Name: Rhine and Moselle: Koblenz – Koblenz
Brand: Boat Bike Tours
Price: 899 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 9.3 (2834 reviews)

Discover varied nature, immerse yourself in history and experience two of Germany’s most famous wine-growing regions along the beautiful rivers Rhine and Moselle on this wonderful trip. Where the Celts settled and the Romans introduced viticulture, the Rhine and Moselle and the excellent cycle paths along their banks connect all the sights on this tour by bike and boat. The start and end point is the Roman city of Koblenz, where the Moselle flows into the Rhine at the “Deutsche Eck”.

The Middle Rhine Valley is one of the most beautiful and oldest cultural landscapes in Europe and is considered the epitome of Rhine romance. Due to the great diversity and beauty of the Middle Rhine, the river valley between Koblenz and Bingen and Rüdesheim has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. The narrow and rugged Rhine Valley has always inspired painters, poets, thinkers and musicians. Around 40 castles, palaces and fortresses tower high above both banks, picturesque villages and towns are strung along the river like pearls on a string, with vine-covered slopes in between. You will see the Loreley Rock, where, according to legend, the beautiful Loreley with her long blonde hair enchanted the Rhine boatmen with her song and drove them to their doom. Upstream are Bingen and Rüdesheim, and the beautiful old Roman city of Mainz is the southernmost city on this tour.

The Moselle valley is best known for its Riesling wines. The vineyards offer ideal conditions for growing this popular grape variety. However, there are not only numerous cozy winegrowing villages along the Moselle, but also fantastic views, fairytale castles and much more. The steep slopes are characteristic of the Lower Moselle near Winningen. Terraced steep slopes can be found here. The pearl of the Moselle idyll, Eltz Castle, is magically nestled in the countryside not far from the river valley. A particularly idyllic section of the river valley is the Moselle loop near the picturesque Bremm between Cochem and Zell. This is the location of the Calmont, the steepest vineyard in Europe. Beilstein, Traben-Trarbach and Bernkastel-Kues are other beautiful towns on the Moselle that are famous for their wines. In Cochem, the Reichsburg castle towers high on a rock above the town.

The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You can make a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking.

You cycle independently
During this trip there is an expert and experienced tour leader on board. He or she will discuss the next day’s cycling routes on a daily basis and provide you with tips and information about the route. You will cycle the tours independently and at your own pace using a detailed cycling map, GPS directions via the free Ride With GPS app and printed route descriptions (available on board). The tour leader will also cycle the routes, so they will be riding nearby and can be reached by phone in case of emergencies, problems or questions.

Always the best rental bikes

The rental bikes on our ships are unisex bicycles with a low bar and a comfortable upright sitting position. These are stable and dependable bikes, good for miles in the saddle. Decide which kind of bike you want to rent and simply fill in your preference with your reservation. We’ll make sure you get the right bike for you. On most of our tours, the bike rental cost is not included in the tour’s price.

Every Boat Bike Tour rental bike is well equipped. The bikes consist of a lightweight aluminum frame and have highly-responsive handbrakes, at least seven speeds, an adjustable gel seat, normal flat pedals (no clips), an easy-to-use lock attached to the frame, and special puncture-resistant tires. All told, this is a light, stable and reliable bike, very suitable for touring long distances pleasantly.

Our e-bikes also have at least seven speeds and handbrakes. The motor runs on a 400Wh battery and offers three levels of power-assistance. The e-bikes include comfortable gel seats that can be adjusted for height, have a lock attached to the frame, and sport anti-puncture tires. Note that some of the ships have their own bikes on board. They may look a bit different, but qualitatively they are equal to Boat Bike Tours’s e-bikes.

Bicycle helmets
The use of bicycle helmets is not required in the Netherlands, but for safety’s sake they are suggested. If you wish to rent one, you can do so during the booking process. If you book a premium tour and rent a bike or e-bike, then the helmet and a “limit of liability for damage or loss” for your bike or e-bike is included in the rental price.

Other rental items
Other items such as children’s bikes, tandems, family tandems (child & adult), tag-along, trailers to carry toddlers and child seats are available on request.

Taking your own bike or e-bike?
The fee for parking your own bicycle is €10 per week. For an e-bike the fee is €25 to cover parking and charging the battery. For safety reasons it is not always possible to charge your e-bike batteries in your cabin. The crew will tell you where you can charge the battery on board the ship. Neither the crew nor Boat Bike tours is responsible in any way for any damage, loss or theft of a guest’s own bike or e-bike or its accessories. Note: not all the ships are suitable or have enough room for extra bikes, so make sure you check with us well ahead of travel.

Touring bikes

Our bicycles have a lightweight aluminum frame and are furnished with highly-responsive handbrakes, at least seven speeds and a gel seat whose height can be adjusted. Attached to the frame is an easy-to-use lock and the wheels carry puncture-resistant tires.

E-bikes

Our e-bikes also have highly-responsive handbrakes and a minimum of seven speeds. The motor runs on a 400Wh battery and offers three levels of power-assistance. The e-bikes include comfortable gel seats that can be adjusted for height, have a lock attached to the frame and special anti-puncture tires.

Taking your own bicycle

It is possible to take your own bike or e-bike with you, as long as it doesn’t have mirrors or other elements that stick out. There’s only limited space available on board for guests’ bikes. You can reserve a place for your bike for a small fee. Boat Bike tours is not responsible for damage to your bike or for theft.

Cycling cruise ship

Spacious cabins

Separate restaurant and lounge area

Modern furnished

Individually controlled air conditioning

max. 92 passengers

47 cabins

3 tours available with this ship

Arkona

During the winter of 2017-2018 the Arkona is being completely renovated. She has a modern and elegant atmosphere with on the upper deck a tastefully furbished lounge area with a bar, and a pleasant restaurant. The spacious sun deck is partly covered and the comfortable deck chairs invite to enjoy the passing scenery. Both the upper and the lower deck have nicely furnished cabins; all with 2 single low beds, en-suite facilities with shower and all necessary equipment and on the upper deck there are also 2 more single cabins with the same facilities.