Europe

Our 7th trip and this might be tops, but they are all so good. This trip is easy and we are so glad we did not order eBikes (we are 79 and 82). Our guides were terrific and the trip is planned so there is time for art (Dali two places),Greek and Roman ruins, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, walking the coast, seeing the Costa Brava from the sea, and exploring the old city of Girona as well as an introduction to Barcelona, where we stayed on for a week in an apartment. Hotels were great too.

We loved this trip! The scenery, the biking routes, the guides, the accommodations were all fanatastic. We liked the other guests, the fabulous breakfasts and particularly loved our post trip to Mallorca.

This was our first VBT vacation and we have already registered for a second trip. Provence and the Alpilles is a beautiful region of France with abundant fruits, vegetables and other agriculture. The bicycle travel through the French countryside gives an up-close and personal travel experience.

Bike routes were beautiful and enjoyable! Loved the town of St. Remy and the location of our hotel. Really enjoyed Avignon and again, the location of the hotel made exploring the city very easy.

Portugal was our 11th VBT trip and 12th biking trip. It was the best or at least equal to our other great trips. The guides were the best ever and the hotels , especially the Farm House, were excellent. The biking was challenging at times but very good overall. We highly recommend the trip and very much want to return to Portugal. Great food, great wine and a beautiful country. We felt very safe on the roads and highways as Portugal drivers are very courteous to bikers. Absolutely nothing to complain about and as with all VBT trips, a great value.

Enjoyed this trip to Portugal. Good mix of easy and moderate riding to work off the fantastic food/beverages.

VBT has done it again. For over 20 years, my wife and I have been taking bicycle trips. We had long been hoping that VBT, our favorite tour company, would add a trip to Scandinavia. When we found out about this new trip last year, we signed up within days. It did not disappoint. Our leaders were friendly, knowledgeable and always ready to help. We had nice weather. Our mid-September departure had temperatures in the mid to upper 60s, and occasionally in the 70s. The rides were beautiful. We usually ride road bikes, but were glad to be on hybrids because there were some gravel surfaces and even a few miles of dirt road. The local people were a bit reserved, but quite friendly when approached. English is widely understood and spoken in Scandinavia. We chose to do both the pre trip in Copenhagen and post trip in Helsinki. We are glad we did. The evening cruise to Helsinki through the Stockholm archipelago was stunningly beautiful.

I have wanted to visit the Nordic countries since 1974 when I was an exchange student in Europe. Thank you, VBT, for finally making it an affordable destination! As always, the travel arrangements were seamless, the leaders were phenomenal, and the experience was second to none!

The guided bicycling trip through the Cotswolds was excellent. Our guides, Will and Dan made our trip a wonderful experience. They chose beautiful rides over varied terrain to keep things interesting, took care of our bicycles and accommodations and were generally wonderful people to be around. We were also lucky to have an exceptional group for this tour. I unreservedly recommend Will and Dan, our guides, and this tour.

My husband and I highly recommend the bicycling tour of England, Bath and the Cotswolds hosted by VBT. Our guides were brilliant, very knowledgeable of the area history, and especially mindful of all the nuances of our gorgeous route. We were safe, well cared for, and informed. Hattie, a champion cyclist, not only was a great coach of e-bike techniques, but also able to repair bikes on site if needed. Jago was brilliant with stories, history, and nuggets of interesting information as well as funny jokes. Hotels were comfortable and food provided was over the top! We certainly missed all the three course meals once back in the states. The tour included lots of must sees, including the Downton Abbey mile, tickets to Blenheim Palace and the Roman Baths. We recommend an e-bike for most enjoyment for those 60+ years old. The rolling hills of the Cotswolds are stunning!

Very beautiful scenery , good guides and the pre-trip is great

Our leaders, Luigi and Jean Marc, were well organized, attentive to our needs, and delightful to be around. Chamonix, where the trip starts, is all about Mont Blanc. You can take a cable car to a nearby peak and see in all directions, if it is not cloudy. The cable car ride is still worthwhile if it's cloudy. You can also enjoy the river walk and ride a train, north and south, for free. The bike rides were mostly on bike paths and often downhill. There were three steep climbs which the ebikes and road bikes managed easily. Mountains were always in sight and so were rivers, especially the Rhone. We had rain several days, but no washouts. The trip ends in Lyon, a metropolitan city. There are museums, a river walk, river cruises, and shopping. Lyon is also the gastronomical center of France. We took advantage of Greeter Lyon Metropole which arranges free tours with local citizens. The strolls, as they are called, are usually two hours but our guide gave us a four hour tour. One downside is theft by pickpocket. In our group, one person had a wallet stolen, another a cell phone, and another thwarted a theft attempt. Take precautions and the thieves will look elsewhere.

This VBT trip does not disappoint! The attention to detail for every visit and experience was remarkable. I live in the mid-west and don't have many hills to train on so these rides were challenging for me, but doable and once I was done I felt very satisfied. The accommodations were all different and great in their own way. The guides were energetic and informative. I highly recommend this tour - it's a great way to see Greece!

The experience with VBT went beyond expectations as did the part of Greece where we cycled. The Peloponnesian Peninsula is a relatively undiscovered biking jewel, I enjoyed it far more than biking various Greek Islands. Accommodations were excellent and Greek food speaks for itself. VBT and the guides went out of their way in providing a 5 star experience. The bikes were new and top quality, the routes were varied and interesting. The guides bent over backwards to please us and provide a great biking as well as cultural experience.

We've travelled with VBT many times and have never been disappointed. While this was not among our top 5 favorite trips with them, we had a wonderful time. Positives: Gorgeous vistas, the ride (by bike and train) to St. Moritz, and the Bellagio extension allowed time for a day trip to Milan (see The Last Supper, Duomo, Galleria and La Scala) and a fun visit to the very cool Museo del Ciclismo (rent a bike and ride up!) Negatives, to the extent one can really consider them as such: Too little cycling for our taste, gravel trails/routes a bit boring and sometimes too narrow for passing traffic. As always, our guides were outstanding representatives of their home region and attended to all of our needs.

Excellent cycling trip with beautiful views and Italian charm! The Alps and lakes made for a stunning landscape to tour with wonderful towns to explore. The Bernina railway thru the Alps was a major highlight!!!

With a two adjustments, the trip would be a five star trip. One is to move the warmup ride from the congested, cobblestone streets of old town Passau to an easier riding environment. Second is to be more selective in the room choices in the hotel in the Wachau Valley. Otherwise, the trip met my expectations and more. The riding is in varying environments - forests, mountains, riversides, vineyards, orchards, and small, ancient villages. The elevation changes are minimal, there are long stretches where there is no stopping at intersections, and best of all, for all but small portions, you are riding on dedicated bike trails or bike lanes without having to worry about vehicles. Navigating was easy with Ride with GPS, and we took cues from the trail signs and the bicycle traffic. The luggage transfers and shuttles operated flawlessly.

Exceeded expectations! Fantastic scenery, nice bikes, great hotels ...