Mosel and Saar-Bike and Barge (and reverse)

Type of tour:	Guided
Level ?:	2
Duration:	7 nights
Distance:	25 Miles/day average
Dates:	From Cochem: Aug 20; Sep 3; Oct 1, 15, 2017. From Merzig: Oct 8, 22, 2017 (Indicates fully booked date)
Tour price:	€1,075 (guided)
Start city:	Merzig or Cochem, Germany
End city:	Merzig or Cochem, Germany

Guided

Self-guided

Tour Description

Discover the legacy of the Roman empire

This tour along the Mosel and Saar combines the best of the German "Bundesländer" Rheinland Pfalz and Saarland. While cycling from Alken to Merzig you'll discover the legacy of the Roman empire, go beyond your bounds and meet the "Queen of grapes."

Go back in time and visit the Roman villas and public baths along the two rivers. In Trier, you can visit the Porta Nigra. This ancient gateway is one of the most well-known monuments from the Roman era.

While cycling through one of Germany's greater wine-growing areas, this is an excellent occasion to try a lot of different wines and see where the grapes grow and how the wines are made. Get acquainted with the excellent but uncomplicated wines from the Saar and the so-called "Spitzenweinen" along the Mosel, like the "Zeller Schwarze Katz." The main ingredient for those wines is the Riesling, a white grape variety which dates back to the 15th century and is crowned as the "Queen of grapes."

Learn more about guided tours.

Note: You'll receive detailed route information at your start hotel. If you'd like to do some reading before you go, we recommend the Mosel Bike Trail book by Esterbauer Publishing. You can purchase it in advance through gotrekkers.com. Enter "Mosel" in the search box. The rates are in Canadian dollars.

Highlights

Porta Nigra
Saarschleife von Merzig
Vineyards of Calmont
Burg Eltz

Daily Program

This tour operates in two directions: from Cochem to Merzig or from Merzig to Cochem. Both itineraries are detailed below.

Cochem – Merzig

Day 1: Arrival to Cochem
Embarkment 3:00pm.

Day 2: Cochem – Zell (27 miles/44 km)
Through five remarkable bends, you’ll meander along with the river to the famous vineyards of Calmont. The steepest slopes have a gradient of 65% which makes it quite difficult for the farmers to tend their vineyards. The lunch stop will be at the beautiful village of Beilstein, backdrop for many movies. The endpoint of today is the city of the black cat, Zell. The story goes that when some wine merchants from Aachen had to choose which wine barrel they wanted to buy, a black cat jumped upon one of the barrels to defend it. Of course, this made it clear for them which barrel they should buy.
Overnight in Zell.

Day 3: Zell - Bernkastel-Keus (25 miles/40 km)
The Mosel makes its way through green landscapes with vineyards and forests. Just after leaving Zell there will be another hiking opportunity that leads you to the "Marienburg" where you will be awarded by a splendid view over the Mosel Meander. Along the way, you’ll find some beautiful towns and villages like the beautiful double city in Jugendstil, Traben Trarbach and the so-called "Winzerdorf" Wolf. The final destination is Bernkastel-Kues, a medieval town with romantic narrow streets and remarkable half-timbered houses and picturesque nooks and crannies.
Overnight in Bernkastel Keus.

Day 4: Bernkastel Kues, Moselle-Maare cycling trail (34 miles/55km)
In the morning the cycle bus takes you to Daun, to the start of the Moselle-Maare cycling trail, possibly the most famous cycling trail of the central Moselle. The track is built on an old railway line. There is no simpler way to cycle to the Moselle valley than on the former railway line through the Volcanic Eifel! The road runs through the landscape of volcanoes and crater lakes, along magnificent viaducts and past old railway stations. Light as a feather, it continues to roll on the Moselle bike path to Bernkastel-Kues.
Overnight in Bernkastel Keus.

Day 5: Bernkastel Keus – Trier (31 miles/50 km)
Along today's route, you'll find a lot of Roman villas and public baths but also relics of other ancient civilizations such as the Celts. All those historical buildings are placed on the slopes along the ever winding river. "Special of the day" is the "Piesporter Goldtröpfchen," a lovely local blended white wine that we are going to taste in a local wine-bar. We will take the time to pay a visit to Trier, the oldest city in Germany, where you can visit some more Roman legacies like the Porta Nigra, the Basilica of Constantine the Great and an amphitheater.
Overnight in Trier.

Day 6: Trier – Saarburg (22 miles/35 km)
During today’s tour you switch rivers in the historical city of Konz. From here you leave the Mosel behind and go south along the Saar. Before you take "exit Saar" you’ll go further west to jump over the border into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

One thing's for sure, you’re not the first tourist in the area. Around the year 365 A.D., the Roman teacher and poet Magnus Ausonius wrote his hymn Mosella. "Greetings, river, framed by perfumed vineyard-covered hills, Framed by grass; river of greenest shores. Your strong waters carry ships, flowing in easy waves. Along the stream, and a glittering lake your depths emulate."

Tonight you’ll stay in Saarburg. Don’t forget to take a walk through the old town center with the famous waterfalls and visit the old city castle.
Overnight in Saarburg.

Day 7: Saarburg – Merzig (22 miles/35 km)
From Saarburg you cycle south along the Saar. Around the little village of Saarhölzbach, you leave the Rheinland Pfalz behind and enter the Saarland. The history of this little village goes back to the year 802 and the government of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, king of Franks, king of Italy and the first Holy Roman Emperor. Today we will have lunch in Mettlach, a little town along the Saar River where we will visit the famous Villeroy and Boch porcelain museum. Today’s highlight is the beautiful Saarschleife (Saar loop). You will have the opportunity to hike to a lookout where you can have a great view over the whole region. The highlight of today is the beautiful Saarschleife. The endpoint of today is Merzig, a small city in Saarland about 10 km from the border of France.
Overnight in Merzig.

Day 8: Merzig
The tour ends after breakfast. Disembarkation by 10:00am. It is well worth the effort to take some time to look around in Merzig to visit the Garden of Senses or the wolf park of Werner Freund.

Merzig – Cochem

Day 1: Arrival in Merzig
Board the ship starting at 3:00pm in the beautiful Saarland town of Merzig with a lot of shops and terraces. At 4:00pm, we will make a short trip along the Saar River to a beautiful mooring-place near the Saarschleife (Saar loop), at 4pm.
Overnight in Saarschleife.

Day 2: Saarschleife – Saarburg (22 miles/35 km)
After breakfast, you will bike to the Saar-Canyon. Here, you have the opportunity to hike to an outlook site on top of the Saar-Canyon where there is a magnificent panorama over the faraway surroundings. The hike is not steep and takes 1 hour uphill and half an hour downhill. At lunchtime, you will arrive in the town of Mettlach where you will have lunch and can visit the town. Of course, you the group will visit the biggest attraction of the town: The Villeroy and Boch porcelain museum including a cup of coffee in the beautiful Museum-Café. We will end this day-trip in the very scenic town of Saarburg with its huge waterfall in the middle of town.
Overnight in Saarburg.

Day 3: Saarburg – Trier (22 miles/35 km)
During today's tour you switch rivers in the historical city of Konz, from here you leave the Saar behind and follow the Mosel towards Luxembourg.

One thing's for sure, you're not the first tourist in the area: It was around the year 365 A.D. that the river inspired the Roman teacher Magnus Ausonius to write his hymn Mosella: "Greetings, river, framed by perfumed vineyard-covered hills, Framed by grass; river of greenest shores. Your strong waters carry ships, flowing in easy waves. Along the stream, and a glittering lake your depths emulate."

Along the old Saarschleife you cycle to the Igeler Säule and Wasserbillig in Luxemburg. In the afternoon, you'll turn eastwards to Trier where you’ll stay for the roughly 3 hours. This city is known for its Roman legacies like the Porta Nigra, the Basilica of Constantine the Great and an amphitheater. After visiting you cycle one hour to the mooring-place of the barge.
Overnight in Nearby Trier.

Day 4: Nearby Trier, sailing to Schweig, and cycling to Bernkastel-Keus (31 miles/50 km)
Just like yesterday the Romans are still present today. Along the route, you'll find a lot of old Roman villas, public baths and other relics of ancient civilizations. All those historical buildings are placed on the slopes along the winding river. The end point of today is the medieval town of Bernkastel-Keus with its romantic narrow streets, remarkable half-timbered houses and picturesque nooks and crannies. There's an opportunity for a wine-tasting-excursion in a winery.

Day 5: Bernkastel Keus – Moselle-Maare cycling trail (34 miles/55 km)
In the morning the cycle bus takes you to Daun, to the start of the Moselle-Maare cycling trail, possibly the most famous cycling trail of the central Moselle. The track is built on an old railway line. There is no simpler way to cycle to the Moselle valley than on the former railway line through the Volcanic Eifel! The road runs through the landscape of volcanoes and crater lakes, along magnificent viaducts and past old railway stations. Light as a feather, it continues to roll on the Moselle bike path to Bernkastel-Kues.
Overnight in Bernkastel-Kues.

Day 6: Bernkastel Keus – Zell (25 miles/40 km)
As if it had imbibed a drink or two, the Mosel makes its way through a green and fascinating landscape with vineyards and forests. Along the way you’ll find some beautiful towns and villages like the so-called ‘Winzerdorf’ Wolf and even further around the next curve you’ll be surprised by the beautiful double city in Jugendstil, Traben Trarbach. Just before Zell there will be another hiking opportunity that leads you to the “Marienburg” where you will be awarded by a splendid view over the Mosel Meander. The ship waits for you in the city of the black cat, Zell. The story goes that when some wine merchants from Aachen had to choose which wine barrel they should buy a black cat jumped upon one of the barrels to defend it. Of course this made it clear for them which barrel they should buy.
Overnight in Zell.

Day 7: Zell – Cochem (28 miles/45 km)
The day starts with sailing to the beautiful village of Beilstein, décor of many movies. Today we will visit the most beautiful castle along the Mosel River: Burg Eltz. We will bike to a bicycle parking lot on the foothill and from there continue hiking (1 hour, not steep) to Burg Eltz. Here there is an opportunity to visit the original medieval interior of the castle and climb the tower. After the visit we cycle along the Mosel to Cochem, the final destination of this cycling week. Cochem is famous for its wines and dominated by the old Reichsburg.
Overnight in Cochem.

Day 8: Departure from Cochem
After breakfast, the tour ends. Disembarkation by 10:00am.

Route Map

Dates and Prices

Dates

Prices

Dates

From Cochem: Aug 20; Sep 3*; Oct 1, 15, 2017. From Merzig: Oct 8, 22, 2017 (*Indicates fully booked date)

Prices

Zwaan (Comfort Plus)

From Cochem: Aug 20; Sep 3*; Oct 1, 15, 2017. From Merzig: Oct 8, 22, 2017 (*Indicates fully booked date)

Per person, double occupancy	€1,075
Single cabin surcharge (1 person/1 cabin)	€470
Bike rental
Hybrid touring bike	€75
Electrically assisted bike	€140
Helmet (must be booked in advance)	€10
Children's bike	€50
Child's seat	€15
Tag-along	€50
Bike trailer	€85
Bike insurance, hybrid touring bike	€15
Bike insurance, electrically assisted bike	€40
Bike maps (must be ordered when booking)	€30
Discounts (on base package price) For third person sharing cabin with 2 full-paying adults
Per person	€-26
Discounts (on base package price) Child sharing a room with at least 1 full-paying adult
Child, ages 0-2	100%
Child, ages 3-11	30%

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Estimate these prices in your currency

*Real-time "mid-market" rates used above are for guidance purposes only. Buy rates are typically 2-3% higher. Note that all payments must be made in U.S. Dollars.

Reviews

Included Services

All nights on board (including linens)
Breakfast and dinner on board
Lunch packages when on the road
Coffee and tea on board
Tour guide
Road book (1 per cabin)*
Ferry fares on the route

*The road book (1 per cabin) includes the detailed itinerary. Although the tour is guided, if you wish to cycle any of the days on your own, you may purchase a set of bike maps (must be ordered at time of booking). The bike maps are road maps which provide an overview of the entire area and not just the daily cycling route.

Note: special wishes concerning meals as dietary or vegetarian food can be provided upon request. Extra fees may apply. Please inform us when booking your tour.

Boats

Zwaan (Comfort Plus class)
Full boat details and photos >

Bike Rentals

Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

Hybrid touring bike, 24-speed
Electrically assisted bike, 24-speed unisex
Children's bikes, child seats (rear of bike), tag-alongs (one-wheeled bicycle attached to adult hybrid bike), and tow behind bike trailers

All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:

Pannier bags
Lock
Water bottle
Repair kit (upon request)

Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

Helmets:
Helmets can be rented through the tour company for €10 per week. They must be ordered with booking, and may not be rented on arrival. A helmet is required for children in the Netherlands (helmets are included with renting of children's equipment, but not for adults). Alternatively, we recommend bringing your own helmet for safety and hygiene reasons.

Bike Insurance:
You can purchase bike insurance with your booking, if you would like. It costs €15 for a hybrid touring bike and €40 for an electrically assisted bike.

Surface and Terrain

The quality of the bike paths on this tour are very good. The cycle path follows primarily flat asphalt roads, without any noteworthy climbs. You can also choose to stay on board the ship at any time throughout the tour.

How To Get There

Tour start and end

Cochem
Nearest airport: Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA), Germany
Nearest train station: Cochem, Germany

From the airport you can take a train directly to Cochem. The ticket will cost about €30 per person, and the trip will take approximately 2.5 hours. For more information about departure times and duration see: www.db.de.

From the train station in Cochem, you can take a taxi ride to the mooring place.

Merzig
Nearest airport: Luxembourg (LUX), Luxembourg or Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA)
Nearest train station: Merzig (Saar), Germany

From the airport you can take a train directly to Merzig. The ticket will cost about €50 per person, and the trip will take approximately 2.5 hours.

From the train station, you can take a 10 minute taxi ride to the mooring place.

Tips for getting to and from your tour

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Please note: Instead of operating bicycle tours ourselves, BikeTours.com represents local bicycle tour operators around the world. We offer their tours at the same rates you'd find on their sites.

Remember: Tour prices are the same whether you book through BikeTours.com or the local operator.

Please review the tour operator's information and terms below, then submit your booking request through BikeTours.com. There are three primary benefits of booking your tour through BikeTours.com:

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Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

Tour Company Terms and Info

Tour company background:

Cycletours Holidays

Cycletours Holidays originated in 1987 as a seperate division, specializing in Bike & Barge Holidays, especially designed for the overseas tourist wanting to discover Holland. Cycletours Holidays was the first company to offer trips such as these, combining regular cycling tours with overnight stays on a ship, serving as hotel and luggage transport all-in-one!

Cycletours Holiday's staff has more then 15 year's experience with Bike and Barge Holidays. Their excellent service is a strength, and they offer good quality holidays for a reasonable price. They hope to welcome you soon on one of their Bike & Barge or Bed & Bike Holidays!

Tour company terms and conditions

Charge for Changes
If after booking a trip, you wish to make changes, bear in mind that you can be billed a surcharge to cover the costs of changes, This amounts to € 14,-. According to the ANVR terms and conditions, changes can generally be made up to 28 days prior to the departure date.

Cancellation conditions according to BikeToursDirect

Until 60 days before day of departure: € 65
59-45 days before the day of departure: € 135
44-30 days before the day of departure: € 270
29 days before the day of departure- no show: 100% of the fare
(Different conditions apply to group reservations/chartering a ship)

The conditions of all tours act on the Dutch jurisdiction. Any liability of the tour operator (the transporter) is limited to the amounts of the concerned insurance-company(s) of the tour operator / the transporter is (are) willing to pay, taken into account the maximum overages. The parties agree that the Dutch law applies to this agreement. Any conflicts arising out of this contract will be brought solely before a competent judge in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Cycle Tours Holland Travel Agreement
A travel agreement is reached with the traveler's acceptance of our offer. Acceptance can take place either directly through us or via the intermediary service of a booking office. As soon as you make a reservation, your accommodations will be arranged. When these arrangements have been settled, you'll receive word from us and thereupon, the invoice will be sent.

A confirmation of your booking together with the invoice will be sent within 72 hours. Travel documents will be sent via e-mail 3 weeks prior to departure. When booking more than 2 months before departure, payment in terms is possible. Deposit is 15% of the total amount. Second payment needs to be done at least 6 weeks prior to departure.

Travel Conditions
Cycletours is a member of the General Dutch Association of Tour operators (ANVR). This association publishes the ANVR-travel condition that includes the rights and duties of both the tour operator and the participant. These conditions are available upon request.

Cancellation of the tour
Cycletours Holland reserves the right to cancel tours with fewer than 12 participants up to 21 days prior to the date of departure. Cycletours Holidays will offer an adequate alternative in case of such cancellation.

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Mosel and Saar-Bike and Barge (and reverse)

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