Spain

It starts with the guides and they deliver on a continuous basis. Andrea and Javier (Javi) are excellent at delivering the experience promised by VBT and go above and beyond to make it all work and make sure you are happy. There are always glitches along the way, mostly created by the guests. They work tirelessly and effectively to solve every problem. Like all the other trips (we have done many). It's so much more than the wonderful biking. The farm visit to the apple orchard is amazing. Who knew so much science and technology are needed to be successful in this day and age. They explained why more than 150 apples stresses the trees and produce inferior apples. They showed us the technology they use to eliminate excess blooms. The resultant apples, juices and ciders are wonderful. The enjoyment of our visit to the Dali museum was magnified many times over by the enthusiasm and knowledge of Kim, our guide. I had no idea how many elements were in each Dali painting and how his mind worked.

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.

We loved this trip! Beautiful and varied biking routes; knowledgeable, competent and engaging guides, top-notch hotels, delicious food and interesting cultural activities. I wish I could do it all over again!

We thoroughly enjoyed our first VBT experience. The tour route was very well laid out and we cannot not say enough about how impressive our tour leaders, David and Frederico, both of whom are natives of Portugal. Kudos to VBT for the way they planned and conducted our tour!

This was my first trip with VBT. I was not disappointed. We did the self-guided tour and it was absolutely amazing. The GPS app worked like a dream and we felt very confident that we would not get lost. The level of ride was perfect and the routes were well thought out for traffic, sightseeing, landscapes, and food/water. Our baggage was moved every 'move-on' day without any problems. The staff was responsive and helpful with all of our questions. We felt safe and looked out for the entire time.

This trip was so amazing. The VBT company had everything in order right down to the last detail. Our tour guides, Oriol and Xavier, treated everyone with dignity and respect. They were kind and helpful and a joy to work with. The group met each morning to have a review of the day. Our guides also suggested restaurants along the way and their advice was excellent. Our hotels were beautiful! Everything about this vacation was top notch. Thank you, VBT for an amazing trip. We are already planning our next one.

This extraordinary bike trip in Mallorca was led by three professional and kind leaders who only had our best interest at heart! The routes were varied, some routes were more challenging than others and the hospitality of all hotels, vineyards, salt mine, etc. we’re 5 star! I highly recommend this tour ! Incredible scenery, variety of terrain and exceptional customer service and food!

This was our 19th VBT trips, our fourth in Spain, and high on our list of favorites. The scenery was beautiful, the hotels were all nice and our guides, Jose and Juanxto were both entertaining and knowledgeable. As is the case with previous trips, everything went very smoothly. The included lunches and dinners were all very good as was the wine. Most of the routes were on roads rather than bike paths, but were very lightly trafficked, with the exception of a few miles here and there, and we felt the routes were safe, especially since there are no many cyclists in Mallorca. The three towns we stayed in were all lovely and not over touristed. We had e-bikes, which I would recommend since there were a few climbs that would have been tough on a road bike, but no problem at all on an e-bike. We did not do the pre- or post trip add-ones, but did stay in La Palma for three days on our own and enjoyed our time there. Overall La Palma is quite crowded, mostly with British and German tourists. We spent one day hiking in Valldemossa, which we really enjoyed and another riding rented bikes along the beach areas of La Palma, thus avoiding the crowded tourist sites. I would recommend doing both of these. We were on the last tour of the season in late October and the weather was excellent for biking, except for one afternoon when it rained hard and no one in our group elected to ride. We booked this trip almost a year in advance because it is quite popular and still many of the departures were already full. As experienced VBT cyclists in our 70s, I would not hesitate to recommend this trip.

This trip was the perfect combination of biking and cruising. The Emerald Radiance was a top-notch level Riverboat with a crew that felt like family by the end of the trip. The rooms were small but had every important amenity. In the evening were entertained by local dancers and singers that were an excellent representation of the local culture. This trip should be on everyone’s list.

Having been on many VBT trips, this one didn't quite measure up. Two problems: 1) the E- bike was very heavy and as a small woman was difficult to manage and get on and off. You do need an E-bike though as many long hills. Number 2 was Portugal itself. There wasn't much to see or do in comparison to other European trips, esp. the bike and barge trips. Here, no cute towns to explore and for the first 4 days the scenery was mostly uninspiring. Also, difficult logistics catching the river boat.The guides and boat were excellent but couldn't compensate for a trip with little off-road interest.

Very scenic bike ride through miles and miles of olive trees neatly planted in rows! Guides were so helpful and courteous. Time to tour Cordoba and Granada without biking. Beautiful accommodations - especially Hacienda Minerva in Zuheros. Post trip in Barcelona is a must! Gaudi's architecture is so creative and beautiful!!

We visited Andalucia Spain with VBT in Nov. 2012. This was our 24th bicycling trip with VBT and was our best trip yet! Andalucia is more scenic than we ever imagined and the bicycling along rural roads and trails is the best way to experience this area. The longer cycling routes offered each day were through rolling hills with sweeping vistas overlooking olive orchards as far as the eye could see and small white-housed villages nestled in the hill-sides. Andalucia offers many cultural and historic attractions in Seville, Cordoba and Granada that make this a very enriching and rewarding trip.

Wonderful trip, great guides, good food, well-organized. Guides Alberto and Pol were a great team and anticipated our every need. Moreover, they were fun to be with and full of helpful information. The route was well planned to experience both the Camino Norte and the Camino Franca. The paradors were generally good though not spectacular, with the exception of that in Santiago de Compostela. Visits to the winery and cheese factory were also pleasant and provided variety to the walking treks. The length and elevation gain of the walks were fine for the elderly group, though the initial information should be checked for accuracy. Some walks were more and others were less than advertised.

Awesome Experience. Everything was amazing from the accommodations to the hikes to the guides. Highly recommend this tour to experience different parts of the Camino de Santiago.

Excellent tour. Our tour guides were so wonderful.

Amazing , challenging hikes with beautiful views. The guides Isabel and Juan Jo were wonderful. I was one of the slowest hikers and they encouraged me every step of the way.