Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Beautiful trip to Croatia, very scenic and varied locations visited whilst cycling
Fabulous. Well organised and excellent detailed routes.
Very well organised and efficient service providing routes bikes and luggage transfer enabling us to enjoy a relaxed week of cycling and sightseeing with confidence. Route was well designed with minimal sections on roads and all roads used were quiet and felt very safe for cyclists. We loved the Roadbooks app which made it almost impossible to get lost.Plenty of options for sightseeing en route all well signposted via the app and instructions. Rando Velo also an excellent partner We thoroughly enjoyed the trip .
Well planned route & easy to follow. Occasional hills but nothing too strenuous. Mostly on cycle routes or very quiet roads so traffic never a problem. Worth booking ahead in Beaune & Cluny for meals out but plenty of options. All hotels were clean & comfortable. Sturdy bike. & reliable baggage transfer. Need to highlight that TGV station in Macon is not the one near your final Ibis hotel so will need to book a 20 min taxi ride
Enjoyed overall , most of the route was on main roads, many motorcycles , we expected more of a cycle route, my wife is ‘ gluten free’, she indicated this on the booking but the hotels weren’t aware of this., some of them could provide something but mostly not. The Astoria in Bastia is close to the station but access walking with luggage is difficult.
sublime, the locations, itinerary, food, service and ease of the whole holiday was excellent. We were very lucky with the weather too- the recommendations of where to stop for coffee/ lunch very wise and welcome. End of May is glorious- the honeysuckle, fields of wild flowers, swift and house martins everywhere and so many lovely spots to stop and rest/ picnic. The velo vert route was lovely when we were able to use that too
Cycling was underated, the routes were amazing. The hotels were overated. EG: advertised outdoor pool and spa. There was no spa and the pool was green and unusable.
Wonderful cycling route along the Route des Vins d’Alsace- relaxing and stimulating scenic route with fascinating stops.
lovely but not too challenging cycling, good accomodation, food everywhere outstanding. All in all a great week
The cycling was fun and the app was generally easy to use though you should take an external battery pack. My phone was 3 years old and you need to set the screen to be quite bright so it uses up power quite quickly. The hotels that we used were all 3* but were comfortable. All hotels provided excellent breakfasts. We went in early May which is described as part of the holiday season but we found most places still closed so stopping off along the way wasn't as easy as we expected. One thing that we were really surprised by was the cost of transfers to and from the airport that Headwater wished to charge. Something like 240 from Bari to Arborobella (we caught a bus for 8 euros, and over 400 from Lecce back to Bari ( we caught the train for 24 euros). We hadn't been cycling for some years before booking this holiday but we practised for 5 weeks before going and we were fine.
A great way to try a not too strenuous (for the average fit person) self-guided cycle trip where navigation is mostly straightforward, with use of the fantastic local app. The combination of being in nature on the Danube, culture & history, cities and food is great.
Scenery, route, food, accommodation very good - weather, well, be sure to pick your dates with care as our first 4 days were wet, very wet (10th to 23rd May 2023)! Highlights: lush vegetation in the more mountainous areas, with poppies, grasses and other wild flora in the lowlands as you left the Alps going towards the coast.
The start was a bit rocky with no personal welcome from Fun Active and we thought the initial bikes offered were poor but we did get them changed to better KTM bikes as offered in the Headwater brochure. Other than this we really enjoyed our trip which was essentially a great route.
We loved our holiday, apart from the rain! L’Albarra was brilliant, we loved staying there. The family are so welcoming and kind. It helped that I can speak Italian but the son speaks excellent English. It was relaxing to stay in one place. The E bikes were excellent. The website said that the pool was closed in May but it was, in fact, open. We were pleased to bring our own travel kettle, thanks to a previous review. Local shops are scarce so maybe more info about where to get lunch or buy provisions for a picnic would be helpful.
Our first time with Headwater and on E bikes, initially with trepidation, then after working out how to use the map app etc, we rarely got lost and really enjoyed the mix of exertion, scenery, culture, food and wine!
Organised. Stress free. Challenging but very rewarding
We travelled to Sardinia just before the main tourist season started, so some places weren't open - but this meant that we often had places all to ourselves. We loved the quirky houses in Nebida, and the staff at the ferry port, Portoscuso, were really helpful. The ride up to the abandoned tuna processing plant on Carloforte was slightly underwhelming, but the loop ride was pleasant - and we saw the flamingoes on the salt pans! The ride to Chia (day 5) was tough in places (maybe class this holiday as a 1++?) but the reward was always a lovely downhill freewheel. Some other roads were rather busy. The Roman ruins at Nora were well worth a visit, as was the Batteria Boggio with its lookout points and abandoned gun emplacements (with ammunition stores - fortunately completely empty) . All the hotels were most welcoming, insisting on speaking English to us, and usually transporting our luggage to and from our rooms. Food and wine were also superb - what more could you ask for?
We enjoyed this holiday in the southern Algarve on our first visit to Portugal & our 10th cycle trip with Headwater.
Very glad indeed that we opted (also a first) for E-bikes. Despite being moderately fit there were some long uphills, occasional stretches of busy roads, in a headwind or on dusty tracks which we would have found challenging. Excellent quality bikes but hotels in Lagos & Pedralva not yet set up for suitable overnight storage.
The recommended routes were generally quiet & took in some nice inland scenery & lovely sections of coast. Cabo San Vicente diversion was spectacular but also spectacularly busy: buses, buskers & bratwurst stalls!
Memmo Baleira at Sagres was delightful; we’d recommend two nights there at the beginning to really make the most of this lovely hotel, the helpful staff & the facilities. The food at the renovated village in Pedralva was a bit disappointing. They pride themselves on local sourcing but breakfast was almost entirely packaged & plastic.
The Portuguese people were the highlight for us. Hospitable, helpful, courteous & very welcoming to visitors throughout our journey.
We loved this holiday and had a fantastic time! Even though the weather was poor (cold, wet) for the first week. We loved the variety: of cycling terrain and views; of hotels (cities, towns, village, resorts); of food - terrific fish (passed on the spleen dumplings!). We enjoyed the independence of self guiding but met lots of interesting people from all around the world - but very few Brits! We didn't use the app because for us it was easier to use the booklet of maps and instructions, but would have liked a live app - we met Germans who were using the Czech app mapy which seemed excellent but we weren't successful downloading it. We would only query one piece of Headwater info: we did not find lots of cafés and restaurants along the river cycle paths and quickly decided we had to be well supplied with food before before we set out each day because we couldn't rely on finding somewhere when we needed it. But altogether a great holiday and experience - highly recommended!
The route details was excellent but only provided the evening of arrival at the first hotel. More information should have been provided about the GPS website. Using this system requires a modern smartphone with extra backup power. We had rainey days which are not ideal for phone navigation so the enjoyment level was reduced. The holiday is recommended and was a great experience but we could have been better prepared by prior knowledge.
Very smooth reliable service.
A beautiful trip through some stunning scenery. You visit very remote and isolated parts of Northern Portugal that you would never normally get to see. The hotels are small and you are looked after extremely well by the hosts. The people we met were friendly and helpful. Overall it was a fabulous holiday
Great overall experience. The bike rides were a good length but left plenty of time for other things and the countryside was beautiful. The terrain was a bit unpredictable with occasional steep and dangerous sections due to loose stones mud and sand. It was the first time we had use of a GPS for cycling and it was a bit unclear at first. Clearer written instructions would have been helpful on the first day out of Moncão. On the final day it was disconcerting to have to push our bikes through sand dunes that have overwhelmed the boardwalk.
Overall a reasonable itinerary though it does involve a lot of cycling on unmade tracks. The hotels were of contrasting styles the staff were pleasant, friendly and helpful and the meals good.
We had a very pleasurable holiday in Catalunya. Fantastic scenery and very comfortable hotels. Efficient luggage transfer and very helpful contacts. The train travel to Flaca was quite tricky and confusing - it would have been better to have headed for Girona and it was much easier to return to the airport in Barcelona from there. The cycling routes and equipment and itinerary were terrific and the app was brilliant although the mobile phone holders didn't allow easy visual checking so we relied on audio.
At the Castell d'emporda hotel, although a beautiful location, there seemed to be a two-tier system of guest dining for the half-board option as the limited evening menu provided insufficient choice.
We appreciated staying for two nights in two hotels as it allowed us to take a rest day when it rained all day.
Super trip around the Valencian coast, city and mountains with fabulous scenery, food and Spanish hospitality. Loved the diversity of this adventure and the whole experience more than lived up to our expectations. Would go back to Valencia for sure
Thanks Headwater
Our third cycling holiday with Headwater in a beautiful part of Spain. Travelling in early May Platja de Pals was very quiet and lots of bars and restaurants closed. We felt a hotel in the town of Begur would have given us more eating options. However, we had a lovely holiday and enjoyed exploring the Catalan coast and inland medieval villages.
We enjoyed the holiday overall. The itinerary was great, the ebikes were excellent as was the navigation app, the accommodation was varied and interesting. We had administrative problems during the booking process and our bikes were collected a day earlier than they should have been.....but despite these annoyances, we enjoyed the holiday .
We were so glad we opted for e-bikes. The cycling varies in enjoyment; some days were enjoyable, others only in parts. There are plenty of uphill sections, some sections involving slopes with loose stones, quite a bit of dust - and plenty of fairly stiff breezes. Ensuring the security of e-bikes at hotels involved effort in some cases though - two of the three do not have appropriate facilities readily available yet.
Overall there were some parts of this trip that were wonderful - sublime views, great food, lots of things to do - and others that were harder to find total enjoyment in.
An excellent way to visit the less touristy areas of Northern Portugal, cycling through countryside and coastal regions. our party of 4 had a mixture of E-bikes and normal bikes, and this worked out well. The GPS system was excellent, once we had all learned how to use it, but would ask Headwater to ensure that the agent provides a mobile phone mount for every cyclist, rather than one per couple. The circular route on the 3rd day, where we stayed in the same hotel for 2 nights, was a totally different terrain, and much too difficult for our aging party! However, the day spent in Ponte de Lima was very enjoyable. We added extra nights in Porto and Lisbon, extending the holiday to a wonderful 10 day break.
A very memorable experience, totally enjoyable and extremely well organised. I will definitely book again.
The Heart of Venetto cycling holiday was just the right level for me, as someone fairly new to cycling. We completed all 6 routes and found the App fairly easy to use. The rides To lake Fimon and Vicenza were particular favourites.
The village is very quiet and, as others have mentioned, the bar and bakery have short opening hours.
The food provided by The Agrotourismo was first class as was the wine. The pool looked lovely but unfortunately it was too cool for us to use.
A really pleasant and relatively easy-going cycling holiday on peaceful country roads in an area of Mallorca that relatively few visitors - apart from cyclists - see. Excellent welcome and very co-operative staff at all four hotels - Finca Es Torrent, Petit Algaida, Sa Bisbal (using Con Cota facilities) & Son Sant Jordi.
Beautiful holiday through the unspoilt countryside of Umbria
The hotels both accommodation wise and food were excellent. All three were very different in their own way. The breakfast and the service at the Hotel Memmo Baleeira in Sagres was fantastic. The cycling was tough going in places, off road and some long climbs. We had an issue with the e bikes at handover in that they were nothing like the ones we had been promised but the local agent managed to source suitable bikes at short notice. The scenery and coastline were stunning.
Very enjoyable holiday with stunning scenery and incredible food!
Good fun holiday. The app is great, takes a little time to work and more time should be given on that. Perhaps send a sample one through before you go would help greatly.
Some bits were tricky but we felt we had had a fun an adventure.
A fabulous cycling holiday with beautiful countryside, especially the May flowers. The fields of poppies were spectacular and the routes planned by Headwater allowed full appreciation of the Provençal spring. One thing to be aware of is that Le Couvent in Apt does not allow check in before 5.00pm: something that would be good to know before turning up at 3.00, hot and sweaty and looking forward to a cooling shower. The meals arranged were great and all of the hotels were very comfortable with excellent breakfasts. Would definitely do a Headwater holiday again.
Our holiday was exactly what we had hoped for. The cycling grade and distances were suitable for our ability and central Mallorca offers fantastic countryside to explore. The villages were lovely and the hotels gave great service and accommodation. Although we used the paper maps at times, the Headwater App. has inspired us to look into what Apps. we can acquire for ourselves. A highly recommended trip and we will holiday with Headwater again in the future.
A good holiday to view Greek archaeology.
A fantastic cycling holiday, that took us through through beautiful landscapes and cities.
A wonderful introduction to Sicily that leaves you wanting to come back for more.
Excellent cycling trip exploring some very quiet areas of Portugal. The accommodation was of a vey high standard.
Really challenging cycle ride with excellent stopovers and luggage carrying
A great biking adventure through beautiful Puglia countryside and town. Directions in towns sometimes more difficult to navigate but always got there in the end. Back up when pedal came off bike was efficient but trying to give an accurate location was a bit difficult.
The helpfulness of team in Puglia when one member of team required medical assistance was absolutely wonderful and we were very appreciative of this.
A good mix of beautiful countryside, fascinating towns and scenic coast.
We had a wonderful holiday in Puglia cycling from Matera to Lecce over 9 days. It is a stunning part of the world and on a bike you have the advantage of seeing things and meeting people that you wouldn't if traveling by car. Overall, we would highly recommend this holiday. As we were cycling in April we did find a lot of the coastal areas were just getting ready for holiday season, so they were quiet and cafes were not always open. However, this was also a positive in that the roads were extremely quiet (apart from towns), so on balance this was good for us. The introduction and bike hike through Puglia Cycle Tours was excellent and our choice of electric bikes definitely the best decision for us as it was hilly in places. The electric bikes meant that we didn't walk up any hills! My only regret bikewise was that I didn't take my gel saddle with me but otherwise all worked well and we would love to return to this part of the world to explore further.
Plenty of historic buildings to see in the towns, and plenty of easy flat cycling through a green rural landscape.
Well organised trip. To make the most of cafe's during the cycle it is necessary to diverge from the tour route.
We really enjoyed the majority of the destinations, Bratislava was a particular highlight.
Very enjoyable, routes were quite long but cycling in Netherlands is very flat and very safe because of proper cycle paths
Tiring but good
Thoroughly enjoyed our cycling in Sicily with Headwater. All transfer arrangements went smoothly. The local Geotravel representative, Filippo was extremely helpful, friendly and efficient in imparting information and answering queries.
The bikes were perfectly adequate for the level of cycling and road conditions. The Navigation App is easy to use.
Cycling in April, the weather can be mixed so pack accordingly, it was cold and wet at the start of our trip but temperatures rose throughout the week.
The countryside is beautiful. Highlight visits were to Enrice, Marsala Wine Tour, Archeological Site at Selinute and it is well worth spending an extra two nights in Palermo to experience the magnificent buildings.
We ate well throughout at small local restaurants and drank the excellent local wines.
We have no hesitation in recommending this holiday. Headwater area great company to travel with.
Thank you.
Rosemary and Bryan
A great way to see Andalucia. Seville and Cadiz are spectacular and extra days at each end are recommended. Excellent hotels in good locations. The ride through the hills around Montellano was lovely and the disused railway track to Arcos was a gem. Everything was well organised by Headwater and went to plan. Recommended to anyone wanting to sample Andalucia.
We have holidays with Headwater/Exodus for over 20 years - on both self-guided and group holidays. This was our first time using the app. I was anxious about this but it was fantastic - easy to install and easy use during the cycling. Thank you to Megan Wyatt who looked after our booking and answered initial queries.
Otherwise excellent service from the team and from all of the people who looked after us in Mallorca.
Nice time of year to cycle although a little chilly in the evening. Cycle routes were good to excellent regarding scenery/road quality. Avoid Easter weekend as very few restaurants are open in Tripoli.
Excellent. Superb trip, well organised.
This cycling holiday is very easy relaxing and stress free. The scenery is stunning with riverside views, small farming villages and historical towns visited. There is the option to choose your own pace and stop along the way to appreciate the local buildings and countryside. Being early in the season (early April) not many local coffee shops were open for refreshments along the way, but the bike is well equipped to carry snacks and drinks with you. The cycling is down river so the only inclines yiu will meet which are few are to get over bridges or in towns. The hotel spas are all of a high standard and we'll equipped. The local people are proud of their towns, villages and countryside and welcome visitors. A thoroughly enjoyable experience!
This was our second Headwater trip and once again we had a wonderful holiday cycling through the countryside of Apulia. I very much enjoyed the variety of accommodation which, while not of luxury standard, was varied, original and always comfortable (a Trullo house, a converted olive farm estate cottage and a boutique hotel in the middle of Conservano). The guide who picked us up from the airport was charming and gave us lots of information about local culture and customs . We love our food, and although there were no recommendations given in our information pack, Headwater were quick to send us a list of recommendations at our request and very good recommendations they were too! One thing I would point out is that my husband’s panier tended to fall off on the bumpy roads, so make sure you secure it to the bicycle frame with the opening straps. Also, the last bit of the tour around Monopoli on the last day can comfortably be omitted - much of it is a road next to the motorway!
Excellent activity holiday 9
Great cycling experience in Algarve. We have been able to discover the coast and the countryside. Lovely hotels and great food.
I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and loved to see the contrasts in scenery/season as you move down from the mountains to the coast. The archaeological sites were well worth visiting, some are really quite extensive. Hotels were all good with very friendly staff/owners and copious breakfasts and plenty of options in all places for getting meals in the evening. Local agent was great when setting us up with the bikes and letting us know about bag transfer arrangements. He also pre-warned us about loose dogs in some areas - these are very territorial but only for a very short distance so we kept our heads down and cycled through them - sometimes using the boost on our e-bikes to get through more quickly!
This was a lovely holiday with interesting, quiet cycling routes through fabulous coastal scenery. Our only slight disappointment was the hotel in Lagos. While the food was good and the room itself comfortable, in the winter sunshine, it was very dark in our room. This may be great in the summer but a hotel more like the one in Sagres, which has lots of natural light and lovely views, would me much better in the winter. Also my husband had an electric bike. While that was great, we were a bit concerned that the battery might run out on some of the longer routes. It didn’t but got very low. This might be a problem for someone who relies heavily on the battery. So perhaps just something to highlight to future clients who decide to use electric bikes.
A wonderful holiday. The weather in October was perfect for cycling. We had some superb lunch stops in restaurants we found by chance (I don't think you can go wrong in Puglia). The roads were very quiet so we felt very safe - more so than on some other cycling holidays we have had.
Fairly easy cycling through undulating countryside with some nice coastal sections. Wonderful food and good swimming in clear water. Some fine hotels, particularly the agriturismo and Room of Andrea. Unfortunately, Sicily is an opencast landfill of rubbish, and it is so sad and depressing to ride along otherwise wonderful backroads lined by endless garbage. The tourist board needs to apply some pressure to stop the accepted culture of dumping. I wouldnt recommend it as a cycling destination purely for this.
Really enjoyed the trip and would explore more of Euro Velo 6 but hotels did not live up to 4 star expectations
The trip went like clockwork.Headwater delivered the entire y like clockwork .
This is our second holiday with headwater and we would definitely travel with Headwater again. The organisation is good and all staff friendly and helpful. . We enjoyed Sicily very much and were very pleased with the bikes, locations and liked the mix of hotels . However we were really shocked by the rubbish that litters the Sicilian countryside and found it difficult to see past this to enjoy the countryside as we would have liked to. Most of the hotels were very good , one was a bit past it’s best . Mostly the food ( usual just breakfast ) was good, but our 2 last hotels the breakfast was poor and in one case very poor, with dreadful coffee in both. The other thing that I struggled with is that the beds were generally very firm to hard and in all the hotels but one the pillows were very hard foam and very uncomfortable. This of course could be normal for Sicily, but unfortunately I came home with a very sore neck. I am sounding negative, but really overall it was a great holiday .
The self- guided holiday model requires excellent equipment and extremely clear route notes. We spent a lot of time stopping and pondering which way to go and sometimes having to retrace our steps. Only a smallish portion of the ride from Vienna to Budapest actually borders the Danube.
please see below
Excellent holiday. Villa Favourita at Noto a real highlight
The route takes you through beautiful cities, where you eat delicious local food and sample local drinks. Cycling through the beautiful agricultural land and coast lines is throughly enjoyable on quiet roads. The routes each day are enjoyable but not too challenging. All the accommodation is delightful.
Stunning views and wonderful small towns and villages to meander through. There are quite a few new roads and cycle ways which have been built since the route notes were last printed, and so a degree of deduction and use of the two Kompass maps is recommended.
I loved being able to use an electric bike for the first time, the bike was of very good quality and was able to keep pace with my partner on a regular bike. The landscape we cycled through was mostly olive tree plantations, the towns were very interesting historically and particularly enjoyed our stay in Alberobello. Lots to see and the accommodation was in a trulli building which added to the atmosphere. Our favourite accommodation was at Masseria Salamina,
Fabulous food, lovely grounds and even had a dip in the pool in October! Altogether a great trip to an undiscovered area of Italy for me and my husband. The organisation and support was excellent. Two points that made it a challenge was the incomplete routes on the Headwater App not taking account of all our accommodation locations and the shortage of information on the routes , more detail would have been appreciated. I was quite shocked at the amount of rubbish, general waste tipping on the road sides. An excellent trip.
Wonderful accommodation linked by average itineraries and heavy clunky bikes
(Copied into separate email to Joanne Chaplin - I seem to have rambled too much!)
Doing our cycling holiday as a self-guided tour was an excellent way for four of us to travel, to see and experience this part of Sicily.
Absolutely super trip - fab hotels and very well organised. Definitely an extra day in Seville to sight see and in Cadiz if you can. The cycling is probably easy for experienced riders but would feel quite hardcore for recreational cyclists (we are the latter!). One day is 70KMs and over 700m ascent with most of the ascent at the end of the day. A lot on lovely quiet country lanes but also need to be confident on main roads in towns with traffic. Is about 30% off road which is a nice change but the bikes are road bikes so lack suspension so be prepared for some bone rattling riding along the way. We loved the challenge and every aspect of the holiday. The Parador hotels are fabulous. Very much recommend. Thank you Headwater for another great holiday.
Our Mallorca cost to coast trip was another great Headwater holiday for us. We loved the variety going across the island and stayed in some quirky but fantastic places. I would recommend it to others as a great way to see some of the real Mallorca and have a varied holiday at the same time. The travel arrangements were great and the bike rental was no problem at all, even when we had a puncture on a small country road. Someone attended to it very quickly. All in all a great holiday.
We had an amazing holiday and have recommended to lots of our friends. Everything was managed really well, staff were friendly and the route was pretty easy to follow. Some of the instructions were a little tricky to follow at times but we got better at interpreting them as the holiday went on. The hotels are quite basic we had all 4 star but i would compare most of them to a UK premier inn standard - clean and comfy but standard and basic. However we would 100% go on another
This was a first cycling holiday for my two friends and I and so we decided to get E-bikes. This turned out to be a good idea as there were quite a few hill towns to visit and the 'boost' was needed on some steeper climbs. The navigation app was very easy to follow and we never got lost. The accommodation along the route was excellent and having two nights in most places was very welcome. Cycling around this area of Puglia was really enjoyable and beautiful. I would definitely book another cycling holiday with Headwater as they were super helpful from start to finish and the whole trip was flawless
Wonderful welcome and support from Stefano and his team. Beautiful rides with some amazing views through varied terrain in the Val d'Orcia, challenging at times but not too much to handle. Lovely pool, ideal for a wind down after a day in the saddle. We looked forward to dinner every night, cooked with love from local produce. Excellent value home produced wines. We highly recommend this holiday. The Headwater team were incredibly helpful and efficient in answering our queries and arranging transfers. It is so refreshing (and so rare nowadays) to be able to speak to named helpful people who know what they are talking about.
A relaxing holiday, in a mix of beautiful country & small towns & villages. We were made to feel welcome by hoteliers & locals alike. Grape harvest was underway whilst we were in area & we found that very interesting!
Great place to cycle if first time as most of the routes are very flat and easy to follow. Lots of local life and architecture to see en-route.
Thoroughly enjoyable cycling holiday! The phone app was superb - an excellent addition. By far and away the best days were on cycle tracks / Via Verdes away from the traffic / roads. Some of the towns along the way were simply stunning and we loved the fact that they were mostly off the tourist trail. Hotel Xauen was disappointing and I haven't completed the review for Hotel Sancho III as we didn't stay there! All in all, it was a great trip which I would be very happy to replicate in the future.
We enjoyed our holiday in Catalan. We found the medieval towns such as Pals, Begur and Corca very interesting. Also the villages on the coast. We visited Salvador Dali's Castle at Pubol which I would recommend. At Pubol we had very tasty and inexpensive lunch at the hotel there.
All the hotels were good but Hotel Castel d'Emporda was amazing. The battle of Waterloo display there was well worth viewing.
We went in the middle of September was lovely. Not too hot for cycling. The cycling was good too but there we did not like the hills to Begur or near the coast route so I would say it should have been marked as grade 1 bicycle with some steep hills occasionally
This was a nice tour with lovely scenery and good opportunities for exploring the local area especially on the rest days. The first day is a tough one with a lot of hills and it was hotter than we expected for October. But we enjoyed our day off in Lagos with a boat trip and strolling through the old town. The route options from Lagos to Pedralva give a choice of hilly or less hilly , both were enjoyed by members of our group although the hilly option made for tired legs at the end of the day. Pedralva was a fun place to stay with a nice restaurant and friendly staff. The optional off road cliff top tour was a super ride with great scenery and we spent time on one of the beaches swimming and watching the surfers. The ride back to Sarges was less strenuous and we had plenty of time to see Cabo de Sao Vincente ( most south westerly point in Europe) although it was disappointing that the lighthouse was all in scaffolding with no visits possible. Overall a very good trip.
My self-guided cycling experience around Terceira was amazing in many ways. The hotels were really good quality and made you feel immediately welcome and relaxed. The beauty of the island needs to be seen, its incredibly lush and subtropical with a volcanic edginess. Tiago my guide was incredibly helpful and a wonderful mine of information which made the trip even more rewarding. I would highly recommend this holiday and look forward to returning.
Slovenia is a cycling holiday destination with great landscape variety, loads of local history, good food and wine growing regions all well supported by excellent cycling infrastructure. Small enough to be easily accessible but large enough to offer cycling touring contrasts (mountains, lakes, hills, vines, coastal paths)
This was the first time we have been on a cycling holiday, and our first holiday with Headwater.
It exceeded our expectations. The itinerary was exactly as described; the hotels were all very comfortable, the bikes were more than adequate, and the administrative support around the edge of the holiday was all perfect. We enjoyed the routes, and cycling near to the coast before heading inland for the final two days. We were lucky to avoid any rain, and the temperature in October was ideal for cycling. The GPS Navigation App was simple to use and to follow. Everyone was very friendly and helpful; we were upgraded at two of the hotels without asking; and we especially enjoyed having a day in Aveiro to explore all the sights.
It was a perfect break, and very special to visit Portugal for the first time.
Great to visit Seville, Carmona, Jerez & Cadiz but as a cycling holiday this was less interesting than other more rural Headwater holidays we have done. Long stretches of monotonous agricultural scenery on the Andalusian plains with little shade & few villages to stop in. Also a lot of heavy going off road cycling. But it is level 3 & early September very hot. Glad we had EBikes!
Sicily is a country of contrasts. The archeological sites are amazing, Segentum and Selinunte are fantastic. The roads are not in a great state of repair, and at times we had to wade through mud. The roadsides are disappointingly covered in rubbish, and fly tipping is very prevalent. The roads are also very busy for cycling, and the drivers don’t give you much room. As someone previously mentioned the bikes are not high quality, , heavy and really suitable for short city rides.
I’m sorry I don’t buy into the fact that they need to be sturdy as there are panniers. We carried virtually nothing . We went to the Egadi islands for a few days….they were fantastic, and great cycling, well worth a visit.
Eating out was very expensive.
We travelled in September , temperatures were great, and often a gentle wind.
The hotels were mainly great. It’s worth spending extra time in Palermo, as there are some amazing museums and palaces, The archeological museum has a lot of information on Selinunte.
Very disappointed with this holiday. Not cycling on coastal routes as expected and stated in brochure and cycling some distances on main roads. Some poor hotels. Enjoyed Porto and Aveiro which are lovely cities. Some uninspiring cycle routes. Despite stating 4 star hotels, 2 of them very poor. Very expensive for what it was.
Great selection of activity holidays to diverse destinations offering the traveller a whole range of activities. Hotels are carefully chosen and Headwater go to great trouble to find local restaurants that offer food and drink that reflect the local area. Routes are carefully planned and detailed information provided. Headwater seem to use quality advisors to assist holiday makers whilst on their trips.
All the Hotels were spotless all staff very polite and helpful Food was tasty and well presented in the hotels we dined in. The E-Bikes were to a high standard and well maintained a pleasure to ride Magnificent scenery and wonderful beaches so take swimming costumes in the panniers
Do'nt give it a second thought book it and get on your bike
Although rated as 1+, there are a lot of hills on this trip so we were glad we chose ebikes . My ebike started to emitt an enervating wailing sound from the front wheel hub and Philipo came out in a storm that evening to repair it. The scenery was varied and interesting, but there was a fair bit of urban and main road to negotiate, which was not pleasant. The hotel breakfasts were on the whole limited for vegans. We spent a couple of additional nights in Selinute, with a beautiful beach, warm sea and a laid back feel.
Underwhelming scenery and very average hotels. Headwater navigation app useful but massive drain on phone battery. Would be good if clients were advised to have back up battery. Will not be going to this part of Portugal again, nor will be be recommending this trip to others. The Headwater brochure description of the coastal cycling trip was completely inaccurate - has anyone at Headwater been on this trip. Cycling through industrial sites and run down seaside / touristy towns is not something we were expecting.
Excellent holiday, great accommodation, good quality bikes and stunning scenery
We had a lovely time, everything from visiting the amphitheatre in Pula to sitting outside enjoying a delicious breakfast overlooking the waterside in Fazana. Lots of lovely sea food and the routes were varied and interesting. Alot of the routes were tracks rather than tarmac but it was fine for our bikes with no suspension (we took our own). September was a good time to go with temperature in the mid twenties. All the hotels were very nice but we preferred Fazana most of all due to its location.
We had a great time on this cycling trip, particularly enjoying staying in both the agriturismos, the one at Villaganzerla having the most convivial atmosphere at mealtimes, while 'il Feudo' was a more intimate family farmstead.
Whilst my husband is a regular cyclist for whom the (relatively rare) 'hills' and hair-pin bends were as to be expected, I as more of an occasional cyclist would have found them a challenge without the e.bike! We loved Este and Montelice, but didn't have enough time to see all the attractions, so if doing again would perhaps have built in an extra day. Similarly the canal boat museum at Battaglia was a gem. Our highlight in Teolo was being able to listen to a concert in the art gallery literally across from our accommodation (a once-a-month 'friends of' event). While October is clearly turning 'end of season', for us September was a perfect time as the weather was like a nice summer day in Britain.
The team also excelled with our extra night in Verona.
Overall very good, only gripe we had was the hotel in Vienna was a long way from the city Center, luckily we had an extra day staying there.
Booking arrangements good but a couple of minor glitches. Travel to and from destination good but see comment below.Cycles reliable and easy to use.Cycling involved quite long distances on minor roads and dedicated cycle tracks. Mostly excellent although muddy and slippery in one or two points. Chateaus did not disappoint although visits a bit hurried after a day on the bikes. If repeated would allow an extra day at Blois. Hotels and restaurants generally excellent but that at Amboise overlooked a noisy street and did not serve dinner.All in all an excellent break and would do again in another part of France.
More personal Headwater monitoring is needed overall - you are not as in touch as you were in 2012 when we last did this trip. For example, don't arrange an evening meal (in a particularly poor Beer Garden) too close to the time for the evening briefing! You need to check hotels and their location personally - especially in cities - leaving it to your partner-company to sort out is not satisfactory. The route directions to hotels were generally very poor and need to be re-written - based on your own personal experience!
The Bolzano to Venice cycle had beautiful scenery, especially in the Dolomites and Lake Garda. The cycle paths were excellent but some days cafes and restaurants en route were scarce and no guidance on this was given by the Girolibero agent. Usually the Headwater agent is very helpful about this. The only guidance we were given was about the electric bikes which were excellent and made the longer days, 75km, very manageable, although never staying in the same hotel for two nights made the cycle a bit intense. Hotels were not up to the usual Headwater standard except for the Sporting Hotel near Padua which was excellent. Some rooms especially in Mestre were very small. No advice was given about roadworks detours which caused problems.
This is a great trip through the backroads of Provence.
Very well organised holiday staying in comfortable hotels. We experienced more of the country than we expected and really enjoyed the experience.
Really interesting and entertaining trip. Route notes need very careful study though.
We had a really great week cycling in Puglia. It’s a beautiful place and we felt we got closer to the countryside seeing it from a bike.
At all times felt that our expectations were met
An extremely enjoyable holiday but the cycling is quite challenging in places. The brochure does not make clear how much cycling is off road and on sandy , gravelly tracks - about 40% but the bikes provided are more than up to the task. Amazing scenery and plenty of opportunity to swim en route so make sure you carry your bathers.
Super. Cycling tour. Everything we needed was provided by friendly and efficient service. Highly recommended.
Enjoyable holiday provided with excellent bikes. Impressive towns and countryside and excellent routes
Overall we enjoyed the holiday but based on previous experience we felt the holiday should have been graded as a 2, and not 1+. The opportunities for visiting ancient sites on St Antioco and at Pula were well worth doing. We really enjoyed the frequent swimming breaks from the very many stunning beaches along the route, and the excellent food and wine! The support from the local agents, especially Naomi, was excellent
Wonderful (first time) leisurely biking high class gastronomic wine tour with beautiful mountain vistas every day
Pleasant cycling on quiet roads through impressive mountain scenery
Excellent holiday, especially for visiting places of historic interest
Really enjoyable holiday! Well organised. Good bikes, easy cycling. Excellent, easy navigation app. Very quiet, rural location. Walking distance into the local village. Clean and comfortable accommodation. The pool and garden was an added bonus. Excellent home cooked food. I would recommend bringing a travel kettle and tea/coffee. It is also worth noting that not all rooms have a fridge.
Would highly recommend to anyone looking to experience a taste of rural life in Italy along with the chance to visit beautiful Vicenza.
There is a local supermarket, bakery and and a small café/bar in the village but worth noting that they seem to close at about 12.30 and don’t reopen until late afternoon.
Self-Guided cycling across Portugal, Porto to Sagres. Brilliant. Great trip. Custom made holiday by the team at headwater. Excellent accommodation and support as needed by the local teams. Highly recommend.
The holiday provides a great tour of the beautiful coastline of Southern Sardinia and the islands. The cycling is relaxed with lots of opportunities to stop off at beautiful beaches
Our trip to Provence was spectacular ! Headwater very kindly customised our trip, to allow my husband to fulfil a long term dream - cycling up Mont Ventoux, for his 60th birthday.
Megan, at Headwater, kept me involved and up to date with the progress of the booking from when the initial enquiry was made until we departed for France. The standard of the hotels was superb, the navigation app kept us on track and the road bikes we were provided with for the ascent of Mont Ventoux were spot on. Overall an excellent trip.
We are a couple in our mid-70s and found the distances and cycling routes easily managed on our e-bikes. We were very impressed by the many cycle paths on the Atlantic coast. The few hills on the route to Coimbra were easily managed on our e-bikes. We appreciated the good quality of the hotels and their locations. Our Trek e-bikes were very good quality although we would have liked one female step-through bike rather than the sloping crossbar provided. Charging them was easily done in the hotels. It was worthwhile booking an extra day in Coimbra to explore the city. Most of the food was of very good quality and good value.
A business hotel, but with the personal touch, in a pleasant location and good food. The cycling was easy (rating perhaps a 1) but the routes were long, leaving us as casual cyclists little time to explore the many attractions passed on the routes. The landscape was flat but there were many pretty streets, houses and farms to engage the eye. All the cycling was on cycle paths or quiet roads so there was no significant interaction with traffic. Transport between Schipol airport and the hotel was very easy using trains and taxis, but be prepared for long queues at the airport. We would suggest that an extra day to explore Utrecht on foot could provide a break in the four long days of cycling. Everyone spoke good English so there was never any need to take a Dutch phrasebook.
A very good holiday, much enjoyed.
We really enjoyed the Barola wine trip. The hotels and the service was excellent. The countryside was beautiful, similar to Tuscany and no crowds. The hilltop villages were so pretty and each hotel was so comfortable and welcoming.I like some previous reviewers recommend an e bike unless you are a seasoned biker. Some of the hills were grueling.
For headwater. Recommend your guests to book ahead for the wine tours in Fontanafredda. We got there and they were all booked up which was disappointing.
Fantastic route with forest, rivers and sea, with historic villages.
Could have done with a complete support pack, tubes, brake pads as heavy rain caused punctures and brakes to wear quickly. The support team were great but would be useful to have back up kit at hotel. Great trip.
Expected to be cycling around small fishing villages and cycle trails, was not expecting to be around built up and overcrowded seaside resorts.
An excellent choice for a first cycle tour. With comfortable accommodation and plenty to do and see on the days we were not cycling.
What a glorious holiday! The cycling routes; the quality of the bikes; the standard of the hotels; the locations; the food - everything was perfect! One of our best ever holidays. Hard to find any ways this holiday could be improved.
The staff at headwater were extremely helpful during the booking stage. They arranged an e bike at short notice a few days before we were due to travel. All hotels were comfortable with excellent breakfasts. The route was easy to follow although gps would have been helpful when going into the larger towns. Will definitely use Headwater again.
It really was quite a magical trip, with some outstanding rides, breath-taking views and great places to stay. We enjoyed the sense of an overall journey from the mountains to the sea, and the variety along the way. Our local agent was outstanding.
Another great holiday with Headwater!
We loved our trip! and we are already planning more bike trips in 2023!! Some disappointments. 1. The boys’ bikes seemed to be much older than for the girls, with batteries that would hardly last a day, so that Fabrizio ended up replacing one of the batteries. Their power for turbo was often not enough for the steeper hills (and we all have bikes in Canada so we are used to pedal assist on hills). The girls’ bikes were excellent. 2. The app was great, except outdated for some places, which might have been a covid related issue. It would be handy for the app to include where free charging stations are, as it seemed that quite a few villages had them, and we definitely needed these at times with the battery issues. 3. We were disappointed with Fontanafredda, who did not seem to know how to deal with bikes, such that one of the bikes was plugged in near the lobby. 4. The other hotels were excellent in handling the bikes, and just lovely. Thanks for such a great trip!
We enjoyed the holiday. The cycling alongside the River Danube often on the old tow path was excellent, along well maintained, clearly signposted routes with lovely scenery. There were often lovely river boats and barges on the river and we often crossed the river on dams or small boat ferries. We decided to have E-bikes although tended to only need a bit of input from the batteries towards the end of the longer 50Km plus cycling days. The standard of our hotels was generally good although evening meal options in some places were limited. The Zur Post hotel in Melk and the Wolfinger in Linz were very central and very comfortable. Our two evening meals in the Zur Post were excellent. After a long day’s cycle there was often limited time to explore some of the towns and cities E.g Linz. It was wonderful to be able to cycle the final leg from Tulln to our central hotel in the beautiful historical part of Vienna and we stayed for two nights to explore the city.
We enjoyed this cycling route through hills, forests, attractive villages and around the Bavarian lakes and Alps. Our e-bikes were excellent, though we would have appreciated a more detailed introuduction from the Eurobikes rep. The hotels were all very comfortable and welcoming, while the luggage transfers worked smoothly. As far as route finding was concerned, the Guibo mapping app was essential and very reliable but the written route instructions (translated from German) were not easy to understand or relate to the actual route, while some of the cycle way signposting was hard to spot, especially in towns and villages. We took a few wrong turnings!
All in all, though, a most enjoyable tour of Bavarian landscapes, food and architecture.
Great trip well supported and will book again
The ideal combination of active days in beautiful surroundings with indulgent meals and lovely accommodation, all arranged for you.
This holiday was a new challenge for us as we are occasional cyclists and normally organise everything for ourselves. The experience was just great! All of the arrangements worked perfectly and we had a fantastic holiday. The cycling was perfectly suited to our standard and the chateau and landscapes were magnificent. We arrived home and immediately grabbed the brochure to plan our next trip.
We had a fun week with our friends
despite the rather dull cycling!
This holiday gave us the unique opportunity to explore the Catalan countryside while cycling on gravel paths and country roads combined with rest days exploring Girona and the wonderful Dali museum. We chose to use E bikes and were very glad we did as it gave us the opportunity to go 'off piste' to visit small fishing ports without the worry of having to cycle back up a long hill on a hot afternoon. The most impressive aspect of cycling in this part of Catalonia is how worry free it is. There are cycle paths everywhere and we found the local drivers to be very considerate to cyclists. The cycle into Girona, for example, was a joy as the route followed leafy paths alongside a river for much of the way leading straight to the heart of this beautiful city and our hotel. The navigation app was brilliant; that little reassuring voice in your ear saving endless minute of debate about the 'right way'.
We have travelled with Headwater pre and post dependent children for over 25 years and loved every trip. Locations and itineraries alwasys spot on.
The Santiago ride was a pleasure but the information from the app caused us both delays, detours and frustration before reaching destinations
We were a party of one 25 year old who used a regular road bike and his 2 parents who were glad we’d booked ebikes as the route was very hilly in parts, as described in the route literature. The cities and towns we stopped in were beautiful and so interesting. The hotels in Florence and Pisa were a little out of town but pleasant walks there along the river. The routes between the stops were through mainly agricultural landscape and largely on roads, some quite busy, or on tough gravel riverside paths. In the cites luckily there were dedicated cycle lanes. The holiday was well organised and the local agent helpful although stressed he wouldn’t come to assist with punctures (fortunately we had none). The bikes were well maintained although some suspension in the saddle would have helped. All in all we had an excellent holiday - our third with Headwater - and would definitely recommend the company and look forward to going with them again some day
The cycling from Utrecht holiday is excellent in terms of the hotel, good facilities, excellent service and food, as well as the perfect location for touring north, south, east and west of the city. The bike routes were excellent, provided you read the details and understood that the cycle route signs could be high up, low down or anywhere in between; they provide for journeying through countryside, river locations and seeing castles, windmills and places of interest on route. Whilst the countryside is flat, so cycling is easy, be aware of the long routes, which if completed can take all day. Great way to see parts of picturesque Holland.
Overall we had a good holiday. The quality of the hotels were good. The bikes were sturdy and we had no problems. The local agents used by Headwater holidays did not follow the itinerary that was given on the Headwater website. This meant that some days we cycled longer than expected (other days less) and stayed in very rural villages that had little or no facilities.
This was our first Headwater holiday for 4 years and was a very enjoyable holiday, with relatively easy cycling, and a sense of achievement when we finally made it to the coast. The scenery at the start of the holiday is stunning and the time in the mountains is definitely the best cycling. Once you leave Udine it is not so interesting, but visiting Palmanova and Aquileia made up for this. The best evening meals were to be found in Udine and La Carmagnola is definitely worth a visit. It was the first time we had encountered the Headwater app…didn’t really use it in anger as the route is very well signposted. On the downside the written route notes generated from whatever technology is used lacked descriptive detail which would have been helpful on a couple of occasions..
Hotels were all good and had good bike storage facilities.
it wasn't the most scenic trip on a daily basis, but we particularly enjoyed Dinan and Mont Saint Michel. I preferred the cycling holiday Bolzano to Venice for the scenery. Food was a bit hard to come by on a daily basis for lunches, we made a filled baguette at breakfast. There was a local grocery shop in St Malo and carafours in Forgeres and one other enroute, but they were the only ones we spotted. we found a place for coffee, 4/6 days but they don't always have food.
The scenery was ok, very agricultural, lots and lots of corn on the cob fields, which got a bit boring, mostly very quiet roads or cycle track, a few hills. I had an ebike but my daughter had a normal but which she found heavy especially up the hills and she is used to cycling. helmets were provided but we had taken our own. take a phone holder as the ones provided weren't great. the GPX maps worked really well. we found kayaking and sand surfing enroute which were fun. overall very enjoyable
Excellent week spent round lake Konstanz. Plenty of places to stop off for swimming, mini golf, food and drink and even fishing. Stunning scenery, great accommodation. Would recommend b&b only as plenty of places to eat out but if you did want to eat in hotel book ahead. Bikes were excellent quality .
If I was bringing really picky I would suggest that GPS app for route would be a lot easier as it was a bit of a pain having to stop to read directions/turn page.
We did the recommends wine tasting at Hendricks (joesoh Furst) this was a fantasy experience with a wonderful lady who was so passionate and knowledgeable and extremely friendly, she also has amazing English, we really wished we could had carried more wine on our bikes.
Overall this was an excellent family holiday and would definitely recommend it.
As 'first timers' on a cycling holiday, we all enjoyed every moment of the trip. Visited amazing places and a great way for a group of friends to catch up and have fun. Already arguing about the destination of next years cycling holiday !
Amazing holiday but beware the gradient guide can be deceptive! Barolo Gastronomic is hilly - electric bike recommended and we are active fit cyclists !
This was an amazing holiday. From the time of booking to the completion of the tour all ran smoothly. The app for navigation was brilliant - would only go on trips like this in future if this app was used. Puglia Cycling who did our transfers were always on time and very pleasant. Luggage was delivered by 4 pm each day, often earlier and usually waiting in room for us.
The weather was hot but a breeze kept it comfortable. Plenty of water is essential. It is worth noting that in some towns the public toilets are locked during siesta time but restaurants/bars were still open. There are many beaches and swimming holes along the way to stop and have a dip.
Unforgettable. Thank you to Headwater and Puglia Cycling.
There were some good hotels (this questionnaire gives the wrong ones) and nice moments. Tiago is great. But this is not an easy trip and there needs to be more info about the bikes. Let's have a chat. I'll write a fair review - there aren't any at the moment and there needs to be at least one..
Great trip. Loved Porto and glad we added two extra days to explore the city. Excellent choice of small friendly hotels in good locations. Enjoyed visiting a part of Portugal that is less travelled by British tourists. All felt very Portuguese. Interesting cycle along the coast, mostly on good cycle paths, passing through sand-dunes, pine forests and lakes. Some stretches arid and scrubby but it didn't take away from our overall enjoyment of the trip. Fantastic seafood and fish - not to mention Portuguese wines - throughout the trip. The cycle ride was mostly flat although the wind was (apparently unusually) blowing South to North for the whole trip so we were cycling against it. Great for the whole family. Perfect cycling weather as the sea mist didn't burn off until early afternoon so it was warm but cloudy. The sun came through just in time to hit the beach. Fabulous long beaches, partic at Praia de Miro, with great waves.
We had an excellent cycling holiday from Passau to Vienna. We would have liked more time in Passau as we arrived late in the evening, probably should have added an extra day there . We had an excellent time and plenty of recreational time each day when we arrived at a new place.
Would highly recommend this holiday.
We had the most wonderful holiday cycling on electric bikes in the Ventoux region of Provence, to celebrate my 70th birthday earlier this month. Our guide, Christophe, was very helpful and charming and most anxious to ensure that we had a fantastic holiday. Similarly the hotel staff were very keen to provide a high quality of service, particularly in helping me locate a lost jacket. The Jardin de Mazan was the most wonderful hotel both in the quality of accommodation and the wonderful meal Eric cooked for us, Both Eric and his wife did everything possible to make our stay memorable and nothing was too much trouble for them. It will be a very hard holiday to beat.
Headwater offer the opportunity to explore a region in the best way possible, cycling. Interesting places to visit and a variety of accommodation and food. Great adventures to be had.
We used an app recommended by the representative in Croatia and made very little use of the printed instructions
Enjoyed the holiday looking forward to another family cycling holiday next year
This was an excellent holiday on all fronts. The Headwater staff were their usual helpful self, including a mix up with bikes in France which was resolved very quickly. The hotels and locations were first-class and we could not fault anything at all. This was our third Headwater holiday. Much more interesting than the last one in Chablis where the villages were almost deserted in August and on a par with our first one in Umbria. A big thanks to Helen, Sara, Katie , Steph , Cecile and all who helped. Not cheap but we think great value for money and just what the doctor ordered after COVID!
Great trip for people with different levels of cycling experience
Will do this on feefo
A varied cycle tour with lovely locations at the end of each day. There are some challenging sections along the valleys when windy, but otherwise enjoyable. Although there are some pretty towns and villages along the way, it is best to travel to the end points to spend time in those areas.
Easy cycling, mostly adjacent to the Danube with some forays inland, with ample opportunites for refreshing dips in the river and cafe stops along the way. Perfect for a heatwave!
An excellent holiday- a combination of a great cycling route, interesting places to visit en route and very welcoming, high standard accommodation. The cycling is easy and pleasurable- the longer distances are planned for days where it is very flat or downhill. The scenery- particularly for the first few days is spectacular.The app is excellent , making following the route and also visiting interesting places along the way very easy. There was plenty to do in the non- cycling days (Lussari cable car, Orrido della Slizza gorge walk, the tobogganing and the mini golf all excellent and mostly free thanks to the card provided at the hotel in Tarviso).Each hotel was very welcoming- booking excellent restaurants for us each night. Steph at Headwater and Miroslav and team in Slovenia/Italy were very good at organising all parts of the trip. Our first Headwater holiday but definitely not our last - we all voted to do another trip next year!
Really enjoyable, accommodation and food were really good, navigation app was brilliant, Christophe’s advice on where to go and to eat was invaluable, itinerary was also fantastic with options to do as much or little as we wanted. The routes were very well planned being mostly on quiet back roads through beautiful scenery. As the weather was very hot we chose to bike in the mornings so we could relax in the afternoons. In cooler whether we would have taken more time and explored more en route.
Enjoyable, well organised holiday with good local partner company. The equipment and navigation app were all good. We made it to every destination without mishap. Good hotels overall - only onecwas a wee bit belowvthe standards we were expecting. We would recommend Headwater and would be happy to use them again.
Cycling from Porto to Coimbra was an absolute delight. We started with an extra day in Porto which we would highly recommend. I wish we had added an extra day at Coimbra.
The cycles provided were excellent as were the gps maps. All but one of the evening meals were excellent, particularly the seafood at the restaurant at Praia de Mira. We have cycled with Headwater and Exodus on many occasions and always had a great experience. Porto to Coimbra is a relatively gentle cycle and could be enjoyed by anybody with average fitness.
We would highly recommend this holiday.
One final tip, always take your own cycle seat.
Excellent holiday, very highly recommended. However, 3 comments. Bike collection in Astorga, your directions say collect from Bike Shop at 9.00 am but the Bike Shop does not open until 9.30 am. MY Ebike was very good but the chain kept coming off,. On 13 Aug, our accommodation was changed to Casa Blanco but the route given in both the App and paper maps was only to A Parada das Bastas. We had to go to A Parada day Bastas and ask them for directions, which thankfully worked.
This is a fantastic way to see parts of a country you would probably never see. The routes are so well planned and thought through taking you along cycle paths and quiet country lanes to villages and towns and places of interest away from busy main roads( mostly). The app is really accurate, useful and easy to use. The bikes are sturdy hybrids that are well maintained. If you don’t use an e-bike then you do have to have a certain level of fitness as cycling each day as some parts of the routes can be a bit of a challenge( some uphills require a bit of effort). Also you should be aware how the heat might affect your ability to do cycle. This caught me off guard but we just chose to leave earlier to avoid the sun. The arrival in Florence was fabulous, finishing at the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge with a cool beer and then having the following day to explore was wonderful. Truly spectacular city. On the last day we biked part way to Pisa and then took the train. A unique way to see Tuscany
Fabulous countryside, interesting villages, great wines.
We have traveled with Headwater 7 times now. Once again we were very happy with the organisation and support we received. One day I had a flat tyre on my bike and we talked through the changing of it with the agent. He said someone would come to rescue us, but we fixed it ourselves so didn’t need help. The cycling varied between flat terrain down the coast and undulating through the countryside.
We have traveled with Headwater on many occasions. Lake Konstance cycling is a well structured circular route generally following the lake. Hotels are generally 3-4 star, and fine for this type of tour. The holiday is pretty good, and the day cycling/ day rest works well for us; it is quite relaxed. Dinner was not included so can be a hassle after a day's cycling to find somewhere to eat. Some of the hotels have good dinner menus.
Switzerland (Arbon and Stein am Rhein) are in Switzerland and prices in bars and restaurants are very expensive.
The one significant negative point are the quality and detail of the maps/ route instructions. This had a huge impact on our holiday. The route instructions are very poor and maps are not detailed enough to follow the route.
Excellent hotels in great places, good bikes, excellent routes, everything worked faultlessly
A beautiful area to cycle in and the Headwater electric bikes were brilliant. So comfortable and easy to use. The route was well planned; lots of interesting places to visit and just the right distances so that on hot days we could do most of the miles in the mornings.
Enjoyable safe cycling along mainly dedicated cycle tracks through some beautiful countryside. Everything ran very smoothly - with our luggage generally waiting for us when we arrived at our hotel. The hotels were all very pleasant and the breakfasts were plentiful with a focus on fresh local ingredients. The hotel staff were pleasant and helpful and all spoke good English (whilst also humouring our attempts to speak German) The arrangements for picking up our bikes were straightforward and the bikes were comfortable and well maintained. The route is extremely well sign posted and once we realised this on the first morning we stopped trying to use the overly complicated/excessively detailed notes provided by Headwater.
Good. We enjoyed outselves.
We went on the Secrets of Sicily cycling holiday but happened to hit a heatwave which made the first couple of days cycling very hard due to the intense heat and lack of shade, but Headwater were very accomodating and arranged with the accomadations to provide breakfast earlier so that we could leave early in the morning and beat the sun, after that we enjoyed our trip a lot, the cycling was relatively easy and the scenery was lovely especially in the last few days, I thuink this trip would suit people who are interested in history, architecture and local "real" Sicily, we didn't see another tourist at all while we were cycling, only once we stopped in the cities. The highlights were the meal that we had in the Eco-Tourism hotel, and the small seaside resort of Selinunte on the last day - simply lovely !
Reliable and always providing interest and challenges.
We absolutely loved this holiday. It was our first time in Sardinia and we were blown away by the magnificent blue sea and coastal line. The most magical moment for us was seeing the flamingos grazing in the salt pans. A sight to behold. The Sardinian people were lovely and welcoming and the food along with the Sardinian wines, delicious. This was a beautiful quiet part of Sardinia and cycling was definitely a great way to absorb as much of this beautiful island as possible. Given that we were mainly cycling on the coastal roads, we were amazed by the very considerate car drivers who always gave us loads of room and were incredibly respectful of cyclists. All in all this was a joyful holiday.
The cycling was generally on flat terrain, the last couple of days involved use of the gears, which made a welome change. Some of the cycle days could be a bit boring with long straight roads or tracks without a change of scenery. We hit Portugal at the height of the heatwave, but it was possible to complete the rides in the morning avoiding the heat of the day. The beach stay In Praia de Mira was most welcome, a dip in the cool sea was refreshing.
Most if the Headwater holidays we have done before had the Headwater rep situated locally, we missed this service. Our initial briefing took place in a hot underground car park, delivered at a rate of knots with only verbal information for the whole trip. We saw nothing of the local reps after the initial meeting. However, the luggage transfer was excellent with our bags always there before us.
The hotels were of a good quality. The Palace Hotel in Curia was disappointing as the air con didn't work and the food wasn't great.
A great active holiday where you travel through different landscapes to arrive in interesting towns with lovely hotels.
A lovely holiday with the right balance of activity and relaxing moments with an interesting and varied style of accomodation. The luggage transport between hotels was excellant. This holiday offers seaside and city, countryside and beach and the food oppportunities are memorable.
Good itinerary. Comfortable distances even though weather was hot
Wow wow wow! Wonderful scenic routes, amazing hotels in St Emillion and Blaye! Great cycling on good routes and very good quality bikes
Well organised in every way. Excellent app giving general information and providing routes to follow. We loved every minute.
Great holiday and service from the team at Headwater, particularly Joanne who is really pleasant and helpful. Disappointed with travel advice and recommend researching own travel and transfers unless you want to go from Heathrow and have a long train journey to follow.
I was going to Umbria so a flight to Perugia made sense not to Rome which is the route taken by Headwater.
I think Headwater could be better informed and provide more information about local airports even if travellers are making their own travel arrangements .
We've holidayed with Headwater for many years in many countries and loved their GPS routes and journeying through a variety of different, characterful hotels they have provided with careful thought. This summer's route across the SE tomato growing region of Sicily was contracted out to a local agency & too busy with too heavy road traffic for our liking in June 2022 and breath-taking views were spoilt by significant roadside rubbish all along the route which had been fly-tipped (discarded loos, fridges, building material, endless bags of rubbish). Our local taxi driver explained that the Mafia wait for rubbish emergencies to be declared and then they pick up the contracts. Make sure 1. You challenge the hotel rooms you are given when busy as we had unacceptably poor rooms offered for the price we paid. (clearly some were struggling post pandemic) 2. You know how to change tyres (bring plastic gloves and wipes). 3. It can be very hot so ask hotels to freeze your water bottles overnight.
Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to post your review and for the additional comments made. We are truly sorry that certain elements of your holiday were disappointing. Fly tipping unfortunately does appear to be commonplace in this region, and I feel that the taxi driver explained the situation well. I’m glad that we were able to discuss your holiday with you directly.
Overall, an enjoyable holiday. Local guides were friendly and helpful. The hotels were of good quality or better and the service was generally very good. The exception would be Les Sables d'Ocre; there were no staff available after 8pm (and thus no bar). This was very disappointing. It is not a long walk into the village but sometimes this is not what is wanted after a day's cycling; the information was not given to us prior to the holiday. The major disappointment is that Headwater, or possibly the parent group Exodus, seem to have kept prices relatively high but there is evidence that an increasing number of holidays on offer do NOT include evening meals. This, for us, is a real negative and we don't accept the theory given that it was to give us more flexibility. It gives more headaches and time on the internet/phone attempting to arrange evening meals. We enjoyed much of the holiday but felt it was the least enjoyable of the five holidays we have undertaken since 2008.
A lovely region of Italy to visit, cycling through the vines and hazelnut forests. Loved the combination of cycling in the country but also visiting some interesting towns. The hotels were in lovely locations.
This was a great tour (our third with Headwater and our first in Spain). Our hosts were good and friendly and we enjoyed every moment, the hotels chosen were excellent. The ride was beautiful, flat and interesting. The only downside was that the contracted person taking us to the rail station on our return got us there too late. We didn't mind too much, but it caused us an extra hour. Overall this short Catalunya ride was perfect for us (in our late 50s). Please Headwater, can you add some more short break rides!
Perfect first family bike trip!
Lovely cycling routes and the electric bikes allow hilltop village visits with ease. Excellent bikes and support. And our stay at the Jardin de Mazan was an absolute highlight of the trip.
We did the Landscapes of Thee Luberon self guided tour in July. The dinners were great and the itinerary was excellent. Special thanks to the staff at Les Imberts who helped us recover a backpack we accidentally left on the side of the road!
Most enjoyable, lovely scenery, excellent cycle paths, perfect bikes and very good hotels.
The beautiful views of the Tuscan landscape never failed to draw a smile whether it was a daytime view across fields of sunflowers or an evening sunset over the vineyards. The wine tasting experiences were first class and we have many beautiful memories thanks to the passion of the wine makers and their families. The cycling was fun and not difficult for anyone in moderate physical condition.
An excellent holiday. Spoiled by the PanoramaHotel Altmunster. There us insufficient space here to describe it, so see separate email.
A very moving cycling tour. Lovely countryside and only the odd long hill!
Local agents advice and help was invaluable.
A great itinerary, a lot of variation in level of challenge.
Lovely accommodation although my room was very basic. The location was very scenic and the hotel owners were lovely. However the main criticism is that all 6 cycle routes were far too short and the 4th route was particularly dull and tedious due to it mainly being alongside I busy monotonous main road.
Lovely area but Apt was a disappointment. Accommodation was clean and comfortable but nowhere to sit during the day and rooms very small also would have chosen to have had another day at first hotel and not stay in Apt for 2 days
Overall we were very pleased with Headwater and the holiday in Portugal.
Our holiday was however spoil by the cancellation of our outward flight at short notice by easyJet. This was overcome by the very quick and effficient service of Headwater in finding alternative flights outbound with TAP from Gatwick. We were very pleasantly surprised at the support Headwater provided late at night the day before we were due to travel and efficient reaction to the situation.
Return flights to Bristol necessitated a hire car from Bristol to Gatwick but we do not hold Headwater in any way at fault for this
In terms of the tour ouronly areas for comment would be:
We found three parts of the route where road/ rail works meant the app was not accurate. Do the local reps check accuracy of the app?
The hotel at Curia disappointed as the Spa facilities were unavailable , the outdoor pool area being dialapidated & the pool water very unwelcomimg!
Overall the holiday was excellent.
Wonderful area with excellent cycling and bikes . We were very disappointed with the Hotel Hermitage which we had stayed at 3 times before but had changed hands . The welcome was dismissive and the quality of rooms within our group was very different. Other hotels were excellent with the reception at Le Jardiniere de Mazan the ambience and food quite marvellous . We were disappointed that the representative on the ground felt that helping with a difficult puncture was not in his brief
The routes were well chosen, cycling along quiet roads and paths, passing through small villages, nature reserves, other unspoilt landscapes and agricultural areas. The bird life on and around the rivers and lagoons was fascinating, the wild flowers and trees lovely. From time to time there were views over the Atlantic ocean. There was plenty of time to stop for coffees and generally enjoy the ambience. The detour to Costa Nova was most enjoyable. The holiday timetable was perfect for us. The hotels were excellent. All in all a fab holiday.
Can’t fault anything. All very good and highly recommended.
Cycling per se was enjoyable. Very angry to be offered a family room at Chenonceaux when we are not related. Gastronomic meal on the last night never materialised.
Experience left a bitter taste.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments. We are really pleased to read that you enjoyed your cycling , however sorry that your experience was impacted by the hotel accommodation with your friends and the disappointment with your meal on the last evening of which we have responded in writing.
Easy run down to the Adriatic
It was lovely to arrive at the end of a ride in the little towns of Puglia, all different and charming. Some of the cycling was really spectacular, particularly along the coast. I was pleased to have an e-bike as the temperature was way over 30 degrees everyday at the end of May. As someone not very tech-savvy, I needed help with the navigation app. Remember to download last-minute adjustments just before you go!
Wonderful holiday. The scenery was spectacular and every hotel was a great experience.
Cycling the Camino de Santiago was great but the description in the brochure is a little deceptive as there was a lot of cycling on roads (not on the Camino), even though not much traffic. Last 2 days didn’t see the Camino signs at all! I believe the brochure should describe this a little better. Electric bikes a must if you are a leisure cyclist as extremely hilly! Having said this Headwater were very helpful and we would definitely recommend them.
Wonderful itinerary with first class bikes & good hotels. . Hotel Seegarten & hotel Rheinfells had superb restaurants. Enjoyed having one day off between cycles.
Wonderful locations cycling through the Piedmont countryside with its vineyards, Hazel groves and rolling hills. On clear days we could see the French Alps in the West and the Italian Alps to the East. Great choice of hotels, with warm welcomes after a hard day’s cycling. Always delicious meals and a great choice of wines. E bikes are essential unless you are strong cyclists. These bikes enabled us to conquer the steepest climbs. Relatively expensive but good value for money; highly recommended.
Excellent route through pretty villages, vineyards etc with stops at some wonderful Palladian villas. E bikes were a must in July as it reached 35 most days. Good route with reliable back up transport of bags etc
A very pleasant area to cycle around from an excellent base location.
An enjoyable and relaxed exploration of Istria
We had a fantastic holiday overall. Megan was very professional and helpful during the booking process and we were delighted with our choice of route. The bikes were brilliant, some hotels were absolutely excellent (in Gyor and Bratislava specifically) and all personnel were amazing. The distances of the routes were just right for us (despite the blazing hot sunshine!) and we loved the cities and towns we visited throughout.
A generally enjoyable trip slightly marred by a couple of issues which were not Headwater's fault. As part of the holiday booking, we paid for three 'gastronomic' meals in the places we stayed, where local alternatives were very limited but found only one of these could be remotely worthy of the term 'gastronomic' and we could have purchased the same meals much cheaper directly at the hotels concerned.
Great route. Varying quality of hotels. Poor bikes. Expensive for what we got.
This cycling route through Puglia is a stunningly beautiful one - particularly in late May when the poppies and other wild flowers were in full bloom; the weather warm but not scorching and not too busy with other tourists. This was the first Headwater cycling trip I have done without 'stay put' days, and the overall mileage each day (at leisurely pace) did mean there was little spare time for sightseeing. However, it was absolutely worth the effort to visit each of the locations - they were wonderfully varied and I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on any of them!
One of the days involves taking a train - it's worth noting that not all the trains allow bikes, and we were lucky to have had help lifting up the bikes into the hanging racks on the train - a tricky manouevre for the vertically challenged!
It was a good experience mostly flat cycling except for a few inclines at end with some good sights to see. We enjoyed the Port tour and tasting.
This was an excellent trip, made particularly memorable by the excellent (but very warm) weather. The itinerary is first class, but be aware that there are long stretches (full days in some cases) where you won't see the Danube. So, it is definitely not a cycle along the river bank. The route is mainly flat and there are stages where you cycle along man made 'dams' which are pretty boring at times. It is worth using the maps supplied to vary the route and explore other areas/routes.
The hotels were excellent and of 4 star quality. Our luggage always made it to the next hotel before us and we had no issues checking in.
The bikes are robust and 'industrial' and were in very good condition - we had no issues.
Overall, a great way to explore the 3 countries. I would definitely recommend it.
This seemed much harder than the other 1+ Dolomites to Lake Garda cycling holiday we have done despite our fitness being better. However this was probably largely due to an Italian heatwave in late May/early June when we travelled with the thermometer at 30C in the shade each day by 9am. Thoroughly enjoyed it though and were very glad we chose the 10 rather than 7 night option. The extra nights further south contrasted well and it was good to cycle by the sea. Hotels all of good quality and each had its own special qualities. Not being tecchies and with basic phone contracts had some concerns re the GPS app pre travel but after a few minutes on the first morning we coped fine with it. Much easier than the old paper instructions. Had taken a battery charger pack but never used more than half a phones battery whilst out. Amazed how cheap prices were when stopping for drinks in small rural villages eg 1 euro for usual menu of coffees
Travel arrangements with KLM were good - breakfasts in hotels very good - route Porto to Praia de Mira made for easy riding and wonderful and varied scenery and some fun coffee and lunch stops. Fewer places of interest to stop and visit than in France, although birdlife worth seeing.
Lovely holiday, we will travel with you again. It seemed expensive, but it probably wasn't for what it was, given the high quality of the bikes and especially of the hotels . which we loved but don't normally treat ourselves to!
A challenging cycle ride rewarded with superb views and Portuguese hospitality.
Absolutely fantastic week. The second hotel were,abit grumpy when we arrived and said we were B&B when we were half board so we missed two evening meal. Everything else was incredible. We feel like we've been on a honeymoon .
Enjoyed trip. Tough enough cycling for a non cyclist as I am. Fine for my husband. First day especially tough. Lagos 2 night stay was a waste. Too tired after 1,St day to cycle and did not enjoy the experience of town of Lagos. Much too commercial and touristy. Be warned too the staff in hotel in Lagos try to ' upsell' drinks. 27 euro for a g and t. 27 euro for a bottle of very poor wine ....totally opposite of what was asked for.
On the contrary the staff in village were very knowledgeable about their products and we drank delicious wine.
Beautiful cycling holiday- would have enjoyed more time in Slovenia/Alps
Please see separate trip report which we will email to you
We had a fabulous cycling holiday for our first trip to Sardinia. Headwater provided a superb itinerary, great bikes and lovely independent hotels run by Sardinian families. The scenery was jaw dropping and we could not have packed in so many memorable sights and locations without the Sardinian Headwater teams’ thorough knowledge of the region. The ride was more moderate than “easy” in the high temperatures of June, but perfectly manageable with care and our luggage was always waiting for us in the room of our new hotel, a welcome sight after a hot day’s cycling. We’ll definitely be back to Sardinia and back to Headwater for another adventure on wheels. Charlotte and Clive Makin.
Wonderful historic hilltop villages with fantastic views easily accessible on an e bike . Each days cycling was really enjoyable and the hotels were good. Hotel Villa Zuccari was wonderful, the pool was gorgeous and we had 2 amazing meals there. The hotel Terrazza in Assisi although out of the town was within easy walking distance. We had a fab holiday and would recommend Headwater holidays.
We thoroughly enjoyed cycling the Wine Route of Alsace. It is a very picturesque part of France, and the villages we visited were lovely, including storks nesting on rooftops. The second day was a bit hilly, but nothing we couldn't manage and the length of ride each day suited us well.We were very fortunate to have perfect weather, which made the holiday even more enjoyable. The hotels were very clean and comfortable and in the evening there was a good choice of restaurants in every town or village. Lots of interesting ice-cream flavours to try too, such as rhubarb, gooseberry, red currant etc in most towns. All in all a great holiday, and we returned home with lots of photos and happy memories.
A very enjoyable cycling holiday, lovely scenery especially the paths along the river and through the woods. It was hard work for those of us not that used to cycling, but a good achievement to have made it! We enjoyed visiting some of the chateaux along the way. Lovely food and wine, of course! However, the Gastronomic package of 4 days of half board was unfortunately poor value for money. It would have been better to have our dinner reservations made and for us to pay locally. We packed our cycling helmets and water bottles as the information we received indicated we needed them but these were all provided by the local agent so we didn't actually need to bring them and could have saved a lot of space in our bags.
This holiday had a lot going for it - wonderful scenery, nice hotels, good food, friendly, helpful people. Overall, I enjoyed it but there were, unfortunately, two negative issues. First, a lot of the cycling was on very busy main roads with lorries, buses, motorcyclists and fast cars. On days when there were strong cross winds I found the experience unnerving at times. The second was the shortness of the routes. Four of them were less than 20 miles, the other two just over 20 . Admittedly they were often hilly but hills present few problems for an ebike rider and with limited opportunities to stop this meant that I was often arriving at my destination by mid-day - on two occasions before my room was ready and in one 4 hours before the arrival of my luggage. I appreciate that logistically there are probably no alternatives to the use of the main roads and the particular routes chosen but additional options, as on other Headwater holidays would have benefitted me.
Good cycle routes through lovely countryside. Accommodation in Rome was excellent, with very attentive staff. Accommodation at Agriturismo La Peitriccia was disappointing, but Stefano was very helpful.
The cycle paths on this trip were excellent. Only traffic was going to our hotels.
Route was very easy to follow.
Excellent first cycling holiday. Mixed experience with meal vouchers. Great group. Itinerary beautiful in some places.
Extremely well researched & organised. Accommodation was varied & always clean, with helpful friendly staff, particularly Stefano at the Agriturismo & Martina at Hotel Marin. Length of cycling each day was perfect...not too much, so enough time to relax & swim in the clear warm silky sea or the swimming pools at two of the hotels too. Fresh fish was delicious. It was a tremendous week.
Fantastic scenery and lovely villages to visit
Can be very hot and is constantly uphill or downhill for cycling with some very steep sections and some busy roads
The Loire region was lovely and a great holiday location. This was our first cycling holiday so, we chose a level 1 trip. .But We found 40 kilometres a day to be far to long and took too much time. We had minimal time to visit places of interest. We struggled with some directions and indeed were lost on 3 occasions. Also be aware that the gps on phone overheats on the hot days so you do need to master the paper routes. We suggest booking 4* hotels as we found the 3* a bit basic.
Some beautiful rides through the countryside, including a national park. However, the ride into and out of Bari was extremely unpleasant. Our experience of the hotels was very mixed, however, Headwater is not currently using one of the hotels we were booked into.
Bikes very good. Very attractive towns and we would have liked longer to explore them.
Organisation excellent. GPS App and map booklets were excellent. Good route with plenty of cycle lanes. One tougher day mainly on roads. Route was a good one with plenty to see in the Italian towns we visited.
Beautiful cycling through varied landscape. Wonderful wild flowers and bird life. Gorgeous villages and friendly people. Definite things to improve: a lot of transfers required to get to the first hotel (3x train then pick up); the app is pretty good but could have a bit more navigation description; bikes should be fitted with cradles for phones (or recommend that clients bring one) so that you can track the map while also listening to directions. There seemed to be many different itineraries and guides emailed (plus links embedded) that it is difficult to be sure you’ve got all the right info. A printed pack in the post would still be the most useful thing. Final small point - there is a killer climb on the last day which isn’t mentioned anywhere. There is an easy detour to avoid it though. Maybe worth giving this option in the notes?
Fabulous holiday made perfect by hiring the electric bikes as it was hilly and the electric bikes made the whole biking experience really enjoyable. The scenery and hotels were super and we were really well looked after.
Superb accommodations, excellent app guide, interesting cities but a misconceived holiday. Cycling into and out of big cities through the inevitable busy and sometimes scrappy outskirts is not enjoyable. Most of the tracks were difficult and uncomfortable apart from the Via Verde. Our advice is to go for a city break to visit cities and stay for a few nights then go for a cycling holiday in more interesting and scenic countryside. Senderos y Pueblos fine, Senderos y Ciudads not good.
The activity level of the cycling was not difficult, but the distances are quite long (we were not on e-bikes!). If booking again we would add a rest day either in Grein or Melk. The scenery was varied with some spectacular sections but also some flat bland areas. That said we really enjoyed the overall experience.
An excellent holiday giving us opportunity to discover the contrasting landscapes of Slovenia. Everybody we met in hotels and cafes was extremely hospitable. Our guide was very helpful too. However the rides involved long and many very steep hills so be prepared for getting off and pushing. Some gravel paths have very deep gravel. Although I'd ordered a manual bike, our guide offered a swap to E bike without which I would not have been able to complete the rides. I am a reasonably fit cyclist and was surprised that this holiday was only pitched a activity level 2. I think customers should be advised of the hills involved.
We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Booking through Headwater was easy, though in retrospect we could have booked the same holiday ourselves much cheaper. Our contact, Joanne, was very helpful in sorting out our late booking.
We had a great time but we should have asked for e-bikes. Some of the hills were very long.
Excellent way to see beautiful places. Good routes and well selected hotels
A very enjoyable holiday, staying at interesting places in good accommodation. We would certainly book with Headwater again for a cycling holiday
We had a wonderful holiday in the Douro Valley. The route was really scenery was beautiful and the choice of accommodation excellent. We felt well supported by staff and the high quality of equipment. Although the trip was graded challenging, it wasn't impossible but taking into account the length and steepness of the climbs we consider it to be accurate. Would highly recommend this holiday to people who cycle regularly.
This is our second cycling holiday with Headwater (Austria 2019) and accommodation and helpfulness of local agents was first rate. An issue with bike set up was swiftly resolved with an alternative style being delivered within two hours. Rating of cycling difficulty was accurate.
My wife and I have travelled widely and with various other holiday companies but this, our first holiday with Headwater is probably the best one we have had. Certainly, the most enjoyable. Everything from the initial planning through to our return travel arrangements were all perfect. It has to be said that the bikes we used were excellent as were the support services around Lake Constance if you encountered any problems which we didn't. The weather was perfect. Only the isolated short shower otherwise wall to wall sunshine. My wife and I are in our 70s and only occasional cyclists. However, the cycle paths around the lake were of good quality and very flat. The scenery was magnificent and varied. Lots of wildlife and beautiful flowers. Pretty lakeside villages, harbours, cafes, beaches and toilets . In the distance were beautiful snow capped mountains. I cannot put into words just how good this holiday was. Thoroughly recommend it. Well done Headwater and thanks for everything.
Dordogne beautiful area to travel round can be very hilly in parts,local people very helpful
Well-planned and interesting itinerary. Cycling is a great way to explore this region and we enjoyed the variety of destinations and accommodation, all of which were clean and comfortable. I would recommend this area for vegetarians- we had some great vegetable dishes and found restaurants were happy to adapt a pasta dish on request.
For me this was to an excellent cycling holiday in the heart of the Tuscan Val d’Orcia, considering I was an ‘senior’ solo rider in early season. The hire of an E-MTB bike was a boon for the hilly ’strade bianche’ (gravel roads). A week at the Agriturismo ‘La Pietriccia’ was a very good choice. Stefano, the main host and his brother Simone, were extremely helpful in everything. From organising me on and off the suggested App routes, to giving me a beer when I got back and providing tasty 4 course meals in the evening. The ‘tasting’ at BradiToscani food/wine shop and the Chianciano Thermal Spa arranged visits were a delight. The cookery session was unfortunately cancelled because of Covid restrictions but was substituted with an enjoyable local pizzeria visit.
Highly recommended to any cycling Italophiles.
You start in an unspoilt, beautiful part of NE Portugal and gradually work your way down to the Duoro valley. The wildflowers in May are stunning. There are some challenging climbs but it is worth it.
A great holiday in beautiful countryside and coast. The itinerary was good giving plenty of time to dawdle and have a swim in the sea. We did extend the route on the two shortest days to get a bit more cycling. The local cuisine was delicious especially the seafood.
Our holiday was as good as described in the headwater brochure. All arrangements,bookings, preferences etc worked well. All queries, however trivial dealt with quickly and completely.
A brilliantly varied and interesting cycle ride on excellent infrastructure. Fascinating history, physical geography and welcoming communities.
We enjoyed our trip through this wine growing region and thought the routes were well planned though they do involve cycling past many vines! . The Jardin de Mazan hotel was a highlight with beautiful rooms and delightful owners. The food was good throughout the trip. Christophe gave us an excellent briefing with many useful pointers and recommendations. Although the app generally worked well we still do prefer to have actual maps of the area, not just the route, and we would definitely recommend having a portable charger for the phone.
Excellent. the App was easy to use for middle aged people who usually ask their children to work this kind of thing out. The Headwater emails were well timed and informative and when you passed us on to Gulia cycle tours, they were equally as efficient. The route was fantastic, the hotels just ideal for this holiday. The people we met from Puglia Tours delightful. We had 2 potentially big problems - A) one of our parties' bags didn't arrive from England on our flight. So we logged a missing bag form at Barri airport but it was difficult with language barrier and not knowing where we would be if and when the bag might catch up with us. Headwater were amazing and the bag caught us up 2 days later. And the driver from Puglio Tours took us from Barri airport to a hypermarket ( thank god open on a Sunday pm) to buy essentials. We also had a problem with a bike and again - fantastic backup and all sorted. Best holiday & when probs occurred the finest back up
Fantastic way to see the glorious countryside, towns, cities and natural beauty of Puglia. Well organised, good bikes, good accommodation and we think the best way to immerse yourself in a location. As firstimers with Headwater would highly recommend to anyone.
A very well organised self guided cycle holiday. Great hotels & excellent cycle routes. The Headwater navigation app excellent. Alex the point of contact always available.
We aren't the type to want to sit around on our holiday, so this was perfect for us. Fantastic riding along wonderful tracks, paths and roads alongside the coast, sometimes in dappled sunlight under trees, sometimes along quiet country lanes between olive trees and vineyards. By the end of each day we felt like we'd enjoyed the sunshine, had had some exercise and had seen some more of this beautiful country and was now ready for a cold glass of wine and a good meal, which were both readily available in all of the chosen beautiful coastal towns. Stunning! Have already highly recommended to all our friends and family!
Great holiday, headwater app very easy to follow, hotels very good some better than others.
Really enjoyed our holiday, hotels were of a good standard and in great locations, the route was varied and flexible allowing us to explore other areas on route.
Cycling hillier than expected, Lascaux caves a highlight, food at Les Glycines excellent, prefered new longer 25mile rather than 20mile trips with 2 days at one location, grateful for taxi for 2hour trip to Toulouse when train failed but strongly dislike single person supplement
An enjoyable varied route. An excellent introduction to the region.
We really enjoyed this holiday with you. We were met on arrival at the first hotel by the local rep , who was very helpful. The cycling was very good and with beautiful scenery. The hotels were excellent and very welcoming. Certainly it has given us a taste of Sicily and we will definitely want to visit again.
Quite tough for the grade. Super coastal scenery. Can be exciting riding. Would be hard in the wet.
Cycle routes were good and easy to follow, one bike needed new rear brake pads after first day, this should have been identified before bike was issued. Repair was promptly addressed. Also had a puncture on first day , front tyre had very little tread in the centre, so puncture could have been avoided. All accommodation was very good and food excellent with great advice from restaurant staff.
Excellent organisation and support, all hotels were fantastic in superb locations, navigation app was brilliant. Would definitely recommend this holiday.
We really enjoyed the biking adventure, we are not avid bikers, but found the routes a good pace for us. We did have one challenge because we did not receive our last days GPS map, so our advice to others is to double check to ensure you have them all before you go.
An exceptional route - everything had been thought of. The first day is a long distance so it might be off putting for those who don’t cycle long distances regularly. The food everywhere is of a fantastically high standard. We recommend Le Bubbole in Matera, La Cantina in Alberobello and The Dish in Ostuni. Booking in advance recommended.
Generally we loved our holiday through Headwater. The only disappointment was the rental bikes - we are both very keen cyclists and felt, in the spirit of openness, advertising the bikes as 'high quality' is a little wide of the mark. They are heavy, clunky and are more of an entry level city explorer bike rather than biking 200 or so kilometres on. Scenery was beautiful in parts and the route great, however it was disappointing in parts to see so much rubbish dumped on the side of the roads (which we know is no fault of HW). Everything ran incredibly smoothly, mapping was very easy to follow, local support staff were excellent and in constant communication - we felt very safe and looked after :)
Would highly recommend and will definitely travel again using HW. The booking process was efficient and very friendly. On the whole we had a fantastic time.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback we are so pleased you had a lovely holiday and thank you for your comments regarding the bicycles. The bikes do need to be sturdy enough to withhold the usage, the weight of the pannier racks and panniers, the stand, heavier saddles and the suspension - all of which contribute to the overall weight.
Its such a shame that you experienced rubbish that had been dumped on the side of the road. Our team, when planning the routes do try to choose the most scenic routes
I do hope that we will be able to welcome you back to Headwater for another holiday in the future.
Kind regards
Customer Service
Excellent adventure and great way to get to know Portugal.
Good however the eather was rather inconsistent some days with heavy rain. The bikes are not geared to cope with adverse weather they are only fair to good weather bikes. And regardless the rain was to heavy and cold to cycle in. I think it maybe better to start this trip a little later in the year as it's to unpredictable this time of the year weatehr wise and some of teh hotels were not offereing any services e.g the first hotel had no restaurant / bar or any other service open. Headwater Custome service was excellant especially Paula!
The Seville - Cadiz route provides a great cycle through this part of Spain. Not to hilly and last couple of days pretty flat. Lunches can be a bit basic, but evening meals were excellent with a bit of searching and waiting until 8pm. Seville, Carmona, Arcos, Jerez and Cadiz all have lots to offer.
This is a fantastic cycle route - every day interesting. Super scenery, lovely cycling, lots of places to visit, people everywhere wonderful. We enjoyed it SO much. Highly recommend.
Our holiday was a celebration for our 30th wedding anniversary. In order to be consistent with the previous thirty years of marriage I left the planning until the last minute. I contacted Headwaters barely two weeks before the half term started yet they were able , as ever, to provide a first class service which totally met what we were looking for. From the moment we landed, where we met Mimmo our agent, until our departure from our gorgeous Lecce hotel on the final morning, we encountered nothing but an amazing service wherever we visited or stayed. We loved all of the accommodation as well as the stunning routes. Puglia is indeed an astonishingly beautiful region in Italy, as evidenced by the breath taking coastal routes to Gallipoli and Otranto. Likewise the climb to the hilltop town of Ostuni, as well the town itself, was simply stunning. I am running out of synonyms for brilliant but that is the adjective that I want to use to describe the everything about the trip. Thank you.
Well organised tour with efficient moving of luggage and good standard of accommodation. Wonderful scenery particularly around the coastal areas on the west side of the peninsula. The wind and steep hills on the first day in particular made it pretty tiring. Bikes were really good particularly on off road stretches. The luggage rack and Paniers did make the bikes quite heavy on the hilly areas. The app was excellent for guiding and very quickly indicated if you took a wrong turning. It is good to study the description as the app doesn’t always tell you where the optional stops are. We rode right past one of our planned lunch stops without realising.
Overall a really lovely and varied tour of the south west corner of the Algarve.
Very enjoyable. The first day's cycling is the hardest - make sure you have plenty of water. We also managed to view Ragusa on our arrival day so were able to set off and do the major climb before the main heat of the day. There is a beach bar at the Isola delle Correnti which we really enjoyed - it may not be open all the time but if fun if it's open.
It was a well thought-out itinerary which took in the high-lights of Puglia - rural rides to beautiful hill-top towns and coastal rides with lovely views over the Mediterranean.
We loved Sicily and the routes we biked through. The countryside was varied and the town’s spectacular. My bike was perfect but my partner’s had both technical difficulties and two flat tires on the last day. We were very quickly rescued though and that made all the difference. The GPS worked beautifully and we felt guided the whole way. Most of the hotels were lovely and beautifully located but a couple were disappointing so we would suggest you research the choices and make sure you like where you are going to be. Generally it was a very fun and interesting trip and with a few tweaks would have been perfect.
Cycling in north Norfolk was a great way to see the area in a bit more detail and offered a good variety of countryside, seaside, country house estates etc to ride through and allowed time to look around if we wanted to. It was great to have the app to tell us our route without having to constantly check a map. The hotels were all very comfortable. Very enjoyable. A few bike issues which was a bit unfortunate but we still had a good time.
A lovely way to see a lovely and interesting part of the country. Our weather was mixed, but that did not prove to be a problem, with a comfy and welcoming hotel waiting at the end of each day. Universally, we were given a warm welcome, and the navigation app was a boon : we didn't get lost at all.
The cycling was a little harder than we had expected, it is rated 1+ but could perhaps have been a 2. One bike that was originally supplied was really in need of a service and was not very good. Having said that once I mentioned this it was changed the next day and the replacement was fine. The shower in the hotel at Holt was very weak but we were told that the water pressure in the area is very low. The last day of cycling is quite tiring though there are quite a few potential stopping places. Overall this was a very good holiday. We used to cycle daily to work but having retired and so cycling less we found this a little more of a challenge.
It was okay but not as good as Headwater's holidays on the Continent. Not so well organised. That said, the routes took us through some lovely villages.
An enjoyable holiday in a part of the country we have never previously visited.
Great experience from booking to departure! Pity about the weather - we got drenched on the first day!
A wonderful way to see the beautiful Norfolk countryside.
We had an amazing week with Stefano and his family and team. The equipment was excellent and the cycling amazing, pretty challenging, but we got to see the beautiful countryside and villages of the region. The food at La Pietriccia was outstanding. Despite the Covid restrictions Stefano did everything he could to help us keep our plans flexible so that we could complete all the routes. We would certainly recommend this holiday for people like us, who like their cycling, wine and food in equal measures.
Headwater response:
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. We are all delighted that you had an amazing holiday and we hope we can welcome you on another trip with us again soon.
Headwater Customer Services Team
The hotels and the area generally were beautiful. However some of the cycle routes were along busy highways , particularly around Bari and were not particularly enjoyable. The GPS guide app was particularly helpful in keeping us on the right track. The local agents were very helpful and on hand if we needed any assistance.
Good varied cycling both inland and by the coast. Lovely countryside, good wine and food
Wonderful views while cycling although we found some of hills slightly challenging especially on hot days! GPS guidance was better than we expected but on occasions instructions should be given slightly earlier and repeated - traffic noise could obscure! Printed instructions are if anything too detailed and would be difficult to follow if GPS failed. In event of GPS failure a visible point of reference, like a nearby town on the screen shot maps might enable easier identification of where you were on a map!
excellent itinerary with lots of variety .
excellent local support when we needed it
This area of Portugal is beautiful. We had Ebikes (mountain) which was great as they were needed due to the terrain in some places. The cycle routes varied from cycle paths, brilliant, cobbles roads, okay, and forest/ river tracks, not the easiest but manageable as long as you didn’t want to see the scenery. The hotel in Monção is slightly out of the town and no food was available in the hotel. Plus no air conditioning and the beds were very hard. The bikes were fine but the panniers provided were very small so unless you wanted to carry a backpack there was little room for water and valuables. Mostly the directions were great, only minor detours! One bridge we had to cross was closed which the agent had not informed us of. Warning about crossing the bridge at Viana do Castelo would be good. The pedestrian foot path is too narrow for bikes. On whole the holiday was good as the food in the region is excellent. We enjoyed the wine and beer but the first 2 wine tastings were not great.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your recent review, it is lovely to read that overall you enjoyed your holiday with us and discovered a beautiful part of Portugal. We would like to apologise for the difficulties encountered due to a bridge closure unfortunately this can happen on occasion and should our local agent be aware of possible detours required we have asked that this is highlighted in the holiday briefing. We look forward to welcoming you on a future Headwater holiday again soon.
Kindest Regards
Customer Service
lovely unspoilt region of Italy !
Impressed by ability of office and ground agents to put programme together within the very short timescale
Excellent holiday with good hotels, great scenery and realistic riding days for the described activity level. The bikes were excellent and comfortable.
The personal care and attention provided by ALL staff throughout the holiday was excellent. The hotels were a haven of peace and sophistication after our energetic days. The trip to Puglia included highlights such as the Trulli houses and the ancient olive groves. In general the cycling was pleasurable and, when our cycle let us down, we were rescued swiftly. Of interest to us was the fact that the residents of Puglia took great pride in their houses, gardens, vineyards and fields however outside of this the roads were strewn with litter, the like of which we have never before witnessed. It detracted from our enjoyment and reflected badly upon the region as a whole. Thank you again to all who made our holiday so memorable. Phil & Kath
This was a first cycling holiday for us so we were apprehensive. However we definitely would recommend both Headwater and the Contrasts of Puglia tour. The organisation was excellent as were the hotels. In the end we took e bikes ( having deliberated about this) . We didn’t use the power so much but we felt that we definitely enjoyed the holiday more and did more on the bikes than we would have without the power. It was a very pleasurable and relaxed week.
The app works really well and is relatively easy to download and use though we found it useful to use the printed out route maps as well as a check. If you are not used to using apps etc it might be a little tricky to initially set up. We loved the routes that were chosen - mostly on very quiet country roads with minimal traffic situations. We found the car drivers very considerate, more so than in UK. The hotels were all in great locations and very nice.
Very well thought out and planned holiday with materials (detailed maps + descriptions + garmin, once I had read the clear instructions on how to turn it on to the relevant route,) provided excellent. We would have appreciated the detailed written routes accompanying the maps to have included place names
Very enjoyable rides with a range of scenery and interesting places to visit. Vicenza and Padua which we visited on bike free days were particularly beautiful.
The bikes were fantastically maintained by our rep James - in contrast to Headwater agent holidays that we've been on before.
Lovely area to visit with excellent hotels and support. Only weakness is very poor standard of app based guidance which is fine if you just want a car-like sat nav experience but it fails completely to provide any useful background information on the places being visited or passed en route. Much lower quality than the excellent written notes which Headwater used to provide. To be fair, if all you want is to get from A to B on your bike on the prescribed route, they are absolutely fine.
This was our first cycling holiday (we are in our seventies) We had the most enjoyable time, meeting up with fellow cyclist from other countries on route
The towns we stayed in and the hotel were all very good. The cycling was almost all on quiet roads. We would certainly like to book another trip. Mary and Tim
The cycle rating is very accurate, the bikes and equipment provided were excellent. We particularity enjoyed Porto, although unfortunately there was a lot of sea mist in the mornings at the time we were there affecting the views. In comparison to the three other Headwater cycling holidays we have enjoyed, this route was not as scenic or picturesque. The evening meals at local restaurants included in the holiday were all excellent. We arrived at Praia de Mira 'out of season' and struggled to find somewhere open for a lunchtime meal. The Portuguese people we met were all very helpful and friendly.
Beautiful country area over Italy with lovely summer weather at the end of October. Lots to see, lovely little beaches. Pleasant cycling, especially with bikes for the occasional severe hill!
Headwater holidays are amazing! The hassle of scrutinising where I’m going on holiday is taken care of by Headwater as I know they would have chosen great places to visit and stay. Thank you Headwater
We enjoyed our holiday. The logistics worked very well, the hotels exceeded our expectations, and the meals, especially those in the outside restaurants you chose, were outstanding. One possible,very minor, improvement, would be to reduce the volume, or simplify the content of information sent to us before departure. Many thanks to all involved.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr.Tayler
Thank you for posting such a lovely review. Your comment regarding the pre departure information is currently being reviewed. Whilst we want to ensure that our customers have all the information required for their holiday we are actively looking at alternative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint. For example; Holidays with Ride with GPS may not require printed route notes and a geographical map.
We do hope that we will be able to welcome you on another Headwater Holiday in the not too distant future.
Kind regards
Customer Services
Easy cycling, wonderful sightseeing and a great way to explore the Danube and Austria. We love cycling holidays and this was was very enjoyable. Headwater holidays aren't cheap, but they are very well organised, totally reliable and always great fun.
We have just come back from cycling around Lake Constanz. Really easy cycle routes and great, wide paths, which made it much more sociable than when you have to cycle on main roads. The notes were generally good to follow, though we got caught out a couple of times because the distances to the next set of directions weren't always stipulated and sometimes much further than we expected. I do think that the hotels could coordinate a bit on menus: each one gave us beef consomme with pancakes as a starter soup on one of the two nights we were there and there was a lot of pork and trout. A bit more choice would have been nice. Overall though, the scenery around the lake was stunning, the days off in St Gallen and visiting the Rhein falls were superb and we were incredibly fortunate with the weather considering we were cycling in October.
Very enjoyable but two of the rides were slightly more difficult than we anticipated from a 1+ rating
We have travelled with Headwater many times and holidays obviously vary. Frankie the rep was excellent and had good practical knowledge of e-bikes. We found the roads were rather busy and not suitable for families. We realised the choice of routes was limited. Our first night coincided with two coach loads of visitors, the food was poor and we were not happy to be asked to vacate our table immediately at the end of our meal. The places we visited were all fascinating and the bus trip to Sienna was brilliant.
This was our first Headwater holiday. We really enjoyed it. The scenery was diverse. The routes were interesting. The bikes, though heavy, served us well. The routes were easy to follow and the gps worked well. The weather in early October was fantastic - warm and sunny. Curia and Coinbra suffered from early morning mist which made the mornings cool. Evenings also made a Jumper advisable. Only issue we had was with the Mecarico Hotel where our upgraded room was directly opposite the building work which was no more than 20 feet away. We also had some difficulty in finding our way from the train station at Porto to the Metro. There are no signs. The escalators were not working. The Metro Route is route E. It was not operating a direct service. We had to change at Musica although we stayed on the same platform. Portuguese people were really helpful and friendly. Food was good and relatively inexpensive
One of the best trips we’ve ever done.
A great way to see a country. Headwater have obviously done their homework. Lovely places to stay - great routes between locations - not too strenuous, but enough to make you feel you deserved that beer at the end!
Excellent centre for exploring rural Tuscany that was off the usual tourist trail.
This was a well organised tour taking in some pretty hilltop villages. We have done several Headwater holidays, but think that this was our first '2 bike '. It was quite demanding and many locals had electric bikes, but the hills are manageable. Les Imberts is a very small place, but the suggested trip to Gordes is well worth it, but we took an easier, but longer route there to avoid the main road. We found Apt to be rather uninspiring for a 2 night stay, We looked on Trip Advisor and found a couple of good local restaurants, but there was little to do during the day. Instead we cycled to the small town of Cereste along a cycle route- but it was a demanding ride. Our last hotel on the route was very picturesque and the welcome was the best we had, but we would have liked some choice at dinner especially as they hadn't noted the dietary preferences we have noted with Headwater ( luckily I had a good lunch that day). La Pernes de la Fontaines is a very pleasant town.
We started our holiday with a night in Avignon and would recommend this. Our guide Joey contacted us the night before and made excellent recommendations for our morning in Avignon. The week we stayed was a busy one for Joey ( he could have done with some help), but his cheerfulness and enthusiasm were most welcome.
We would recommend this holiday.
Had a lovely time, got what we expected and Joey the Rep was absolutely fantastic. The only area of complaint was the Hotel des pins. Location and room fine, Food not that great. We could clearly see from the other guests that the food was very good but we got a set menu which was not great. On both nights they forgot I had a Nut and Fish allergy which wouldn't have been to big an issue if they had provided me with a reasonable replacement but on the second night the starter, Fish and Salad was replaced with just salad for me. The main course was poor compared to the other hotels and then they finished me off with stewed apple sprinkled with nuts, good job my allergy is mild. Having said all that lets not forget that the Hotel Montmirail was absolutely fantastic.
Note this has already been published on the Exodus website:
This was our first self-guided holiday in a long time although we have done many group holidays. Mallorca is very well set up to cycle covered in good condition country lanes and feels very safe. In my opinion the rides were grade 2 some days, and 3 on others. The hotels were of varying quality. Hotel es Torrent was a lovely place to start but there was no choice over the evening meal and was some way away from the village. At Reco de Randa we were given an upgraded room, and the pool and restaurant were both lovely. Food was really good everywhere we stayed. However in Pollenca we were put in an apartment which wasn’t really appropriate for a hotel holiday (shame as the hotel itself seemed lovely).
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Do cycle (or walk) up the hill to the Sancturi de Cura in Randa.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Because Headwater didn’t provide them, I mapped all the rides on RideWithGPS (if you would like them please let me know). Google maps was very good as a back-up if you take a detour.
To be able to cycle on the level from Vienna to Budapest, taking in some interesting towns and countryside en route, is a great experience.
Journey to start of holiday not easy. Cycle route good for inexperienced cyclists. Interesting area.
Hotel meals seemed to be a little downmarket ie. special menu for Headwater clients.
Excellent cycling holiday with plenty of diversity from the Alps of Slovenia & Italy to the Adriatic coast. Cable Car to Monte Lussari shouldn't be missed.
first night restaurant Kamera in puglia not friendly or good food should change this.
Not a part of Italy we knew much about but Puglia was a great region for cycling. All the places we visited were interesting and the hotels were of a high standard. The food and wine were also very good and, generally, good value for money. The cycling wasn’t difficult although the Day 2 journey from Conversano to Alberobello, was quite hilly and would have been very tiring had we not had ebikes. It is definitely worth visiting Ostuni while at Pezze di Greco; we didn’t fancy cycling there as the route was long and hilly but the hotel organised a taxi for us which worked well. All in all, this was one of the best Headwater holidays we have experienced and we are currently planning our next cycling holiday for 2020.
Our holiday was to celebrate a big birthday. It was as good as we hoped and we would travel again with Headwater
A GREAT BREAK FOR CYCLIST WHO LOVE ITALY
Amazing scenery, fantastic hotels and excellent service as usual from Headwater. Totally loved Slovenia and Italy, stayed 2 nights in the hotels at the start ( Lake Bled ) and end ( Grado ). Preferred Lake Bled though Grado nice too especially the lagoon and bird watching. Found the cycling quite a lot more challenging than in the Loire, slightly surprised its only graded as a 1 plus. but we are not regular cyclists. The first 3 days felt a little too long, but maybe because we were delayed starting first day; the cycle path blocked on second day meaning a detour and we were staying in Valbruna so 7 further on than the standard tour and the third day it was 28 degrees and a fair few inclines. We only stayed one night at each place en route and this worked well and the later shorter days were easy and fun. Loved the variation and found when we were in towns the Italian drivers were very supportive of cyclists. Will book more Headwater holidays!
Another excellent holiday with Headwater. The routes, the towns, the accommodation all just right. My only request would be that some new routes are added for France as we have nearly exhausted them all.
Headwater holidays definitely seem to include the eating experience as very important. They are well put together and well located.
A good cycling break with a wide variety of good eating. Spectacular scenery. Be prepared for some serious hill climbs if you don't use an electric bike, gradients up to 13%, but manageable for those who are used to it. The mobile phone based navigation leaves a bit to be desired: difficult to hear in traffic, difficult to see if you need reading glasses: and a few quirks. A back-up paper map is useful or possibly a Garmin type GPS works better. If you like cycling this is a great holiday: if you are an occasional cyclist it would be fair to say that some routes take the long and occasionally tortuous way round between places which are quite close to each other. A few sections use quite rough tracks: if you aren't confident riding over large pebbles and avoiding big potholes, take care! A great selection of wineries to visit, and if you are tempted to buy, many will ship it for you.
Great location. Easy quiet cycling excellent food plenty of interesting places to visit
N.B. Will send this separately. Thanks.
Great holiday with lovely contrasts in cycling through the mountains and along the valleys and coast. Some really nice hotels along the route. Hotel Triglav was particularly nice with wonderful balcony and views across the lake. Make sure you take clothing for all weather conditions, in the main weather was lovely warm and sunny but be prepared for heavy rain in the mountains.
Excellent all round. Good mix of accommodation all good anor excellent. Fascinating route : mountains to the sea. Very interesting to see the earthquake damage and recovery in Versone. Plenty to do an the rest days. Good to have the occasional two day stay. Really liked the electric bikes (first time use). M tours and hotel staff all very pleasant and helpful.
A great holiday but it does have a few flaws!
A lovely activity holiday, cycling through interesting countryside, on quiet roads, visiting interesting towns and staying in characterful and comfortable hotels. The distances of approx 40km each day were just about right for over 60’s and the GPS navigation was excellent. It would have been impossible with paper maps only.
A wonderful opportunity to explore another part of Europe. Cycling allowed us to see genuine ways of life in Puglia and to enjoy the excellent cuisine guilt free after active cycling.
Tuscany is indeed hilly, be prepared for some pretty hard cycling. You will be rewarded with some fantastic views though and some great food along the way. Our rep Frankie was incredibly helpful and offered some great advice. All of the places we visited along the way were very friendly and our stop off at the end in Pisa was a great addition.
We enjoyed this holiday, it was well-organised with a good variety of hotels and easy cycling on great bikes. The Ride with GPS App, which we had never used before, worked very well and kept us 'on track'. We liked the contrast between the urban environments of Porto, Aveiro and Coimbra and the coastal stops at Furaduoro and Prairie de Mira. Curia was an experience in itself, a real step back in time. The food was good throughput and we especially enjoyed the local restaurant at Praia de Mira and a tapas bistro called Dux Taberna Urbana (recommended by the hotel reception) in Coimbra. We found the people very friendly and helpful everywhere we went.. Some of the cycling is a bit dull, but this is to be expected in a flat coastal area and we found it more interesting when we turned inland. There may well be more birds and w ildlife in the spring and early summer. However we were lucky with beautiful September sunshine all the way and It was interesting seeing the different ways in which life works in the different areas, especially the fascinating the way of netting fish in Praia de Mira. I would recommend ladies to consider taking a gel saddle cover as despite some long cycles on unmade tracks I did not experience any lasting discomfort. The upgrade to a sea view room at the front of the hotel in Praia de Mira was definitely a good idea, we loved sitting on the balcony in the sun overlooking the sea. One night would not be enough in Coimbra, there is so much to see.
Excellent trip, great scenery and locations, overall hotels superb, bikes were fine and the itinerary worked really well. Having one day cycling, one day sightseeing is an excellent way to balance exercise and having the time to visit some of the excellent museums, buildings and scenery around the Lake.
Very enjoyable holiday, leisurely cycling, good time of year to go (September), good accommodation. Route notes generally good but need review in a couple of locations (subject of separate email), much to see on the non-cycling days (Linz, Melk, Krems).
Stunning coastline, beautiful old towns with lots of historical interest, amazing sunsets and glorious food and wine! Some of the cycling tracks were very rough with uneven surfaces on unmade roads, not gravel as described. The agent Bruna was extremely helpful and we would recommend taking up her offer of a lift to avoid cycling on a dangerous stretch of road. We had a really enjoyable holiday and are now planning our next Headwater experience!
Good all round, except a cycling itinerary for the rest day at Apt would have been very welcome. The hotel at Apr lacked a Headwater blue book. The manager / owner did not seem to know about them.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr. Chandler
Thank you for your review. We are pleased that you you enjoyed a good holiday. Headwater continually aim to improve on the services that we provide based on customer feedback and your comments regarding a cycling itinerant on the rest day has been passed to our product manager to consider. The Headwater blue book that you refer to was not replaced for this season; so this would have been the reason the hotelier was not aware of them.
Thanks again for your comments and I do hope that we will be able to welcome you on another Headwater holiday in the future
Ring of Kerry's scenery and hospitality is wonderful - extremely earthy and heartening. You truly feel connected to both the people and the land through this experience. The riding is by no means for the faint hearted though. The hills over mountain passes are challenging, particularly with Ireland's wet and windy conditions. You will need to be fit, resilient and prepared to be wet!. Bring wet weather gear. The rewards are significant though - a sense of achievement and a highly authentic cultural experience riding through Irelands farmlands, history and natural landscapes.
Well organised and efficiently run with good choice of hotels.
Having taken several group and self-guided cycling holidays with Exodus and Headwater, the 'Contrasts of Puglia' self-guided holiday has to be ranked number one. The whole trip was wonderful, for the route through the various contrasting landscapes and the wonderful locations and excellent hotels. Best cycling holiday yet and would thoroughly recommend to anyone want a real insight into Puglia region of Italy. E-bikes were great up some of the hills !
This was a really delightful holiday in a most beautiful part of the world. The cycling was perfect for us.
Where dinner was provided we felt that the eating options were adequate rather than good. When we selected our own restaurants we fared much better.
A great holiday with good routes and accommodation. We really enjoyed the sense of freedom and variety.
A company that is all about subtle choices of accommodation, destinations and routes; knowing also how essential their own representatives are on the ground to make everything work well.
Great holiday- we wished we’d opted to stay 2 nights at Calella de Palafrugell as it was a lovely spot with beautiful clear water for swimming. Our guide, Greig, was brilliant - particularly when we had a day of storms and ran around transferring everyone and their bikes to their destination as if it were no trouble at all. The area is beautiful with fascinating old villages and towns - Girona a real highlight
Great holiday staying in three different lovely old Croatian towns on the coast with good cycling with the added bonus of being able to add extra nights in Venice at the end of the holiday
Great adventure from beginning to end. Thankyou
A great taste of Tuscany - scenery, food and wine were all lovely! Stefano was very helpful, ensuring that the holiday would cater for each individual's needs. The fact that about 50% of the recommended routes were on gravel tracks (varying from flat, easy to ride sections, to quite steep and slightly more challenging sections) made the provision of mountain bikes most welcome.
A great way to see beautiful countries, keep fit and enjoy good food & wine
Beautiful area of Northern Italy - it was a total feast for the senses. Our rep was the best ever and our first cycling holiday in Italy was a lovely experience overall.
Joanne Chaplin, our contact at Headwater was excellent, as were Phaedra and Paul our reps in Piedmont. The e-bikes were amazing - they made the whole experience a real pleasure and enabled our group of different ages and abilities to enjoy the cycling equally. Thank you for a really happy and memorable holiday.
My friend and I had a great holiday. I had previously been on cycling holiday with Headwater, about 7 years, ago level 2 ish - from Auxerre in France. Comparing the two, the ride was not significantly harder than this one at level 1.
The cycling routes were good and quite varied with some hills and beautiful scenery. Sometimes it was difficult to hear the GPS in traffic but most of the routes were on cycle paths or quiet roads. I came home feeling very relaxed.
This holiday had quite a lot of off road sections. We had excellent weather but these would be difficult if wet. Lots of choices of restaurants to eat at in the evenings, and interesting towns to enjoy. First two hotels really excellent with helpful and friendly staff. Beaches very rocky so take shoes to swim or buy some there. We enjoyed some Snorkelling .
Absolute stand out features were the delightful hotels in Fazana and Rovinj. Utterly charming in every possible way. Sadly, Hotel Flores in Porec was utterly grim...in every possible way, and a disappointment to end what was otherwise a wonderful holiday. Fazana and Rovinj hotels were perfectly located, the staff were tirelessly charming, genuinely welcoming and really went the extra mile. If you can, I would recommend selecting somewhere other than Flores for the two final nights of the stay in Porec. The coastal cycling paths gave spectacular views and were mostly level and of a reasonable length. Suggest taking the bikes from Fazana to the island on the first cycling day rather than going to Pula. The city doesn’t seem to have much to offer apart from amphitheatre - maybe you can squeeze in both trips?? One part of the route took us inland to Bale. Whilst the destination was lovely, the long climb uphill on a busy road to get there was a bit of a trek. Would suggest sticking to the coast and avoiding the uphill if you are a softie like me. The country route from Porec was beautiful, passing through pretty villages and opening up a view of real Istria away from the tourist areas at the coast. Do stop at the caves on the final day - well worth seeing. Bruna was a super rep who took us off the beaten track to see the gorge from the shore and the view from the top - singing to us much of the way! Quite a character in the best possible way. Already considering where to next.
Lovely countryside and picturesque towns - almost too many of them. Some of the days are packed with sightseeing, leaving little time to do the cycling! Excellent hotels, and very well looked after by the Headwater rep. The route is at times quite piecemeal, trying to avoid busy roads, which is made just about manageable by using the GPS system provided.
This was our third cycling holiday with Headwater and, once again, it proved to be a very enjoyable experience. Transport to and from the airport was quick and efficient and the rep, Antonio gave us valuable advice on the week ahead. The accommodation provided was as good as ever and the navigation app proved to be invaluable. This app makes like so much easier and it is one of the main reasons we travel with Headwater; no more pouring over maps or guidance notes which can be quite dangerous on busy or poorly surfaced roads etc. This holiday offers the opportunity to stay in or visit five beautiful medieval towns which are quite breathtaking. The route is quite manageable for the average cyclist with a few hills to contend with but nothing very difficult. Don’t forget, that walking up a difficult hill is a perfectly acceptable option. The road surfaces were a bit dodgy at times and it’s clear that the economic situation in Italy is having some effect on road maintenance. None of this detracted from the enjoyment of cycling in some beautiful countryside and through some beautiful and fascinating towns. This sort of trouble-free cycling really is a wonderful way of visiting a country and the saunter through this is part of Puglia was no exception.
Headwater takes care of all the arrangements, leaving you free to enjoy the cycling. Thanks for a first class holiday.
Fabulous scenery, food and wine. Some of the gradients were challenging for those less used to cycling, but the views were worth the effort.
GREAT HOLIDAY. ALL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS WENT TO PLAN. THE VENETO AREA IN ITALY IS SUPERB FOR CYCLING AS THE ROADS ARE VERY QUIET AND THE CYCLE TRACKS ALONG THE CANAL WERE LOVELY. GPS WAS REALLY GOOD AS WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING. THE WRITTEN ARRANGEMENTS WERE ALSO VERY GOOD WITH EXTRA INFORMATION ON VISITING PLACES ON FREE DAYS. WE WERE A GROUP OF FOUR WHICH WAS PERFECT AS WE COULD KEEP TOGETHER MOST OF THE TIME. WOULDN'T HESITATE TO BOOK ANOTHER CYCLING HOLIDAY WITH HEADWATER AND AM ALREADY LOOKING AT THE BROCHURE FOR NEXT YEAR!
Very enjoyable mix of holiday with cycling over varied terrain and geography and good amount and quality of relaxation in most interesting cities towns and villages.
A very good trip. and we will return for more.
The location is perfect for quiet (often off road) cycling. Roads and gravel tracks gave access to a variety of stunning scenery. There was plenty of opportunity to experience the culture, local food and drink.
Our base for the week, Agriturismo ‘La Pietriccia’, a small family-run farm, was idyllic and the hosts very friendly, welcoming and entertaining!
Excellent mountains bikes were provided and were ideal for the hilly, gravelly terrain. We greatly enjoyed pedal cycling but the option of e-bikes would be a very good alternative for those less confident or fit. The routes gave a splendid variety and were never repetitive. It was a fabulous week.
Great holiday cycling through beautiful countryside with wonderful historical UNESCO cities to explore.
Great holiday if you like mountain bikes and fairly rough terrain. Beautiful countryside and friendly people, wonderful Agriturismo accommodation.
Unless you are extremely fit, make sure you hire electric bikes to make the most of the stunning countryside.
Overall a very enjoyable holiday with excellent accommodation and bicycles (ebikes). The cycle paths are easy to follow and well maintained. A lovely cycling trail which can be done by any age group. Many young families were following the route. Perfect also for those of a more advancing age! (We are both in our mid seventies.). Cannot but recommend this holiday very highly to all. Cycling into the centre of Vienna was so easy. The Austrian’s do look after their cyclists. Only criticism would be the lack of a designated contact person for the holiday but the cycling back up service was good and luggage transfer excellent.
Overall a really enjoyable cycling tour of Slovenia and North Italy offering wonderful scenery on dedicated cycle tracks. We would have benefited from local advice of where to have lunch stops as some were quite a distance. It was our first experience of using GPS and more information on the first day about its alert function etc would have been useful as we went off piste a few times on the first days.
You need to be an experienced cyclist as there are some pretty busy roads. Scenery spoiled somewhat by the amount of litter. All,hotels excellent. Electric bikes superb. Baroque landscape superb.
Generally everything was fine
We really enjoyed our holiday in Portugal. Porto is a lovely city. The cycle routes were good, lots of variety and no hills ! The cycle through the lagoons was wonderful. Some of route dictions were not clear and we got a bit lost most days but we could use our iPhones to find ourselves. We thought the written directions were sometimes out of date and did not take into account new road layouts. We sometimes found we could not exactyidentify where we were on the map as there were not enough landmarks mentioned. The hotel locations were all superb and well chosen. All the breakfasts were first class. All the people we met were very friendly and helpful. We would recommend this holiday to anyone who enjoys cycling along flat land near the sea.
From the greeting by Antonio at the airport, throughout the holiday everyone was welcoming and helpful. The hotels we stayed in were quirky but excellent. They helped to make the holiday. The hotels location, mainly in the heart of the community allowed us to immerse ourselves in the Italian culture and feel a part of that community. The ride, at times was hillier than expected but our decision to hire ebikes made it so much more enjoyable and gave us extra time to go off route and explore the countryside more without putting any strain on us. We could also spend more time exploring the villages and towns that we passed through knowing that the pedal assist would help us getting to the next hotel without taking too much out of us to enjoy the evening and the next days ride. The RidewithGPS kept us on course but allowed us some leeway to go our own way but giving the ability to get back on course. The help and assistance from Morgan at Headwater before we left was excellent. She always got back to us with answers to our queries, which for us on our first cycle tour may have seemed silly but she always answered promptly and helpfully. We thoroughly enjoyed the cycling holiday and are looking forward to another one next year.
As the title implies there are some steep hills but the villages are very attractive. Magnificent countryside and panoramas from the elevated villages.
A wonderful cycling holiday that had some hilly sections so the option of the e bike was great for the less fit, especially in the summer heat. Each hotel offered excellent service and food and the pools were lovely. We enjoyed the variety of quiet countryside hotels and the bustle of staying in Vaison with the fantastic Roman ruins to visit. The routes take you on quiet roads through vineyards and quaint villages with beautiful scenery every day.
Excellent relaxing holiday - accommodation was faultless.
Lovely route .Every day seemed to be completely different in scenery . We went through places that we would never have seen on any other type of holiday.
The new Ridewithgps system is good and a great help especially now we need glasses to read the notes alternating them with sunglasses all day long!
This is one of the best holidays we have done with Headwater, with an interesting variety of scenery, but luckily mostly downhill gradients.
Inevitably the highlights were in the first half of the holiday as we cycled through the Julian Alps. We particularly enjoyed the day between Tarvisio and Venzone - fabulous views and really interesting cycling through tunnels along the old railway line. We would also recommend the suggested excursion to Arnoldstein - the climb to the chairlift is tough but well worth it.
The second half through flatter land is obviously a bit less dramatic, but we enjoyed Aquilea in particular and Grado was fun.
An excellent mixture of accommodation. We had a few early problems with the route finding (not clear at a couple of points on the full day in the Lake Bled area) but you can't really go wrong if you follow the FVR signs in Italy.
Highly recommended!
We enjoyed this holiday in this lovely Veneto region which seemed unspoilt and with few tourists. Particularly enjoyable were our visits to Padua (by bus) and to Vicenza by bike. Particular highlights in these cities were the stunning Scrovegni Chapel in Padua (book on line the day before), and the ancient indoor theatre in Vicenza. The weather was particularly hot (early July) for the duration of our holiday and we were glad to have booked a couple of extra days of relaxation at the L'Albara which had an excellent pool. It also had air conditioning which we considered an essential feature during our stay. Unfortunately we were moving on on a Monday when a couple of the best reviewed villas were closed. Cycling was generally easy and flat apart from the climb up to Hotel Lussana with four hairpin bends, and the final day with a climb up and down hills before our last stop at Il Feudo. Generally we were very impressed by the very many cycle paths in this area.
We had a fabulous time. This was the first time we have done a multi centred activity holiday and we will definitely do another.
A very enjoyable cycling holiday. Great hotels in lovely harbour towns. Some of the cycling was a little trickier than we're used to with lots of gravel/stone tracks and more gradients than we were expecting. The room at the Palazzo did not have a balcony which we were expecting. Apart from that, all great.
An excellent week cycling round Lake Constance. The route took in many villages and towns with opportunities for sightseeing and refreshments. The lakeside sections provided beautiful views and lots of picnic opportunities. The cycling was not difficult and the distances each day allowed for leisurely cycling with lots of breaks. On the shortest day there was plenty to see en route so we did not arrive at our destination too early. The directions were clear and easy to follow. We had been warned that it is busy in August and certainly at the weekend especially the route was well used but it never felt over crowded and in many ways this added to the atmosphere. For anyone who does not like cycling on roads this trip is ideal, the majority was on dedicated cycle paths and the short sections that were on roads usually had a dedicated lane. We also found that motorists were much more considerate of cyclists than we are used to! The hotels were all good with individual charms, the quality of the food was very good and we enjoyed every meal and not having to find restaurants in unfamiliar places every day. This is one of few holidays we have said we would consider doing again as there is so much more we could explore.
We loved the freedom that a self-guided tour gave us to set off at the time that was right for us, take breaks when we wanted, stop for lunch where we wanted and travel at our own pace. The hotels along the way were excellent and far more "up market" than we expected. The Headwater staff, from the initial booking to the location rep, were extremely helpful and informative. We will definitely be going on another Headwater holiday.
We had a fantastic holiday mixing exercise with beautiful scenery, excellent food in a tranquil environment. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend a cycling holiday with Headwater.
The holiday was well described and you can do as much or as little as you want. The food provided was the best Italian food I have ever tasted! So...different from UK Italian restaurants and the local wine was very easy to drink. There is a Family atmosphere to farm location and overall very relaxing. The cycling APP used with headphones makes life a lot easier and means you don’t have to stop and start at each junction. The cycling is generally easy, although it can be very hot, so be careful on the days where the route is longer. The other main thing to be aware of during July/August is that (other than in Vicenza) almost everything is closed during the middle of the day. So be very careful planning cultural, shop or restaurant visits else you are likely to be disappointed. Overall a really good holiday and ideal for one where you want a balance of activity and relaxation.
Great value holiday with very good back up service. Cycling offers a very good opportunity to see an area and experience it's culture while at the same time not feeling guilty for eating and drinking too much.
Piedmont is the next big thing in international tourism with its stunning countryside and world class restaurants so get in before it takes off.
An excellent holiday, well organised with fantastic food (and range of options). The sights are beautiful and varied. This holiday has something to offer everyone and I would recommend it as a way to explore the towns and villages along this part of the Danube. The cycling is easy and relaxed; there is flexibility and so this holiday will suit the majority of people, including families.
Superb a real sensory experience.
You notice lots of detail when exploring a region by cycling at a gentle pace. You can stop whenever you want to and explore more or speak with people along the way. GPS is a must and saves so much time. The standard of hotel accommodation and cuisine at the end of each day's cycle is a delight. You feel yourself getting fitter and fitter with each day of your holiday. We enjoyed the Gastronomic Barolo Cycling so much two years ago that we returned this year and were not disappointed. We especially love Hotel Villa d'Amelia near Benevello.
A thoroughly enjoyable 3 days cycling with my daughter on (predominantly) designated cycle paths and quiet country roads in beautiful and unspoilt Catalonian countryside. We had a warm welcome wherever we went and found 3-4 hours in the saddle each day suited us perfectly. Easy to reach beaches enhanced our holiday and we'd both like to repeat it all.
Challenging, enjoyable, comfortable. Scenery and locations excellent.
We both thought this was the best holiday ever. Great bikes; cycle tracks, hotels; places to visit, and food. Not a cheap holiday; the way we did it; but what great fun; we really didn't want to go home to UK. So don't tell too many people how lovely and quiet and clean this was.
Best hotel in my mind was Hotel Rheinfels staff, food and room all were great; needs a special mention.
Headwater response:
Thank you for such a lovely review. We'll try not to share how lovely and quiet it was; 'Promise!'
We'll be sure to feedback your comments to the Hotel Rheinfels as its always nice to know that you are doing a good job .
Don't forget we've over 70 cycling holidays to choose from and we would love to be able to welcome you back to enjoy some more.
Kind regards
Customer Service
Our holiday experience was everything we had hoped it would be.
From our initial arrival in Passau to the spectacular cycling of the Danube Island into Vienna, this was an adventure not to be missed. From concert halls, wall graffiti and art museums to medieval towns, meandering rivers, mountain trams and jaw-dropping monasteries, Austria never ceased to amaze. We do recommend taking the short journey into Linz on the train and definitely recommend cycling into Vienna on the traffic-free Danube Island.
The holiday was excellent. The hotels and food was great, we did flag one restaurant that needs to be changed. Our only negative point would be that the steepness of the routes were not reflective of the grade of holiday and we found this quite unpleasant. I think you need to offer e-bikes only! We made it though and the sense of achievement I guess is greater!
Great holiday and wonderful experience.
This was our fourth holiday with Headwater and our third cycling tour. We felt that our last cycling tour, Passau to Vienna, was going to be a very hard act to follow.
As we have now come to expect from Headwater and their agents, the travel, transfer and luggage arrangements were seamless and the local agents were excellent and engaging. Remarkably, our luggage was always ready for our arrival; even on the shorter rides at the furthest point from their base. A great effort!
The stay in Bled was enjoyable but the cycling to Venzone through Tarvisio was truly exceptional; an absolute delight and without doubt the highlight of this tour for us. Indeed, probably the highlight of all tours to date. The mountains and the river gorge provide a spectacular backdrop to the perfect tar sealed path through countless tunnels and over many bridges. So many photo stops needed!
As advised at the briefing, after Venzone, the landscape changes and frankly, it is in stark contrast to the previous days. Although the destinations of Udine, Palmanova and Grado were certainly photogenic, we didn't find ourselves making so many photo stops en-route now. Also, many of the tracks are now gravel requiring heightened concentration. Although mostly fairly well compacted surfaces there were inevitably are few places where we struggled at times.
For us, we would have happily foregone the stopover days in Udine and in Grado but we appreciate that others would likely have a different view. We would suggest that these could perhaps be optional.
Overall, a really enjoyable tour and the Julian Alps will live long in the memory.
An excellent balance of cycling (some challenging hills!) sightseeing, eating and drinking with plenty of opportunity for relaxing as well.
Another great holiday with Headwater, our first time outside France. Easy cycling often on cycle paths.
A good cycling holiday.
This was our honeymoon trip, and I can safely say overall it was a brilliant experience. The hotels were excellent, the food and restaurants selected gave us a good variety and experience of what that part of Italy had to offer. Transfers and bag drops worked very well, and the support team were readily available for queries and help when needed.
We feel more information should have been available about the longer routes, and better advice about suitability of gearing and types of bikes needed in advance of the trip (we wanted to take our own bikes). The longer optional routes have some very steep sections and even a seasoned club rider would need gearing lower than is standard on most road bikes.
Amazing scenic approach into Ljubiana airport. Scenery in the mountains was fantastic. M Tours (the local agents) were brilliant; always there to help and always on time. Good level of cycling fitness required especially during hot weather. Very good accommodation. Route signage when you know what you are looking for is great.
A fascinating and varied cycling holiday through beautiful countryside and interesting locations, plenty to see and do and much to admire in the countries visited.
We had a fantastic holiday. We were particularly impressed by the company that provided the bikes as they went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect and that we were happy with the bikes before we set off.
We love the sporting holiday as a family. It brings us all close together. The Barolo experience was relatively difficult and at times the weather was rather hot. The E bikes made it more enjoyable for the 2 of us who are a bit older. The hotels and restaurants were all unique and enjoyable.
Good journeys both ways without rushing. Lovely riding around Lake Constance with plenty to see on our days off.
Great holiday. The route was full of contrasts between the coast and rural inland areas. We preferred the inland areas with the olive groves, stunning wildflowers, trulli and drystone walling. The coastal sections were tainted by the amount of rubbish everywhere. The routes were generally quiet. Sufficient challenge provided by hills and length of ride to make the cycling interesting without being exhausting. In the countryside motorists were considerate to cyclists.
We used the GPS in conjunction with the paper instructions. Be aware that your phone may overheat and shut down. The screen can be hard to see in bright sunlight. The battery may not have the capacity to last the day so you need to have a backup/charger. Excellent organisation from Headwater and the local operator - Antonio.
In general the holiday was good. Some of the hotels (eg Portopalo Suite, Ferro Hotel) were not of the usual Headwater standard in particular with regard to location. Some outdoor space and perhaps a pool would have been nice. Torre Dantona and Villa Favorita were far more what we expected. We loved both of these places.
Fantastic holiday, we did not choose the Gastronomic tour as we prefer to explore for ourselves. Be aware though that restaurants close on different days and are all well supported by locals so without reservations you may not get a table! We ate at some amazing places with no English menu, just what we enjoy...but take your phrase book. Everywhere we ate we had excellent food and wine. Veal features on the menu in many forms along with hazelnuts! The scenery was stunning and mileage travelled each day very manageable. We would strongly recommend electric bikes, unless you are a Club level cyclist many of the hills go on and on. My husband who cycles regularly at home on a road bike found the ordinary bike heavy and inappropriate. My electric bike was amazing!!
The holiday was about as good as it gets, especially the accommodation and food, which was often provided in nearby restaurants. The only worrying glitch was a vey late cancellation of our flight from Gatwick to Turin. Morgan at Headwater dealt with this efficiently and quickly arranged an alternative flight from London City to Milan.
A lovely ride through beautiful varied scenery. The hardest rides were the optional detours and those suggested for ‘rest days’. Seamless logistical support and generally lovely hotels. Definitely worth arranging own flights direct rather than involving stops in Germany which makes for hideously long days travelling.
This was a fabulous holiday one of the best that we have had with Headwater because there was jaw dropping scenery, easy route & excellent hotels "What's not to love"!!
Very interesting area with beautiful sights and and transfers of bags between hotel went seamless. Very good, would use again.
An excellent combination of easy cycling and excellent sight seeing.Good accommodation and excellent food. Headwater customised a standard trip to meeting our timings and wish to amend the final destination.The local agent added a number of helpful suggestions which enhanced our enjoyment. At all times we felt support was on hand ---but we never had to call on it.
Fantastic routes, mainly downhill and 90% safe cycle tracks. Beautiful scenery en route with good options for days off.All hotels in great locations and great service and bikes.
Excellently thought out, organised and worry-free holiday with a good blend of saddle days and optional activities. Enjoyed having two nights in some hotels.
Food excellent. James very helpful.
An excellent holiday and itinerary, embracing 5 fascinating baroque towns and 2 pleasant coastal resorts. The cycling is not particularly demanding and passes through some lovely countryside. Usually, there are a fair number of cafes/refreshment places on the route. Most of the roads are reasonably quiet although there is the occasional fairly busy road for short periods. The hotels chosen are very good, especially The Stephano Palace and Villa Favorita. Claudio, our representative, was charming, informative and very helpful. He came out to rectify a mechanical problem within an hour of being called. The whole trip worked seamlessly including the audio app and transport to and from the airport.
Our third cycling holiday ,great fun as always, and nice to travel around another different area.
Beautiful countryside, friendly, full of culture and excellent food and wine. Cycling not too onerous but there are some hills which are well worth it for the view.
We wouldn't have done this type of holiday if it hadn't been packaged by some one else. It felt like good value for money. I can't think of anything that I would have wanted to be different.
The organisation of all elements of this holiday was excellent and especially from headquarters who realised I had omitted to arrange the air travel; the guide at the start of the hoiday was clear about what to expect and very clear in giving information re- the GPS, but I am glad I also had paper back up since it is impossible to realise that the batteries are fully charged.
our self guided cycling holiday was organised perfectly despite our booking at short notice. Fabulous scenery of Julian Alps and the Alpe Adria exceeded our expectations. Everything worked perfectly. Worth noting that as some gravel cycle paths are quite rough and potholed, progress on these is much slower than when you are on a good surface.
Puglia is a great place for cycling, and the food and accommodation were excellent. We used ebikes, which were revelatory for us, opening up the possibility of resuming cycle touring which it seemed our knees had put beyond reach. The GPS navigating system, while not perfect, did allow much easier navigation than with paper maps and written instructions, making for a more relaxing holiday.
Fantastic rep who couldn't have been more helpful. Helpful office staff in the UK. Mixed bag of accommodation. Most was very good. One definitely let everything down. Same with food - some truly excellent some distinctly average. Route information very good but could have done with slightly longer routes. If you happen to have bad weather as we did for a couple of days you can end up quite stranded with very little to do - especially in Pancole. Taxis are very expensive but often no alternative form of transport. This was very nearly a truly excellent holiday. Just needs a couple of tweaks with some of the accommodation and meal options to have given it full marks.
My wife and I holidayed in Puglia in April, and are fair-weather cyclists. The grading we believe is more akin to 2 rather than 1+. The weather was sunny and warm; cycling in the higher temperatures expected later on in summer would have been tiring. Although there was one hiccup with a bike, the matter was resolved and the rep. helpful and attentive. Accommodation good throughout and at times pleasantly quirky.
The towns in this region are welcoming, interesting and attractive (especially Alberobello), all the accommodation was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine and the wines. However, as the scenery is mostly olive groves and dry-stone walls, and the area is sparsely populated, the rides from place to place are less varied and hence slightly less interesting than other locations offered by Headwater. The most enjoyable ride was the "loop" from Alberobello through Locorotondo and Martina Franca.
Lovely way to visit the real Portugal and experience the incredible friendliness of the local people.
Stunning beaches, great hotels, generous, helpful people, the unseen Portugal
Our trip was excellent. We have taken many enjoyable Headwater holidays and this is one of our favourites. We cycled through beatuful Spring countryside with flowering orchards and wildflowers. The accommodation was delightful and made the most of the historical features. The food at the Masseria was amazing. The local people were friendly and spoke a lot of English.
Excellent service from Headwater throughout, representatives Tony and Ludmilla most helpful and ensure that everything is organised and correct for a great experience and a holiday with no worries. Ideal hotels, lovely countryside and coast with options for routes to suit the individual, and with the GPS app you can't go wrong. Highly recommend.
Wonderful area to cycle in - varied terrain and scenery. Made harder by winds but did anticipate this. Very relaxing few days. Was great to know we had support from Tony and Ludmilla if needed. A lovely way to discover this area of Portugal
The holidays and accommodation are very good
We would highly recommend this holiday. The cycling was easy and interesting, the hotels were comfortable and welcoming and the dinners were delicious. Cycling every second day gave us the opportunity to really explore the towns we were in and we appreciated the notes in the regional guides. The only criticism we have was that the route notes were confusing and usually unnecessary as the journey followed a well signposted cycle route around the lake that was very easy to follow.
Barry and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience in Provence cycling with Headwater. The only difficult thing was to get a good cup of coffee!
Our cycling holiday in the Luberon was typical Headwater style. Friendly rustic hotels, minor road routes, places to visit, great scenery and great local food and wine. Other cyclists on the same route were great company when we bumped into them.
Excellent but a bit hillier than expected.
Great hotels. Very good food,easy cycling and we had magnificent weather. Met very friendly locals.
We had a wonderful holiday. Tuscany is beautiful and La Pietriccia a little gem. Stefano (the owner) runs a highly efficient setup with his helpful and friendly staff. He is one of those rare men who can multi-task (!) whether it’s reorganizing our cycle routes, finding new routes for others, briefing groups, getting bicycles mended, cooking and so on and all with a smile and quick wit. We were impressed that groups were given GPS locators in case they got lost and so clearly a lot of thought had gone into making the best experience for guests. I would thoroughly recommend this holiday.
A well-organised holiday with generally good 4-star accommodation (one specific difficulty was dealt with promptly and efficiently) . The grading system was very accurate for first-time cyclists. Equipment provided, the local support and the initial briefing were also excellent.
This was our first Headwater cycling holiday and it was excellent in every way: choice of routes, route guidance (especially Ride with GPS), type and quality of bikes, location and quality of hotels, and transfers to/from the airport and luggage between hotels. Special mention of the local reps, Tony and Ludmilla, who were always friendly, helpful and efficient, with the right amount of advice at the right time. We are both over 70 but had no difficulty with this grade 2 holiday in the 'real' Algarve. We were lucky with the weather in mid October: 20C and sunny during the day but heavy rain at night. Waterproofs essential at that time of year. All in all, a memorable holiday.
This is a good holiday and Insel Mainau is a must. Could not see much purpose of Friedrichshafen if you are not interested in the Zeppelin - arguable an extra day in Konstanz and a longer cycle on cycling day 4 as others recommended the other island nearby, Reichenau, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. My disappointment was how much of the cycle route was away from the lake - there were plenty of non-cycling footpaths nearer the lake and these would have been lovely - my love of suburban housing estates is limited. The Cycle providers were excellent and nothing was too much trouble. Nevertheless, some superb places to visit and interesting things to see - huge orchards laden with apples, storks, herons, red kites, large and small fish in the lake, grape picking to name but a few.
Lake Constance cycling — super holiday excellent hotels and meals ... relatively easy cycling with option of electric bikes ... highly recommended
On paper the distances seem a bit daunting but in reality lovely gentle cycling with some spectacular scenery.
An excellent way to see a lovely part of Croatia.
The holiday did exactly as described. This is an easy but highly enjoyable cycle.
This was our first single centre cycling holiday and was chosen because I have been troubled with a leg injury and we felt my wife could cycle if I could no. As it worked out we cycled every day! Our reservations about a single centre were quickly dispelled. The accommodation is run by a marvellous family who have created a wonderful ambience. After the cycling we relaxed in the grounds, cooled off in the pool, and finally dined on the full Italian evening meal. We are both vegetarian s and one gluten intolerance. The food was the best we have had in Europe.
The presence of a local rep was reassuring and James was always available but never intrusive.
If you want a Tour de France this holiday is not for you, if you want enjoyable cycling with time to soak up the local environment go for it.
Well done Headwater.
Excellent routes and good hotels, good reps
We had a very good time and were very happy with the planning, accommodation, itinerary etc.
An excellent range of spectacular scenery around lake constance
Absolutely breath taking scenery, couldn't recommend this holiday highly enough. Do make the effort when in Tarvisio to cycle to Arnoldstein & take the chairlift. The hill to get to the chairlift is very very steep, I walked, but my husband who is a regular cyclist did manage it. What a view from the top. The accommodation throughout our holiday was lovely. We would recommend this holiday. At the end of our holiday if we could have gone straight back to the beginning we would have cycled it all again!
Very scenic tour. Gentle easy cycling, definitely not challenging. Good food & wine with friendly welcome along the journey. Very efficient baggage delivery service.
Ride with GPS took a while to download before the trip but was very worthwhile & worked well.
The briefing by the reps about the bikes and the Ride with GPS app was very good. The route notes were also useful. The bicycles were excellent. The ladies needed the electric bikes in the Dordogne because they had not done much cycling preparation beforehand. The meals at each hotel were very good. The countryside was beautiful and there were many interesting sites to visit.
Wonderful holiday in a beautiful region with an excellent and charming rep. Marred by the anxiety for me (Jane) over the working of the new app, battery running out before reaching the destination and the lack of good and accurate back up directions. The apps need a bit of tweaking but will be good. Attachment to bikes need to be stronger and visible in strong sunlight.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback. Overall it looks as though you had a lovely holiday . The team at Headwater are constantly reviewing what we do based on our customer feedback and can assure you that all that you have mentioned have been under review to improve.
Brilliant hotels, great food, wine and beer. fabulous scenery good weather (could have done without the mosquitoes), fine bikes, excellent rep BUT you are let down by the quality of the paper cycling directions which were in places totally inaccurate. If the holiday is going to be based around an app on a smart phone then make that clear. We have been on several cycling holidays in Europe and are experienced at following directions but on each of the first four days we had instances where the directions made no sense. By the fifth day we had lost confidence in them and didn't go on the last round trip. Some of the inaccuracies were just irritating but at least two were very concerning! I have details of the main inaccuracies if you are interested. It's a shame because we both enjoyed the holiday and with better directions would certainly have gone with your company again.
In all good holiday if you enjoy cycling.
Great cycling - some challenging- in a beautiful area. Fabulous reps - Paul and Phaedra who were helpful, informative and assisted in every way they could. Siena and San Gimignano were good places to explore on the rest days.
Following the maps provided for the days trips was hard as there was insufficient information on them. The places signposted on the route did not appear marked on the maps. That is the only grumble we have otherwise it was very well studied and planned. Good.
This is a brilliant location for cycling. We chose it because we have both had hip replacements in the past year, but even so, we would have liked one or two more challenging days on the bike. We doubled up some days and went “off piste” a couple of times. Italian cities, other than Venice, are very cycle friendly. James Robertson is a superb rep for Headwater, hands on in his teaching us to use the bike Satnav. He did not crowd us and was always there when he promised. Good guy.
This was an excellent holiday through lovely countryside. The route was hillier than we had expected for a 1+ bike rating but the day mileages were short so it evened out. For those of us aged over 70 and with a temperature of 33C, the climb out of Caromb on Day 4 was indeed memorable! But there were some lovely long descents to compensate.
We had no problems finding coffee and lunch stops as there were lots of bars and cafes en route, even on Sundays and Mondays.
Accommodation was mixed, as always with Headwater, but every hotel had its excellent upsides.
We spent two extra days in Vaison and took the bus into Orange on one of them to see the splendid Roman theatre there. 10:03 from the top of the road beyond Tourist Info, the journey takes an hour and there are buses back at 16:15, 17:15 and 18:15.
We had a great time on our cycling holiday in Catalunya. We enjoyed the cycling and also enjoyed the sightseeing in Figueres and Girona. Not a lot to see in Figueres but the Salvador Dali museum is not to be missed. Not a lot of good restaurants in Figueres but we found the tapas bar El Asador was brilliant. Greg, our rep, was brilliant, nothing seemed to much trouble for him. We also liked the navigation app, it made route finding so much easier, even though we did have the printed notes as well.
We added 2 nights on to the end of the holiday in Calella de Palafrugell, and enjoyed some lovely coastal walks.
A great cycling holiday .. would recommend either end of the season as Croatia looks as if it will get full in peak time with RV's and people. So best to go when quieter and cooler for cycling. Bruna is great ..take her advice on road section to Porec as road is steep , very narrow and with a lot of vehicles is dangerous. Please check the distances as given in the notes, for example in one place it says continue on road for 2Km but it is much nearer 4.
A leisurely end of season break
An excellent opportunity to see the Istria region and visit quiet but beautiful villages. Cycling can be a little challenging on some days, but well worth the effort
Enjoyable rides, more challenging than expected remember French towns close on Sunday especially off season!
Very enjoyable , good accommodation except for the hotel Porto Christal. This was a last minute change to the original tour. The location was not ideal and the food was terrible. There were a few hiccups starting with the meet and greet at the airport, which did not happen until we made several phone calls to the emergency contact but all problems were dealt with very courteously and all members of staff were extremely caring and helpful.
The Porto cycling trip was a brilliant holiday for the 4 of us - easy cycling through interesting countryside alongside the coast, great food and good accommodation. We were really lucky with the weather - blue skies all the way although the evenings were a little chilly and it was pretty windy at Costa Nova. As a bonus we saw flamingos and storks along the way! The only disappointment was building work going on next door to our last hotel which made sitting on the balcony a less than relaxing experience. But Headwater responded promptly to our concerns and we were treated to a couple of free bottles of wine to help make up for it, which was appreciated.
Well organised and stress free holiday
Well organised and interesting range of accommodation. Interesting routes and good navigation aids.
GPS application for navigation is excellent. But ensure you have backup battery
A wonderful adventure. Challenging cycling through stunningly beautiful countryside. Ending each day with fantastic food and wine in very comfortable hotels.
A great (mainly flat) ride with wonderful cycling past the Atlantic Ocean and, as always, interesting hotels and meals.
We enjoyed the holiday overall, but felt that it wasn't the most picturesque, having been on various other cycling holidays like the Carinthian Lakes. We did not enjoy the long day's cycle under and around motorways and through endless tunnels, some of which were pitch black and pot holey. Miroslav and his team were excellent and replied to my emails very quickly. We would really have appreciated getting our bikes and having the briefing on the first day, particularly as we arrived very early and could have cycled around the lake. We had our briefing at 0930 on the second day, which meant that we couldn't start cycling that day until 11am, and it was really hot. The other disappointment was that the Hotel Triglav did not have an outside seating area, apart from the small terrace for dinner. We absolutely loved Lake Bled and it was wonderful to have a day on the beach in Grado which was delightful.
First half of journey was through magnificent mountain scenery on well maintained and exciting trails, including old train tracks, tunnels and bridges. Would liked to have spent longer there, but the latter journey to the Adriatic is an enjoyable contrast, culminating in a dip in the sea.
This is our second holiday with Headwater and both have been excellent. We enjoyed cycling Piedmond and the high standard of accommodation and food that was on offer. The two nights spent in every stop over is a great format giving one time to explore the area. Some of the cycling was challenging which we expected but were able to complete it successfully. However we feel the grading could possibly be reviewed and changed to a 2.5 We went in the third week of September and the weather was wonderful. Thanks to Headwater and also to Greg and Laura for all their advice and information on each village that we stayed in. Jim/Anne Sandy/Janet
A very good holiday ,well organised and covering an interesting area of Portugal. Bikes were very good and we appreciated the port wine tour and the wine tasting sessions that had been arranged.
We thoroughly enjoyed our gourmet cycling holiday in Piedmont. Everything was well organised. The scenery, the food and wine were all excellent. The Hotels were all different and very comfortable . All the hotels and meals were of a high standard. We were very glad that we had electric bilkes. We would have struggled on the very challenging hills in the beautiful weather, and would not have enjoyed our holiday so well. Unless very young or fit I would recommend e bikes. You will still have plenty exercise to earn your dinner! Although quite an expensive holiday it was good value for money.
This was a wonderful holiday in all respects. We loved the family atmosphere at La Pietriccia, everyone was very friendly and helpful and the food was delicious. Stefano is passionate about the food he serves and was very happy to share his knowledge and expertise. He also helped us to amend the cycling routes to avoid some of the more difficult terrain, which was greatly appreciated. We expected hills but steep gravel tracks were challenging until we swapped to electric bikes for the last two days and it was a completely different experience. We would wholeheartedly recommend this holiday.
Pleasant rides, but a fair amount on relatively busy roads. Good and varied styles of hotels.
Headwater offer a quality experience, using excellent hotels, good bikes and gauge the difficulty of the cycling very well...well done Headwater!
A mixture of excellent (hotels) and fair (cycling). The cycling was only spoilt by really rough tracks, demanding too much concentration on the riding hence missing the surrounding landscape and features.
Great way to explore a region little visited by Brits. Despite no Headwater rep and notes which show their age (and accuracy) the maps and general set up for cycling made this a great holiday.
A good combination of sun, sight-seeing and cycling. The cycling was rarely strenuous and was a good way to see this very attractive part of Croatia.
Fantastic holiday. Great locations, especially Rovinj, which is fabulous, we really want to return there. Cycling was the right level of distance and slopes. We are already booking next years holiday with Headwater as we loved it so much.. Only negative was the very wordy, and sometimes out of date route notes. A little map would help and they should be checked more often. Would definitely recommend this trip.
Scenic cycling through a wide range of terrain. Good options to reach off-track sights. Nice sense of achievement to cycle from the Alps to the seaside.
Absolutely lovely, easy cycling through the beautiful Veneto countryside.
Staying at L’Albara was a real treat especially the invigorating swim after each day’s cycling.
James was very pleasant & obliging.
Please tell future clients to pack water bottles & a variety of snacks as there are no shops & very few cafes en route. Local supermarkets are +1.5km away from L’Albara.
GPS cycling worked well.
The hotels were in general well located. We particularly liked Sa Punta and the food here was very good. The cycling tracks were mainly gravel or sandy and a bit rutted and could be quite tricky in places and one had to keep one's eye on the track rather than the scenery but that may be because we are not used to cycling off road. The route takes you through some lovely old towns and villages the highlight of which was probably Pals. Despite our initial reluctance, we were pleased that we used the GPS route guide as it would have been difficult without it to navigate the tracks. The area is spectacular and we would definitely consider re-visiting Catalan.
First class.! From the moment we spoke to staff at the London Destinations show in February, through to the first enquiry, booking and follow ups; it all went very smoothly and we had a great time including being upgraded in three hotel to Suites!!
Enjoyable, well organised
This was a really good holiday, the cycling was challenging in the heat so we would recommend early morning starts or later in the day cycling! Stefano the agritourismo owner could not have been more helpful and informative, the hotel was charming and all the staff very good and helpful. The food was really excellent and we would definitely recommend taking up the option of the wine and food event in the local town. Have already recommended this holiday to friends.
Very well organised holiday, local reps were excellent, and great hotels. Good quality bikes and easy to follow route instructions (Ride GPS worked well). This is a stunning area, with beautiful views and interesting historic towns. The cycling is challenging in places as Tuscany is hilly!! However, the views, hotels and food/wine availbale compensate for the effort required.
This was our first self guided cycle trip and the first with Headwater. Cycling in groups with a leader, mini bus etc is becoming more demanding This cycle trip was enhanced immeasurably with the audio GPS navigation app, which meant not having to pour over maps or follow route directions at every turn. The route on this trip has been very well planned on beautifully quiet roads or tracks and passing through interesting villages and some lovely scenery. Initially, we thought the hybrid, flat bar bikes were too heavy but they proved to be ideal on the well-maintained tracks. There was only one stretch of approx 3 miles on a fairly busy road and that is when cycling into Girona but it's nothing to worry about. To our surprise, we found the average Spanish motorist pretty considerate and prepared to give cyclists a wide berth when overtaking or at junctions.
The hotels were very good with excellent service, quiet rooms, delicious breakfasts and safe parking for the bikes.
Greg, our rep, was spot on right from the start, giving reassuring advice on using the GPS app, what minor problems to be aware of and any adjustments the bikes.
It's a leisurely cycling holiday to be highly recommended. We have enjoyed cycling with groups for many years in lots of places throughout the world but self guided trips are much more leisurely and gives the rider the opportunity to appreciate the scenery, to stop whenever you wish, to explore some of the major sights and small villages etc.
A lovely trip. Easy cycling, attractive scenery, good bikes and excellent accommodation. All this plus good weather and wonderful companionship made this my best-ever Headwater experience.
A well balanced holiday. A good insight into Slovenia, and the part of Italy South of it. Worth researching the areas that you will travel through as they have survived some amazing changes. The cycling at the start of the holiday was more interesting than the last few days but there were still some wonderful sites to see. We had a great holiday!
Marvellous area . Notes for cycling extremely poor . The hotel at Roussillon CLOSED at 8.00pm .and had no gin and no beer . It was like a travel road house !
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback on the cycling notes which have now been revised. The Hotel in Roussilon is only a short walk from the village centre where there are bars and restaurants to enjoy and as the hotel is small they tend to stay open when the demand is there.
A very enjoyable cycling holiday. The route was well researched using very quiet roads whenever possible, passing through lovely and varied countryside with stops in all the interesting hilltop villages. The hotels were all very comfortable and meals where provided were excellent. Our guide Mark was knowledgeable and couldn't have been more helpful.
An excellent and varied exploration of the Vaucluse region of Provence, with opportunites to visit ancient Roman ruins, mediaeval villages and legendary Cotes-du-Rhone vineyards.
James was the best Headwater representative that we have ever encountered. His knowledge & summary of the area was excellent. The bikes, bag collection & transfer excellent. He could run the company! Thank you for one of the best holidays ever. We will be back for another Headwater holiday.
lovely trip cycling mainly on flat coastal cycle paths visiting interesting places on the way Porto, Aveiro and Coimbra, a real relatively undiscovered part of Portugal overall a great holiday would highly recomend
Our holiday run smoothly, hotels were good and the cycling was very enjoyable.
Wonderful experience.We are both now in our 70s and wondered whether this was still for us.The Danube route is easy to follow and passes through ever changing scenery.The hotels were a great in themselves and we had some very good food..breakfast was always exceptional.The transfer of our luggage was exceptionally well handled
Excellent holiday
Well planned holiday. Cultural notes and cycling instructions excellent. Picture book countryside, very high standard food offerings everywhere. Our rep James was lovely and helpful.
Memorable holiday. Will definitely travel with Headwater again if still able to . Had a splendid holiday with HW also about 15 years ago cycling through Umbria.
Lovely cycling through varied terrain; but be prepared for a good few sharp climbs. The hotels were well appointed and the food was generally delicious. Although the location and development of the Castell D' Emporda was unique, for us the better hotel was the Sa Punta where we spent two lovely relaxed evenings.
an excellent location for an easy cycling holiday with many options to vary the length of the cycling day due to the number of stations close to the route.
Thoroughly enjoyed cycling in Croatia - a great way to experience this lovely part of the country. The hotels were all gems and the itinerary allowed us to see and do everything we wanted to. Headwater always gets it just right! The cycle routes aren't as well-established as some we have followed in France and Italy but it appeared that they are being improved, for instance a new stretch of coastal path designed for both pedestrians and cyclists had just been completed.
Great holiday.
A beautiful trip through the Julian Alps visiting places I had never really heard of. Stunning and varied scenery from the mountains to the coast on largely safe cycle ways. fabulous hotels and food.
Fantastic Holiday with 'Wow!' locations and good accomodation.
We have been on 9 Headwater holidays and enjoyed them all but this one was the best. We really enjoyed the scenery in the Julian Alps. As we headed south we cycled through interesting countryside and visited places we would never otherwise have seen. The hotels were all very good, with friendly and helpful staff. The holiday definitely lived up to its “billing“ in your brochure.
Headwater has never disappointed. We have travelled with Headwater at least 6 times. The hotels are always full of character and the food good. We had a problem with a persistent puncture and Mark came twice to fix. I left a necklace in one of the room safes. All the hotels replied promptly. It was found at Chateau Mazan who sent it back very effeciently and quickly
Excellent experience, so many lovely places and the accommodation was really good. Some of the hills were tougher than expected, but not impossible. The service from Donna when booking was outstanding. Great way to see Puglia which is largely unspoilt by tourism and the wine is fabulous. So many more memories than just a beach holiday,
We went on the PIedmont Gastronomic cycling 2 years ago so had a good idea what to expect this time. The accommodation was all of a very good standard and well chosen. All the accommodation had bags of character and made a fantastic change from staying in standard generic branded hotels. The cycling was easier than Piedmont but still a challenge in 30 - 32 degrees. Although, the bikes are fitted with non puncture tyres, we unfortunately suffered a puncture! We were unable to complete a roadside repair due to a combination of the extra thick tyre walls and flimsy tyre leavers supplied. However, Antonio from the support team quickly came to our rescue and we were soon back on the road. Overall, a very stress free, enjoyable holiday, cycling through beautiful countryside one moment and along side the Adriatic the next. Also great wine, superb food and lovely sunshine.
Our first time to Puglia and we loved the rural relatively undeveloped charm of this part of Italy! Acres of cherry, fig and olive orchards, a pretty coastline and towns with narrow streets and ancient buildings that have been there for centuries.
An adventure and yes, it certainly provided "contrasts" of Puglia. We found Italian people (including drivers) friendly and very accommodating, they made us feel very welcome, especially the farmer who brought us 2 ice cold bottles of water and offered us a shaded bench in his garden to eat our lunch!
Headwater came through as a very ambitious counterparty. The planning and execution of our tour was professional, excellent route notes and good accommodation.
This is our third holiday with Headwater and we very much enjoyed our experience. The Barolo Gastronomic cycling trip in Piedmont was excellent with amazing countryside.
We had a fantastic trip, a great mix of cycling in spectacular surroundings and relaxation, sightseeing and indulging in the local food and wine. For people of average fitness, the cycling is challenging in parts, not because of the distances involved, but because of the hills in some sections. The lovely reps, Phaedra and Paul, were friendly, helpful, professional, available and unobtrusive. The bikes were sparkling clean/new and well equipped with water cage, phone holder and panniers. Remember to bring a helmet as these are not supplied. GPS worked well. The accommodation was varied and generally good and we really appreciated having a pool at every stop. We did not meet any other Headwater holiday makers on the trip, so it very much felt like an intimate private holiday.
A good description of a one wheel cycle holiday for those not normally cycling. Lovely hotels. There could have been more 'human' contact from a rep. We received one phone call asking if we were ok but saw no-one from the Introduction until pick up time at the end. Had a good time though.
Wonderfully tranquil cycling by the lagoons, and through forests. A great holiday from start to finish - very relaxing!
Slightly tarnished by the poor weather (which obviously you have absolutely no control over!) but felt we couldn't fully appreciate the scenery/picnic opportunities etc
Very enjoyable holiday
Beautiful lake with some great cycles - different scenery every day. Perfect iced coffees and strawberries for sale on the way.
Good organisation, bikes excellent, hotels well chosen, guidance and maps very clear. Steady and easy cycling between 25 and 35 miles each day. We didn't use the train but carried on cycling right into Vienna - magic. We really enjoyed our non-cycling days too, all in well-chosen places. A great holiday.
Varied, interesting holiday. Easy cycling, but bikes a little heavy and saddles not as comfortable as usual. You can catch an earlier train from Munich than the one stated on the ticket, although Headwater advised otherwise. We did check with a guard before travelling. All the breakfasts were great. Typical Austrian fare is a little heavy, especially the dumplings! An extra night in Passau meant that we could enjoy the organ music at midday and we thoroughly enjoyed our extra nights, two, in Vienna.
We had a wonderful time , bar the lack of working air-conditioning in 1 hotel. We met friendly helpful people on our trip, and enjoyed the wonderful and rugged scenery.
Great easy cycling for the most part amongst beautiful countryside with interesting places to visit all along the way.
Cycle route is definitely more than 1 bike
We found the Trulli house rather dark, cold and uncomfortable but an experience. i would suggest that the tour only offers one night there. Eating well at night proved difficult, everywhere was booked the first night and the we did not know that Tuesday evenings is the night restaurants close there, so that night we has almost no choice along with most of the other tourists there.
Contrast of Puglia - just as it says - contrast in accommodation, cycling inland and to the coast, food different in each area - perfect mixed holiday
A delightful holiday in the Veneto. L’Albara provides comfortable, relaxing and welcoming farmhouse accommodation and the food is excellent. The region offers plenty of opportunities for interesting visits and the cycling is predominantly flat and on very quiet roads or cycle tracks. We cycled to Este and Padova, which although long rides were worth the effort. If you go to Padova a visit to the Scrovegni Chapel is highly recommended - book in advance on line to be sure of getting in. The Palazzo Bo is also fascinating. James our holiday rep was very helpful, especially in helping with the App for the rides. We made our own way to Mestre railway station having spent a few days in Venice and the travel arrangements arranged by Headwater all worked perfectly. A lovely holiday.
Great food, beautiful scenery, cycling level wrong it is tough, some routes not good. not enough choice, but overall enjoyable holiday.
Excellent holiday. Very helpful and friendly Headwater staff. Be honest with yourself with regards your fitness for long uphill rides
This was a very relaxed holiday, all the hotels were in the countryside where the views were lovely, the air clean and the environment quiet and peaceful.
Although graded as "easy", there was a particularly "challenging" prolonged uphill stretch to reach Teolo, where I had to get off and push but Teolo was so worth it. The Villa Lussana provided the best accommodation and vegetarian food on the trip. It was good to have a variety of individual styles of accommodation.
We are not into Apps and downloads, so our Rep provided us with excellent detailed written route instructions, having just recently cycled the route himself. We enjoyed meeting up with other cyclists for the 2 nights spent at Villaganzerla and with 2 walkers at Galzignano. I am not a competent cyclist and it had been some time since I was on a bike, so there was a certain sense of achievement at having completed the route unscathed!
We loved cycling this part of Portugal. At this time of year wild flowers were everywhere, enhancing our coastal and country rides The 2 headwater reps were really helpful and considerate in ensuring that we 2 technophobe senior citizens were able to fully enjoy the benefits of the Ride with GPS system. ( We had been provided with paper route guidance as back up but thanks to the reps this was not really needed) The rides were slightly challenging for us but we loved the coastal views and villages as well as the countryside - staying in the reclaimed village at Pedralva was a great experience, including the local bread stew We have enjoyed several Headwater cycling holidays in the past and we feel the standard has just continued to improve.
This is an interesting journey with some urban routes in Porto and fairly flat and varied tracks along the coast. The pace is relaxed with well spaced optional rest days. The local reps. were very efficient and helpful if you have any problems. We would strongly recommend adding an extra night at Coimbra, which is a most interesting city, and a visit to the old University there. The Sat Nav was very useful.
Lovely area, great hotels mostly, very enjoyable
Excellent holiday. Easy cycling. Lovely scenery.Garmin makes a huge difference and avoids regular stops to review maps. Very good standard of hotels. Food in general excellent especially Restaurant in furadura. Furadoura and Praia de Miras bit busy and touristy but can easily escape on bikes. Aveiro is atmospheric with lots of good restaurants and cafes. All in all, great holiday
An excellent cycling holiday for those who enjoy fine scenery and want to avoid demanding gradients
From Passau to Vienna is an unforgettable experience. Impossibly beautiful countryside, vineyards and medieval villages are only some of the highlights you enjoy on level cycling paths and quiet streets. If history, art or music is your thing, there are also countless opportunities to indulge during stays at Linz, Milk and of course, Vienna. Our only question mark came at the end of the trip, when we felt that more time should have been scheduled in this incredible city and less time apportioned to Krems and Tullin.
Lovely cycling holiday with changing landscapes from Lake Bled and the Mountains down to Grado by the sea. Opportunities to swim in lakes, rivers and the sea. Mainly well signposted dedicated cycle paths. Excellent Hotels and food. Definitely recommend this trip!
Really enjoyable way to experience local cultures and get ‘off the beaten track ‘ good local representative support .
A good concept for a cycling holiday and overall, a lovely and enjoyable time. Fabulous scenery and well selected routes to follow.
Our party of 10 really enjoyed the Puglia cycling trip. The route is well chosen and delivered comprehensively by the GPS app. Logistics re luggage and bike support were excellent. Accommodation choices were spot on. We felt privileged to stay at these impressive locations and found a very warm welcome at each.
Well organised, reps were lovely and very helpful.
Fabulous cycling amongst Spring meadows. Fabulous flowers, rugged coastline and interesting villages.
Fabulous holiday, beautiful scenery and towns, bikes were fab and transfer of luggage excellent. Trip notes were a little confusing in some places and we weren't the only ones that came across this problem, Google maps did come in handy on these occasions. A few more busier roads than I expected but none of these issues prevented me from such a wonderful holiday experience.. Having the extra night in each town enabled us to enjoy and explore the towns that much more than if we had only had 7 nights. All in all a wonderful holiday, would definitely travel with Headwater again and Donau Touristika.
Enjoyable, comfortable rides easily achieve by two 70 year olds. Accommodation very good although food somewhat variable.
VERY NICE HOLIDAYS!! Nice cycling, with wonderful food and wine.
A lovely way to explore this beautiful and historic area of France while building up a good appetite for a classic french meal
We had a relaxing week in the Dordogne, with cycling and beautiful food every day. The routes, although appearing short, are very hilly in places and are not to be taken lightly. We really would recommend kayaking on this trip, as there were lots of opportunities alongside the cycling and it added a great extra dimension. There are lots of ancient monuments and castles to explore, but simply soaking up the medieval architecture is a treat in itself. In August, it was nearly 40 degrees so be prepared, and get the cycles done early, so you have time to relax. Try the local vin de noix, and all the lovely cheeses and meats. After all, you will cycle them off! And do NOT forget insect repellent!!
Enjoyable easy flat cycling, very scenic. Lovely hotels in Germany and Austria with air conditioning which was needed as temperatures were in the high 20's / low 30's.
We are a family of six, with kids 18, 15, 13 and 10. All of the cycling is completely doable on this route, with the longest day being the nicest cycling day that we have every done. We stopped at waterfalls, swam in rivers and generally glided down hill for about 50km! Nice and varied route, but the early days were my favourites up in the mountains. This is our fourth Headwater holiday and we always enjoy them immensely. The guide (Miroslav) was fantastic, really detailed induction all of which was helpful, came and changed a bike for us very promptly, and tried to help us with flight issues too.
Really enjoyed the holiday and out rep Mark was extremely pleasant and helpful. As we were 4 ladies we had requested twin rooms and this was confirmed by Headwater. However this was not the case in three of the hotels which provided double beds with single duvets. This was a 1+ cycle and we had elected for electric bikes which proved to be the right choice.
Ireland is stunningly beautiful. Cycle paths were quiet. Accommodation was fantastic with very friendly and helpful Irish hosts who made you feel most welcome.
Avoid taking this holiday in August. We loved the holiday but it was too hot.
Faultless.
Fantastic route, fantastic hotels, fantastic holiday. Thank you.
Location/routes are excellent as is the food and value, just a shame many of the bedrooms are so basic
Phaedra and Paul made us so welcome, and were very helpful (returning our key one day when we rode off with it). They gave us some very useful tips about the routes and hotels, and they set the tone for a lovely week right from the start. The bikes are easy to ride, good quality and very smooth. We were provided with water bottles and a cage each, so we could drink on the go. That helped a lot - do not underestimate the heat and the hills - those rest days are needed! We're reasonably fit, regular road cyclists and we found the hills quite challenging in the heat.
We saw some beautiful countryside in Tuscany, met some very friendly people and ate some good food. We will go back - but maybe not in June!
As this was our first cycling holiday we were apprehensive especially regarding the train transfers from Zurich airport to our destination but with the excellent information provided with train timetables and platform numbers from Headwater we were able to travel with confidence by train to our first destination of Bregenz at Lake Constance. We enjoyed a fabulous holiday and would highly recommend Headwater to make all travel arrangements.
Lovely accommodation, great food and gentle cycling.
perfect cycling holiday for newcomers/occasional cyclists
Lovely scenery and easy cycling (even for less experienced cyclists).
An fantastic way to see the region with a host that makes you feel like you're home
Great varied holiday with beautiful scenery in the mountains and easy cycling in the main. Nice hotels, friendly welcoming staff. Cable car trip at Camporosso was fantastic on our day at Tarvisio. Route easy to follow using FVG1 signs with occasional reference to the written notes. Bike panniers were very good and bikes comfortable. Havng to change flghts in Germany made for a long journey at each end. Everywhere we went was very cycle friendly and lots of people out cycling on the route. All in all a lovely holiday.
Relaxing, peaceful cycling in the Italian sunshine; great home-made food and wine at the agriturismo.
Excellent holiday, lovely hotels and good food. Cycling was quite tough but we still enjoyed the routes and the countryside was beautiful. One problem we had was when going by bus to Siena no one told us that in Italy you need to validate your ticket on the bus. As a result we ended up with a €120 fine!
A very good holiday package around a great lake for cycling.
Great cycling on quiet roads. Hotels were very good and evening meals at half board hotels were sensational.
An excellent introduction into cycling holidays that we will be certain to repeat.
Lovely to see a bit of Spain away from the main tourist areas.
Two of the hotels were very good with sensational food and good service
The cycling was through some scenic and interesting areas
Its great to have everything done for you, and someone on hand to deal with problems or issues that arise. Cycling planned routes enables you to see far more of the country and its interiors. if you like the idea of activity during the day and chilling during the evenings and nights then this is the type of holiday for you.
beautiful area for cycling and easy to manage distances
Very good but we took time to adjust to the mobile phone app instructions and the volume on the app was too low even with the phone on highest volume. We would prefer bike computers and detailed maps as this is what we are used to.
All agency staff were terrific giving good tips for eating out and places to visit. The trips were well organised and the bikes were fine. Everything promised was delivered. It was nice to meet other people on the same trip and a good balance between your privacy and some interaction.
We were very satisfied with the care and attention Headwater provided at every point of contact from booking through to during our holiday. As far as the trip experience we were somewhat disappointed with the route as many stretches were just an easy pleasant pedal but with not much to see or do along the way. It wasn’t until after Melk that the route charmed us all in all though headwater is great at creating just the right mix for an active holiday
Very varied and beautiful scenery, excellent and varied hotels. Really enjoyable holiday.
Route notes generally very clear, just got a bit lost a couple of times.
Always interesting, off the beaten track and a chance to meet the local population and enjoy the quiet and peace of the countryside.
Very good but you are not cheap.
This was our third self guided cycling holiday with Headwater and the easiest to navigate using GPS. The bikes have 24 gears and are very well maintained with good support if required from local agents. The hotels are all fabulous with amazing food, we lost count of the number of Portuguese custard tarts we ate! The itinerary was well designed with a great start in Porto (Port tasting arranged) and a break mid week if desired in very scenic Aveiro. The cycle paths are amazing, very well maintained and mostly far away from roads and the route around the numerous lagoons and pine forests were uplifting. We would definitely recommend this trip, the cycling is easy giving time to admire the surrounding scenery with the Atlantic Ocean waves in the background.
Great holiday - excellent cycling on cycle tracks along the coast and inland around lagoons teeming with birdlife. The hotels were all of a very high standard and a great choice of local restaurants when we weren't eating in the hotel. A full briefing by the agency rep before we set off and maps, directions and Garmin all provided, including suggestions for coffee stops and lunches. the best cycling holiday we've ever been on.
An excellent introduction to a cycling holiday abroad. Everything was made simple and the bikes provided were superb. Easy to follow notes and fantastic accommodation at the end of each day. Would definitely recommend to others.
excellently located hotels good value for money and a delightful way to visit 3 countries.
Fabulous locations, cycling mainly flat through breathtaking scenery, varied and unspoilt landscapes.
A Headwater cycling holiday is by no means a cheap option. . Given the quality of the bikes, the route notes and suggestions for 'rest' days, however, we rate these holidays highly and feel safe and supported throughout. The fact that we have just completed our 5th holiday with the company must surely indicate our overall level of satisfaction! Keep up the good work, Headwater. Nothing quite compares to the freedom of travelling by bike. It's liberating and quite intoxicating!
Very well organised, with excellent directions and achievable distances to cycle daily. Cycles very good condition, well maintained, clean and comfortable to ride. All staff willing and able to support if required.
Well-organised holiday, drawing on deep experience of the area, tried and well-tested, excellent hotels, supported by great staff.
Wonderful hotels, exquisite food and a friendly warm welcome from reps and hoteliers. The cycling was challenging at times but the uphills rewarded us with stunning views and we felt deserving of our gastronomic delights!
An excellent way for parents to holiday with teenagers: the right balance of activity, being together and opportunities for a feeling of solitude.
A fantastic holiday all round; great bikes, great route through 3 contrasting countries around the Bodensee. A wonderful opportunity to travel by bike and to explore at your own pace and under your own steam. A unique experience !
The holiday in terms of the arrangements was fine. The bikes were handed over to us with no problems and were of excellent quality. Unfortunately one of my fellow bikers had a puncture. The process of dealing with getting a replacement bike was very easy, a phone call was all that was needed to achieve this. The itinerary was excellent. The amount of travelling time was about right bearing in mind that I am not a regular cyclist. I feel that the itinerary was a bit ambitious for the time we were there as we did not have time to explore some of the places we passed through. The other main thing is that the panniers on the bikes were not of the best quality, they were old and after we started the trip I found a small tear in mine. Perhaps you could look at more substantial panniers rather than the material ones we had. All in all a very good experience.
Enjoyable holiday in pleasant area using friendly hotels with meals. Impressed by knowledgable and flexible arrangements for bike provision and set up. Luggage transport worked well and trouble free. Cycling mostly on dedicated well maintained cycle paths or quiet roads. Navigation generally straight forward. Distance and terrain matched expectations of grading. Some interesting sites en route and at stayovers.
Coastal Croatia Cycling was a great holiday, in an interesting and scenic coastal area and we followed it with the Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling as it is easy to get a ferry from Porec to Venice (prebooked on line). Bruna was an excellent rep, providing a thorough and useful briefing at the start and a debrief meeting at the end and was very contactable if needed. We took up her offer of a lift across a busy section of road in the last week of the Croatian school holidays and a detour to view the Lim Fjord on Day 6. The stone/Kazuni houses were well worth visiting on Day 3. Note that if you really want to visit the Jama cave on Day 7 in a busy holiday time you may need to book ahead or wait 2 hours for a tour. Swimming is possible on many of the days, however the beaches are stony/rocky so beach shoes are required and are available to buy in Fazana near the hotel for only about 10 Euro. This was our 3rd Headwater cycling trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Lovely cycling along quiet lanes, hilltop villages, olive groves.
The early part of the holiday in the mountainous areas of Slovenia and Italy was spectacular. We loved being away from busy roads and using the old railway line dedicated cycle paths. You can't beat Italian food!
Excellent holiday, Great route even though we were not blessed with the best weather. The hotels were great , so were the bikes and the luggage was transported without any problems.
A perfect way to experience nature and culture in this region of Provence.
Headwater could provide water bottles and helmet options for travellers outside Europe. We were fortunate previous visitors had left 2 helmets for our use this visit.
Great cycling, fabulous food, quiet roads in a busy area, plenty of local places of interest, well done Headwater.
Cycling in lovely countryside with places of interest to see. Evenings spent in comfortable hotels with good local food.
Puglia is a beautiful région which, in September isn’t crowded with tourists. The food and wines are delicious and the locals are very welcoming.
A pleasurable experience cycling in Puglia
Headwater provide good all round holidays for active people. Their staff both in England and abroad are efficient, but I would suggest you be careful before you decide which level/grade of cycling holiday you chose. I have done 8 Headwater holidays and I think this one in Puglia should have been rated a 2 star, not lower. It was quite challenging in places - not too much so but this needs to be noted.
A truly gastronomic experience! An excellent introduction to the food, wines and culture of Piedmont. The cycling was sometimes frustratingly hilly but that is the nature of vineyards!
Stunning scenery, stunning locations - a holiday to remember! We weren't really sure what to expect with the 2+ rating for cycling - I would say on average the cycling ranged between enjoyable undulating roads & exhilarating descents which were interspersed with some really (really!) tough climbs - beware of the Strava Biancas & just enjoy the scenery on route - the pain is quickly forgotten & the achievement of arriving at each destination makes it all worthwhile! I truly memorable holiday - thank you Headwater!
Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling lived up to its name as there is an opportunity to visit many villas in this area. We travelled during the grape harvest season and it was interesting to see both hand picking (especially around Cortela) and mechanical harvesting and to taste wine near Cortela. Sarah Hall is an excellent rep with 10 years experience and knowledge of the area and the routes. She keeps the bicycles in immaculate condition, and provided a comprehensive briefing and was always available if needed. The Villa Lussana Hotel was our favourite with wonderful views and delicious meals. We should have done more research on sights to see in Padua and Vicenza to make more use of the day trips. We added 3 nights at the Hotel Kette in Venice which was in a good location but very touristy compared to the relatively quiet and non-tourist cycling. Great trip overall and easy to add to the Coastal Croatia Cycling as we did that trip first and caught the ferry from Porec to Venice then on to Vicenza.
This was an excellent holiday, easy cycling and great hotels. Local rep were very good.
The cycle around Lake Constance was an opportunity to experience different weather situations from the comfort of your bike, to see lovely villages, local areas and explore to your hearts content.
Lake Constance cycling is the ideal holiday -- exercise (though not too much), sunshine & warmth, nice scenery, variety (three countries), and excellent accommodation, food & drink.
A great holiday, virtually traffic free rides, excellent food and lovely scenery. A brilliant combination of cultural cities (if you wish to visit them) and rural isolation. However, consider the best time to go - the temperature hit 42 degrees & humidity was very high which made cycling difficult (4-13 July). We were the only guests at our first three holels and owners told us they consider July to be low season due to the heat. If you were expecting to meet other travellers you could be disappointed. On the other hand places of interest were not crowded & we didn't need to queue with the exception of Venice.
Good balance of cycling and rest times creating a relaxing holiday.
A wonderful way to see the real Costa Brava and get to know Catalunya as a region. The holiday was well constructed and well organised. The instructions are not fool proof but that is half the fun!
A gentle cycling experience along the Danube and through the Wachau vineyards, with options to shorten the day's cycling by using boat, train or minibus if desired.
An excellent trip for the novice of 'non hardcore' cyclist. Route and cycle paths are excellent - scenery stunning. Accommodation good considering where the route goes.
We left Manchester in pouring rain to spend a week climbing Tuscan hills at 34c. The theme of the accommodation is Tuscan hill towns so every morning was an easy start but you soon realise every days ride finishes with a picturesque uphill! The hotels were always a good standard and a couple of the swimming pools were simply amazing. Eating outside in the courtyard at the 'Relais della Rovere' was particularly special. We had researched eating out in San Gimignano beforehand which proved well worthwhile and it is definitely wiser to book ahead from UK if you can.
The first day is quite a challenge so carry plenty of water. We hadn't realised that Headwater don't supply the water bottles anymore but luckily our local reps found us a couple of spares from last year. Phaedra and Paul were kind and attentive keeping in touch by text if we needed them. The bikes were reliable and comfortable to ride. The routes do get easier after the first day and it is worth carrying a small picnic most days as the cafes tend to be towards the end of the ride. There are some good sights to see on the rest days or else there are the lovely pools just to lounge by instead.
It was a great holiday and the hills made sure you felt fitter coming home.
Thanks again Headwater
The route was generally disappointing, lots of detours through small hamlets where there was nothing, very few places to stop for a coffee. May just be that the topography dictates the route but I would have hoped Chianti could have yielded more places of interest. This was our 3rd Headwater holiday and I'd place this route 3rd by some margin. The hotels were generally excellent, Le Fonti in Volterra was very professional with good views, La Renaie in Pancole was the highlight, excellent family run hotel with nice feel and really good food. Relais della Rovere was Ok but needs to employ some gardeners, the grass everywhere hadn't been cut for weeks, bushes badly trimmed etc all contributing to an unkempt appearance. The catering being separate from the hotel was unusal and contributed to the disjointed feel. This should be a fantastic hotel but needs a lot of work to get there. Pescille was really good with great views of San Gimignano.
The bikes were new so in perfect condition, should have had a bottle cage on each bike rather than 2 on one bike and none on the other. We would have brought our own water bottles if we'd known these were no longer provided, contrary to what your literature said.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Campbell,
Thank you for taking the time to provide your post-holiday feedback. We were pleased to read you had an enjoyable holiday. We were however sorry to read there were areas of your holiday that you felt required improvement. Please be assured all of the feedback we receive, whether positive or constructive is valued and used to help improve our holidays for the future. With this in mind, we were sorry to read you felt the gardens at Relais della Rovere required maintenance. This is the first time we have received constructive feedback for this hotel. We have discussed your comments with the hotelier; we expect to see an immediate improvement. We are sorry for any disappointment this may have caused.
We were pleased to read you found the bikes in perfect condition; our Reps receive extensive training in this area and do pride themselves on providing well-serviced bikes. They do not provide water bottle cages to our low framed bikes; this is due to past customer feedback, where customers advised us they were banging their legs on the cages, our Reps will provide water bottle cages if requested. Again, due to customer feedback we discontinued providing our water bottles, customers advised they preferred to use their own. Our Reps may have a surplus if required. This information is included in our pre travel information booklets; we are sorry you were unaware and hope this did not cause you an inconvenience.
In closing, we would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team
From the moment our agent Antonio picked us up from the airport we have been looked after so well. The cycle route and accommodation was carefully thought out. My only concern is that the cycling in my opinion was not for beginners as there were some quite challenging inclines on a few busy roads. Overall a tremendous experience.
The routes were excellent; a mix of terrain and stunning scenery. We enjoyed the off-road sections particularly the optional coast and river valley route on our free day at Pedralva. We went in January and whilst the roads were very quiet it did mean that many cafes and restaurants were closed and the hotels were quiet. The weather is changeable at this time of year. We had one day of wind and steady rain but we went prepared for variable weather so this didn't spoil an enjoyable day cycling. We would like to do this route again in the Spring when the flora is in bloom and the birds are migrating.
Lovely locations, great hotels with well thought-out cycling routes that took us to parts of the beautiful Istrian peninsula that other visitors would never see.
A superb blend of countryside cycles and splendid evening meals. Our local representatives Greg and Laura were consistently helpful; rescuing our bikes when needed, and proactively working out a new route for us when they realised a car rally would make the original journey planned for that day impossible. The restaurants were varied but all delightful. The unanticipated June heatwave made some of the uphill stretches a little more challenging than might be expected from its grading
Portugal is an amazing country for cycling, lots of dedicated cycle paths, incredibly friendly people, quiet roads, beautiful scenery. The Porto to Coimbra trip had varied cycling, most of it very easy on flat surfaces. It was a nice mix of coastal cycling and countryside cycling, and every day was different. A couple of days the cycling was on roads, but these roads were never too busy, and in general the motorists were polite and aware of cyclists.
A great tour around a wonderful area wth everything from beaches to early churches and ancient ruins.
We like the Headwater cycling format to the extent that we cannot remember the number of holidays we have been on.
Despite being of the same modest grading as our two previous HW cycling holidays, this was significantly harder, because of the heat (over 34 degrees) and some long uphill stretches, especially on the Lafare-Vaison day. However, it was worth it for the lovely scenery, the downhill bits, and the hotels, two of which had lovely pools, and some excellent food, especially at Hotel Montmirail (if only it had air-con as well!) and at La Dame d'Oie at Pernes. Plenty of opportunities to sample the Provence Rose, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and Gigondas wines. The archaeological sites and mediaeval town at Vaison la Romaine are well worth the 'rest' day.
Fabulous scenery, hotels, food. Cycling easy on days that had to cycle - slightly more challenging when on 'rest days' Up to St Gallen and the Rhine Falls but still easy to complete. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
We thoroughly enjoyed the stunning scenery and the experience. The cycle paths were excellent and the route was very well signposted. We enjoyed the suggested days off . This was one of the best Headwater Holidays that we have been on.
We had a fab holiday. Everything went perfectly. The trail was so pretty and interesting and not as difficult as either of us expected. Austria was lovely. We left Passau and saw the different waters of the rivers Danube and Inn merge. Soon afterwards we were in the countryside, cycling by the Danube and along verges and meadows of wild flowers - scabious, chicory, vipers bugloss, clover etc. It was fascinating to see the scenery, the agriculture and the Danube change as we progressed. The villages were picture-book pretty, each with their own history. The towns we stayed in were all delightful - Linz, Melk, Krems and Tulln. Schlogen was quite lovely on a meander of the Danube, we watched the light change on the water and cargo boats go up and down river.
Incredible 200 km of beautiful countryside, cuisine and culture of Provence! Loved every minute despite 35° heat and 35% elevation. La vie est belle!
Great time, hills in Tuscany are not hills....So get in shape, but scenery worth the ride...amazing! We were able to meet the locals and enjoy ourselves without any pressure when and when not to ride...
Rheine falls very busy. Should offer stop en-route for rail and more options for long journeys (over 300 miles). Make sure camera charged up every night. Allow time to explore en route on bike. All locals very friendly in every country and willing to talk. All to easy to eat and drink too much. Hotel staff less likely want to speak English.
Surprisingly easy going for the independent traveller, yet adventurous, with a touch of comfort
Of our 3 Headwater cycling holidays this was the best. The accommodation was better and the cycling was the right amount although we skipped the circular route around Alberobello. The hard copy route guides were better than previous ones and the GPS app with the handle bar bracket worked brilliantly once one had sussed it out. We were fortunate that the bracket was just big enough to hold our phones; it was not big enough to hold the larger smart phones.
Great combination of challenging cycling, breathtaking views, a range of different hotels with excellent food and wine
The holiday provided a wonderful experience of cycling in this most scenic of Tuscan landscapes. Some of the cycling was tough in the hot weather but the excellent hotels were perfect for relaxing after the cycle rides
Cycling around the hills of Tuscany is challenging and you need to be in good shape to take them on. Its worth it though for the views and the downhill stretches. I particularly enjoyed the four night stop allowing for visits to Florence and Siena. The highlight though for me was San Gimignano.
We found Nuno, the local operator from A to Z bike tours especially helpful, but we've also had a good experience with Headwater in Italy. The riding was mostly very flat and easy, but we hit a heatwave at the end, so maybe that was just as well. Porto is fantastic and Aveiro is nice, but the rest day in Praia de Mira isn't needed and it's not a very beautiful or interesting place. Neither is Furadouro. In fact we enjoyed riding through villages and nature reserves much more than along the coast, which is quite developed. We loved the hotel in Curia most of all, because the building is so unbelievably beautiful, it's like stepping back in time. Coimbra is also interesting and worth spending an extra night. We dealt with the heat by starting early and arriving at our destination for lunch.
Very friendly and approachable reps. Nothing too much trouble. Good support with cycling information.
Excellent holiday in a truly beautiful part of the Dordogne. Extremely comfortable hotels with some fantastic cycling and so many varied places to stop including villages, chateaus, gardens,caves etc which meant every day was a different experience. However, a word of caution. If you are not a reasonable cyclist consider an e bike or choose more direct routes between hotels which avoid some good hill climbs.
A gentle introduction to the Veneto Plain based at a very welcoming agriturismo.
Really pleased we chose this tour. Fantastic location, food and wine. We were lucky to have great weather and tour reps (Laura and Greg), that certainly helped. The cycling was tough at times in the heat, so glad we had water and could top up at fountains. Invariably there was a tough hill climb to the hotel destination, Peidmont is all about hill top locations, however the reward of a nice room, shower and dip in the pool made it worthwhile before dinner. Hotel staff were friendly and welcoming. We would do a similar tour again without question. Thanks Headwater!
very enjoyable. standard of hotels excellent. scenery beautiful. We learned a lot about undiscovered parts of Portugal.
We really enjoyed the trip and were completely satisfied.
Headwaters holidays came highly recommended. We could find no fault with the trip. Our scoring of the recommended hotels was 'excellent' but where we marked 'good' it was usually because the other hotels (breakfast) were exceptional.
It would have been a good idea (on our last day of cycling,Tulln-Vienna) to suggest cycling on the south bank & visiting Klosterneuberg then crossing on the small ferry (we noticed) to the North bank to join the Donauinsel. It is not a criticism by any means. We didn't opt for any of the train/ferry alternatives suggested although they were very useful options.
Cycling into Vienna on the Donauinsel was a joy, imagine cycling into the heart of a big city on a traffic free (20km) island, on the Danube, it was truly amazing! Thank you.
This was our 8th cycling holiday and was certainly the most dramatic in terms of different scenery. From the snow-topped peaks of the Julian Alps through the fertile vineyards to the sea was certainly an unforgettable experience and the 65-km run from Tarvisio to Venzone was eminently easy with a more than 500-metre drop in altitude to assist! As pensioners, we were concerned that this holiday might be hard for us but we had no difficulty at all and it was certainly a lot easier than Headwater's previous Lot Valley and Jura routes.
We were unfortunate in getting a spell of 'very unusual' September wet weather. On Day 3, the wind-lashed rain and temperature of just 3 degrees persuaded even the hardiest of us to travel in the van and the excellent Miroslav was happy to organise this, even stopping off to ensure we didn't miss the planned Alpine Museum visit. We used the rest day in Tarvisio to retrace the route as far as Kranjska Gora so we didn't miss much at all (and we could admire the snow not much higher than us!) Again, on Day 8, we got very wet between Udine and Palmanova but we had turned down the option of taking the train as we had assumed, wrongly, that it couldn't rain all day.
The hotels were varied in their accommodation and comforts but all were clean and welcoming (particularly at Palmanova where the arrival of 10 very wet cyclists was just greeted with laughs and loads of towels). Breakfasts were usually excellent as also were the supplied dinners.
The route notes could do with some improvement (as noted by most people in the Grado blue book) but the FVG1 signs were all that we actually needed.
We really enjoyed the cycle from The Julian Alps to the Adriatic. The scenery was stunning , it felt very untouristy and we got to see the real Italy. Every location was an interesting place to visit and we loved the variety of moving from place to place. The cycle paths were excellent as we're the route maps. We will definitely be booking another cycling holiday with Headwater!
Excellent , few errors in information re places visited. Above strange error in travel arrangements. Otherwise great holiday.
We had a lovely holiday. The weather was perfect, the area very beautiful and interesting and the hotels were good, but we found the bikes very heavy and poorly geared for the fairly hilly nature of some of the routes.
Wonderful way to see Tuscany. The fitter you are though, the more you will enjoy it.
Thoroughly enjoyed our trip.Especially the wildlife and scenery along the way.We also appreciated the food-the lovely fresh fish.We always felt welcomed by the hoteliers and local people.
We were very pleased to meet up with fellow Headwater travellers too.
Excellent holiday. Varied scenery, good bikes, lovely hotels. Each ride was like a mini adventure. We loved it.
Overall an excellent holiday in a region new to us .... Headwater Reps excellent ...
The Julian Alps cycling holiday is an amazing trip. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anyone. The cycle routes are amazing through the Alps and down to the Adriatic and for approximately 95% of the time we were on traffic free routes, away from cars in the beautiful, peaceful countryside.
A lovely part of Portugal to visit and a great holiday.
from the time we landed we were looked after until we got back to the airport.all went very well.welldone headwater
Pretty good.
An excellent cycling holiday which brings you the delights of the western Algarve coast and hills behind Lagos. Fantastic scenery, super hotels with the delights of local food. The sardines in Salema were wonderful. Pedralva is a real find. All well delivered by the Headwater team.
This was our fourth Headwater cycling holiday. All have been good, and this was at least as good, if not better, than the others. Contrasts of Puglia is an accurate description, and we feel we have got to know something of a previously unknown part of Italy. We enjoyed the routes, the accommodation and the food and wine of the area. We met some very friendly and courteous locals. We had a week of perfect cycling weather. It was a really good holiday.
This was a fantastic holiday! In fact it was our best ever holiday. It was full of contrasts, starting with beautiful Lake Bled in Slovenia and then through into Italy on very safe dedicated cycle paths stopping at great hotels. The route was either downhill or flat as we cycled down from the alps towards the Adriatic coast. The scenery was marvellous and the people we met were very kind and friendly. Weather was mixed, including four days being cold and wet but overall it was all very very good!
Excellent short break in a beautiful region of France. Just the right balance if cycling and relaxation with my teenage daughter.
This was the first time that we've tried a single-centre cycling holiday and we're now hooked. The potential downsides would be if you don't like the accommodation you're stuck there for the whole week (but the accommodation on this holiday was perfect) and the cycling might be repetitive if there aren't enough different directions to go in (but on this holiday the cycle routes went in all directions with only a few short stretches repeated). The upsides are not having to pack and unpack every couple of days, you can pick and choose where to go each day (and in our case skip a day when the weather was against us, and then double-up on a later day to make sure we didn't miss anything) and you feel like you're really getting to know the area that you're in. The RWGPS phone app is a fantastic new addition; it didn't matter who was in front as we both heard the same instructions, and afterwards you can see exactly where you've cycled - even down to the detail of where one of us was chased by a wasp around a car park! To top things off, this was the best place we've ever stayed abroad for understanding vegetarianism - no need to worry that a bit of fish or chicken might creep onto the menu. Overall, a great holiday!
We all throughly enjoyed our cycling in the Veneto. The food and accommodation were excellent as was the pool at the end of the day! The family were extremely welcoming and we enjoyed out trip around the farm. Sarah couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. The routes were well planned and the gps talking to us made our journeys easy, without having to look at a map all of the time.
Cycling through the Veneto area allowed us to get a feel for rural Italy and the people who live there, as well as to experience the history of the area. The route takes you primarily through farmland and, since our trip was in October and after harvest time, many of the fields were plowed so we missed some of the greenery that probably characterizes the area in summer. We enjoyed visiting Vicenza on one of our non-cycling days and also had the opportunity to take a bus to Padova, a larger and more modern city than we thought. Sarah was attentive to our needs throughout the trip.
This was our first cycle holiday on a supported basis, as we usually travel alone. Very good experience and we felt we were left on our own as much as we wanted and yet knew luggage etc was well organised. Arrangements for transporting us and luggage was very good. All Minibus drivers were interested and interesting. Good conversations and pleasant company. Cycling was not demanding and the scenery was just perfect, in fact we will return to Slovenia. Just a perfect location and not one bad word or thought about those Slovenians we met. Great advert for their country and for Headwater.
This was our first cycling holiday and we will certainly travel with Headwater again. The GPS and route notes worked well together.
We have enjoyed at least 10 Headwater holidays since our first ride in the Loire in 2002, and the Gastronomic Barolo would have to be one of the best.
We have enjoyed at least 10 Headwater holidays since our first time cycling in the Loire and as we have travelled all the way from Perth in Australia, we obviously love our Headwater experiences. Gastronomic Barolo Cycling is probably the best in terms of countryside, scenery, accommodation, fantastic cuisine and helpful rep. But I suggest that grading of 2 bike is misleading as countryside is very hilly indeed. Thank goodness that my husband and I who are fit but 70 and 72 chose ebikes! Another couple in their late 60s struggled each day with the steep terrain and had to spend much time pushing their bikes. The weather was perfect for riding but it would have been very difficult if the temperatures were high. Another couple on the ride who are serious cyclists who ride regularly found some sections very difficult. Overall it was a great ride for us as it showed how enjoyable ebikes can be as we still got plenty of exercise to justify eating the amazing 4 course meals; enjoying the famous local wines and enjoying the company of fellow Headwater travellers.
Lovely way to see the country and get fitter
This is the second holiday we have taken with Headwater and both have been excellent. Two years ago we did the Gastronomic Barollo cycling holiday. Both were really enjoyable. Tuscany was stunning, the hotels excellent and our reps really friendly and helpful. On balance we preferred the Barollo holiday, but only because the cycling is on less busy roads and it is slightly less touristy, but I don't think we could find fault with either holiday.
There was a weakness in the bus and train transfer information!
Great family holiday with views second to none. Highly recommend the location and activity.
Most enjoyable holiday cycling through beautiful quiet countryside with stunning views. There were plenty places of interest from Chateaux to Caves. The food and accommodation was of a high standard. The Vielle Auberge in Souillac could have been more comfortable but we forgave it for the food.
After reading previous reviews, we hired electric bikes this year. This was a good decision as, although we still had plenty exercise, we enjoyed each days cycle without feeling terminally exhausted. We saw more as we always chose the longer route. It is a very hilly region and definitely a grade 2 cycling holiday.
We thoroughly enjoyed our Porto Coastal cycling holiday and thought the organisation and planning was excellent throughout. The hotel accommodation was very good and the varied itinerary enabled us to explore both the interesting towns and delightful countryside of the region.
Fantastic holiday, great service from Headwater at home and at destination.
Hotels were all superb
Cycling was good although couple of the routes were bumpy and hard going (saddle wise!)
The wine tasting was a highlight!
The bikes were very robust and trustworthy.
Nice area though hillier than we expected when we booked. Well maintained bikes, though rather heavy. Good food. We were lucky that we had a cooler than average week for August.
Excellent routes through lovely rural Italy. First &I last accommodation very disappointing because we thought we would enjoy basic country accommodation &I enjoy the food & wine of the area - we felt this was not the case at this accommodation. Food &I wine at Il Feudo were very poor - accommodation not good - rooms hot &stuffy - noisy -bed not comfortable & very poor lighting.
Headwater never fails to deliver in putting together a great cycling trip. The holidays offer wonderful variety in terms of the scenery, locations and things to see and do . They also provide places to stay which are varied , high in quality and usually with a unique charm. Added to this the level of service provided by the staff both at head office and the reps on site is first class. This explains why so many of us return to book with Headwater time and time again!
The cycling holiday to Northern Croatia was a joy. Knowing that your bags were in safe hands and that they would be delivered to the next destination was fantastic. It meant you were able to cycle at your own pace, take in all the sights and scenery, take a dip in the water at your choosing and as many times as you like and stop at a restaurant for lunch along the ways was just the best. A really wonderful holiday.
Brian McAlea, Belfast
We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and would recommend it to other travellers.
This is our third trip with Headwater. The organisation was excellent and the hotels all superbly located and of a good standard. We enjoyed the route immensely, cycling in beautiful countryside with a good mix of mountain and lowlands and coast with amazing scenery.
A very enjoyable experience, beautiful scenery and amazing food.
This was our 7th Headwater cycling holiday and by far the best in terms of overall satisfaction - cycling, routes, variety of countrysides(not circular), choice of hotels, prearranged dinner and personally arranged dinners. Previously we have booked gastronomic itineraries but this holiday surpassed our expectations.
This was a wonderful holiday, the best of several good holidays that we have done with Headwater. The variety of landscapes, routes, and hotels, taking us from the stunning landscapes of Lake Bled and the Julian Alps down through the plains of Friuli Venezia Giulia to the lagoons and coastal islands around Grado, with a variety of fascinating places to visit en route, provided for a wonderful experience. The cycling was superb - the majority on cycle tracks and lanes, with the sections on the Alpe-Adriatica long-distance route often being of a very high quality - sections are gradually being improved and tarmacked each year & hopefully it won't be too long before some of the remaining gravel sections are renewed. My anxieties concerning 'too steep uphill/too steep downhill/too long distances' proved totally unfounded. The local agent, Miroslav, was wonderful. His briefing was thorough, full of advice and illustrated with images on his laptop. We were able to easily contact him when necessary - as on the day that it looked as if thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast would continue into the afternoon, thus would making cycling difficult - he was able to advise on alternatives; in fact the B&B owner had already produced a train timetable and driven Gordon. to the station to show him the route & correct platform, how to get tickets etc - typical of the friendliness and help received throughout the trip. Miroslav also suggested and organised for us to spend a few hours in central Ljubljana before returning to the airport. We also took the train to Trieste from Udine, an interesting city and well worth the visit (having arrived in Udine earlier than expected, by train, the previous day). Thank you Headwater and Miroslav for setting up such a fantastic holiday!
other than wrong hotel ..ACE
one of the best cycling holidays we have been on. Great cycling and relaxing swimming in warm seas.
Croatia lived up to all expectations and we would be more than happy to return. Everything about the holiday was first class but it was Bruna that stood out for us - she spent a lot of time with us and came to pick us up to avoid a very dangerous road.
its a great way to see places in an area of a country, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying different foods, whilst achieving a level of exercise and time to relax
Excellent route and great scenery
This was a first rate cycling trip, with overnight stops at interesting places. Excellent weather helped tremendously and allowed full enjoyment of the amazing mountain scenery as we passed through the Julian Alps. With large sections of the route on an old railway line, it made for relatively easy cycling. The hotels were very varied but quality standards were consistently high. We enjoyed all the overnight stops but especially that in Palmanova, such a fascinating small town.
Having done several Headwater holidays over the years, we would give this holiday our highest marks for variety and quality.
At the end of a busy academic year two teachers find this the ideal way of switching off and relaxing. All we have to do is pedal by day following pre designated tested routes, often along traffic free cycle paths , then feel fully justified in eating wonderful meals we know will be waiting for us at good local hotels, all booked and waiting to welcome us.
Lovely area, easy cycling, good food and lovely hotels! Hotel Tuttorotto deserves a particular mention. It is a very special place, the staff extremely welcoming and breakfast on the terrace overlooking the sea was fantastic.
Croatia is a beautiful, welcoming and friendly country. We were told by locals that we were mad attempting to cycle in high season because it is too hot and the roads are too busy to be safe. Yes it was hot, but there was a good breeze and much of the cycling is on quiet back roads or off-road. We enjoyed exploring on our bikes and felt safe. There is one stretch of dangerous road on the way to Porec that our rep told us she would not allow us to cycle and would drive to pick us up and take us to the other side. She does this for everyone, this could do with being updated in the notes. Fazana and the first hotel were superb, Rovinj was very different but again beautiful and the hotel was quirky and fabulous. The trouble was that the further we went the more touristy and busy it became. Porec was fine but too many tourists and a very ordinary hotel with mass produced breakfast was a bit of an anticlimax at the end of the route. It may be worth Headwater looking into running this holiday in reverse so that it ends on a high. This having been said, it was a fabulous holiday, the crystal clear turquoise sea round every turn was beautiful to swim in, we swam in the sea every day, it was a fitting reward at the end of each cycle ride.
Cycling the Istrian coast was a prefect holiday. We were able to enjoy the right mix of cycling, swimming and relaxing at the beach. The side trips to small towns were well worth it. The food and wine is excellent. A highly recommended holiday.
active, cultural, sociable, reasonably paced , good relaxation Thank you Headwater
We had a great experience with Headwater, cycling the hill-tops of Provence in 35-40C heat. The Reps were great;, the bikes eminently suitable for the route; the hotels generally good; the food superb; and we both enjoyed the few days that we had.
Wonderful again!! Our fifth holiday with you & again it was perfect. Perfectly organised routes so that we didn't need to see our great reps from start to finish! Beautiful, well considered hotels which all had really positive things to say about Headwater guests!
Exactly as it said it would be. Well organised. Efficient. comfortable.
A very enjoyable holiday which surpassed expectations. Bikes, Information, Logistics, Food and Accommodation were all very good. The price is on the high side and we booked extra nights and travel ourselves as the additional charges from Headwater were too steep. Would recommend to friends.
Croatia is a wonderful country and everyone was really friendly and helpful. Bruna, our local rep, made the holiday. She gave us a lift up the busy steep road by Lim fjord and took us to a wonderful viewpoint which we wouldn't otherwise have seen. I would actually say it is a 1-2 bike standard rather than 1 bike
It was great to stay in one place all week and not have to move on to different hotels. Also we liked the accommodation with swimming pool and the food was fantastic
The cycling was easy and enjoyable. We will probably hire electric bikes next trip which will open up a bigger choice of cycle rides
Beautiful, varied scenery. Easy cycling most days and some fabulous places of interest, especially if interested in Roman history. The mosaics at Aquilea were fascinating and the audio guide was most interesting. The proprietors of the B @ B at Venzone were so helpful and kind. One of the valves on the tyre of our proved faulty and resulted in a flat tyre. They drove us to a neighbouring town to a cycle repair shop to try to get it fixed. Unfortunately it was a Monday, so all the shops were shut! Miroslav came to our rescue after a couple of hours.
A small group of us have been taking a cycling holiday together for 15 years, This was by far and away the best, the food, the hotels, the people, the cycling and the scenery combined it to make it a wonderful experience. We will be recommending to our friends.
After three outstanding trips with Headwater previously (twice to Italy, and once to Spain), we were wondering whether our 4th excursion, 'Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling' could possibly live up to our high expectations. We were looking for an interesting and relaxing break that would immerse us in the Italian culture and suit the mixed cycling abilities of our group (two couples). This holiday managed to satisfy us all. While most of the routes were relatively flat, there were a few more challenging hills and options along the way. Highlights (just to list a few) included exploring the neighborhoods and museums of Vicenza and Padua, getting lost in the maze at Valsanzibio gardens, taking in the view from Villa Lussana after an exhilarating cycle up to Teolo, and the welcoming family atmosphere at L'Albara agriturismo (not to mention delicious meals they conjured up from homegrown produce). To surprise one of our party, we requested a birthday cake along the way. Our rep Sarah wisely chose Villa Lussana as the place for the surprise, and their experienced chef produced an amazing fruit flan right on cue, which helped make the event very special and memorable. There were a couple of slight disappointments - a room 'upgrade' that was of a lower specification than a standard room, and as seasoned Headwater fans we missed the detailed route notes that we've had every other time - but these are only minor niggles that did not detract from what was otherwise an excellent holiday, and great value for money. Thank you, Headwater, and we look forward to our next trip with you - wherever that may be!
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Puglia. We were very pleased with all the accommodation. The route took us through beautiful and vary varied countryside from olive groves and cherry orchards to coastal villages - in other words truly 'contrasts of Puglia'. The people we met were very friendly and helpful and the drivers considerate giving us a warning beep before overtaking. The food and wine on offer was generally locally produced and we felt it was an important part of the Puglia experience. Travelling mid-May meant, however, that the weather was much warmer than was currently the case in England and therefore we found cycling the uphill stretches in 24 degree or higher full sun quite challenging and it gets warm early in the day. We cycled last year in the Veneto - level 1 - and found the Puglia holiday - 1+ - much more difficult with some very steep hills and some very hilly sections. We are all year cyclists not averse to hills but we are over 65. The people we met were very friendly and helpful and the drivers considerate giving us a warning beep before overtaking. Overall it was an enjoyable adventure with lot to see and learn which is what we look for in a cycling holiday. .
The Dordogne is a beautiful area. Good routes on quiet roads but testing hills! Accommodation is very good and the food lived up to the expectations as advertised. If anything the four course evening meal every night is too much but no doubt others will disagree! We felt the grading system was slightly underrated as at times the hills were testing given the very warm sunny days we enjoyed. Overall a lovely week in a lovely part of the world. Thank you
This holiday is well organised with reliable backup available if needed. Although we were initially sceptical we found the Ride with GPS system was good when the printed out notes were ambiguous! It would be nice to have more descriptive notes on points of interest on the itinerary. The cycling was varied and on interesting and not too hilly routes often with lovely views to enjoy. We were slightly disappointed with the quality of food, apart from at the Villa Lussana, as it didn't live up to our expectations of what we have enjoyed previously with Headwater. Also breakfasts could be a bit variable in what was offered e.g. in the Belvedere Resort ai Colli there was a 5 Euro extra charge if you wished cheese or cold meat or eggs while in other hotels these were included. On the whole we were made to feel very welcome but I would certainly recommend bringing a travel kettle if like us you enjoy a cup of tea as they clearly do not understand how to make decent tea and also charge a lot for it! Air conditioning is an absolute necessity and it was also of variable efficiency in the different accommodations, actually blowing the lights in the L'Albara Agriturismo when we tried to turn it up a little. However each place had different pros and cons e.g. L.'Albara had wonderful baking and fruit and the freshest lettuce straight from the vegetable garden even thought the main courses were pretty dire! We also had the best Tira Misu I have ever tasted and the pool was a real bonus! In summary a great holiday so long as you are prepared for a variety of accommodation and standards of food,
weather--service--hotels--people--could not ask for any better..this last ride we had gps on the bikes.but sometimes lost signal
'Wonderful holiday! Delightful (and very) varied accommodation, excellent food and terrific sights and smells in some wonderful countryside. But this can be a physically demanding cycle tour, so do ensure you are prepared to cycle - or push - your bike up some stiff hills.
Thanks to all at Headwater and, in particular, to Ludmilla.'
Quite simply the best holiday we have had in several years. Great food, great scenery, helpful staff, activity and brilliant weather. Just what we needed. Thank you
We found this a very enjoyable April holiday, aided by lovely weather. We are only occasional cyclists, but we found the cycling quite manageable although a little challenging on the first day in the saddle. We were the first couple on this revised tour, and the first to use the route notes and did get lost occasionally. However, there were many cyclists around and someone always stopped and helped us get going again. Very friendly and helpful people. The hotels were generally good and well located. Figeures and Girona are very pleasant cities with plenty to do and see on the 'rest' days.
The toughest Headwater cycling holiday I have been on, due to the preponderance of off road some of which was quite rough and steep, plus the fact that for two and a half days of the three days cycling there was a strong cold headwind, therefore I think the grading should be changed.
