Trip Type: Self-Guided

Accompanied by a cruise ship you cycle along Europe’s second largest river Danube from the charming Bavarian “Three River City” of Passau straight into the heart of the once glorious Imperial and Royal Monarchy. Enjoy three of the most enchanting European capitals: the lively Vienna, the Slovak coronation city of Bratislava at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and Budapest, the “Hungarian Danube Queen”! By bicycle you discover the stunning natural spectacle of the Schlögener Donauschlinge (“Great Loop”), the legendary Wachau with romantic towns and mighty castles amidst lovely vineyards, the untouched alluvial forests of the Danube National Park, as well as the picturesque Hungarian Danube bend where the important cupola of the basilica in Esztergom salutes from the distance. The highlights of the tour: Passau, the City of Three Rivers, the Schloegen Danube Loop, the Hungarian Danube Bend, the World Heritage Site Wachau, the metropoles of Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna.

The Province of the Southern Netherlands: You are travelling through the green heart of the Netherlands. Hardly any province is more changing and many faceted than the Southern Netherlands. Big cities as well as untouched nature are so close to each other. The many waterways offer uncountable opportunities to discover the wonderful landscapes and culture historical highlights of the province “Zuid-Holland”. Experience such different cities like Dordrecht, Utrecht and Rotterdam, also known as the “Manhattan on the river Maas”. Beautiful landscape of Polderland, the famous windmill row of Kinderdijk and not forget the major porcelain manufacturer in Delft with its “Delfter Blue”.    

Accompanied by a cruise ship you cycle along Europe’s second largest river Danube from the charming Bavarian “three river city” of Passau straight into the heart of the once glorious Imperial and Royal Monarchy. Enjoy three of the most enchanting European capitals: the lively Vienna, the Slovak coronation city of Bratislava at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and Budapest, the “Hungarian Danube Queen”! By bicycle you discover the stunning natural spectacle of the Schlögener Donauschlinge (“Great Loop”), the legendary Wachau with romantic towns and mighty castles amidst lovely vineyards, the untouched alluvial forests of the Danube National Park, as well as the picturesque Hungarian Danube bend where the important cupola of the basilica in Esztergom salutes from the distance.  The highlights of the tour: Passau, the City of 3 Rivers, the Schloegen Danube Loop, the Hungarian Danube Bend, the World Heritage Site Wachau, the metropoles of Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna.

Flat countryside up to the horizon, windmills, canals (Grachten) and cycling that are the Netherlands. And there is so much more. Discover the Netherlands in a unique way on an eight day journey by bike and boat. Well-built cycle paths as well as wide and extensive waterways guarantee an unforgettable holiday. Throughout the day you are cycling on your own through the beautiful landscapes in Rembrandt’s and Van Gogh’s country and in the late afternoon your swimming hotel MS Serena will be at your disposal. And if you don’t like to cycle every day, you can stay on board and enjoy the passing countryside. The province of the Northern Netherlands: The Dutch province of the Northern Netherlands is situated on a peninsula of the North Sea and the Ijsselmeer (Ijssel Sea). The Northern Netherlands was founded due to the separation of the north and south of the Netherlands in 1840.  Its capital is Haarlem, the biggest city is Amsterdam.  Discover the folklore and tradition in the flat Polderland, on the North Sea and in romantic ports. You travel through a former lake and marsh region that has been drained by the help of windmills since the 17th century. Experience varying, typically Dutch Polder countryside, dunes and the North Sea beaches, the North Sea island Texel and many picturesque harbour villages on the coast of the Ijsselmeer.

From the metropolis of Berlin with its vast forests in the north, you will first sail to Schwedt on the Oder-Havel Canal, passing through Oranienburg and Eberswalde. The peaceful, unique beauty of the Oder landscape will accompany you to the Polish city of Szczecin with its magnificent castle. The river will then take you along the unique Bodden coast through Usedom to Germany’s largest island, Rügen, with its famous chalk cliffs. The old hanseatic city of Stralsund is the trip’s destination. What could be more wonderful than sitting on the sun deck and enjoying the splendid views of the landscape slowly passing by and finding out all sorts of interesting things about the country, people, culture and nature on lovely bike tours? Discover the varied flora and fauna of these unique fluvial landscapes, baroque castles, brick gothic and northern German seaside resort architecture.

The bike tour along the German / Austrian Danube is a very special pleasure, because your “swimming hotel” is always with you! Gently downhill, you will cycle along lush green river banks, through small, dreamy villages in the impressive Danube landscapes. You will discover the breath taking natural wonder of the “Great Loop” (a swift 180º turn!) and immerse yourself in legendary Wachau with its vineyard terraces and enchanted castles and monasteries. Then Vienna – an abundance of sights! A city, hard to describe – you have to see and feel it! Sights like St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the city hall and the world’s oldest Ferris wheel (Riesenrad) are easy to reach during a wonderful sightseeing tour by bike. A stroll through the Naschmarkt (famous food market) is a wonderful cultural and culinary adventure. You can also relax at any of the cosy coffee houses or at a typical traditional Viennese wine tavern in the suburbs. The highlights of the tour: Passau, the City of 3 rivers, the Schloegen Danube Loop, the World Heritage Site Wachau, Upper Austria’s capital Linz, the cosmopolitan city Vienna with a plethora of sights.

The Czech Republic, the small country in the heart of Europe, impresses with its original river landscapes, picturesque villages and romantic castles, whose history and architecture can often be traced back to the middle Ages. Prague, known also as “the Golden City” and “the City of a Hundred Spires”, is both point of departure and final destination for this beautiful bike and barge tour along the Upper Moldova. In Czech called Vltava, and the huge Elbe River – when the bridges of the Vltava River are ablaze with sunlight and the spires of the castle sparkle in the light, then it becomes obvious that Prague has its nickname ”Golden City” with good reason! Multifaceted and unique, modern and at the same time aware of tradition – discover one of Europe’s most beautiful metropolises with its Old Town listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site and cycle through unspoilt and sometimes gently hilly landscapes. And of course – the Czech Republic is well known for its world-famous beers but also for its good wines.

The history of this region even goes back to the Roman Era, some 2,000 years ago. Beautiful timbered houses, vineyards, the Porta Nigra in Trier, the “German corner” (conjunction of Moselle and Rhine) in Koblenz and Saarburg (also known as “little Venice”) are but a few of the highlights during this trip. The Moselle, with a length of 544 km, is the Rhine’s longest tributary and it is also the second most important shipping route in Germany. The Saar, which has the greatest abundance of water and a length of 246 km, is the Moselle’s longest tributary.

It doesn’t get any better than the Southern Tour of Holland on board your home away from home, the ship De Amsterdam or Poseidon. Not only will you get the chance to visit a number of famous Dutch cities, but you will also uncover another side of Holland as you cycle through the countryside – the country’s “Green Heart”. It is here that you will see a landscape of water, meadows, grazing cows, windmills and picturesque farms… it is a landscape that is impossible to feel or look any more Dutch. In short the Southern Tour is the perfect tour for anyone wanting to see as much of “typical” central Holland as is possible in one week. What you will come away with at the end of the tour is a greater appreciation of why this part of the Netherlands attracts so many visitors from all corners of the globe every year.

Beginning in the spa town of Monção, you’ll follow eco trails along the River Minho, the natural border with Spain, which offers fabulous views, wildlife and scenery as well as fortified towns with centuries of history. From the mouth of the Minho at Caminha you’ll head down a verdant section of the Atlantic Coast, filled with stunning beaches, to the beautiful historical city of Viana do Castelo and then follow the Lima River to the oldest town in Portugal, Ponte de Lima. From this idyllic setting, cycle all the way to the villages of Arcos de Valdevez and Ponta da Barca along eco trails on either side of the river. Next stop is Barcelos, home to a legendary cockerel and an important stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail, before heading back to the coast for the last leg of the journey. More wonderful beaches, fishing communities, nature reserves and interesting towns and cities form part of your last cycling day. End the tour in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, the home of port wine.