my opinion so one can relax and just take in all of the sights without having to be concerned about finding the next turn. The incredible and friendly guides show you the entire way and there are so many, many turns and changes to the route to be watching out for.

This was the best trip I have taken …the boat was great, it is a nice, small boat: we had 25 guests. The tour guides were exceptional..knowledgeable, friendly, happy and helpful. There was an activity or more every day, but optional if you wanted to pass. The food was traditional and excellent and plentiful. We had time on our own yet time together, can’t say enough about the way it was run. Very happy to report the excellence of this trip. I would take another one anytime ( and probably will).

The guides were wonderful. We had a mix of regular bikers and power assist. Every bike trip provided us with amazing views, an opportunity to see a new island every day to experience the people, culture and cuisine. Since the temperature was 90+ degrees every day, I would recommend not going on regular bike for the months of July and August. The accommodations and food on the boat were comfortable and plentiful. We met many nice people and appreciated that the boat only had 28 guests onboard. The guides and captain provided us with ample opportunities to swim, relax and enjoy one another. Croatia is a wonderful country. We loved the geography, people, culture, and the relaxed atmosphere. Being on the bike/boat provided us with the opportunity to explore the country away from the massive crowds that we were in the major cities.

We had a great time on our bike & boat trip down the Danube! We were aboard the Primadonna. The highlight of the trip was Budapest. What an amazing city! It was a rest day so we had all day to explore. We left by night when all those incredible buildings were lit up and reflected in the Danube.
Optional city tours were available when we weren’t cycling. I recommend them because we learned history & facts about where we were. The organ concert in Linz was a wonderful experience too.
The boat was great. The staff was helpful and friendly, the meals were good, reflecting the region and our lowest deck room was comfortable. It did surprise us the first morning how close to the water level our window was!
The last day, cycling through vineyards and villages in Austria was delightful.
We would recommend this trip to others. The terrain is easy so you can enjoy your surroundings. We were glad we opted for the e-bikes. The Primadonna doesn’t provide helmets though but sold them in their little bike shop on board for €35, so we bought them.
Most of the people on the trip are retirees. Not many young people. They still have to work! They would enjoy it too though.

We had a great time on our bike & boat trip down the Danube! We were aboard the Primadonna. The highlight of the trip was Budapest. What an amazing city! It was a rest day so we had all day to explore. We left by night when all those incredible buildings were lit up and reflected in the Danube.
Optional city tours were available when we weren’t cycling. I recommend them because we learned history & facts about where we were. The organ concert in Linz was a wonderful experience too.
The boat was great. The staff was helpful and friendly, the meals were good, reflecting the region and our lowest deck room was comfortable. It did surprise us the first morning how close to the water level our window was!
The last day, cycling through vineyards and villages in Austria was delightful.
We would recommend this trip to others. The terrain is easy so you can enjoy your surroundings. We were glad we opted for the e-bikes. The Primadonna doesn’t provide helmets though but sold them in their little bike shop on board for €35, so we bought them.
Most of the people on the trip are retirees. Not many young people. They still have to work! They would enjoy it too though.

This tour is fantastic! The meeting spot in downtown Tulum was easy to find, and the office staff were very accommodating. The bikes were in excellent condition, and our local guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The biking itself was straightforward, with a mix of jungle paths, hard-packed dirt roads, and some sidewalk riding to and from the bike shop.

Tour highlights included snorkeling in two distinct Cenotes. One featured a dock for jumping and plenty of turtles, while the other was a deep, crystal-clear swimming hole teeming with fish and a rope swing. If you enjoy biking and swimming, this tour is perfect for you! It ended with a delicious, authentic lunch at a jungle cantina—an ideal finish to an amazing day.

Tips: Bring a small backpack with a towel, sunscreen, and bug spray. Bug spray is essential in the jungle!

The evening cruise out of Budapest with all the illuminated building was so amazing.
Take your time in the smaller towns and cities as you bike to the larger cities. Most of the big cities are more difficult to get around. With the exception of Vienna, the guided tours were superb.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The hotels and inns were excellent. The people were warm and welcoming. The routes were beautiful and scenic, much of it along the Atlantic Ocean. We had a chance to experience fully this fabulous and unique region (County Clare and the Burren). We especially loved the hotel and shops in Ennis, the beach in Spanish Point, the Cliffs of Moher, the local music in the pubs in Doolin, the harbor and seafood in Ballyvaughan and the rock structures and castle near Kinvara. The routes were hillier than we expected. If folks aren't used to frequent or sustained hills, they might consider using e-bikes.

The bike riding was a lot of fun and the swim stops after biking were fantastic! The crew were very pleasant and friendly. Dora our bike guide was fun and patient with some of the slower riders.

It’s hard to pick one thing. The ride leaders & rides were awesome. They took the time to make sure there was a great bike fit. Food was spectacular everyday. Fresh and delicious. The crew were funny and knew their boat. Rooms were clean and ready for us when we arrived. And Venice to Mantova—perfect. I highly recommend this trip and this boat.

The tour was fabulous! The ship's captain and crew were extremely helpful. Max, the chef, treated us to gourmet meals from around the world. When the weather turned foul (high winds to Force 7-8 and some rain) the captain provided us with some viable alternatives to visit that worked out well. One of the best parts of the trip was working with the crew to trim the sails. It helped to unite the group in a common task and allowed us to interact in a unique way. We're thinking about coming back for more in a couple of years.

Experiencing the beauty of Croatia, swimming in the Adriatic, getting to know others from around the world and sharing laughs with our fabulous guides.

I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and cleanliness of the boat, nice air conditioning (which was critical in August) and the quality of the food. The crew was extremely hard working and did everything to try to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable. Our guides (Filip and Bubi) were fantastic and made our trip extra special. They followed the protocols to make sure we stayed safe but were also flexible when the weather conditions did not cooperate; they were able to switch plans seamlessly and find activities that were fun and enjoyable. They also both had wonderful senses of humor and made us laugh throughout the trip. I give them the highest rating of all!

A couple of suggestions:

1) Allow passengers to bring their own wine/spirits on the boat. I realize that this is a money making venture for the boat company but I would rather be charged more overall and be able to bring on board and share the local wine/spirits with our fellow guests.

2) Have a cappuccino machine (or Nespresso) to use at our leisure on the boat. I saw these on other boats when we were docked up with them. Again, I'm happy to pay extra upfront for this but I hate to be nickled and dimed every time I want to enjoy a cup of coffee.

3) Make time in the daily schedule to swim off the boat. We only enjoyed this opportunity the last two days and it was a highlight. Also, more water toys - floats, kayaks and paddle boards would be appreciated.

4) Develop a more comprehensive packing list - I'd be happy to help with that if someone would like to call me about it.

5) Make sure to advise participants to bring plenty of local currency (in this case Euros) and make sure to bring a cash debit card in case you run out. There were a lot of instances on the islands where vendors did not take credit cards and I was concerned about using all of my cash because I wanted to save it for tips for the crew.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip and I'd be happy to be a reference if anyone has any questions or would like to discuss the trip.

Thanks!

Kari

We’ve done a number of bicycling trips over the last 10+ years, and this was one of the best due to a combination of factors. The touring team was excellent (that would include Marietta our principal guide, her husband (the bike and luggage handler) and her co-guide). Their combined knowledge, kindness, and efficiency made for a perfect trip. We rode through some rain storms, but they were of small consequence (that surprised me), Norway is gorgeous, the e-bikes were excellent (my husband and I are in our 80s), and the daily itineraries were varied and well thought out.

Our Merlijn adventure was a magical package- from the cozy cabins, fabulous food, smooth! charming bike paths, and superior guide -to congenial fellow bikers. And the ebike made it possible for my elderly knees. The scenic rides were away from the hustle and bustle of large cities. Idyllic, highly recommend.