Amsterdam to Koblenz

Day 1: Amsterdam - Wijk bij Duurstede
Day 2: Wijk bij Duurstede - Wageningen -  Arnhem
Day 3: Arnhem - Pannerden - Rees
Day 4: Rees - Wesel - Düsseldorf
Day 5: Düsseldorf - Cologne
Day 6: Cologne - Bonn
Day 7: Bonn - Koblenz
Day 8: Koblenz 

Daily distances are approximately 30 mi. (48 km) per day. The itinerary is subject to change sometimes without prior notice.  Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances that make navigation unsafe or impossible. The captain reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary. 

Day 1: Amsterdam -  Wijk bij Duurstede
Onboard, as the boat navigates, you will get a taste of the beauty of Amsterdam seen from the water. Your cycling begins as a scenic ride past the prestigious houses along the Vecht, where Amsterdam's sophisticated traders and aristocrats had their country homes. You follow this small winding river (a branch of the Rhine) upstream to Breukelen. By the end of the afternoon, you board the barge and cruise to Wijk bij Duurstede, a small fortified town on the Rhine River. 

Day 2: Wijk bij Duurstede - Wageningen - Arnhem
What a magical place! No visit to Holland is complete without a ride through Europe’s largest drifting dunes in the National Park Hoge Veluwe. Imagine an African safari with grassy plains, weathered pine bogs brimming with rare species, and hardwood forests filled with birdsong. The geography is wild thanks to an Ice Age glacier that dumped its load of sand and gravel in the region.  Awaiting you on the other side is the world-famous Kröller-Müller art gallery and sculpture park with the largest private Van Gogh collection in the world. Also showcased are works by Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso, and Piet Mondrian. The route continues to Arnhem, ‘Home of Eagles,’ given its name by Romans stationed on the Rhine. Perhaps you recall the 1977 classic A Bridge Too Far and the failed Allied Forces attempt to break through German lines and take several bridges (including Arnhem) in Operation Market Garden? Renamed the John Frost Bridge, you may walk or ride across this beloved landmark into Arnhem Center, which is teeming with art, fashion, and all things Lekker (Sweet, fun, cool).

Day 3: Arnhem - Pannerden - Rees (Germany)
Today is all about bridges, battlegrounds, and castles, for example, the 13th-century Doornenburg Castle. It’s an impressive brick behemoth where German commanders set up headquarters during the Battle of Arnhem. Naturally, it became a prime target for British bombers. After a tour, your route leaves Holland, crossing the border into Germany. Around the bend is Emmerich, home of Germany’s longest suspension bridge. This engineering feat spans some 1,600 ft across the Rhine, and you can bike across for super aerial photos. Some 500 ships pass underneath it every day. Before the Rhine was channeled in the 1800s, sturgeon, shad, and salmon used to swim the river. Now, the barges are the big fish. Emmerich is also home to a WWII Biber submarine and a one-man U-Boat, which you can view in the Rhine Museum. The day's destination is Rees, famous for its medieval wall, towers, and river promenade with art sculptures, restaurants, and cafés. This is the perfect place to raise your Riesling glass or beer stein and watch the Rhine flow by. 

Day 4: Rees - Wesel - Düsseldorf
The great Ruhr region was once Germany’s blast furnaces during the Industrial Revolution, until recently. Pedaling peacefully along the Rhine, you’ll see historic factory stacks, now mostly quiet and converted into other uses and venues - a reminder of when coal was king. This area is also where Neanderthal Man was found in 1856. And, it’s home to the mega supermarket chain Aldi. We cruise through the world’s biggest inland harbor in Duisburg, then it’s anchors away to the modern, sparkling city of Düsseldorf—Germany’s fashion and advertising capital.  Here you drink Altbier, which doesn’t mean the beer is old; it’s a top-down fermentation style that’s hoppy and bitter-crisp. The waiters won’t ask if you want a second beer; it will just appear in front of you.  Explore the Altstadt along the river or check out Media Harbor, the rehabbed riverside warehouse district that will blow your mind. The city sparkles with international flair, modern architecture, and swanky folk. A casual feeling reigns in the evening when the “suits” loosen their ties at the 17th-century Füchschen Brewery for roast pork shank (Haxen). You will need a couple of cold ones to wash down the Haxen. Bring it on, Düsseldorf!

Day 5: Düsseldorf - Cologne
Today’s ride links two Rhine rivals. Düsseldorf is polished and modern, known for its art scene, fashion flair, and malty Altbier poured straight from wooden barrels. But once you roll into Cologne, everything shifts and Kölsch becomes the only beer that matters, served in small, straight glasses with the city’s trademark pride. Cologne is the largest stop on our cruise and one of Germany’s biggest cities, yet its major sights sit close to the river. The Romans built their provincial capital here nearly 2,000 years ago, a history showcased at the Roman-Germanic Museum. Towering above everything is Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic giant that took centuries to complete and still employs a team of specialists to preserve it. Its bells are famous, and famously loud. For the best pause, grab coffee and cake at Café Reichard with cathedral views. Then wander the medieval Hay Market district for a Kölsch and a plate of Himmel und Ääd, Cologne’s hearty apples-and-potatoes classic.

Day 6: Cologne -  Bonn 
Today you will pedal to West Germany’s former capital city. When the wall came down in 1990, most of the government moved back to Berlin. It’s the birthplace of musical genius Ludwig van Beethoven. You can visit the world-famous Haribo factory with all the gummy sweets and gadgets—imagine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Bonn’s parks and gardens are splendid. The first-rate Botanical Gardens at Poppelsdorf Palace are among the oldest. Here you can see the world’s rarest flowering plant, titan arum, the Sumatran Corpse Flower that takes 7 years to blossom for just one day! Stroll Bonn’s endless river promenade and the nearby Rheinaue Leisure Park.  For the best views of the legendary Siebengebirge hills, join the locals under the great chestnut trees at the Alter Zoll, a local hotspot. It is a former Rhine toll station and military fort along the river.

Day 7: Bonn - Koblenz 
This morning, you cruise past the Siebengebirge (seven hills) and officially enter the legendary Middle Rhine valley with its dramatic cliffs and curves, romantic castles, sloping vineyards, and sleepy half-timbered villages. You sail past the ancient volcano, Dragon’s Rock, where the hero Siegfried killed the dragon and bathed in its blood to become invincible. The Dragon’s Castle lies in ruins, a reminder of French revenge. Today’s biking starts in Remagen with a stop at the Ludendorff Bridge. It was only one of two bridges still intact over the Rhine during Operation Lumberjack in the final days of WWII. The U.S. Army got 25,000 troops, six Army divisions, tanks, artillery, and trucks across the river in a stroke of good luck. You pass little villages with old churches and the medieval harbor crane. Arriving in Koblenz, you moor in the shadows of the mighty Ehrenbreitenstein fortress. Order a Trocken Riesling and prepare to become a convert for life. Prefer a beer in the Koblenz’ Biergarten? You will find that just steps away. 

Day 8: Koblenz, disembarkation at approximately 9 am.

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