Merlijn

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

Walking through the Keukenhof Gardens and seeing the blooming fields of tulips, and smelling the fragrant fields of hyacinths as we were riding was amazing, especially as the pouring rain held off until almost the end of the day! But walking around Ghent, and Bruges were equally delightful, if for a different reason. Of course the fabulous meals Christina prepared for us on the Merlijn were memorable. For future riders on this trip, know that the tulip experience is only one day of the entire trip so that you aren’t terribly disappointed, and be sure to have rain gear at that time of year!!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

enjoying the beautiful countryside on bikes with friends .

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

I cannot say enough great things about our trip from Brugge to Amsterdam! The Captain and Crew of the Merlijn were awesome, and our intrepid tour guide, Francien was great!
What a wonderful way to experience Belgium and the Nederlands; riding through the countryside, towns, polders, and along the canals on every manner of bike path.
We were spoiled by the food provided by Christina; a delicious breakfast buffet, tasty sandwiches in our packed lunches for the ride, and gourmet meals for dinner with a little bit of history about the dishes.
Our cabin was comfortable and cozy, and the dining room and lounge were always adorned with fresh flowers.
If you want to experience travel in a unique way, then this is the way to go:)

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The cycling was the highlight of the trip for us, we thoroughly enjoyed the pace and travel through small towns and villages along the way. Of course the tulips fields are also quite a sight! Although the weather did not always cooperate - we like the motto “there is no bad weather - only poor clothing choices”. Be prepared.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

It was all perfect, a great experience and the Captain along with his wife and crew were superb

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The Keukenhof gardens were spectacular. The food was also far above expectations.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

Seeing fields of tulips and hyacinths in full bloom and in full fragrance was amazing as was the Keukenhof Gardens. Disappointingly, however, was that tulips were only one day of the entire trip. Ghent and Bruges were also definite highlights. The cuisine presented by Christina each evening on board the Merlijn was gourmet and delicious. Our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. We were very pleased to have many layers of clothing as we had days of rain, wind, and or cold temps. A few mornings it was only 4C when we started out but did get up to 10C. Although the countryside is flat for easy riding, there were many bridges to cross requiring some decent hill climbing to get up and over! Belgium however was all flat and the much easier portion of the trip. Another tip to keep in mind is that the third week in the Netherlands is a school holiday as it is the King’s birthday. The KG was packed with people.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

Coan & Christina own and operate the 50 meter 1930 converted cargo ship Merlijn along with a crew of 3 and a bike guide. The attention to detail , ,new equipment and bikes. The difference is other tour vessels are owned by larger companies and hire a captain a crew with older bikes.
Our guide Francien was very good, had 20 years experience and took us places that you would not see on a self guided tour. In the evenings after our on board gourmet dinner she would take who wanted to go on a tour of the city or town.
The scenery was amazing and a boat canal side tour in Gent was arranged. Our groups average was between 55 and 73 and everyone was able able to keep up a good pass on regular and e bikes.
We will be taking another tour they offer in Germany next year

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

The bike rides and the food.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

The scenery was beautiful! The people that we biked with were great companions for the week!

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

Fabulous guide, beautiful bike rides, wonderful food on the boat, great boat crew, fun group of travelers....overall it was a fantastic experience!

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

My immediate response would be the expert cycling guide (Tamara), who insured we were 1) safe and knew the cycling etiquette in the Netherlands, 2) took the time to stop and educate us at special points of interest and 3) invited any passengers to accompany her on after dinner walks through the towns the barge overnighted at. Equally memorable were the gourmet meals prepared by Christina and her team. Each night she would announce dinner at 6:30 pm sharp and begin her detailed yet brief explanation of what we were about to savour that evening.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

This was my first barge trip. Everyone on the trip who had been on other barges informed me that I had started at the top! The crew was amazing and provide first class service. The chef is the captain's wife and cooked us 5 star meals. The lunch she packed for the bike trips was wonderful each day. She accommodated the gluten-free passengers. Our tour guide, Tamy was knowledgeable and friendly. I learned so much about the cities where we docked and the countryside where we rode. This was my first bike trip and the description was accurate. The ride was flat and easy which made looking around at everything pleasurable. I loved that there were only 24 passengers on the boat. I got to know them all and enjoy their company at meals and during the rides. Since this was the first tulip tour of the season, the tulips were not yet blooming in the fields. However, there were many other flowers blooming to see on our ride. We saw many many tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof where we spent several hours. I am looking forward to traveling on the Merlijn again in the future!

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

Was the wonderful guide and the beautiful scenery we encountered every day. Peaceful countryside.The boat was top notch and the hosts went out of their way to make things nice . Food was well presented with lovely courses. I would recommend this tour to others.

  Merlijn Merzig a Mainz
Alemania

This was our first Bike & Barge, but it won't be our last! The whole trip was fabulous, the biking, the crew, the food, the other passengers and Tripsite for organizing it all!

  Merlijn Berlín a Malchin
Alemania, Polonia

Riding the trails through the beautiful forests!

  Merlijn Merzig a Mainz
Alemania

Biking with family, romantic views from the river, the friendliness of the boat puppy and crew, wonderful dinner , and the stadt tours

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The staff on the Merjlin were fantastic
The bike seats were a bit uncomfortable but overall the trip was great. The tour guides were were great unfortunately they did not explain the route prior each day

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

Outstanding trip. The Merlijn is a first class ship. The owners and the crew were just out of this world accommodating. The food was delicious, maybe too delicious. My bike was fantastic. Can’t say enough good things about the ship and the people that own it. Liked it so much, I’m going back on it for three weeks next year in Germany.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The Merlijn and their staff were excellent! The food was fabulous too! The only reason I am giving this trip a 4 out of 5 stars is the tulips were on somewhat dying on May 11th. We booked this trip in 2019 for April 2020 and then COVID took over all of our lives. Then we rebooked for 2021 and had to change 1 week later. Then 2021 was still not safe to travel so when booking again for 2022, we had to switch to start May 3 in Bruges with the tulip part at the end of the trip. I loved Bruges and thoroughly enjoyed biking in Belgium. I developed a cough so unfortunately I missed a lot of biking in The Netherlands. But I did enjoy the river views while on the boat and got to experience locks also. When cruising into Rotterdam, I saw one of the super yacht builders' ship yard (Oceanco) and that was exciting for me as we sell to the super yachts.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

Great meals, excellent organization.
More substantial lunches would be good.
The tulips were finished by the time we got to the fields. I don’t think the May 2 trip should be advertised as a tulip tour.

  Merlijn Berlín a Malchin
Alemania, Polonia

  Merlijn Berlín a Malchin
Alemania, Polonia

Going to Poland. This trip was too rural and remote. Very few stops and few points of interest. Mainly dirt paths or cobblestone paths that were very difficult to ride a bike on. The farm fields we drove our bikes through were awful, some were full of holes and quite dangerous. I do not recommend this trip for those who have back and neck problems or those who never have rode a mountain bike.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

The boat was awesome and the crew was outstanding. We didn’t bike two days because of the weather and we wanted to see Nuremberg.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

The entire trip was a trip of a lifetime! We booked the entire barge and took a large group of friends. Everything, from the ship, to the staff, to the food, and to the incredible bike scenery was just fantastic. There was absolutely nothing that could have been better.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

The beautiful views from the boat and from the bike trail, the amazing food, the knowledge of all the crew. Definitely would consider this type of trip again earlier in the year.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

very organized and well run - nice breakfast every day, great dinners - best was the individually packed lunches for the bike trips (it's the little things)

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

The journey was more than expected. The vessel, the food, and the friendship extended far exceeded my wildest dreams. This trip will go down as a lifetime memory that will be hard to exceed.

The good Captain, his wife, and their crew will always hold a special place in our hearts.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

Such a fun way to see Germany, by bike and boat! Loved the Merlin and its' crew. Everybody was so nice and helpful.

  Merlijn Würzburg to Nuremberg
Alemania

All was wonderful: the barge, the crew, the food, and the guide - the biking, the beauty that surrounded us every day along the bike trails/paths, exploring the small towns, and the feeling of fulfillment at the end of each daily ride.
It is a must do trip!!

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Alemania

Riding through beautiful countryside and picturesque towns. Guide was informative about Bavarian history.

  Merlijn Cologne to Saarburg
Alemania

This trip is mostly between towns and villages each day, but with the opportunity to "bookend" the cycling with visits to a number of famous large cities in the area. I stayed several days in Cologne first, and in Strasbourg and Frankfurt at the end. All are easily reachable by high speed train. On the cycle trip, I particularly enjoyed the portion out of Koblenz where we cycled right through the vineyards on the hillside slopes rather than right along the river.

This was my fifth cycle trip and by far the most luxurious boat, the Merlijn. Summer temperatures were HOT but somehow the paths along the meandering Mosel were often in the shade. One unpredictable factor for any trip is the quality of the guide. Lia was top notch. As were the bikes. And the food.

Helpful hints... I choose my trips according to what discounts are offered, as every tour has something worthwhile on offer. Germany is a beer drinking country, and I found non alcohol beer available everywhere.

  Merlijn Cologne to Saarburg
Alemania

The Moselle is a storybook beautiful valley with vineyards sloping up the river valleys and quaint towns along the way with castles on the hills. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful location. The Merlijn crew were amazing; the food was wonderful and our tour guide Leia made the trip enjoyable and informative. I really appreciated they took us to visit Berg Elze, I loved the castle. All around, this was a fabulous vacation that I would recommend to anyone who knows how to bike!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The attentiveness of Christina and Koen and all the rest of the staff on the boat. The only comment i have is that with 24 riders and quite a varying degree of riding abilities, I think two guides and divide the group into two would have been better.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Holanda, Bélgica

The Merlijn, the captain, chef, crew and guides were absolutely fantastic - our third bike and barge with Tripsite and by far the best. The most memorable part for us was riding into Ghent where we lived 15 years ago as a family for a year - spent the afternoon with the group showing off our home away from home.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

Trying to identify the most memorable part of my trip Is really quite difficult. Initially, I thought seeing the tulips in Kuekenhof was the best. The colors were so vibrant that it was like a sensory overload. Thankfully, there are some things you can't un-see. However, bicycle riding for a week through bucolic settings, windmills, and picturesque Dutch cities was also most memorable. Finally, the time I spent on the Merlijn can't really be relegated to second place. The ship was lovely and clean. The captain and crew were warm and hospitable. The meals were expertly prepared and presented. Ultimately, the time I shared with the other 20 passengers was unforgettable. Yes, I have failed dismally to single out a single most memorable part of a fantastic trip.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

There were many memorable parts including the wonderful people on the boat, the boat crew, the comfort of the boat, fabulous food and of course the beautiful scenery we biked through. The tulip fields were spectacular! Our tour guide was a gem! My only complaint was not having enough time in each port but our cruise was only 7 days and if you take a longer tour there is more for relaxation.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

It was so smooth. The small size of the group, the fact that the owners of the barge live on board and their love for the vessel is shown on every part. This barge is loved and the people running it and working on it care about what they do and have welcomed you into their home as guests (an over-used word in the hospitality industry but accurate in this case). The Merlijn is comfortable and lovely. The meals were hearty and good. The bikes were in great shape and Thomas, who lead our tour, was engaging and very knowledgeable (and patient with the less keen cyclists and fanatics alike). He knows his way around the paths and he is very knowledgeable about the Netherlands and every town, village and city we stopped in. He adjusted the route when needed and even made excellent suggestions for after the tour. The beauty of the Netherlands and the Tulips is documented in millions of photos and paintings but to actually cycle through it, day after day revealing something new and seeing the beauty of each new town and field was marvellous.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

There were two main memorable parts of this trip. First, the Dutch countryside and cycling infrastructure are amazing. We were fortunate to have clear weather and lovely, cool riding temperatures for our trip through the Green Heart of the country. The route planning was excellent, giving us opportunities to see farmland, cities, beautiful small communities, polders, and of course, picturesque windmills. Second, the Merlijn is a memorable ship: beautiful, comfortable, hospitable, and first class, no one could ask for a better barge/cruise experience.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

We had a wonderful trip. No down time to relax but this trip was about biking and seeing the sights. The trip is rated easy and I am a healthy 65 year old woman and in pretty decent shape and the rides challenged me every day. The guide was incredible and so was the boat and staff.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

Our trip was fantastic!
Our guide Hugo was the highlight of the trip!!
The food was excellent ..
The drinks were reasonable priced..
The crew was so nice!!
Can’t say enough great things about our trip!!

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

The crew members were outstanding hosts. They never got tired of answering questions or making suggestions to make it a great week....even though the weather was awful. Cold/ windy/dreary. I missed a couple of days on the bike and the cruising part of the trip was wonderful.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

The boat, the crew, the guide, were all fabulous. Traveling alone, I never felt alone. It was the perfect way to see the country, learning the tulip trade, about the culture and cycling in all kinds of weather made this a very memorable trip. I must say, there was more than one experience as a florist I enjoyed the flowers and learning about their farms, the windmills and how they irrigate the canals, and the windmill keeper who gave us an extensive tour of his windmill and how it operates.

  Merlijn Tour de tulipanes – 7 días
Holanda

I would recommend this trip for people of all ages. The staff on the Merlijn was wonderful. As were the scenery, biking, and the people of the Netherlands. Be aware that the weather fluctuates in the spring and come prepared. All of the water ways cause it to be windy as well. But it is well worth it!

  Merlijn Frankfurt a Ludwigsburg
Alemania

The Merlijn was the best way to see Germany! It's a clean beautiful haven to come back to after touring the countryside on our bikes with our fabulous guide! The crew made sure we were always prepared and ready to go, and made sure that our return was relaxing and fulfilling. We all enjoyed interacting and learning from them, and the food was delicious. I cannot say enough about the experience!

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Alemania

This was our first bike and barge tour and it was great. The Merlijn is a beautiful barge that is extremely comfortable and well maintained by the owners. The food was sooooo good and the atmosphere, even in the midst of Covid, was friendly. Our trip leader, Lia, was absolutely the best. Her upbeat demeanor, her competence in handling all the “little things” that could have interrupted the pleasant days of biking was amazing. I’d highly recommend this trip but folks should realize an “easy” tour is still 30-50 km/day

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Alemania

The boat, staff and tour guide were all absolutely amazing. The boat was clean and the food was great, having dinner on the boat each night was a blessing after a long day of biking and sightseeing. Biking through the small towns and along the river was very scenic. The tour guide was very prepared and handled any small hiccup along the way. I've never really biked or did a tour like this before and most days were fine, but I was glad to have been able to switch to an E-bike for the day we had to do more of a uphill climb.

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Alemania

The views were amazing and the staff was great!

More biking per day would have made the trip perfect!

  Merlijn Crucero mágico de Navidad por Alemania, a bordo del Merlijn!
Alemania

Our tour on the Merlijn was a wonderful trip, a great way to get in the Christmas spirit! My favorite part was relaxing on the boat and the delicious meals prepared by our hosts, and visiting all the Christmas markets in the cities along the way.