5 Star Italy Tour Reviews — 91 to 120 of 342

Tuscany - Pisa & Florence
Italy

The secondary roads and the fabulous landscapes

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Seeing Italy from a closer perspective than on most tours.

Bikes worked well, and the food and tour guides were excellent

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The most memorable part of the trip for me was riding our bikes in the country between towns. We were able to see the crops in the fields, and the beautiful countryside dotted with houses and the green vegetation of spring. We were in Italy in early May and the weather was perfect - not too warm but not cold either. A particular highlight was riding along a canal and seeing the Ave Maria ahead of us. We speeded up, of course so that we could pass the boat, greeting the captain as we rode by. He responded by honking the horn and putting music on the loudspeaker for us to enjoy. The food was another highlight of the trip. We had fantastic, filling breakfasts, and delicious traditional Italian food for dinner each night. The chefs explained the courses, and where the recipes originated. We were able to nourish our minds and bodies together. Our group was immediately cohesive, and we had lively entertainment every night from card games to karaoke singing. The trip was one of the best I have ever experienced, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience biking in Europe.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The 6 member crew of the Ava Maria was fantastic. Food was excellent and the barge accommodations were very nice. I was in a deluxe cabin with a window that opened and the cabin was very spacious and the water pressure in the shower was great and the beds were very comfy. TripSite stated we would be provided with a water bottle for our bikes but we were not which was difficult because a standard bottle of water would not fit in the bottle holder on the bike. WiFi only works in the main dining room which was OK. Bikes are in great condition and the bike guides (Helmut and Alex) were great. There is a fair amount of street riding with some traffic but the guides keep you safe. No diet coke on the boat but they allowed us to bring on our own soda.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Biking out of Venice was unforgettable.

Puglia Food & Wine
Italy

The Agrotourism tastings. They were with local farmers, bakers and they all greeted us with such warmth and hospitality.

Puglia Food & Wine
Italy

The old cities of Lecce, Otranto and Gallipoli impressed me the most.

In regards to hotels, the one in Lecce was Unsufficient, contrary to the rest of the hotels which were very good.

The guide was outstanding... With a lot of knowhow, patience and very friendly

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Biking along the river and the built in tours of the trip.

  Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

We enjoyed everything about the tour! Our group was very international representative of Italy, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Switzerland, UK, and Germany. Our guide was Giorgio. He was knowledgeable about the area and it’s history and took us on many side trips including a gastronomic experience at a local cheese factory.
After biking all day we returned to a fresh snack and of course an outstanding meal at dinner made by our exceptional cook who greeted us every evening with a heartfelt Buona sera! We felt the crew did an outstanding job and were always willing to help with any given situation. Great job everybody!
Thank you all!
Jean and Brian Mearon

Venice to Poreč
Italy, Slovenia, Croatia

This tour is absolutely gorgeous! Great biking all the way, beautiful scenery and tons of history. Highly recommended!

  Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy

Dinner together on the barge and riding as a group

  Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy

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.

  Atlantis Highlights of Tuscany
Italy

The whole trip was an adventure! The crew and the guides were great and worked hard every day loading all the bikes on the dinghies as well as keeping us all safe during transport. The bikes and biking was great! The scenery was spectacular! At the end of the day when we returned to the ship we were happy to celebrate with a refreshing swim in the sea followed by a drink from the bar. The guests were an international group . Despite language barriers we mixed well and enjoyed the diversity leaving the ship promising to stay in contact. Great memories!

Venice to Poreč
Italy, Slovenia, Croatia

Most memorable part: Trip into and out of Venice

Istria to the Adriatic
Slovenia, Croatia, Italy

Diversity of the scenery, which was beautiful. A good portion of the route is right along the Adriatic, which we jumped in several times. The Adriatic is very nice.The rest of the time we were cycling through forests, vineyards or old train tunnels on our way to mountain/hilltop villages. Stunning views from all of the hotels. The people in Slovenia and Croatia were friendly and often times very engaging.
We also took a day trip, before the start of the cycling journey, to the interior of Slovenia. Beautiful country… very clean. Ljubljana is a very cool city. Would recommend if time allows.

Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

This was a fantastic bike and barge trip! We loved all aspects of it: the delicious meals, the beautiful scenery, the great staff and guides, and wonderful travel companions. For me as an avid bicyclist, the biking was pretty easy, but for my wife it was more challenging. However, Francesco and Carlos were fantastic guides, and kept a pace that worked for everyone. We loved stopping and exploring the small towns along the way, as well as the larger attractions in cities such as Ferrara. One of our favorite memories of the trip was sitting on the top deck of the Ava Marie in the evening after a day of biking and sight-seeing, and playing cards with our new found friends. We appreciate the energy the crew and staff put into making this a great trip for everyone! We can't wait to go again! Ciao!

Umbria - Gastronomy Bike Tour
Italy

Trip from Spoleto to San Luca was great overall, enjoyed the scenery. Visiting Montefalco was awesome. Arriving in Santa Barbara hotel with a pool waiting for us was a great surprise at the end of the day.
Tip: gpx tracks were excellent in use. I brought a box with me from home attached to a bike for the phone to follow tracks during riding. The problem was seeing track in a sunny day. I had to stop once in a while where shade was available in order to stay on the right road.
I do not know how to improve this challenge.

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

The trip was excellent! We loved it. Great to meet people from all over the world. The Ave Maria Barge was just right. The crew was excellent! The crew was helpful and personable beyond expectations. The dinners were really wonderful, I enjoyed going through the small towns in Italy. Our ride leaders knew where they were going and were very informative regarding the towns we visited. I can’t wait to do another bike and barge!

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

It was the wonderful people, (tour guides, chefs and boat crew) of the Ava Maria, that made this tour experience more than exceptional and much more than expected. We appreciated their expertise, knowledge and humourous delivery of all. Five star experience!!!!!

  Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy

Tip. 3rd party navigation tools such as a heads up Garmin Edge are 100% necessary for the self guided section. Also, the self guided section is NOT a beginner ride. Intermediate is more appropriate.

  Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy

The most memorable part of the trip was the people we met. From the crew to the fellow cyclists it was an amazing cast of people and made the experience such a pleasure. Riding with people from England, Germany, Canada and the US led to amazing days in the saddle and wonderful conversations over delicious dinners. When doing these trips the best advice I can give is at dinner move to a different table each evening and meet and dine with the other passengers. The friendships I have made over the years from these rides are truly remarkable.

  Ave Maria Bolzano-Mantova-Venice
Italy

Many beautiful experiences, met new nice people, a uniquely great crew on the Ave Maria, great food.

Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Our week on the Ave Marie far exceeded our expectations. Hardly words to convey how fabulous it all was. This is the 3rd such adventure for us. Our Girolibero Provence Bike and Barge was absolutely wonderful. Our Loire Valley outing with another company was pretty awful but returning to a Girolibero guided trip erased all those memories. How to praise the comfortable boat, the outstanding meals, and then the crew of 6 who went above and beyond to ensure every day was totally enjoyable and to remember forever. The crew worked so well together taking such good and kind care of all of us. We made new friends, saw so much and learned so much as Hugo and Giorgio shared so much of their vast knowledge of the Po River Valley. We miss all of them so much and wish we lived closer. Thank you Girolibero for making all this possible.

Matera to Lecce
Italy

Umbria - Culinary Walking Tour
Italy

This tour features food and wine tasting with local proprietors who treat you like guests rather than customers, as well as scenic hiking through olive groves and wildflowers. It is an ideal way to experience Umbria in depth, and much more intimate than a tourist bus tour. The hikes are moderate and you will work up an appetite for homemade bruschetta, pasta, and meatballs, with wine pairings.

Lake Garda
Italy

Everything is memorable

Classic Tuscany E-Bike tour
Italy

Fantastic trip and really well looked after by the local representative

Classic Tuscany E-Bike tour
Italy

The tour was overall great! It was like biking in a painting with this beautiful senery

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Italy was beautiful, historical, and interesting. But what made this trip stand apart from others was the crew. Our guides were committed to giving us an amazing experience. Hugo shared his knowledgeable of Italian history, economics, culture, and the transitions taking place in their society today. He included interesting stops along the way, my favorite being the Museum of Fairground Rides. He made and shared videos of our daily rides and entertained us with his antics. Francesco was from Italy and helped us with its language and culture while also being the caregiver of our trip. The meals were delicious and the entire crew joined in to ensure our comfort, safety and entertainment throughout the week. This was my fourth bike and barge through Tripsite and all of the crews have been good. This one was exceptional!!

  Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy

Most memorable part: Barge staff and bike guides