The Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France: Amsterdam – Metz 4-country tour

Embarkation in Amsterdam is at 1 pm. Please be sure to arrive on time! Following a welcome meeting with the crew, the barge will depart immediately for Nigtevecht. Here you’ll set out on a short test-ride to the town of Breukelen, after which Brooklyn in New York is named. You’ll enjoy the Dutch countryside and the meandering river Vecht. Dinner is served while sailing on the Amsterdam – Rhine Canal. Tonight, the ship brings us to dock at Wijk bij Duurstede; one of the oldest settlements in the lowlands.

Enjoy breakfast while sailing. Today your cycling tour will start in Wageningen. You follow a route over the high Veluwe nature reserve. You cycle through heathland and forest. The Netherlands is known for being flat but here you will find some slight natural height difference in the landscape (by Dutch standards). This was formed in the last Ice Age. In this period the “Hoge Veluwe” area was right on the edge of the ice. In the afternoon we ride to Arnhem where we meet the barge. During dinner, the Princesse Royal will sail upstream into Germany. Destination for the night is Rees.

The barge departs early this morning and over breakfast we sail to Wesel, where we disembark. Today we focus on the Ruhr area where Germany, and possibly Europe’s, largest industries are located. Cities like Essen, Duisburg, Oberhausen and Dortmund are intertwined together through a maze of highways, 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! The German government put a lot of effort into redeveloping the area after the closure of many factories. It may not always be scenic, but it’s an impressive and evolving post-industrial landscape not to be missed when visiting the Rhine. However, as we don’t want to cycle too long past factories, the ship picks us up at Duisburg and takes us on to Düsseldorf. We dine while sailing. In the evening there’s time to visit the Altstadt, where you can try the famous local dark beer, Altbier. You’ll be amazed what an international city Düsseldorf is, with foreigners comprising almost a fifth of the population.

During breakfast we cruise to the old town of Zons. We then leave the Ruhr behind as we cycle towards Cologne. Today we follow the Rhine closely in order to arrive in Cologne early enough for some afternoon exploring. Founded by the Romans, Cologne is the oldest of Germany’s larger cities. In 50 AD it was already granted city status as a gift from the Roman empress Agrippina. Later, Cologne became one of the most important centers of the Holy Roman Empire. Its landmark is, of course, the Dom cathedral, located right next to the central station and railway bridge crossing the Rhine. Construction on the cathedral began in 1248 and was only completed in 1880! The city was almost completely destroyed in Allied bombings of 1944-1945. The city hall however, dating from 1330, has been beautifully restored.

Today we follow the river again by bike in order to reach Bonn in time to explore West Germany’s capital from 1945 until 1990. Berlin was re-established as capital after Germany’s reunification, but Bonn continues to house six governmental departments. Like Cologne, Bonn was founded by the Romans, around the year 10 BC, as it was a good site to bridge the Rhine. Worth visiting are the old City Hall, the Münster Basilica, and the house where Beethoven was born. After dinner you can join a city walk through Bonn.

During breakfast we sail to Remagen. Your cycling tour starts here, but first there’s time to explore this town’s rich historical past. Nowadays it’s best known for its once-famous Ludendorff Bridge, the only functional Rhine bridge captured by Americans in Operation Lumberjack in March 1945. The bridgehead houses a museum dedicated to its history. After Remagen, a more romantic section of the Rhine valley begins with castle keeps, mansions and the first vineyards at the foothills of central Germany. We pass the beloved bathing resort of Bad Breisig and also Burg Rheineck. This stronghold, set in stunning scenery, dates back to 1100. We visit Andernach, once a Roman settlement. It’s still a wonderful town with many historical sites. Shortly after Andernach we arrive in Koblenz. Its name comes from the Latin confluentes, meaning the merging of two rivers (the Rhine and Moselle). The statue of Emperor Wilhelm of Prussia at the intersection of the two rivers is an impressive landmark. Koblenz is a city cozily rebuilt after the damages of the Second World War. Today there is no dinner on board. You can select one of the local restaurants of Koblenz.

We start the day by sailing to Alken where you’ll set out by bike to Moselkern. The village of Moselkern is famous for its castle Burg Eltz. This stronghold is one of the most impressive medieval buildings of Western Europe. It’s not easy to reach though, you need to hike the last section to reach the castle. After visiting Burg Eltz, you continue the bike tour to Cochem, one of the Moselle region’s most frequently visited wine towns. Cochem is a cozy traditional town full of wine cellars and half-timbered houses.

Today is a day of rest. This gives you the chance to explore this small town. There are loads of little shops to buy a nice Moselle wine or some local specialties. Don’t forget to climb the stairs to the Imperial castle. From there you have a panoramic view over Cochem and the Moselle.

Following breakfast, you’ll cycle to Beilstein, one of the best-preserved historical villages on the Moselle. The ruins of Castle Metternich sit towering above the village, and you’ll have the opportunity to explore them. After leaving Beilstein you’ll pass Europe’s steepest vineyard – with slopes inclining up to 60 degrees – at Bremmer Calmont. Today’s tour ends in the wine village of Zell on the Moselle, well known in the industry for the wine Zeller Schwarze Katz. In Zell we recommend taking the opportunity to get to know the good wines of the Moselle valley.

Today you’ll cycle from Zell to the romantic village of Traben-Trarbach, located on the Moselle’s left bank and famous for its Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) architecture. From there you pass through the wine city of Kröv – well-known for its popular Kröver wine – to Bernkastel-Kues, your destination for the night. The grand half-timbered houses that surround Bernkastel-Kues’s marketplace date back to the Middle Ages, and are a photographer’s delight. You’ll reach the barge in Kues after a tour through town.

From Bernkastel, the valley opens up and vineyards expand as far as the eye can see. Today we cruise past the heavy-hitters in the wine world: Brauneberg, Piesport, Trittenheim. Piesport is beloved by Brits for its “little droplets of gold”. Trittenheim lies in a sharp hairpin turn on the river surrounded by mountains covered with grapes. Around lunchtime you’ll arrive in Neumagen, an important center of wine production already in Roman times. You can decide to join the barge from here or continue by bike to Schweich, where the barge will be waiting for you. Once on board, we cruise to Trier, the oldest city in Germany. Trier was founded around 15 BC by Caesar Augustus under the name of Augusta Treverorum. As a trading town and administrative center, Trier flourished during the late imperial age. This Roman golden age has left us with an impressive number of monuments. Most evocative is the Porta Nigra city gate, which was built around 18 AD.

In the morning your tour leader will take you into Trier and walk you through the local Roman history. There’s also time to discover and enjoy Trier on your own. After lunch you’ll hop on your bike and follow the Moselle and Saar rivers to Saarburg, an interesting old town situated in the most beautiful part of the Saar valley. Here the river banks are densely forested. The castle of Saarburg was built here in the middle of the 10th century. In the middle of town, you’ll come across a 20-meter-high waterfall. At the foot of this waterfall there’s an old mill, which is powered by the small river. In this part of Saarburg most of the old houses date from the 17th and 18th century and give the town a picturesque look. Tonight you dine out at one of Saarburg’s many local restaurants at your own expense.

Today you can choose from two cycling options. One is easy, but a bit longer along the rivers. The shorter option is a bit more challenging, through the hills. Whatever your choice is, the cycling will lead you into the Grand Duchy Luxembourg. Here the Moselle forms the border between Germany and Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a small country, but the capital (also called Luxembourg) is an important finance center and administrative EU city. On the way, on the Luxembourg side, we visit a wine cooperative, specialized in “Crémant”, considered the Champagne of the Moselle.  Close to Remich you can admire a Roman mosaic floor. Still in its original location, the tiled floor was once the centerpiece of a palatial Roman villa. The scene (made up of three million individual tile pieces) depicts scenes from gladiator games in an amphitheater.

While having breakfast you’ll cruise to Schengen, where your cycling tour starts. Everybody in Europe has heard of the Schengen Agreement, but almost nobody knows that it’s named after this small border town in Luxembourg at the intersection of three countries. Soon we cross the Luxembourg-French border and experience the outcome of this agreement: no border controls. We pass the fortress of Sierck-les-Bains, one of the palaces inhabited by the powerful Dukes of Lorraine. The route is lovely through French countryside and friendly villages. Around lunchtime you’ll arrive in Thionville, the regional center of the steel industry until the 1980s. That might sound modern and industrial, but the city is ancient. The historic center boasts medieval ramparts, lovely gardens, old streets and the church of St Maximin. Here the ship is waiting to pick you up to cruise to Metz, another ancient city strategically situated on a Roman trading route. St Etienne Cathedral is the third largest gothic church in France with flying buttresses and stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. Metz is full of stunning architecture, flowers and great cafes.

Final morning of your tour: disembarkation in Metz after breakfast and warm goodbyes until 9.30 am.