Cycling Holidays in Germany: Beautiful River Valleys, Vineyards and Picturesque Towns

What could provide a more pleasant break than a trip to the Saar and the Mosel, two rivers which wind through enchanting countryside, where castles on the hills guard the route and you can visit market squares surrounded by timbered houses? Is it any wonder that Mosel wine has built up such a good name? The journey through the Mosel valley between Koblenz and Trier traverses some of Germany's most beautiful countryside. You will meet winegrowers and bottlers on the way, but also cyclists from all around the world. The cycle tours are self-guided cycling tours with briefings by your tour guide.
You will live and travel on board the MS PATRIA, which has been a favourite ship for bike-boat holidays for many years.

The journey along the Mosel and Saar leads from Koblenz to Saarburg, and the return trip takes place the following week from Saarburg back to Koblenz. On various dates, the PATRIA also sails along the Rhine and the Neckar from Koblenz to Bad Wimpfen, and a week later it makes the return journey from Bad Wimpfen back to Koblenz, both tours with highlights like Heidelberg, Worms and Mainz. A combination of such routes therefore allows a perfect match with a particularly diverse 14-day bike-boat holiday.

Route

Day 1 (Saturday) Koblenz: Arrival and embarkation

Embarkation as from 4 PM; the crew will welcome you on board. You will spend the evening and first night in Koblenz.

Day 2: Koblenz – Alken | Alken – Moselkern – Cochem (ca. 27 km / 17 miles)

The ship will bring you to Alken. The bike tour starts here and brings you to Moselkern, and then on to Cochem. You can visit the Reichsburg and join a wine-tasting at a local winegrower (optional).

Day 3: Cochem – Zell on the Mosel (bike tour ca. 35 km / 21 miles)

The bike tour will first take you to Beilstein, which you can explore during a short tour. Pass Europe's steepest vineyard at Bremmer Calmont. Today's tour ends in the wine village of Zell on the Mosel.

Day 4: Zell on the Mosel – Bernkastel-Kues (ca. 41 km / 25 miles)

The bike tour from Zell brings you to romantic Traben-Trarbach, where Jugendstil architecture shows its best side. After that the middle aged market place of Bernkastel-Kues invites you for a rest. We will reach the ship in Kues after a tour through town.

Day 5: Bernkastel-Kues –Mehring (ca. 32 km / 20 miles)

Cycle tour to Neumagen-Dhron, the oldest wine city of Germany. After the lunch break the tour continues to Mehring.

Day 6: Mehring – Trier (ca. 35 km / 21 miles)

You will cycle via Pfalzel to Trier, where the ship is waiting for you. Trier is one of the oldest cities of Germany. Its Roman roots are still visible in impressive buildings as the Porta Nigra, the Konstantin basilica and the Amphitheatre.

Day 7: Trier – Saarburg | Saarburg – Mettlach – Saarburg (ca. 20-65 km / 12-41 m)

Sailing from Trier to Saarburg, also called "little Venice". In its centre you will find a waterfall of 20 meters deep. Cycling from Saarburg to Mettlach: optional visit at "Villeroy & Boch" and return to Saarburg. You may also decide to cycle from Trier to Saarburg.

Day 8: Saarburg

After breakfast you will disembark: End of tour.

Included:

Tour and accommodation on board 8 days / 7 nights (Sat.-Sat.) from/to Koblenz/Bad Wimpfen, cabin in the booked category
Full board (7 x breakfast, 6 x picnic lunch during bike tours, 7 x three course dinner)
Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible)
Daily short cleaning of the cabin
Welcome drink and speech on the first evening
Tour leader (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city tours, during the day the tour leader can be reached on his cell phone
Printed instructions and detailed maps for the daily bike tours
Daily coffee and tea till 4 PM

Not Included: Transfers to/from the docking place in Koblenz or Bad Wimpfen; Rental bicycle (optional), other transfers, parking fee, entrance fees & excursions, fees for ferries, drinks on board, personal insurances, gratuities (at your discretion).

Cycling Tracks

The quality of cycling tracks is very good: usually you will cycle on paved tracks along the rivers without any gradients of note. This makes the trip also suitable for relatively unpractised cyclists.

Rental Bicycles

The bicycles on board are mostly unisex touring or trekking bikes with normal mount (ladies model), with 7 or 8 gears, hand brake and/or pedal brake and pannier bag. Other bikes (e.g. E-Bikes, children's bikes, tandems etc.) can only be rented on request and in exceptional cases. Requests with a minimum of 2 months before departure date and only valid after a written confirmation by the tour operator.
A rental bicycle is optional. Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles (at no extra cost). However, the crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles. In Germany bikers are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet. Bike helmets are not available on board.

Parking Information:

Public car park near the landing in Koblenz, cost per week approx. 100 €.
Free P+R car park available, take the regular public bus into the city. No reservation possible.

Return transfer to Koblenz/Bad Wimpfen: 3 hours by train, cost approx. 34 €. Mini-van available for groups from 4 persons, cost approx. € 77 per person, limited space, reservation requested when booking the tour, payable locally.