5 Star Bike Tour Reviews — 1951 to 1980 of 4514

Fantastic tour, suitable to me and my wife. The boat "Swiss Crown" was luxurious, and we loved the real outside small balcon of the room. All facilities (meals, bar, crew service) were very good. The "social" part, include meeting of varios kind ol people, was very interesting. The tour organizer' (Yorgen) was one of a kind!!! We are planning our next tour in Holland (Tulip Tour).

We enjoyed all aspects of this trip: the clean, efficiently-laid out accommodations, the delicious food(especially the vegetarian options cooked specifically for us), the great bikes, fun staff, knowledgable tour guides, and the towns and scenery we rode and boated through. We brought travel slippers to wear onboard which we enjoyed and others commented they wished they had done so. We wore padded bike shorts which we thought helped us avoid sore bottoms from biking since we are not accustomed to long rides. Although we rented electric bikes, this is a mostly flat trip and I don't think you need electric if you are a reasonably fit biker.

I think more questions about individuals biking ability and whether they have experience with e-bikes would be good. Also, people should not expect the bike guides to know all the history of the places people bike through-they are there to assist in biking and take care of problems. They have knowledge but they are not historians etc. I think it should be explained that biking with regular bikes and e-bikes are going to be a part of the same group and unless you are going on your own, it might be difficult to keep up. More emphasis on the App that can assist you when biking. Might also want to emphasize preparation before coming such as doing some long rides. It seems some people think they used to bike and this should be a easy ride especially in the Netherlands where it is flat-they forget it is windy and you are doing this every day for a week!

The reservation process was so professional with no hitches along the way. The trip was amazing, the guides especially Franz were so good, informative and always present. The barge itself was quite a pleasant surprise to everyone as it was hard to imagine what it would be like, clean, modern with all modern conveniences. Our weather was perfect which was a surprise also as the prediction was rain every day!!! Food was wonderful as well as all the staff. Each tour was different with unique stops along the way and the countryside is so beautiful. Every one was pleased with their bikes, we had e-bikes which we loved.
Thank you Tripsite for an amazing trip.

Excellent in every way. The boat "Iris" and the captain and crew were wonderful; meals were good and the crew could not have been friendlier or more helpful. The two tour guides (Lia and Tobias) were wonderful and fun to be with. The bicycling was pleasant and the villages and towns we stopped in were beautiful and interesting. Tourist sites such as the Bishop's Palace in Wurzberg were fantastic. Highly recommended for those who like guided group trips and the ease of being on a boat instead of moving to a new hotel every day, with the option of staying on the boat any day.

7 very close friends have just spent a fabulous week with Steve and Karina and crew on their Barge Aurora in norther Burgundy. Right from the booking this was a special holiday. Carla and Tripsite made sure our 55th anniversary (for all of us) was a special event. There was nothing that they couldn’t accommodate.
Aurora is a floating 5 star intimate hotel. She is in immaculate condition. Her crew are well trained and extremely pleasant to have with you. Every little thing to make you comfortable has been thought of and taken care of. They even curate the music that they play in the background to your age group.
We were touring at the end of a difficult season for Steve and Karina with a very hot and dry summer. Plus Covid was still disruptive. Very low water levels made following the planned itinerary very difficult. In spite of that and because of Steve’s knowledge of the area they were able to provide us with a great experience.
Our bike guide, Weiger,had an encyclopedic knowledge of the area and never seemed to look at a map except to show us where we were. He was a pleasure to be with.
This was a memorable trip for us all. We would use Tripsites experience and expertise without hesitation in the future.
Thank you Carla, Steve and Karina. And all the crew.
The “Summer of ‘67” gang.

Great bicycle routes with so much to see. The bed and breakfast could not have been better, Ray was a great host.

Riding along the ocean. I would've liked to top and embrace the first view of the ocean after riding through all the traffic the first day.

I really appreciated Sergio making arrangements for my early return to Porto before the last day of trip. John was funny and liked his humour. Paul was great to be there when seriously needed for flat tires, chain disconnects, snacks and such. A wonderful time!

It was an easy ride with great bikes. Our group was large and our guide handled us well. We were disappointed in two coastal towns being shut down so very few shops or restaurants were open. Hotels were great.

The ability to really get to know your other travelers. The scenery and routes were wonderful.
Be sure you have put in the miles before you go so you don’t get so tired you can’t enjoy the rest of the trip. If you sign up for an e-bike, get some experience before you go. Know your ability today not when you were 18, 25 years old. This is a bike tour with guides for the route and care of the bikes. They are not there to give you the history of the areas or buildings you visit-you need to do your own work. They share their knowledge but that isn’t their job!

Getting up every morning to a delicious breakfast buffet on the boat, followed by a scenic and exhilarating bicycle ride through gorgeous countryside was fabulous. The locations chosen were ideal. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. I’d book another bicycle trip in a heartbeat. It’s best to read about the terrain and difficulty level of the rides before you go and train accordingly. Best trip ever!!

Kvarner Bay tour from Omisalj. Wonderful memories aboard The Linda. The crew, our knowledgeable and every language speaking tour guides Ana and Kristofor, the food, the sites, the wonderful passengers we met from around the world. The weather was in our favor and the crew adapted to make sure our experience was safe and that we could ride our bikes as much as possible without too much of a rough ride on the seas. Thank you so much! Marilyn

This was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had! The Magnifique IV is gorgeous and comfortable, and every single staff member was super helpful and just absolutely lovely! Our cycling guides, Hans and Wilfred, we’re wonderful - fun, knowledgeable, well-organized. Seeing bigger towns and cities, and all the countryside and ‘regular’ towns in between by bicycle is such a good way to explore. I highly recommend this trip!

The team (captain Paul, chef Michael, sailor Albert, Hostesses Annika & Ingeborg and tour guides Hans & Wilfred) on Magnifique IV is amazing. They are always cheerful and are so hardworking. Every meal was exquisite and the warm and delicious snacks offered after a long (wet) bike ride were so appreciated. The barge is beautiful. It is clean and well appointed. We appreciated the 2 usb ports to charge our phones in our large suite. We were conservative with water so had lots for a hot shower after a day of cycling. The scenery was gorgeous. If we had stopped at every place for a beautiful picture, we would still be in Gent! Our tour guides were very knowledgeable about the area. They easily answered our questions with enthusiasm and humour. Our daily route was tweaked according to the groups' abilities, interests and, of course, the weather.

Tips
Pack light. We avoided long lineups at every airport because we had only carry-on luggage.
Don't bring a bike helmet unless you are cycling before or after the tour. They are provided.
Rent one of the e-bikes. Even though the routes are mostly flat, we so appreciated having a little boost. I had mine on level 1 most of the time. Level 2 was for near the end of the ride. Level 3, only for going up hills. Make sure to unlock your bike and turn your battery on again after a stop.
Keep some distance between your bike and the one ahead. Not everyone will be experienced with cycling in groups and hand signals.
Do bring a gel seat cover with a waterproof bag. You can cover it, or just take it off when stopping. The seats on the bikes are just okay. They were much more comfortable with an additional squishy layer.
Do bring water-PROOF raingear, top and bottom. We kept warm and almost completely dry with ours. Others went with water RESISTANT and regretted it. In fact, next time I'm bringing good quality covers for my shoes. The staff kindly put our shoes in the engine room to dry out. This worked beautifully when they were damp, but let's just say that stronger measures were needed on other days. Bring an extra pair of shoes.
Your waterproof jacket needs to have a hood. Note, the ball cap I wore under my helmet to keep the sun out of my eyes also kept the rain off my face. We had a mix of weather. Definitely dress in layers if you are doing a tour in late September. I was glad I packed warm long-sleeved tops, hoodies and wool socks. I also had a warm coat and a scarf for the cool evenings in the various beautiful cities.
Do bring a few ziploc bags. These will come in handy on wet days, even with the waterproof satchels.
Don't believe the nice lady at the cheese farm. Unless you are going back home right away, uncover and place the cheese you buy in a fridge. Simply opening the package to let it breath won't be enough to prevent mold from growing.
Do get a data package with your cellphone company. Not every place will have wifi when you need it.  SHOW MORE 

Dinner together on the barge and riding as a group

I felt we were treated as valued guests both out on the bike rides and on the barge. Food and ride leaders were excellent.
Would like the option of paper guides for the Bolzano to Mantova part as we did get off course a few times, especially finding the ferry in Riva. Overall, a wonderful experience.

The guides and their local knowledge really made this trip unforgettable. For other travelers - yes, your behind will hurt if you aren't used to cycling every day. It's 100% worth it. You'll see towns and places that tourists don't normally visit.

The Magnifique III is a beautiful ship. I had a suite on the upper deck (highly recommend) and was able to sit by my open window and watch the world glide by, The large common areas are very comfortable. All the staff from the Captain, Walter, to the tour guides, Esther and Tom, were friendly and helpful. The food was excellent. And the Dutch/Belgian countryside and towns are picturesque and lovely. Just do not expect long distances (our longest day was 57 km) or fast speeds (we averaged as a group under 10 mph). This trip is designed to enjoy the journey. We cycled on marvellous dedicated pathways and quiet roads where traffic was always courteous. Unfortunately, we had more rain than we all would have liked but no one can control the weather!

Everything about the Famous Villages of Provence was memorable; the views, the wine, the food and especially the accommodations. The staff at the hotels were so friendly and helpful. We were thankful that we upgraded to ebikes as some of the climbs would have been challenging. There is a learning cure when using the GPS, but it is very accurate and we truly enjoyed riding along the country lanes through apple and olive orchards.

The memories of cycling along the Atlantic coast past long white sand beaches and through charming seaside towns remain long after the trip’s end. This route has incredible scenery. The experience of meeting other walkers and cyclists on route to Santiago enhances the feeling of a pilgrimage. The trip was well organized, the guides knowledgeable, and the accommodations and food exceeded my expectations.

This was my 5th bike and barge trip—they have become my favorite kind of vacation. They take you away from your day-to-day life with full days of activity and slow, macro touring of a new, beautiful part of the world. It's a moving hotel; you bike all day, then find all your things as you left them in a new location without having to pack every morning. They have great food on board, and with all the exercise you do—you just eat what you want! The crew on The Caprice was excellent. Willy, the captain, told us everything—even the few wrinkles we encountered. One afternoon, he gave all of us a chance to steer the wheel from his deck up top. Irene, the chef, was superb. Every night's dinner including starter, main course and dessert where beautifully prepared, delicious and pertinent to the locale of our docking. Karima, the steward, was very attentive to us, a wonderful personality, a great wine sommelier—and creative folder of dinner napkins! Our riding guide Micaela (Micky) was even-keeled, never rattled and dealt with all of our personalities like a pro. The group signing that she organized of Sur Le Pont d'Avignon melted our hearts. She was excellent and made the trip! The boat itself was a little small. The traffic pattern in the dining area needs some work to go a little smoother. The highlight of the trip was the visit to the Pont du Gard—and it would have been nice to have 4 hours there.

Mickey, our tour leader, took us out after dinner on the barge, on a walking tour in Arles. I had been asking when we would see the location of where The Bedroom at Arles was painted. That is where she took us. In addition, we saw the location of where Starry Night was painted. She let me bring a friend from our sister barge.

Wine, good food and laughter with good friends at the end of the day each day. I loved the City of Trier, the hotel we stayed in in Piesport- Wiengut Lehnert-Veit, and the Eltz Castle outside of Trier.

We are from Mexico and this is our second time with tripsite. And definitely looking forward to do it again.
Amsterdam to Brugge is magic!!
The sites, the routes, the lodges and great food!!
We decided to do it on ebike and was an excellent choice.this way we could enjoy the road with the right effort.
The bikes were excelent and all the experience with tripsite is the best!
Looking for for our next trip!

I felt strongly the pull of the Mosel River as it flows across 2,000 years of history, spanning the Roman Empire, centuries of struggle between France and Germany culminating in World War II, and the formation of the European Union in 1985. From the bike saddle, we observe workers pruning vines and collecting grapes, children attending school and residents running daily errands. The experience unfolding before our eyes is enhanced by knowing a bit of that local history -- imagining Roman life here from 2,000 years ago, contemplating daily life in a medieval castle in the 16th century, and understanding World War 2 and postwar efforts to establish the European Union and the Euro common currency. All these historical events shaped life along this river; the evidence surrounds you, from Roman ruins, to castles, farms, footpaths, commercial barge traffic, and agriculture. Part of this journey is taking note of the layering of the modern world over deep historical foundations.

I loved all the walking paths and the people we met along the way.

The Trip met or exceeded all of our expectations. I enjoyed seeing the Netherlands and Belgium from a variety of vantage points. Walking into Antwerp old central square at night was magical.

Riding along the river the entire time with beautiful scenery and good bicycling surfaces.

The most memorable part of the trip, in regards to TRIPSITE was the well organized reservations made for the hotels, bicycles, the guy setting them up and the various options they offer to us.
The only comment I would like to make is that in the map(s) they were some confusion as of which routes to take. We got lost over 20 times... which by the way is part of the fun!.

I have participated in about ten TripSite tours in the last 12 years, and this was one of the best. It was a photographer's delight, particularly the beaches and towns. The food was amazing: the hotel breakfasts were all very good, even in the 3 star hotels, and the dinners and wine were fabulous yet reasonably priced. All of the hotels were very good. I traveled with four 4 others, all of us in our sixties or close to it. We took e-bikes for the first time and I would strongly recommend them for this tour. It is very hilly, and we would have all been dog tired if we didn't have the power assist for the big climbs. There's a fair bit of traffic on some parts of the tour, but we found the Spanish motorists very polite and accommodating, giving cyclists lots of room. We picked this trip because we thought it was photogenic, and because of the excellent cuisine. We were not disappointed!! Kudos to Ibero Cycle, who provided excellent bikes and support.