My husband and I are recently retired and thinking of taking a biking or hiking trip around Europe ...

If you are short on time and want to have a through-the-back-door experience, I recommend signing up with one of the small tour operators. Trips range in price based on your accommodation needs (and often the size of the brochure, so ask for references). Each one should connect you with a local guide who knows the best bike and hiking routes, great local restaurants, and everyone in the area. If you have time and love planning your itinerary, the self-guided experience is great, but know that you’ll likely be working through guidebooks or travel sites which offer the same information that every other tourists is using.