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The Rock of the Loreley

Cologne – Mainz, MS Olympia

Travel by bike and barge through the UNESCO World Heritage site from Cologne to Mainz

8 Days / 7 Nights
Easy
The Rock of the Loreley

Many romantic castles and fortresses have been built along the banks of the Rhine between Cologne and Mainz. They all have many exciting stories to tell too. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is rich in tales and adventures and it is very beautiful. In this area, the Rhine makes its way through rocks and flows past towns like Coblenz, which are over 2000 years old and that have many timber framed houses.. The scenery here is ideal for a relaxing holiday. Last but not least, many of the towns between Cologne and Mainz are home to some prestigious wines as well as regional delicacies. This turns the holiday on the MS Olympia into one great for gourmets, too. 

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Itinerary at a glance

Individual arrival to Cologne and embarkation at 04:00 pm. Enjoy the evening on board or with a Kölsch beer.

Before starting your first cycle tour, take the opportunity to stroll through the Old Town. You then start your first cycle ride of this holiday to Bonn, the city of Beethoven. This federal city and former capital of Germany still has international flair. On your way it is worthwhile to visit the leisure island Groov amidst a vast landscape of the Rheinaue wetland in one of Cologne's suburbs, Porz-Zündorf. In Bonn there are museums like the House of History or the Bundeskunsthalle courting for visitors’ attention. The House of Beethoven, the Rheinaue as well as the Bundesviertel with the path of Democracy are all equally worth a visit.

You will continue towards Andernach by bike today. Königswinter with Drachenburg castle on the Drachenfels (steep ascent) as well as the Sea Life with aquariums for more than 6,000 sea inhabitants are both worth a visit. Your destination for today, Andernach, is famous for the world´s biggest cold water gush spring with its impressive fountain of 60m.

On your way to Coblenz you will go past castle Engers in Neuwied. At the famous “Deutsche Eck” (german corner), the river Mosel merges with the river Rhine. Another place of interest is the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, which you can also reach by cableway across the Rhine in Coblenz. Tickets for the cableway are available on board.

You continue your journey by bike up the river Rhine through the UNESCO world heritage site Upper Middle Rhine Valley. You will pass the romantic fortress Marksburg, the only hilltop castle of middle Rhine that has never been destroyed, as well as the city Boppard with its fortress Kurfürstliche Burg before reaching St. Goar. Here you will find the ruins of fortress Rheinfels, which is the biggest of its kind along the Rhine. The fortresses Katz und Maus (cat and mouse) in St. Goarshausen on the other side of the Rhine are also worth visiting.

Again you will pass very beautiful Rhine castles like Burg Reichenstein and Burg Rheinstein. You will cycle past the famous rock Loreley before you reach Rüdesheim. In Rüdesheim we recommend a city walk around the historical town with its beautiful half-timbered housesOr treat yourself to a ride on the cable car up to the Niederwald monument. Here you will have a beautiful view over the old town of Rüdesheim and the river.

On your final cycling ride during this tour you will find the Rhine at its best. You are going to get to see the city Eltville am Rhein with its emblem, the castle Kurfürstliche Burg on your way. Mainz, today's destination , presents itself with numerous impressive buildings. You may want to visit its cathedral Hoher Dom St. Martin, one of Germany's proud imperial cathedrals, or the castle Kurfürstliches Schloss. In the old town you will find attractive alleys and squares like the Augustinerstraße and the Kirschgarten with its lovely timber framed houses and wine restaurants.

You will need to disembark after breakfast but before 9am.

Route information

Easy

The cycle paths on this tour are in top quality. Most sections are either paved or asphalted and run alongside the Rhine dikes. There are not any noteworthy hills. This makes the tour suitable for novice cyclists too. 

Prices and dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Seven nights in outside cabins with private facilities in the booked cabin category
  • Program according to routing
  • Welcome drink
  • Full board (7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch for cycle tours or lunch snack, 6x coffee and tea in the afternoon, 7x three-course dinner)
  • Cabin cleaned daily and Change of bedding  and towels if required
  • All charges for harbours, bridges and locks
  • Daily meeting for the cycle tours
  • Printed instructions and maps for daily individual bike tours (1 per cabin)
  • Tour guide on board
  • GPS tracks

Optional

  • Bring your own bike/electric bike: € 29,- (on request only, limited number)

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Cologne main station is about 2 km away from the pier
  • Car park/parking garage - Globus-garage (secure, must be booked in advance) – approx. 6 km from the pier in Cologne, Parking costs approx. EUR 109 to EUR 144 per week.(stand june 2023)

Notes

  • Further important information according to the package travel law and additional information about your bike and boat trip can be found here!
  • Minimum number of participants: 75
  • This tour is a partner tour.

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