Boat and Bike Rhine MS Arlene II Rotterdam - Cologne

Embarkation in Rotterdam from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Enjoy your first evening on board or have a stroll through the city of Rotterdam with Europe’s largest port.

Cycle first along the Maas River until you reach Kinderdijk boasting the best-known windmills in the Netherlands. The 19 windmills, which date back to the 18th century, are beautifully preserved and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue the cycle tour and after a short while, you reach today’s destination- Dordrecht. The oldest city in the Holland area lies on an island bordered by large rivers and is characterised by numerous historic buildings, city ports and a fantastic atmosphere.

For today’s cycle trip, leave behind the lively cities and dive into the quietness of nature: pass through the national park of De Biesbosch, an adventurous labyrinth composed of rivers with crystal clear water and small islands. It is one of the few tidal freshwater zones in the world.

Leave the fortified city of Gorinchem and enjoy a bike ride through unspoilt nature. Follow the River Linge, a tributary of the Rhine, and by reaching today’s destination Wijk bij Duurstede you arrive at the edge of the „Utrechtse Heuvelrug“(eng.: Utrecht Hill Ridge), a tree-covered ridge of low sands created during the last glacial period.

During breakfast, the ship sets sail. After a short passage, you reach Rhenen – the starting point for your bike ride. Cycle along the Lower Rhine past the foreshore of the dike and reach Arnheim. A detour to the city centre becomes a trip to bygone times with narrow lanes and picturesque buildings.

In the early morning, the ship takes you across the German-Dutch border. In Emmerich, start for today’s bike ride and cycle past the nature reserve of the Reeser Schanz and the Roman city of Xanten. Today’s destination is Wesel, a hanseatic city with numerous remnants of the Prussian past, situated on the confluence of the Lippe and Rhine rivers.

In the morning you will already have reached Düsseldorf from where you start your last cycle tour along the well-developed adventure trail „Rheinschiene“, a particularly attractive section where historic Old Towns and idyllic nature are interspersed with industrial heritage. The towns located directly on the Rhine, often boasting well preserved medieval town walls and towers, are well worth a detour. Eventually reach the Cathedral city of Cologne where the vivid riverbank of the Rhine invites for a stay. Enjoy a cosy evening on board or have a Kölsch, the typical beer from Cologne, in one of the numerous pubs.

Disembarkation after breakfast until 09:00 am.