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Rhine: boat & bike Mainz - Cologne

Bike & boat on the Middle Rhine

Bike & Boat
8 Days / 7 Nights
individual tour
Velociped-Partner-Tour
easy
from
1,199.00 €
Book now Book
from
1,199.00 €

Experience the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its diverse wine villages and countless castles, castle ruins and palaces on this charming bike & ship tour with the MS Olympia. The journey will take you from the impressive Mainz Cathedral through the Rhine Valley to the cathedral city of Cologne. Following the Rhine Cycle Path, you'll pass through lovely vineyards near Eltville, explore Eberbach Monastery (+ 14 km) and marvel at the Loreley Rock near St. Goar, from where you'll enjoy a beautiful sweeping view of the countryside. Look forward to charming places to stay with a variety of sights, activities and also the culinary arts will not be neglected thanks to excellent wine creations and the Rhenish culinary art. The enchanting Rhine awaits you!

This trip is perfect for:

  • Ship enthusiasts who would like to spend part of their journey on board.
  • Wine lovers who like to round off their day with a glass of wine.
  • History buffs who are enthusiastic about castles and palaces.

Highlights

Mainz Cathedral
The High Cathedral of Mainz is the episcopal church of the Roman Catholic diocese of Mainz and is under the patronage of St. Martin of Tours.

Mainz Cathedral

Drosselgasse, Rüdesheim

The heart of Rüdesheim's old town is a meeting place for locals and visitors from all over the world. This is where the music is and where it never stops!

Drosselgasse

Monastery Eberbach

The monastery "Kloster Eberbach" is located in a beautiful valley next to the Rheingau where it´s surrounded by trees and vine.

Monastery Eberbach

Loreley

The Loreley is a 433 feet high slate cliff in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley World Heritage near the town of St. Goarshausen. The view of St. Goarshausen, from the Loreley ( Lorelei ) outlook point, with Castle Katz and the view of the town St. Goar and its Fortress Rheinfels, leaves a wonderful impression on all Loreley ( Lorelei ) tourists.

Loreley

Deutsches Eck, Koblenz

World-famous: Where Father Rhine and Mother Moselle meet: The Deutsches Eck ("German Corner").

Deutsches Eck

Andernach, Geyser
A spectacular natural phenomenon is waiting to be discovered by you in the Rhine valley.Every two hours, the Geyser erupts with an impressive water fountain rising up to 60 metres / 200 ft. into the sky, driven by carbon dioxide from deep volcanic sources. 

Andernach, Geyser

The Old Town Hall Bonn
The historic Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), Bonn's showpiece, is located behind the University directly by the market. The building with the decorated rococo facade houses the offices and representative rooms of the mayor.

The Old Town Hall

Cologne Cathedral
It can be seen from nearly every point in the city centre and from many places elsewhere: The magnificent Cologne Cathedral hovers above the roofs and chimneys of the city.

Cologne Cathedral

Rhine: boat & bike Mainz - Cologne

easy
Bike & Boat
8 Days / 7 Nights
individual tour
from
1,199.00 €
Book now Book

MS Olympia is a comfortable and cozy river ship with a family atmosphere. The ship was renovated in 2015/ 2016. The panorama salon with bar, furnished in English club style, and the bright and friendly restaurant invite you to spend relaxing hours on board. Look forward to the spacious, partially covered sun deck with seating, which also serves as a storage space for bicycles. In total, the MS Olympia offers 49 comfortable outside cabins for max. 96 guests. On the main deck there are 21 two-bed cabins with a size of approx. 11 sqm, on the upper deck 22 two-bed cabins,

which are also approx. 11 sqm in size, as well as 4 larger cabins in the aft part of the ship (12 sqm). 3 of them are equipped with a double bed. In these cabins increased noises are perceptible during the journey. Here are also the 2 single cabins, which are about 9 square meters. All cabins have shower/WC, hairdryer, telephone, TV, individually regulated air conditioning/heating, refrigerator, safe and a panoramic window. The windows on the upper deck can be opened, all other windows cannot.

Tour

Arrive early, because there is a lot to discover in Mainz! Visit the Mainz Cathedral and the Gutenberg Museum before embarking between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm (2024: from 4:00 pm). On board, the captain, crew and your on-board tour guide will give you a warm welcome.

Today your bike & ship tour starts with the first bike stage from Mainz to Rüdesheim through the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. With views of numerous Rhine islands, the bike route leads along gentle vineyards and slate cliffs to famous wine-growing towns. Among other things, the impressive half-timbered town of Eltville awaits you. Plan a detour to Eberbach Monastery, which is well worth seeing (+ approx. 14 km). Once in Rüdesheim, we recommend a visit to a wine tasting and a stroll through the famous Drosselgasse. Also worth seeing is a visit to the Niederwald Monument, which you can reach in a relaxed manner by cable car.

Today, your bike route will take you past medieval castles and half-ruined fortresses. You will pass the Mäuseturm, the famous castles Rheinstein and Reichenstein, as well as Burg Hohneck and Sooneck. Before you reach your today's stage destination St. Goar, you will pass the world-famous rock Loreley, which you should climb on the hiking trail. Once at the top, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view of the narrowest point in the romantic Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Also located here is the worthwhile Loreley Visitor Center, which provides insights into the exciting history of the region and the myth of the Loreley.

Continuing to follow the narrow Rhine valley, today you will drive through the famous and turbulent wine-growing town of Boppard. Indulge in a wine tasting or take the chair lift far above the Rhine, to the Vierseenblick, where a fantastic view of the Rhine Valley awaits you. The well-preserved Marksburg Castle and Stolzenfels Castle are on the way to the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, your destination today.

Today's stage from Koblenz to Andernach takes you first to Neuwied and Engers Castle, which is well worth a visit. Let yourself drift leisurely along the flat Rhine cycle path and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Once you arrive in Andernach, one of the oldest cities in Germany awaits you with its famous cold-water geyser, which emits a water fountain up to 60 meters high, making it one of the highest in the world. Also discover the Round Tower or make a detour to the wine village of Leutesdorf, which you can easily reach by ferry from Andernach.

After breakfast, you will cycle in a relaxed manner towards your today's stage destination Bonn. On the way, it is worth visiting Drachenburg Castle, which is located on the Drachenfels overlooking Königswinter and can be reached via a ride on one of Germany's oldest cogwheel railroads. Alternatively, Sea Life with its wide variety of sea creatures is an option. Continue on the leisurely Rhine Cycle Path to Bonn, where the former federal capital awaits you with its numerous sights, museums and its Rhenish cozy, yet also international flair.

On the last stage of your bike & ship tour, the bike path once again runs directly along the charming banks of the Rhine. Before you reach Cologne, you can take a break on the leisure island of Zündorfer Groov with its extensive Rhine meadow landscape. As you continue, you will arrive in the lively carnival capital of Cologne, where you should take time for a tour of the old town. There are a variety of interesting museums and sights, such as the famous Cologne Cathedral, as well as the modern part of Cologne at the Rheinauhafen with its crane houses. You should also not miss to taste a Kölsch beer or two in one of Cologne's numerous breweries and thus enjoy a pleasurable end to your trip.

Today your bike & ship trip ends after breakfast and disembarkation until 09:00am.

Program subject to change without notice. If, for example, a route cannot be sailed due to low water, high water or bad weather, the skipper reserves the right to change the route for your safety (this is not a reason for withdrawal free of charge).

Map

Prices / Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services / Info

  • 7 nights in outside cabins in the booked category
  • Full board: 7 x breakfast, 6 x packed lunch for bike tours or small lunch, 6 x coffee and cake in the afternoon, 7 x 3-course dinner
  • Program according to itinerary
  • All passenger and port fees
  • Welcome drink
  • Daily cabin cleaning, change of bed linen and towels as required
  • Maps for the individual tours 1 x per cabin
  • Daily bike route briefing
  • On-board tour guide
  • GPS data
Worth knowing about the bike and boat tour on the Rhine from Mainz to Cologne

Below you will find specific information about the bike and boat tour on the Rhine from Mainz to Cologne. If you have further questions about this trip, you simply call us: Phone: 06421 – 886890.

Arrival by train

Mainz is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. All our partner hotels are located within easy access to the station. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de.

Train schedule information

Parking facilities in Mainz

Car park at Mainz main station, unguarded, no reservation possible, costs approx. 55 € per week (as of May 2023).

Lactose-free and gluten-free food

If you require a lactose-free or gluten-free diet, this is possible on board, but there is a surcharge for this, which must be paid on site. Please let us know at the time of booking or at least 14 days before arrival if you require a lactose-free or gluten-free diet.

Luggage

We recommend good rain gear, a bicycle helmet, sun hat and sports shoes. For reasons of space, we would like to ask you to refrain from carrying luggage with hard shells, the storage space in the cabin is very limited!

Condition of cycle paths

The route along the Rhine runs almost exclusively on tarmac and surfaced cycle paths and embankments or on quiet country roads without any significant gradients.

Available rental bikes

Smooth-running 7-speed unisex touring bikes and 8-speed e-bikes, each with handbrake, freewheel or coaster brake (limited availability, please specify as a non-binding customer request when booking) and pannier bag.
Velociped rental bikes

Own bikes

Due to the limited space available on the sun deck, it is only possible to bring your own bike on request and only to a limited extent.

Return journey to Mainz

You can travel by train from Cologne to Mainz in just over 2 - 3 hours for approx. € 25 - 45.

Subject to change

Subject to change. If a route cannot be travelled due to low or high water or bad weather, the skipper reserves the right to change the route for your safety. This is not a reason for cancellation free of charge.

Extra costs that are not included in the tour price

Arrival and departure, transfers, bike hire, optional excursions, entrance and sightseeing fees, city maps, insurance, tips and personal expenses.

7 day hotline service
Just in case the bike chain breaks, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible. 

Passport and visa requirements
For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Travel insurance
The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Velociped can withdraw from the tour twenty-one days before the starting date of the tour, at the latest, in case the minimum number of participants stated under the tour description is not attained. You will duly be informed without any delay in case of a withdrawal. Velociped will of course refund the paid tour price immediately. Please note our General Terms and Conditions.

Your travel expert for this tour

I provide you with advice and assistance

Steffi Groß

Travel Expert

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