Boat biking on the northern Rhine: Cologne - Mainz
Bike and river cruise among castles, wine villages and world heritage sites
8 dagar
Cykling Self-Guided trip
Level 1
7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunchboxes, 7 Dinners
Welcome to the cycling trip where the "hotel" actually does some of the work. While you pedal along the Rhine from Cologne to Mainz, the ship follows along and waits in the next harbor – with your cabin, dinner, and a spot on the sun deck. Six easy cycling stages take you through the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, where vineyards, half-timbered towns, and an almost ridiculous number of castles line the river. Along the way await Beethoven's city of Bonn, the confluence of the Moselle and the Rhine in Koblenz, the legendary Lorelei rock, and the wine town of Rüdesheim. The cycling is pleasantly flat and the days comfortably long, with plenty of time for a coffee, a glass of Riesling, or yet another castle. An active holiday, indeed – but with dinner on board, comfortable evenings, and the same cabin all week.
Tour Highlights
Cycle through the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Stay comfortably on board throughout the entire bike trip
Pass Loreley and the romantic castles of the Rhine Valley
Discover Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz
Enjoy wine villages, half-timbered houses and river landscapes
Program
Select Your Program Variation:
7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunchboxes and 7 Dinners included
Dinner
Arrival on your own to Cologne and boarding from 4:00 PM. Settle into your cabin and get acquainted with your floating hotel for the coming week. If you have time to spare, Cologne awaits right outside the door, with its mighty cathedral and old town alleys. Feel free to start the trip in classic Cologne style with a glass of Kölsch at one of the city's beer halls. Then it's time to settle in on board – tomorrow the bike and the Rhine await.
Level and accommodation
Very easy cycling in mostly flat terrain, with stages of 25–45 km and an average of about 35 km. You cycle mainly on paved or surfaced bike paths along the Rhine and its embankments, with no notable climbs. Before each stage, a briefing is held on board, and you navigate using digital directions and GPS tracks in the GUIBO app. Travel documents and language on board are in English and German. The route and times may change depending on, among other things, water levels and conditions at locks and bridges.
MS Switzerland is a comfortable river cruiser with a classic and cozy style, particularly suited for cycling trips along the Rhine. On board there is a restaurant, a spacious panorama lounge with a bar, and a large sun deck with seating. All 56 cabins are outward-facing, approximately 11 m², and have their own bathroom, air conditioning, TV, hair dryer, and safe. On the main deck there are double cabins, single cabins, and mini-suites with panoramic windows where the upper part can be opened. The Eco cabins are located where noise from the engine and generator may occur during navigation and in locks. On the upper deck there are double cabins and mini-suites, all with a French balcony and floor-to-ceiling opening windows. The mini-suites on both decks also have a small seating area.
More information
