Rhine, Moselle & Saar 3-river tour in Germany

Check in: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Merlijn will sail to Rüdesheim, where we will stay overnight. We’ll present you with a welcome drink and introduce the crew. We will also provide information on the tour and the ship, and offer you a safety briefing. Dinner is enjoyed during the cruise. After dinner, there’s an opportunity for a stroll in Rüdesheim, a charming town along the Rhine.

Merlijn will take you to Oberwesel in the early morning. Today is one of the highlights of the trip, as we sail the ‘Romantic Rhine’, with its abundance of legends and castles. We will pass the mighty ‘Lorely’, a mountain named after a mermaid with golden hair; you might even hear her siren call as we pass by… We will stay overnight in Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rivers Rhine and Moselle.

During breakfast, we will sail to Alken and pass the first 2 locks on the Moselle river. Here, you will start biking into the Eltztal, where you park the bikes and put your hiking shoes on. After a hike of approx. 40 minutes, you will reach the beautiful castle of Eltz. Romantically situated atop a cliff, the castle is one of only a few that has never suffered destruction throughout its long history. Afterwards, you’ll cycle to Cochem, where the Merlijn awaits. In Cochem, you may want to pay a visit to the famous Reichsburg, or stroll through the cosy streets of this romantic city.

After breakfast, today’s cycling tour starts in Cochem, with the small village of Beilstein as the first stop. It’s well worth a visit, so enjoy a stroll through this medieval village, which is still completely intact. Along the meandering Moselle River, you will cycle on to Zell, which is famous for its ‘Zeller Schwarze Katz’ (black cat) vineyard. From Zell we offer you 2 options:

• Board the Merlijn and together we will cruise on to Traben Trarbach.
• Extend your bike tour and cycle on to Traben Trarbach.

Dinner will be served on board and afterwards you will be offered a wine-tasting session at the Winery of Storck.

After a cruising breakfast, today’s cycling tour will start. You will bike along the Moselle, with a first stop in Bernkastel-Kues. Here you can walk through the town and visit Germany’s oldest marketplace. After your visit, you will cycle on to Neumagen, from where we offer you 2 options:

• Board the Merlijn and enjoy a relaxing cruising afternoon.
• Extend your bike tour and cycle on to Mehring.

Mehring is the spot where the Romans first set foot, travelling from the Rhine to the Moselle river. The Romans fell in love with this landscape more than 2000 years ago, and built splendid rural villas here. In Mehring, you will board the Merlijn again, and together we will cruise towards Trier. Tonight you will enjoy another delicious dinner on board.

Today we have a different day (than the average bike and barge day) in store for you. The Merlijn will stay docked in Trier for another full day and we offer several choices today. Those who came 100% for the cycling can get ready to enjoy one of the cycling highlights on this trip! Where most routes lead along the river, today's route is entirely through the mountains and free nature, and even then mostly downhill! To achieve this, you go in the morning, together with your bicycle, by bus into the mountains and then follow an old railroad line, which has recently been transformed into a bicycle path, towards the Mosel. This ride will take most of the day…

Those who also deserve some rest during this vacation, want to go shopping or see more culture, will also find something to their liking. Leave the bike onboard for the day and walk into Trier to enjoy everything this city has to offer. A rich history, nice stores and plenty of terraces. Our guide will be happy to help you with your plans for the day. Tonight’s dinner is at your own pace in one of the many restaurants.

In the morning, you can explore Trier some more, as we will arrange a local guide to teach you all about the city. Trier was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, a Roman government seat, and is well known for its enormous city gateway, Porta Nigra. In the afternoon you will cycle to Saarburg.

The cityscape of Saarburg is characterised by narrow alleys, framework houses, and Baroque structures, as well as colourful fishing cottages and seafarers’ houses. The master architect of Berlin, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, already named the collection of romantic houses and small bridges on the Buttermarkt ‘Little Venice’ in the 19th century.

After a tour through Saarburg and a splendid view over the city and the Saar valley, you cycle on for about 15 km to the Saar-loop near Orscholz, the renowned river bend of the Saar. More than any other region, it symbolizes the "rendezvous in Saarland": a junction of water and land. An excellent viewpoint over the landscape and the Saar loop is provided by the “Cloef” above, inviting you to stay for a brief spell. Depending on the group’s cycling ability, you can either bike or hike up to the viewpoint. On your way to today’s destination, you may want to include an excursion to the village of Villeroy & Boch: Mettlach. In Merzig, you will embark the Merlijn for the last time. We will have a farewell dinner on board and maybe a little after dinner walk to the city.

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and continue your European trip or leave for the airport.