Cycling in Germany - Baltic Sea Freedom Holiday

Rivers Moselle and Saar from Koblenz to Saarbrücken

Cruise and Cycle

Self Guided

Grading

8 days/7 nights

£640pp Cabin Deck: £785pp Upper Deck

Tour Code GE018

The Moselle Valley is a romantic river landscape, known throughout the world for its wine, which has also lent the valley its unique character. You'll find idyllic winegrowing villages and vineyards with familiar names, taverns and cultural history at every turn. A new vista with its own unique character awaits visitors around every twist and turn in the river. The amazing countryside in which the meandering Moselle carves its way through the rock is the oldest winegrowing region in Germany, shaped by a thousand years of cultivation.

The Saarland region takes its name from the River Saar, which starts off in a broad tranquil valley that becomes narrower after Merzig. The river breaks through the high forest near Mettlach, before twisting and winding its way to the Moselle at Konz. One of the most remarkable sights along this stretch of the river is the Saar Bow, which runs for seven kilometres near Mettlach.

Cycling in Germany - Mosel Bend

Includes

7 nights in Comfort ship
7 x breakfast, packed lunch, evening meal
Bike hire
Luggage transfer
Maps and route information
Local tour guide on board (See note below)

Excludes

Flights
Cycling Helmets

Optional extras

Insurance £22pp
Single supplement £290
Extra night in Koblenz or Saarbrücken £45pp (Single £65)
Public car park in Koblenz about €31,- per week. No reservation possible.
Transfer back to Koblenz - about 2 hours by train, cost approx. €25,- or by minibus, available from 4 persons, price per person €55,-. Limited number available, reservation requested when booking the tour. Payable locally.

How to get there

Fly to Cologne – 1 to 1.5 hours by train to Koblenz
Fly to Frankfurt am Main – 1 to 1.5 hours by train to Koblenz

Although classified as a self guided holiday theres is a tour guide on board, who is there for the guests to answer questions, to advise about the cycle tours of the day, etc. Upon request of the guests he is also prepared to join them by bike on the cycle tours of the day. He is knowledgeable about the country, points of interest and background information.

Departure dates in 2008

	Koblenz to Saarbrücken		Saarbrücken to Kolblenz
April	0	26*	0	0
May	0	24	3*	31
June	0	21	0	28
July	0	19	0	26
August	0	16	0	23
September	0	13*	0	20*
October	0	11*	0	18*

*Price reduced by £36 per person for these dates

To book this holiday CLICK HERE

Daily Itinerary

Cycling in Germany The MS Fluvius is your home for the week and this river cruiser has a capacity of 38 people in 20 roomy and fully air-conditioned cabins. All cabins have en-suite shower/toilet, twin beds and colour TV. A spacious panorama saloon with bar and dining room and comfortable relaxing seats on two sun-decks.

We use an Austrian operator for these holidays, and as other agents in Europe and America, such as ourselves, sell these tours it is likely you will have a mix of Austrian, German and other nationalities on this tour adding to the cultural enjoyment.

Day 1 Saturday – Arrive in Koblenz

Founded by the Romans, Koblenz is set at the famous Deutsches Eck (German Corner), where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. Just a quick stroll around the town will highlight the appeal of Koblenz - its romantic narrow streets, historical squares and picturesque alleyways in the old quarter.

Day 2 Sunday – Koblenz to Beilstein 28 miles

The boat takes you to Alken, where you mount our bicycles and cycle to Moselkern. A short detour into Elztal and a hike up to fortress Eltz. Then you rejoin the boat at Beilstein.

Day 3 Monday – Beilstein to Kues 31 miles

The boat transports you to Bullay and from there you cycle alongside the Moselle via Zell and Traben-Trarbach, centre of art-nouveau, to Bernkastel-Kues. The quaint half-timbered houses clustered around the market square are typical gems of the Moselle region.

Day 4 Tuesday – Kues to Trier 28 miles

The route today takes you to Neumagen-Dhron, the oldest wine growing town of Germany. In Mehring the boat joins us again and we chug along to Trier/Konz. Roman emperors, bishops, electors and prominent citizens all left their mark on the town, as can be seen in Trier's magnificent art treasures and unique architectural monuments. The best known is the Porta Nigra, the massive Roman town gate.

Day 5 Wednesday – Trier to Saarburg 25 to 30 miles

Another day to decide – stay on board and enjoy the scenery or go cycling to explore the countryside? Today you will cross the border to Luxemburg by cycling to Wasserbillig and take the ferry across the river. Via the little town of Grevenmacher to Konz and then along the river Saar to Saarburg, appropriately named “Little Venice”. The Old Town Centre is the pride of Saarburg and is continuously renovated to maintain the ambience of its historic architecture. You can sample wines within its shops or stroll along narrow streets tucked between river ways and cascading waterfalls.

Cycling in Germany along the Mosel Day 6 Thursday – Saarburg to Merzig 22 miles

Enjoy marvellous views from the fortress of Saarburg across the valley and the town. The highlight of the day is the Saar Bow a remarkable natural feature. It is a deep-set meander in the river Saar between Saarburg and Merzig where the river has carved its course through the hard rock strata and created some of the most beautiful scenery in the Saarland.

Day 7 Friday - Merzig to Saarbrücken 31 miles

Visit the world heritage site “Völklinger Hut” - a monument to the industrial age - before reaching Saarbrücken, the regional capital of the Saarland. A modern city in the heart of the Saar-Lor-Lux region its love of all things French is visible everywhere, in its picturesque lanes and courtyards and in little bistros and countless restaurants.

Day 8 Saturday – Depart from Saarbrücken

Time to swap addresses and photos, say goodbye to the crew and to make your way home.