Iris

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

I worked with TripSite to plan this trip for 20 friends and family and they were fantastic to work with: flexible, friendly and professional. And the trip costs half of similar trips offered by US based bike tour operators. The Iris was a superb boat in great condition and the crew were amazing, with a special shout-out to the fantastic food! The riding was hard to believe: miles and miles of flat, scenic, history drenched wine country. Every days ride was enjoyable and had nice prizes and surprises along the way. Some of my group decided to stay on board for one or more days and got to relax and watch the castles go by, read a book, drink some great local white wine, and chat with the friendly crew. This particular tour: the Mosel between Cochem and Metz, was referred to me by a good friend who has done a dozen packaged bike tours and said this was his favorite. Now it's ours!

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Cochem
Germany

The biking.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Traveling on the IRIS was nice. Highlights: Bike ride from the extinct volcano down to the Mosel was a great 40 mile ride (almost all down hill). The wine tasting excursion was set up by our guide Paul. Quite different than others I have been to. It was an intimate meeting with the owner of the winery that had been in his family since the 1600s. It rained (really just a mist) during 2 of our rides but with rain gear, it didn’t effect us.

Give me a call if you would like to hear some minor suggestions for improvement.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The places we biked to were wonderful....villages, river views, vineyards. The Iris was fantastic. Great crew, wonderful boat. Was very hot part of the trip and the crew did a great job adapting to the heat. Would highly recommend this trip.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Bamberg
Germany

the biking in beautiful towns.

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Bamberg
Germany

This was my first bike and barge and I truly enjoyed it. We did have some rain and I didn't even mind it. We had come prepared. The staff were very kind and accommodating and the guides were just terrific! The room was more spacious than I expected including the bathroom. We had hot water everyday after getting back to the boat after biking all day. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and I would definitively go on another one.

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Cochem
Germany

I loved this trip. It was a great combination of physical activity, culture, phenomenal scenery , great guides and interesting fellow passengers. No question that I will do more bike and barge trips. Very well organized.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The biking throughout was excellent: we had great guides and the barge crew was friendly, accommodating, and VERY professional. Plus there seemed to be a castle on every hill, like biking through a fairytale.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

The guides and crew were wonderful and really made the trip special. Although you will be riding and walking a good part of the day, don't expect to lose much weight as the food is delicious

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

The biking route was just perfect. The scenery and sights were wonderful. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

The new bikes were so great to use. There were 2 smaller people on our trip that had bikes that were too big for them. One had a couple falls and we were always afraid they might be injured.

Another thing that could be helpful is to have some more road safety tips. The shark teeth at intersections, the red path is for bikes etc. While these were explained to us it might be more helpful to see a video with these actually shown. I loved having Lenny as sweep the one day just reinforcing "you are on the right so he will stop " and "he has shark teeth so you can go".

Thank you for a wonderful vacation

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

The guides and staff were extremely engaging and accommodating . The chef selection of food and wine pairings exceeded expectations . The guides were knowledgeable and personable . The tour route had the right balance of cycling , exploring and relaxing .
To improve
Rooms stuffy . Better ventilation needed for sleeping . Suggest a check to set the climate control .
Two members of our group required extra small bikes not available .
Face clothes in rooms .

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

The e bike was a fabulous way for me to be able to keep up. It was of superior quality to mine at home and I’d unequivocally say that almost any riding capability would be able to enjoy this trip by requesting the Gazelle e bike offering. For the barge, we really noticed the lack of air circulation in our rooms at night. They advised us when we got there that ac wasn’t working- they worked on fixing that during our time aboard but it was the one thing that prevents me from giving it an absolutely perfect rating.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

When thinking about the trip, the biking is what I thought about most. Once the trip began, I realized the "extra" aspects of the trip were the most meaningful:
- visiting a cheese farm to learn about
- walking through the cities with our guides learning about their history
- fabulous meals on board
- friendly and talented staff

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

This trip had it all great cycling through gorgeous and historic NL with some fun informative guides, delicious meals prepared by chef Ellen, spending time with great friends and meeting new people. Highly recommend this trip. Lenny is an excellent host.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

This trip was perfect. The boat was clean, roomy and comfortable. I liked the ride and stay in Haarlem best, but wait the ride to Leiden … really loved it all! Did I mention the Chef and meals, wow.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Amazing rides through the countryside, full of spring blossoms

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Great trip, staff was very helpful ,food was wonderful. The bike trails in the Netherlands are never ending and scenic. Would highly recommend.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Love the scenery. The canal with the houses and beautiful yards next to them, Keukenhof gardens snd the tulip fields were absolutely gorgeous.
If I did this tour again I would get an e bike. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was struggling to keep up. Also it was a lot colder than I thought it would be.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Love the scenery. The canal with the houses and beautiful yards next to them, Keukenhof gardens snd the tulip fields were absolutely gorgeous.
If I did this tour again I would get an e bike. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was struggling to keep up. Also it was a lot colder than I thought it would be.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Everything about this trip was excellent! Great boat, great staff, great guides, great food! What an amazing experience!

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Most memorable was the cycling through the countryside and smelling the flowers, hearing the bird song and enjoying the fresh air. Also the friendliness of our hosts, like being with family.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

A wonderful experience overall. Premium barge, excellent service and friendly staff made the trip much better.
Like the fact that we could break the group into two (fast and slow) riders.
Suggestions: a little more breaks during riding to allow time to enjoy the countryside.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

In my opinion, the bike barge experience with the Tripsite guides is the absolute best way to see and experience any country. The guides were both informative and fun and kept to the expected schedule.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

The bike and barge trip of the Netherlands was incredible...much more than I had anticipated. Biking through the fields and canals brought us enchanting views of geese, sheep, cows, horses, swans, charming houses and villages, not to mention the tulips! The pace was perfect, and the diversity of each day well chosen. We enjoyed an excellent array of gourmet food and the laughing companionship of new friends from different countries. Our tour guides were full of information and made us feel safe on our travels. Lodging was very comfortable and private. After hearing me rave about this trip, several of my friends now want to take it too!

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Stuttgart
Germany

The Iris is a well equipped and comfortable barge with a fantastic crew. Our guide, Thomas, was knowledgeable and very helpful and the Italian chefs (husband and wife) cooked delicious food and were super cute! Lenny, the owner of the Iris, was present throughout the trip and this added a special warmth to the trip. This was the first time this itinerary was offered on the Iris and it went off without a hitch. Many of the guests had E Bikes (which I recommend even though it was rated as an easy route) which made the several small hills a piece of cake! Would definitely recommend this trip on the Iris.

  Iris Aschaffenburg to Stuttgart
Germany

Great barge, good people, great guide and good food. The only thing missing was a good detailed map of where we were riding.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Best part? Stopping along the bike route to have a coffee or beer and seeing some of the historic and memorable sites in the quaint villages along the way!

Have an ice coffee at one of the lovely little cafes!

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The crew was second to none. Everyone took great pride in their work, especially the cook, who prepared meals to die for. We wanted to take her home with us. The guides went out of their way to make everyone happy. We really appreciated the guided tours in town each evening after dinner.

This trip was great for a wide range of abilities. Folks who were not as strong of bikers used e-bikes which were great equalizers.

My wife and I agree that this was one of the top vacations we've ever taken. We can't wait to go again.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The crew of the Iris were all very knowledgeable and welcoming. By the end of the week I felt as though I knew each one personally and would welcome them all to my home should they travel my way. They made the trip more than worthwhile, especially when we had to ride in 100 plus degree weather. If I am to do another bike and barge trip it is this group of people that I would want as the crew.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

Most Memorable Part: My banter daily with one of the guides, Harm Jung. He related well to my personality. The food, boat, and accommodations were all better than anticipated. Thank you.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

A once in a lifetime experience.....not at all thought bike and barge would be so nice!

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

We had a wonderful time on the barge Iris, biking through the Netherlands. The trip was well planned and the information given each day really highlighted the sights that we saw. The visits to the various venues were full of information and gave us a nice view of life in Holland. We could not have asked more from our guides, Wouter and Sarah. Each day when we rode up to the barge at its new dock site, the crew welcomed us and asked about our day. The meals were excellent with a different area of the world serving as the source for the menu each evening. Wines had been chosen to go with each serving. The rooms were as expected on a ship and very clean. they offered an easy base for our adventure. We had a very good time and we thank the guides and the crew including the chef.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The preparation and presentation of the meals, especially the evening meals was outstanding. And the fellowship with the other passengers was also a great highlight aided by the small number of guests.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

We loved our trip and we enjoyed staying on the Iris. We are going to be booking again in July 2019 and specifically picked the Iris so we can be on the same boat. Looking forward to it.

  Iris Tulip Tour - 8 day
Netherlands

So many things are memorable even a year after the trip. Loved the Kucken Gardens. They were a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But also the windmill tour, the tulip museum, the cheese factory, and the small town tours with the guide. What also stands out are the delicious dinners shared with all the other fascinating folks on the trip as well as the boat owner and her son who were our guides. Suggestions: Just GO!

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most Memorable Part: The scenery, the people, the food, and the cycling.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most Memorable Part? Excellent group that interacted very well from the onset.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The Barge Iris was outstanding to say the least. 24 guests were the perfect number, not too many, not too few, the crew was over and above terrific, the food was something we looked forward to each day and the whole experience was memorable.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most Memorable Parts: Biking, local information, meals.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most Memorable Part: The knowledge of our guide, Wouter, and the beautiful vineyards along the river. I loved how we were riding on a flat, easy and beautiful path, but could see and appreciate the steep mountain vineyards! This is our third Tripsite adventure and we have enjoyed each one. In fact, as we were driving home from the airport my husband was booking our next trip - Northern Holland!

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most memorable part: The incredible scenery and the knowledge of our guide.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The most memorable parts was the Saar River part of the ride, biking above the River with our guide and riding thru the vineyards. The little towns and the Roman History. Had no idea about the Roman history in this region before this trip. The Levees on the river. Just the general beauty of the area. The grapes growing on the sides of the mountains. Both our barge crew and all the people on the trip. FUN! FUN! FUN!

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The total crew got involved in the trip and were always available to assist us with any problems or questions. It helped to break the ice with other bikers and soon we were one cohesive and fun group.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most memorable are the meals. The daily ports and after dinner walks. 1 issue - directions to the barge were horrible.

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

It is very hard to say what was the best, as everything was so great, beautiful, and interesting. The staff and bike guide went above our expectations, we would recommend this trip to all.