Holland & Germany tour
Authentiek Nederland en de machtige vader Rijn
Juni 22 - 29 / 2025
Vertrekdatum: 22 juni 2025
Gemiddelde fietsafstand per dag 25 tot 60 km/ Niveau: Gemakkelijk
Hoogtepunten
De uitgebreide beschrijving van deze reis is enkel beschikbaar in het Engels:
This tour can be booked through a partner, contact us to find out the availability and contact detail.
Bike, Barge & Cruise along the authentic eastern part of the Netherlands, with its river IJssel, old fishing villages and traditional agricultural landscapes. Just stop at the local bakery to have a good coffee (the Dutch love their coffees!). Pass the border to Germany for which passports are long gone and taste the atmosphere of Germany with its magnificent Rhine River, Europe’s busiest transport corridor where function with picturesque is the starting point. Taste Dutch cuisine during a dinner on land and visit a castle during one of the cycling tours, Experience the German culture during your bike tours and in Germany’s oldest cities Düsseldorf and Cologne.
Dagprogramma
Day 1: Amsterdam – Muiden
Check in: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Merlijn will set sail for Muiden where there is an overnight stay. We’ll present you with a welcome drink and introduce the crew. We will also provide information on the tour, the ship, and offer you a safety briefing. Dinner will be served during the cruise, and afterwards you can have a stroll through the first charming Dutch city, called Muiden. This week you will visit the mediaeval cities of Zwolle, Hattem, Deventer, Zutphen and Doesburg all of them beautiful gems.
Day 2: Muiden – Zwolle. Bike tour: 25-30 km
We start the day with a lovely morning cruise. After your first breakfast on board, there will be a bike introduction so you and your ‘barge bike’ can get to know each other. Merlijn will dock and the bike tour begins, for the first day, we will not make it too difficult for you. Across the water you will see the eastern part of Flevoland, one of the new Dutch provinces. Your bike tour takes you to the Veluwe, and you will visit Elburg, a charming fishermen’s village. The Veluwe features many different landscapes including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe's largest sand drifts. You’ll reach todays destination Zwolle. Zwolle is a Hanseatic medieval city, a place for creative students, inventive entrepreneurs and headstrong freethinkers. It’s a dynamic city where citizens believe that life gets better together. They grant each other business and help each other move forward! We’ll stay in port overnight.
Day 3: Zwolle – Deventer. Bike tour: 40-45 km
Your bike tour leads you along the IJssel river, along the border of the Veluwe, a beautiful landscape with lots of heather. The tour ends in Deventer, a stunning medieval (9th century) Hanseatic City. At night there’s time to explore the city more, feel like a real Dutch when walking the small cozy streets!
Day 4: Deventer – Doesburg. Bike tour: 30-35 km or extend to 55-60 km
After a delicious breakfast onboard, the bike tour will start along the sparkling river, described by many a person as the most beautiful river of the Netherlands, and certainly by many Dutch captains. Choosing the shorter option today means that you’ll cruise along with Merlijn for a section of the day, the longer option goes all the way from Deventer to Doesburg. After taking in the beautiful country side of eastern Netherlands, the Merlijn awaits you in Doesburg a lovely small city and one of the seven Hanseatic cities on the river IJssel. An evening stroll is highly recommended.
Day 5: Doesburg – Wesel. Bike tour: 35-40 km or extend to 55-60 km
This morning we stay in port, maybe you go for a sunrise morning walk! For most part of today’s ride you will leave the rivers and cycle through the quit eastern part of the Netherlands. On the way you’ll visit Doetinchem, the last Dutch city on this tour. After your visit you pass by more small towns, forests and traditional agricultural landscape. Then you finally cross the border to Germany and meet the Rhine river for the first time. Merlijn will await you, and you can choose to get on board or continue cycling. On a later point Merlijn will dock once more and we all cruise the afternoon to today’s destination Wesel.
Day 6: Wesel – Düsseldorf. Bike tour: 40-45 km
Another day on the Rhine river! Captain will start the engines early morning, you can relax and enjoy the scenery passing by. We’ll be cruising the whole morning, take an extra coffee or tea and relax on the terrace. The cycle tour will go along the Rhine all the way to Düsseldorf! You’ll cycle in the Ruhr area, where the big industries are located. Cities like Essen, Duisburg, Oberhausen and Dortmund are more or less connected with roads, railways and waterways. This region was once very prosperous and therefore a target in 1923, when French and Belgian troops tried to occupy it to enforce Prussia’s WWI reparation payments. From 1944-45 the Ruhr was also a top target for the Allies. After so much conflict and industry it’s hard to imagine that you can cycle here, but you can! Many factories are closed today and it is impressive to see how they developed this former industrial landscape. We’ll stay overnight in Düsseldorf, which has a great “Altstadt” with lots of bars and their own dark beer!
Day 7: Düsseldorf – Cologne. Bike tour: 30-35 km
Your last cruising breakfast and packing your bike back for the day, you’ll cycle along the mighty father Rhine river to the destination Cologne. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner.
Day 8: Cologne
After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and continue your European trip or leave for the airport. If you wish to extend your holiday, Cologne is the city we recommend for an extra day. Visit Cologne, where the (Dom) cathedral spires tower over Germany's oldest city and its innumerable cultural and historical treasures, world-famous museums and active art scene. People meet here for a (locally-brewed) Kölsch beer, a chat or simply a laugh. Life in Cologne is uncomplicated and vivacious. You will experience this great city even more in the old Altstadt, enjoying a Kölsch beer as well!
Included in your tour:
- 7 nights onboard Merlijn
- Individual climate control and private bathroom with shower, sink and toilet in all cabins
- Supply of bedding, towels, facial tissues, hand soap, shampoo, sewing kit, vanity kit, bathrobe & slippers
- Full service of staff, daily cleaning of the cabins, manned bar (no self-service)
- Porterage of luggage upon arrival and departure
- Daily loading and unloading of your bicycle to and from the ship
- Use of lightweight state-of-the-art bicycle
- Use of a waterproof bike bag, universal sized helmet, towel and a personal water bottle
- Tour guide (we offer an experienced guide who know the routes like the back of his/her hand)
- Brochures of the area available on board
- Harbour, lock and canal fees
Included culinary care:
- Welcome drink with bubbles
- All day unlimited coffee, tea, hot chocolate and potable ice water (self-service)
- Extensive breakfast buffet daily with at least; 2 warm dishes, freshly baked croissants or similar pastries, various types of bread, toaster, yoghurt, cereals, fresh fruit and various beverages.
- Packed lunch prepared by the staff in a special lunch bag with at least a lavish sandwich, snack and drink.
- 6 three-course dinners
- Dinners are based on ‘plate service’, meals are served in the dining area.
- Meals are perceived by our guests as “luxurious” or even “gourmet style”.
Included beverages during bar opening hours:
- Several sodas served from a small bottle
- Wide variety of wines (also non-alcoholic wine)
- Beer on tap and various beers from the bottle (also non-alcoholic beer)
Included excursions:
- Ferry costs on the bicycle route
- 1 Dutch lunch on-route
- Visit of a castle
Not included in your tour:
- 1 dinner
- Excursions, entrance fees and guided tours other than mentioned
- Beverages other than those mentioned (such as spirits and cocktails)
- City maps, bike maps, etc. (we have a lot available however we can’t guarantee every destination)
- Inbound and outbound journeys, such as flights, trains, bus or other type of transfers
- Insurances
- Gratuities (cash only)
- Electronic payments of your onboard expenses (cash only)
For your comfort, we rent out electric bikes at € 30,- each per day, reservations in advance are advisable.
The Cancellation policy also applies to pre-booked and reserved use of e-bike or any other extra requested services.
The general terms and conditions of Merlijn de magie van water B.V. apply to all bookings, offers and agreements. Please find them on our website under ‘Terms & Conditions’.
Merlijn complies the General Data Protection Regulation to protect your privacy. Please find them on our website under ‘Privacy statement’.
We reserve the right to modify schedule and/or program. If (part of) the route is not navigable due to weather conditions and/or other nautical reasons and/or is closed off due to circumstances and/or for safety reasons, the operator and/or the captain has the right to change the schedule. This includes changing the location of departure and/or arrival and temporarily suspending departure. Nautical and/or meteorological reasons are understood to mean, among others, weather conditions, the tide, obstruction of waterways/shipping lanes, and the condition of the ship. Closed off due to circumstances and/or safety reasons are understood to mean, among others, terrorism, diseases, natural disasters. Changes in schedule and/or program do not give the customer the right on free cancellation.