5 Star Italy Tour Reviews — 271 to 300 of 342
Rosemary B.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
A few things I think need mentioning.
We got lost. Just as one of your reviewers mentioned on the way to Lake Garda. We were doing great and very early to get the boat but at one of the deviations,we turned towards Verona and didn't realize it until half way to Verona. We had to keep looking at the map and book description and when we thought we knew and didn't look at what we were doing, we got lost. So took a train to Verona, lugged the very heavy bikes up the train station stairs, no elevator or escalators there!! Then had to hang the bikes up on hooks on the train. Then the train back up to where we would have been finishing our trip in the boat down Lake Garda. PUCCINCI hotel in Peschiera.I was very disappointed to have missed the ride on lake Garda. So the day that was supposed to be our short day, and we had done 45k before noon, and should have been there, we did over 80K.
I felt that in order Read More to do each days trip on the extra three days, we had to miss lots of towns and sights I wanted to visit. The hotel in Bolzano was very lovely and staff was great.
The hotel in Trento, The Grand, was very very Grand. We just loved it.
The gentleman that was at the front desk in............Peschiera was very helpful and was trying to give us many many things to do until he realized we didn't have the time in one evening, when getting up early to ride, to do too much.
The hotel at the bottom of Lake Guarda, Hotel Peschiera we had a large bedroom.
The breakfast room was in the basement and was quite crowded.
We went for a swim and I asked at the desk about towels for the pool and the woman said to just take the room towels. When I asked for dry towels later for our room she told me they were $5.00 each!!! Never have heard of that ever before.
Our barge was wonderful and as the times we have biked and barged before with other companies, we were very delighted with the delicious meals, friendly crew and outstanding tour guide Lecia. She was so much fun, very professional, had amazing skills in many languages and we all fell in love with her. The rides were so beautiful, just as we expected and the others on board with us were friendly and keen like us.
Carla • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Rosemary! Thanks for submitting such detailed feedback. We are working with our local partner to make that part of the route more detailed. Glad you had a wonderful trip!
Marvin R.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Venice
Italy
The breathtaking scenery, cities wine and food of Veneto were the most memorable parts.
Kristy M.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The staff on the Ave Maria was fantastic. They made sure we got everything we needed. I liked the way even the captain of the boat helped serve and clean up. They really worked as a team and worked very hard! The food was awesome and I really enjoyed the stops we made and the tours we had.
Great trip!
Karen K.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Bike guides (Michaela & Ronnie) and boat staff ( Erica, Juliano, Enrico and Luciano) were all exceptional. Their care, expertise and concern throughout the trip was what made it exceptional.
Nancy H.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The Tour Leader Hein was amazing and showed us a wonderful experience. The cycling was spectacular and the food so exciting and very innovative. The bikes were heavier than I am used to but they were appropriate for the terrain. Everyone was helpful -- fabulous staff. I've already recommended it to my friends. I would do it again, but only if Hein were the Leader.
Igor Y.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Florence to Rome - Guided
Italy
The trip was superbly put together logistically. Excellent guide. Great accommodations.
Mary C.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Florence - old version
Italy
This tour was a lovely way to experience the quiet county roads and villages of Italy.
Kathleen W.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The most awesome trip and staff! The barge was clean and well equipped. The staff was stellar, the meals great, the guided bike rides the best. No room for improvement and I hope to do another Bike and Barge on the Merlin. I especially enjoyed the bike routes, touring small villages along the way, and the guide Lia who was well informed about the area and Germany in general.
Blaine N.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The boat, staff and food were all exceptional. A quality operation for sure. Having the owner Pierpaulo stop in for a visit and having dinner together was a nice touch.
We booked this trip for a group of riders with a wide range of abilities and it worked very well for all.
Philip S.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Innsbruck to Bolzano
Austria, Italy
Loved the route through small towns & vineyards in Sud Tyrol.
Guide book could be improved with maps incorporated.
Glenn P.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The whole experience was very memorable. The changing scenery, the background info provided etc. was great. The quality of the barge added to the overall enjoyment. One of the highlights was watching how well the crew worked together and genuinely seemed to be having fun. It was a very unique experience that surpassed my expectations. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone.
Judi H.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This is my first bike and barge experience and will definitely not be my last. Although others in reviews said the Vita Pugna was "tired". I saw it as wonderfull vintage barge, with a crew that loved it and showed their care for it in their care for us. The food was outstanding and any hopes I had of losing weight on the trip were quickly dashed with each evenings meal.
We joined a large group of Kiwis onboard, with 2 Brits and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
One thing that would have made the trip even better would be a different pillow; the one I had was too high and too hard for my taste and left me with a stiff neck in the morning.
Philip S.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Innsbruck to Bolzano
Austria, Italy
The most memorable part of this trip was riding through kilometers of apple orchards on a beautifully paved bike trail.
Phil & Kim
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Innsbruck to Bolzano
Austria, Italy
What an awesome bike trip!!
Well organized, incredible scenery, great hotels, mild/moderate difficulty.
Recommend to anyone in reasonable fitness level.
Daniel G.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
We did the 3-day self-guided tour from Bolzano to Lake Garda to Mantua first and that was a great adventure for us. The food and people we met on the boat was also a wonderful experience.
D. Green
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This was a fabulous trip all around! The group was friendly, and guides were helpful and knowledgeable! Dinners were delicious and varied, stronger than expected for this type of trip. We really enjoyed being able to purchase wine on board the ship, also. The riding was varied, and we really appreciated that our guides made sure to schedule a mid-morning break for coffee/water/toilet. What a great way to get a sense of this part of Italy - from small villages and farm fields to Venice - just spectacular!
One suggestion for improvement: for riding in really hot weather, it would be great if there could be a little more flexibility. We rode during a heat spell (40 degrees Centigrade one day). It was difficult to shift schedules or shorten our rides due to logistics, and this created some health issues.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your feedback. Due to the route of the boat, it is difficult to shorten the biking portion and still meet back up with the boat. However, you are always welcome to stay aboard the boat if you you find the weather unsatisfactory. Glad you had a great trip despite the hot weather!
L. Klinker
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
We loved the entire cycling experience! Our stay in Umbertide was especially memorable- the hotel was amazing and the restaurant was some of the best food we ate in Italy!
A. Harris
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
A fabulous experience. We will seriously consider further barge/bike holidays with you.
E. Lowell
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
It was a wonderful trip! I liked that we got to be on the barge when it moved (one time at the end of the day and another in the morning). The food was outstanding and I liked that the chefs described dinner and suggested wine pairings. The barge was very comfortable - even with 3 in a cabin.
Our son (22 years old) was outnumbered by the over 50 crowd but Hein made him feel welcome. Only suggestion - mirrors on the bikes (although I realize that makes them difficult to store and move) and a brief intro on riding in groups.
V. Miller
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Oh yea the bikes --- a good ride and comfy enough for the distances ridden. The routes were well planned, even the few times we had to ride in traffic. The trip leaders were excellent at managing the group and making it fun, no matter what we were doing.
For Read More the whole week I felt well cared for :)
I am already dreaming of my next trip.
Kindly -- Victoria
P.S. The bad and the ugly -- honestly I don't have anything to contribute for improvement.
J. Scott
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The crew were AMAZing! Every single one of them. Tami is an amazing guide - super friendly and helpful. All of the crew helpful and a delight. I would definitely go on this type of trip again because of my experience on this trip.
MARCOS FERRAZ
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Venice to Poreč
Italy, Slovenia, Croatia
Estamos super-satisfeitos com voces e a Giro Libero. Tudo transcorreu muito bem de forma profissional e organizada, superando ate nossas expectativas.
O material distribuido (mapas e guias) foi otimo; as bikes todas aguentaram bem sem darem qq problema, em otimo estado de manutencao e apropriadas ao trajeto; o percurso muito bem marcado; o funcionario da reuniao inicial foi pontual e nos atendeu muito bem e orientou sobre tudo; os hoteis super de acordo com o contratado, bem localizados e confortaveis; enfim, um passeio que nos alegrou em muito com paisagens lindas e repleto de experiencias culturais.
L. Chambers
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
This was my first bike & barge. The bar has been set very high!
J. Wark
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Umbria
Italy
All hotels were great except Hotel Magione. We were the only guests and I don't think they wanted us there. The breakfast was not up to snuff and there was NO English station on the TV. Given the level of difficulty of the hills, the bikes were very heavy (steel) especially when we had to walk up hills. Ok for flat but not hilly. We loved the restaurant near the hotel in Togiano and went twice. Unfortunately, we did have rain......
Steve • 2 years ago
Hi,
We are considering this tour. Were you on road bikes? What other riding in Europe have you done that you enjoyed (or not enjoyed).
Thanks,
Steve
Vancouver, Canada.
L. Bockelmann
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The entire bike-barge trip on the Ave Maria far exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend this trip.
Oswaldo and Rachel
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bolzano to Venice
Italy
We have just arrived from our trip. It was amazing! We strongly recomend
J Murphy
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Heel of Italy
Italy
The maps and route details were hard to follow at points, but the trip was very good: the ride, hotels and fellow cyclists.
Joel Angiolillo
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Excellent trip. High quality, bikes, guides, lodging. No complaints. Very well organized. (except for the weather. :-).
Joanne White
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy
This Bike and Barge tour was amazing, best holiday ever!
Julia Haschke
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bolzano to Venice
Italy
It seemed the first hotels during the trip were very nice, and declined as the week went. Might've been a coincidence but it was a bit disappointing. The guides were amazing, as was the route in northern Italy. Was very happy with the experience, and was very organized and went very smoothly.
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