Question 1

What is included in the tour price?

Accepted Answer

Use of standard hybrid bike, including bike lock
Use of an electric bike is available for an additional fee
6 Breakfasts
5 Lunches
2 Dinners
6 Nights of Accommodation
1 Wine Tasting Event
1 Concert
1 Guided History Tour
1 Additional Entry Fee, such as to a Museum or Nature Park
Transport to the night's lodging if you tire out before the end of the day
Luggage transfer
Train ride at the end of the tour back to the starting point
A cooking class is available for an additional fee, if this optional event is checked by the participant at the time of booking

Question 2

What is not included in the tour price?

Accepted Answer

Airfare
Transportation to and from the tour starting point
A helmet; bring your own or buy one from us on the day of arrival
Alcoholic beverages beyond the one (1) included with each lunch and/or dinner
Snacks that you purchase outside of breakfast, lunch and dinner
4 dinners on your own (we provide some recommendations)
Tips for guides
Travel insurance
Health insurance

Question 3

How do I know my booking is confirmed?

Accepted Answer

Bookings are made online at the Villages and Vineyards website via the online Booking Form. At the time you complete and submit the Booking Form, a deposit of 50% of the tour cost is required to hold your spot.

Receipt by us of your Booking Form authorizes us the right to process your deposit by the payment method indicated by you at the time of booking.

After submitting your booking, you will receive an email from us confirming that we have received your booking. Additionally and shortly after your booking, we will send you specific arrival information and key reminders by email in preparation for the tour.

The final payment (the remaining 50% of the tour cost) is due 75 days prior to the start of the tour. Villages and Vineyards will process this final payment using the original form of payment provided by you at the time of booking.

Bookings made 75 days or less prior to the start of the tour require 5 days for us to respond to you that your booking is confirmed. Please contact us directly via info@villagesandvineyards.com to book a tour 75 days or less prior to the start of the tour rather than using the Booking Form. Because of the short time frame before the start of the tour, additional fees may be required due to limitations in hotel availability and will vary depending on how close the booking is to the tour start time and the time of the year. Villages and Vineyards will reach out to you by email to confirm your acceptance of additional fees if any are needed to confirm the booking.

Bookings made 75 days or less prior to the start of the tour are required to be paid in full at the time tour availability is confirmed by Villages and Vineyards to you.

Question 4

What is the cancellation policy if I would like to cancel my booking?

Accepted Answer

If you would like to cancel your booking, the cancellation is due in writing to Villages and Vineyards by email at the email address: info@villagesandvineyards.com. Please include "Cancellation" in the subject line of the email. The cancellation is effective the day that we receive it.

Cancellations made 91 days or more prior to the tour start date are fully refunded except for a $400 cancellation fee. Refunds are made using the same method provided at the time of booking and processed within 30 days of Villages and Vineyards receiving refunds from the 3rd party service providers, or within 14 days if the funds were not yet sent to the 3rd party service providers.

Cancellations made 76 to 90 days prior to the tour start date are fully refunded except for a $900 cancellation fee. Refunds are made using the same method provided at the time of booking and processed within 30 days of Villages and Vineyards receiving refunds from the 3rd party service providers, or within 14 days if the funds were not yet sent to the 3rd party service providers.

Cancellations made 75 days or less prior to the tour start date are not refunded.

Cancellations made by participants during the tour itself are not refunded.

Villages and Vineyards recommends that you purchase travel insurance through an independent travel insurance agency to minimize your risks and costs associated with cancellations due to unforeseen events, including, but not limited to, your own illness, injury, or family or personal emergencies that occur before or during the tour.

Question 5

Will Villages and Vineyards ever cancel a tour?

Accepted Answer

Please see the Villages and Vineyards Terms of Service for the complete response to this question.

Villages and Vineyards requires a minimum number of participants for the tour to take place. Tours that don't reach the minimum number of participants sixty (60) days in advance of the tour will be cancelled and you will be notified and your payment for the tour refunded within 30 days of Villages and Vineyards receiving refunds from the 3rd party service providers, or within 14 days if the funds were not yet sent to the 3rd party service providers. Villages and Vineyards is not responsible for any losses or costs that you may incur from Villages and Vineyards exercising this right to cancel a tour. Villages and Vineyards recommends that you not purchase a non-refundable airline ticket until the tour is confirmed to have the required minimum number of participants.

Tours, or parts of the tour, may be cancelled by Villages and Vineyards due to events that are beyond its control, known as Force Majeur events, and that make execution of the tour extremely difficult or impossible. These events include but are not limited to:  extreme weather events such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, extreme storms, or wildfires, in addition to acts of war, terrorist activities, pandemics, epidemics, widespread labor disputes, or closures mandated by government edicts. In these cases, a refund will be provided for services that were not provided as identified in the tour package at the time of booking, with the exception of services that are not refunded by 3rd party service providers, such as but not limited to, hotel rooms that were booked and/or concert tickets that were purchased. Many 3rd party service providers impose cancellation penalties (often based on how far in advance the cancellation is made) which will affect the amount of the refund that is possible. Villages and Vineyards will process refunds within 30 days of receiving the refunds (minus any cancellation penalties) from all 3rd party service providers or within 14 days after cancellation by Villages and Vineyards if the funds were not yet sent to the 3rd party service providers. Alternatively, the customer may request that the refund be credited toward a future tour with Villages and Vineyards.

Villages and Vineyards also reserves the right to cancel or shorten a tour that has started, in which event the participant will receive a prorated refund for any unused portion of the trip. Additionally, Villages and Vineyards does not provide a refund if the participant decides during the tour to shorten his/her participation for any reason.

Question 6

What if I would like to change the tour I participate in?

Accepted Answer

If you would like to change the tour that you booked, please let us know as soon as possible, and we will transfer your booking to another Villages and Vineyards tour.
Transfer to a different tour 60 days or less prior to the tour start date may not be able to be accommodated.
If you would like to change/substitute a new person for a currently booked person, we are happy to accommodate this request.

Question 7

What if it rains during the tour?

Accepted Answer

The tour will still take place.  We will bike when it rains, but if the rain is heavy, we will seek temporary shelter until it passes. For extended periods of heavy rain, we will tour the area with alternative transportation or with local transportation and arrange more time in museums and other indoor venues for learning about the area.  This is also an excellent time for extended breaks participating in the German tradition of coffee and cake in the afternoon.

Question 8

Can you accommodate dietary preferences or restrictions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with advance notice some dietary preferences and restrictions can be accommodated.  Please let us know at the time of booking what your dietary considerations are.  
Please note that vegan and gluten-free requests cannot be accommodated at this time.

Question 9

Are there any age restrictions or physical requirements for tour participants?

Accepted Answer

The minimum age for participation is 16.  Participants under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Any participant under 18 years of age is required to share a room with an adult 18 years or older.
Additionally, every participant needs to be able to ride a bicycle up to 6 to 7 hours per day at a maximum speed of 13 mph (21 kmh).
Participants also need to be able to confidently walk on cobblestone walkways and forested paths with some change in elevation.
If a participant finds during the course of the tour that he or she cannot keep up with the physical requirements of the tour, no refund will be given.  The participant will still be able to take part in the activities that do not involve biking or more strenuous walking or hiking.
Participants who use an E-bike are required to be 18 years or older.

Question 10

What happens if I get sick or am injured before or during the tour and can't participate in the tour?

Accepted Answer

Villages and Vineyards recommends that you purchase travel insurance through an independent travel insurance agency to minimize your risks and costs associated with cancellations due to unforeseen events, such as your illness, your injury, or family or personal emergencies that occur before or during the tour and that prevent your participation in the tour. 
Villages and Vineyards does not offer refunds for cancellations made 75 days or less prior to the tour start date or cancellations made during the tour itself.  Travel insurance plans are available that cover the losses associated with cancellations due to unforeseen events.
Villages and Vineyards does not employ medical personnel. In the event you require medical care during the tour, local medical care available in the region of the tour will be utilized. Villages and Vineyards is not responsible for the costs or quality of any medical care that you receive during the tour.  Villages and Vineyards is also not responsible if you decide to not receive medical care for an injury or illness.  We strongly encourage you to confirm prior to participation in the tour that you have, or purchase if you don’t have, medical and dental insurance that provides coverage outside your home country.

Question 11

How many participants will be on the tour?

Accepted Answer

The maximum number of tour participants is twelve (12).
The minimum number of tour participants is four (4).

Question 12

Do I have to wear a helmet?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  By participating in a Villages and Vineyards tour, you are required to wear a bike helmet during all portions of the tour that involve biking.  Please bring your own helmet from home, or you are welcome to purchase one from us as indicated on the booking form.
When boarding an airplane or other means of transport with a helmet, the helmet straps can be used to attach the helmet to a carry-on bag handle for easy transport.

Frequently Asked Questions