Italy

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.

The Dolomite Valley is a well kept secret to most Americans. It's a land between two cultures, Italian and Austrian, and has much of both. You can buy your Wurst und Beer in the Plaz and enjoy the sunshine. Bicycling is incredible, the trails are heavenly, and the scenery is incomparable. We took the post trip in Verona, took the train to Vicenza and back in the same day. This was our third and favorite VBT Tour.

Our guides were excellent. Guides make or break the trip. Giuliano and Debra worked well together taking care of our every need. Hotels, transportation, food, and bikes were first class. Great job VBT. Look forward to booking another trip soon.

Our guides were excellent, particularly in the face of inclement weather. They managed to keep the mood positive. Safety is always paramount and this was adhered to universally. Puglia is rich with history and the group took advantage of this on the trip. Group banquets were outstanding. I would recommend the trip to others without any reservations.

My partner and I had a very good time on this trip. As usual, the guides were outstanding - personable, funny, positive, helpful. I originally signed-up for a regular bike, but at the last minute switched to an ebike and was glad that I did (I think that I am the classic VBT guest: 70, but in decent shape, riding at home, but not avidly). There were some significant hills. And they were made more difficult because of two days of rain. Apparently, rain is not usual in May in Tuscany. My only quibble is with the itinerary, which I should have researched more before we chose this trip. The last 4 days of biking, out of 6 total, are at the coast, near Elba. The scenery was nice, certainly. But it is not the heart of Tuscany. It is not in the classic rolling hills, with cypress-lined roads and vineyards and broad vistas. Perhaps it can't be, because there are too many hills or because there are no decent places for a bike tour to stay. I realize that, for many, ebikes have changed the character of these trips. In this instance, I was glad for an ebike and would have hoped that it would have allowed us to bike in the heart of the region, say around Montepulciano or Montalcino or south of Siena. Yes, this is farther away from Florence, but it is dramatic countryside, and the one that most people think of when they think of Tuscany. I recommend an itinerary change. If this necessitates an increase in the level of physicality, so be it, with the understanding that an ebike would make it far less strenuous. If this necessitates staying at an agriturismo, so be it. The hotels at which we stayed near the coast were very nice, with welcome pools, but they lacked charm. Staying at an agriturismo, in the heart of Tuscany, would be an opportunity not to be missed.

We loved our tour. My husband is an avid cyclist and was the only rider of 20 on a road bike. He really enjoyed the ride and the mountains of Colorado prepared him. I used an e-bike and was certainly glad I did. We enjoyed all of our accommodations - they were very charming and comfortable. The scenery was amazing and fun to experience from a bike. Our guides were the best. Andrea and Igor supported us well - my favorite was the Italian lessons including hand signals!! One of our favorite activities was our dinner with Chicca - the food and her house was definitely what I pictured in my mind for Tuscany. Ready for our next tour!

A wonderful route, except for the first day which was really nothing special. Accommodations we’re great, though the lack of air conditioning in one made for an uncomfortable sleep. My bike however, was a big disappointment; a poorly maintained derailleur prevented me from getting onto the lowest gear and the front wheel was out-of-true resulting in a wobble at higher speeds. Mechanical support on this ride is non-existent. Given the mileage and elevation gain I would not rate this as an “easy” trip, unless you are on an e-bike. Overall a terrific experience, except for the bike.

We enjoyed our trip. The accommodations were great. The Ride with GPS worked very well. Clemens, our tour guide was good but he should have checked the bikes better before he gave them to us. The bikes were terrible. My eBike had 50,000 k on the odometer. The bikes were old dogs. On my bike the front brakes dragged the entire trip even after adjustment. The rear view mirror would not stay in adjustment after tightening and was very scratched. Based on the amount we paid I was very disappointed with the equipment. I can't recommend VBT and our next bike trip we will use someone else.

Two things could have been better. 1. Food on organized portion was unacceptable, had to order a pizza after one meal, food was so bad. 2. Phone holders were way too wobbly. Had a Butterfield and Robinson bike a couple of days later and the bikes came equipped with a GPS and a solid holder that did not move. Something VBT should incorporate.

This tour had the best of all adventures- boats, trains, bikes- great food and scenery, and Stefano and Robi were stellar in every way. Anyone who can bike should plan on this trip- it is a must do!

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.

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.

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.