Italy

This was our second trip with VBT and while the scenery was very different, the experience was the same--excellent. Our guides were personable, informative, and helpful, the accommodations were great and the scenery couldn't be beat. Bike paths in this area were plentiful and took you through beautiful areas. As expected, there were a few hills to climb, but they just made the ride a bit more challenging. If anything, the quality of the bike paths made us wish we could have ridden longer in order to take in the scenery around us. We highly recommend this trip.

Unbelievably beautiful countryside. Not a difficult ride but a few challenging hills by choice. Great accommodations, activities and food. The guides were great leaders and very fun to tag along with.

I have waited many years before finally deciding on taking the Piedmont trip with VBT!! And, what a wonderful time I had!! The tour guides were superb, the wine country was awesome, offering some great rides with beautiful vistas. In addition, each of the villas we stayed at were cheerfully staffed with very beautiful accommodations. I have already booked another trip next year - it's going to be hard to wait that long!!!

This was my 6th VBT tour. The best by far. The cycling was the perfect amount of challenging to justify indulging in the amazing food and wine. Claudio and Christian were so knowledgeable and fun. The group, fantastic. And the lodging was the nicest of any place we've stayed in Europe. The views were never ending. I would do this trip again and again and again.

Everything about this trip was perfect from the time we were picked up at the airport in Bari. Alberbello was scenic and it was great to stay in a trulli and from there, it only got better each day. Our guide Deborah was most helpful. She was there when roads were closed and a slight detour was needed and had the best advice on where to eat, what to see, and how to get the most from out trip. The rides along the coasts were out of this world. The inland rides through olive groves and farmland, equally special. We felt attended to and every need anticipated. Would do this trip another trip like this in a nanosecond. Thanks, Deborah!

Excellent bike vacation in Puglia. I'd never been there before and found it's a beautiful area with the sea and beaches and ancient walled cities. Less expensive than other parts of Italy and so friendly! I'd been on several bike tours in Europe before but not a self-guided tour. I was a bit apprehensive about that. Thanks to the great staff organizing the tour, we had a fantastic time and want to come back. Deborah was especially helpful with any little issue that came up. With her taking care of the logistics, I was free to really enjoy my holiday.

Outstanding leaders, beautiful places to stay, fantastic food, and some unique towns as well as impressive coastal scenery. Biking was an excellent way to discover a region that is less frequented by foreign tourists.

Our trip was excellent and very enjoyable! We would highly recommend it to all. All our guides, both pre-trip local & road trip, were experienced, knowledgeable, lovely, and patient. MANY THANKS!!

Beautiful views, well paved and unpaved trails. Hotels were good and the Thermal Hotel and at the end was great.

Just a wonderful tour with breathtaking views of the majestic Dolomites, cycling through one charming village after another on well maintained bike paths. Our guides were very professional and personable, and it was just the right mix of biking along with cultural experiences and relaxation.

Ebikes were perfect for this tour, my first VBT self guided trip. If you like to swim on empty covers and beaches along the way, this trip is for you. You can stop in several places. Bring a suit and towel on your bike, plus water shoes a must. I wished I had goggles as the water is crystal clear. Go to the beach from the first hotel on the trip. Beautiful. Villa Fanny was very nice. Hotels got fancier as we travelled. The food everywhere was amazing if you like seafood. The ferry to and from San Pietro was fun and pretty. That island was so charming. We liked the hotel there, and the extra day. It was great being in empty countryside, with no tourists till close to the end, and even then it was all Italians. Only 12 people on our trip, much nicer than larger groups on guided trips I've done. Oh, and the flamingos!! Amazing!

This tour offers absolutely stunning views that make the climbs completely worth it! It’s a challenging ride if you choose a road bike rather than an e-bike, given the amount of elevation—over 12,000 feet across a few days—so if you’re not used to climbing, just be prepared. The hotels were generally fine. Carloforte was lovely, and Villa Fanny was excellent with a particularly helpful concierge. Some of the other accommodations felt a bit tired, which is understandable in the very small towns along the route. That said, a few places had amenities listed online (like pools, bars, or restaurants) that ended up being closed when we arrived. One stop in particular advertised a pool and pizza oven, but when we got there, everything was shut down—something that hadn’t been communicated by VBT. Not a huge deal, but it’s worth noting so expectations are set appropriately. Also, be prepared with your luggage early. There were a few times where we were told to have it set at one time and then they wanted it earlier. Overall, this is a beautiful and rewarding trip, especially for seasoned, independent riders. Despite a few hiccups, I’d absolutely do this—or something similar—with VBT again.