Reviews - VBT Bicycling Vacations Skip to Main Content

Europe

Scenery, riding history, art, food - it has it all

This was one of the best VBT tours we have taken. Food, riding, scenery, exploration of the art of Dali, wonderful guides and fantastic accommodations. Pre-trip in Barcelona is a must do to see the Gaudi architecture and Picasso museum as well as experience Catalonia at its best.

mecrr, Red Bluff, CA, United States

Spain: Girona & Costa Brava

Wonderful Experience!

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.

Bets70, St. Louis, MO

Spain: Girona & Costa Brava

Provence is a Pleasure!

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.

Idaho21, Idaho

France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon

Exceptional vacation

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.

CMMitch, Arlington, VA, USA

France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon

Great week of biking, wine and dining - perfect!

The trip was a perfect way to visit southern Portugal. The guides were awesome, always there to lend a hand or offer guidance. The bikes were outstanding - brand new fleet. The routes were interesting and scenic with little traffic. The food and wine were great. And above all the opportunity to spend time with old friends and to meet new friends was rewarding. Thanks

bikemonger, Tampa

Portugal: Lisbon, Évora & the Algarve

Beautiful locales and local dining

This was our first VBT vacation. We were very impressed with the planning, accommodations, and route. It was a wonderful experience to bike along country roads with guides who knew the area. The hotels were lovely and the meals were delicious. Everything was top-notch.

Ebike Ellen, Minneapolis MN

Portugal: Lisbon, Évora & the Algarve

Loved every bit of this trip!

This was such a great trip. Copenhagen was such a lovely city and perfect to discover by walking. Sweden was so beautiful and the biking was an exciting discovery each day. Bodhi and Philip were just wonderful as our guides - fun, professional and always helpful. We had never been to Scandinavia and this was such a lovely way to see it.

JeanBru, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Scandinavia: Denmark & Sweden

VBT did it again

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.

Graham,

Scandinavia: Denmark & Sweden

rough roads and unreliable airport ride service.

We had great hotels and guides and interesting cities and towns to explore. The big negative is that the roads and country lanes had roads covered in potholes, loose gravel at the bottom of the hills and drivers who at high-speed drove by leaving not much room. We had 15 riders and eleven falls of the bikes. I had one when a person knocked me off my bike by putting his elbow out to hit my mirror when I rode by with no room to move over. All the other trips I have rode on had safer roads. The biggest complaint we had was when we landed at Heathrow, Terminal 2, we saw no driver to pick us up. We came out from baggage claim and no one with a VBT sign. We looked around for 15 minutes and then went to The Currency Exchange Kiosk as noted in our travel paperwork. After 10 minutes standing there, a man offered his help and called the Company on our paperwork. They said someone was on the way and to stay there. It took them a couple minutes to recognize our name and pickup information. After 30 more minutes waiting at the Kiosk, my wife walked around again and spotted a man holding a VBT sign and he told us that he had been there for 50 minutes. We knew that wasn't true and we both had searched for anyone with a VBT sign. The second incident with ground transportation came when we were scheduled to leave our hotel in Dublin. We were supposed to be picked up at 11:00am for a two-hour ride to Heathrow. At 11:10, our hotel desk person called APL Cars London and they said they would be there at 11:20am. At 11:30, the desk lady called again for up and they Company told her the driver was almost there and not to worry as our plane was taking off late. Our desk person to her that she checked, and our flight was on time, so we knew the ride person was lying. Our ride finally showed up at 11:50 am, 50 minutes late. We did get to the airport in time for our flight nut we were nervous with the rushed ride, worrying about checking in our bag, and finding our gate. We would have been more comfortable if we had started on time. VBT should reconsider using this ride company and they were late both coming and going on our trip.

Mike B, Edmonds, Washington

England: Bath & the Cotswolds

A great ride through beautiful country.

It was a beautiful trip, well paced with excellent guides. We were lucky with the weather so our photos are great. The Cotswolds did not disappoint with their charm; Oxford and Bath were educations in history.

Nancy Low, Chestertown, Maryland

England: Bath & the Cotswolds

France and Switzerland

I thoroughly enjoyed an awesome trip with very scenic bike paths, taking walking tours of historic villages, and trying different cuisine.

Smiling bicyclist, South Portland, Maine

Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps

Can't go wrong...

Great on all counts! Special shout-out to our wonderful guides- Philippe and Jean-Marc- who added the soul to a wonderful biking adventure.

ThomasH, San Luis Obispo County, CA

Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps

Wonderful trip

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.

Marcia B, Boise, Idaho

Greece: Sparta, Monemvasia & the Peloponnesian Peninsula

Gorgeous views, rewarding rides and delicious food

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!

Jaymers,

Greece: Sparta, Monemvasia & the Peloponnesian Peninsula

Perfecto

The tour guides Angelo and Roberto were so helpful and lots of fun! The trip was exciting and very informative. Vbt runs a well-organized and well -prepared biking tour. The hotels and planned dinners were excellent. I will book another bike trip with VBT for sure!

M Glose, Buffalo, New York

Italy: Lake Como & the Italian Lake District

Bellissimo lago - beautiful lakes!

Another wonderful trip - beautiful lakes, rivers and mountains. Lovely bike paths, fun lake ferries and the Bernina Express Unesco World Heritage little red train to St. Moritz. The Franciacorta ride to a winery with a tour and fabulous lunch was another great day of our week. Beautiful part of Italy for sure, wonderful food throughout the week and our two fantastic guides - Roberto and Giovanni. They made the week so special for everyone. Really enjoyed hearing about the culture and history of their country.

Diane SW, Littleton, CO

Italy: Lake Como & the Italian Lake District

First self-directed tour, but not last!

Excellent experience overall. We’ve taken as many as ten VBT European tours, all guided. This was our first self-guided, and we loved the flexibility and freedom. Don’t get me wrong, Jan, our Guide met us and set us up for the ride, installing our pedals and saddles. He also checked in on us every day with a text. It was great to know he cared. Excellent trip overall, with excellent views and hotels. Highly recommended!

DenisDH, North Andover, MA

Germany & Austria: The Danube River

Wonderful Experience!

Absolutely incredible experience. I loved the great elements of the tour but the ability to round out my experience with great exploration and meals!

GDL65, Cape Coral FL

Germany & Austria: The Danube River

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