Greece

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.

This trip is a fantastic introduction to Greece, more so with the pre-trip extension that allows time in Athens. The guides, Katerina and Dimitris, are skillful, knowledgeable, highly organized, fun-loving and thoughtful, and take the time to put each experience in perspective with the culture and history of Greece, their homeland. The trip's design is extraordinary and the experiences varied. There is a good balance of activity and down time. Great attention has been given to sampling genuine Greek cuisine, and it is fabulous. The hikes are varied, easy at times and more challenging as the sites to see follow the contours of Greece's many mountains.

First off, the guides, Katerina and Thaleia were the best. We always thought Greece would be beautiful but the hiking in Delphi and Meteora proved more spectacular than we anticipated. We enjoyed both the scenic beauty and wonderful food of Greece and our traveling companions. We really did not enjoy a lot of the Santorini extension. The hotel, a very nice resort, was far from town, located across from what looked like an abandoned strip mining operation and not really near anything. I think I would have preferred to stay in Oia or even better, just another area of Greece. Fira was overrun by cruise ship passengers and smelly diesel fumes. We really enjoyed what we did of the caldera hike but after a slow start to the hike we were told we had to do the last part in 30 minutes - not wanting to have to 'run it' we took a taxi to Oia.