Merlijn boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 272
Terri P.
5 days ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
The cycling paths along the Danube are superb . The crew of the Merlyn were excellent and hospitable.
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 5
Gail G.
5 days ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
We went on The Merlijn which was amazing. We can't say enough about the wonderful service, accommodations, and staff on the ship. The staff felt like family and got to know the passengers within the first hour of the tour. The tour guide on the bike was excellent, very knowledgeable, and personal. He really made the trip for us. And it was wonderful to come back from a long day of riding and have drinks and snacks ready when you came on the ship. Every detail was attended to and everything was perfect. I highly recommend a tour on The Merlijn with Coen and Christina!
Esther V.
7 days ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
All of it. The Merlijn is small, cozy and a lot of character. All staff including the owners made me and my husband feel so welcomed, like family. This is something you will not find on big boats/ships. The meals that were prepared by Christina were fabulous, and they were very accommodating to my husband who has a picky palate.
The bike trails were easy and beautiful! The little towns in Austria that we rode through were breath taking.
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
Pat L.
7 days ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
This was my third trip with Tripsite, and third aboard the Merlijn. This section of the Danube seemed quieter than other trips I’ve taken giving us a different experience. We saw the palaces and monasteries along the way, rode through sleepy villages, passed the occasional fishermen along the river front. The biking was easy and along the river for the most part. We took a wonderful hike one day, saw some giant mushrooms along the trail. The last day of riding we had the option of riding extra or swimming off the barge, I took the swim, definitely a highlight for me.
Michael A.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
This was my first trip on the Merlijn Bike & Barge. I was with a group of 3 couples that had done this trip before on the Merlijn. I found it outstanding, the equipment was excellent,( my wife and I rented electric bikes ) the cabins were very nice and roomy. Our meals were breakfast and dinner, the breakfast was good but I believe it could have been better, The dinners were first class....The barge also had a nice coffee bar and Bar that were excellent too. The trip was memoriable and I highly recommend the Merjin...
Marianne R.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
This was our fourth and BEST trip on the Merlijn! As usual the Capitan and Christina were marvelous hosts and Kat our bartender and greeter made the trip so fun! The bikes and our guide Thomas were excellent, the routes were lovely and the stops were interesting and informative. I plan to visit the Merlijn again and enjoy another tour.
- When did you take this tour?
- August 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- The rides were flat, given that they took us along the Danube primarily. The use of the helmets with our guide's voice transmitted to us was a huge upgrade and made things quite simple.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 5
Ricardo F.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
This was a very scenic trip along the Danube river. The Merlijn is a hidden gem of the river. There is no compatible ship like the Merlijn. The interior of the ship and cabins have all been remodeled and are top notch. The chef and staff are all amazing and welcome you with open arms. If you want an active vacation, you are in the right direction.
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 5
KATHY S.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Merlijn is top notch service and food. All staff including Thomas, the bike guide, were very friendly and funny.
- When did you take this tour?
- August 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- Obviously, you are only as fast as the slowest rider. Some riders were extremely slow and not adept at using their gears or navigating changes of any degree of elevation. It would be great if a self-guided option was offered on the same cruise to allow those more serious bikers time during the day to follow the same routes at their own pace giving them time to pack and choose where they spend more or less of their time.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 4
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 2
Josie H.
3 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
The scenery was beautiful! The Merlijn was beautiful and very comfortable. But, the standout for the trip was the staff. Coen and Christina made our week so wonderful and kept us well informed. “Cat” at the bar and serving was very charming and fun! He knew all our names by day 2! Simone kept our cabins tidy and did a great job on our laundry. June was always tidying up the ship and keeping it looking great. Ilsa was a really good tour guide and was very knowledgeable about the history of Austria.
- When did you take this tour?
- August 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- It was not easy everyday, too many steep inclines on certain days. One day was actually rated moderate on the internet so I did not go and stayed on the boat. (Because I fell 3 times on the steep inclines-bike too heavy when having to stop on the inclines. Once I got a different bike it was a better experience for me.)
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 4
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Scenery 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 4
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Difficulty 3
Cynthia W.
4 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
· Danube Bike Path - Passau to Vienna
Biking experience was awesome. Any person can ride an electric bike but our guide made the trip so comfortable
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 4
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 4
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 3
Peter B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Amsterdam to Cologne
Excellent trip with first class service and facilities
Easy pace for cycling and good quality bikes
Staff and customer experience was exceptional as was the food - A wow every day!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands, Germany
Cathy K.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 days
Our Bike and Barge trip on the Merlijn was top notch. There were many highlights including our daily cycling trips guided by our fantastic knowledgeable guide Franciene, who hails from the Netherlands. She told us lots of ‘stories’ along the way and planned each of our outings with great care and personalization. Our Merlin accommodations were top notch. Can’t say enough about our crew. They were amazing professional, friendly and took care of our every need. Christina our co-captain and chef extraordinaire served us fantastic meals every night. I would love to do more exploring with the Merlijn crew in the future.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands, Belgium
Rosalyn G.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 days
The barge is excellent and the food service great. The staff were very organized and pleasant. The bikes were excellent and the best helmets with the microphone communication with the guide who was also excellent. The routes were well planned and the tours from the boat were good. It was great to have a flexible day where one had a choice to bike and hike, bike and kayak or chose to go on your own excursion which several people did- a day in The Hague and Delft. Highly recommend this tour!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands, Belgium
Andrew and Diane K.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 days
This was our first bike and barge experience, yet we had heard many descriptions from friends. We went with excitement and high expectations. And from the moment we were greeted and introduced the boat the Accommodations, pleasantness and service level of the Merlijn crew exceeded every expectation we had by far! Our guide Francine was also superb. Her local knowledge, skill and experience made the ride safe and extremely enjoyable. Highly recommend this boat and crew.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands, Belgium
Rossanne E.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
The Merlijn is a beautiful boat, very clean and up to date. The bikes are brand new, easy to use. The food was wonderful and the staff so friendly and attentive. I don't have anything negative to say about this experience, it was so much fun.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Elaine S.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
What an incredible trip and we are SO thankful to have chosen the Merlijn barge. The crew were so nice and the barge was beautiful. I would HIGHLY recommend this trip and this particular barge. They have GREAT bikes available, incredible tour guides, helmets with speakers in them to help make the tour very safe and informative.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Thomas L.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
I really enjoyed the tour of the cheese farm in Gouda! Plus the evening walks after dinner were very informative!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Norma K.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
From the meticulously repurposed barge, to the fantastically beautiful daily rides with an expert guide, to the daily on-board meals made with heart, this was one of the best tours of our lives. I recommend it to anybody that likes to hop on a bike (there was lots of e-bikes). Coen is a real master captain, and he spares no energy sharing his commitment to detail and perfection.
- When did you take this tour?
- April, 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- It was perfect for both the fit and unfit, about 30 miles per day on flat terrain and perfectly maintained Netherlands bike trails. Most riders used e-bikes which were perfectly maintained and extremely efficient.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 5
Susan H.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
Biking through the countryside and seeing fields of tulips growing was amazing. The country itself was wonderful even without the tulips. Our guide, Hetty, was fun and kept a pace that worked for all. We were on the Merlijn, which had just been refurbished. It was beautiful and the owners and staff were great!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Nancy N.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
the whole experience was great. The barge was lovely. The Captain and Mrs. were very welcoming. the tour guide was fantastic. Also a wonderer group of people.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Cathy B.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
The owners and crew of the Merlijn were fantastic!! The ship its self was immaculate, rooms extremely comfortable and can’t say enough about the meals cooked by Christina, one of the owners. The e-bikes made the days ride very easy and having the state of art helmets with microphone to hear our guide was a nice touch. You didn’t feel like you missed out on what the guide was saying if you weren’t at the front of the group. And I can’t say enough about our guide Hetty. She was very personable, knew the area and history well and went out of her way to ensure we all enjoyed the tour. I would definitely travel with this ship again!!
- When did you take this tour?
- April 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- Very easy with e-bikes
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Difficulty 5
Nancy B.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
The Merljin is a beautiful and classy barge. The staff are first rate and the food very special. Our guide Tammy was superb and the other members of our group all terrific. This goes down as a "one of best" vacations ever. We learned so much about the Netherlands, the culture, history, and resources. And, of course the flowers along the way were amazing!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
Mike M.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
Our experience on the Merlijn was outstanding! Captain Coen and chef Cristina own the boat, and their pride of ownership made this our favorite (of three) Tripsite bike and boat vacations. They made us feel like we were guests in their home. (It is their home, actually). The high quality bikes, remodeled cabins, and delicious meals had our group of 24 guests singing their praises. We had wonderful rides through towns, neighborhoods, past windmills and farms. The crescendo was seeing the vast fields of flowers and the famous Keukenhof Gardens. I just can’t say enough about this amazing trip.
- When did you take this tour?
- April 5
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- Riding was easy as expected. Some challenging intersections. Not enough bathroom stops.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 5
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 4
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Difficulty 5
Mark G.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Tulip Tour - 7 day
Bicycling past the flower-growing fields was a magical experience.
- When did you take this tour?
- April 2025
- How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
- It was easier than I was led to expect. I'm not an expert cyclist, nor have I been bicycling a lot in recent years, but I still found the riding easy, probably because of using an e-bike, although I didn't use its power assistance very much at all.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Netherlands
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Accommodations 5
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Included meals 4
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Bikes + equipment 5
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Scenery 5
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Ease of navigation 5
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Pre-travel information 5
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Routes 5
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Difficulty 5
Bob D.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Merzig to Nancy
The trip on the Merlijn was wonderful. The captain, crew, and guide were all 5 star. Accommodations on the barge were very nice, with modern baths, excellent lighting, and adequate storage. The guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the areas we biked through. The wine tour we had one evening was the best I have ever taken. One evening we all had a meal out at a German restaurant that was delightful. I like the bike helmet they provided. It networked with the guides helmet and she was able to give us information as we road on excellent bike paths.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany, Luxembourg, France
Deborah D.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Merzig to Nancy
The Merlijn is the best sailing ship in all of Europe if you want to bike. The captains Coen and Cristina (also the ship owners) are just wonderful people. I feel like family every time I travel with them and this was my 8th trip with them (7 trips in the last year alone). So if you want 5 star accommodations, service and meals, this is the ship to sail on. Their bikes are the best out there and I feel confident in saying that as I have done 15 bike and barge trips! Give the Merlijn a try and you will be hooked like I am. The Merlijn also gets the best bike guides out there along with extremely friendly and caring crew. Love the Merlijn and Coen and Cristina.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany, Luxembourg, France
Mary P.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Stuttgart to Mainz
Perfect trip from the ship, the Merlijn, and its crew headed by Coen and Cristina, to the dining, our guide, Thomas to the location along the Neckar and Rhine rivers with the little towns (and bakeries and cafés). It was like spending a holiday inside a magical storybook.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Petra S.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Stuttgart to Mainz
Every part of the trip was memorable.
Although the weather didn't always cooperate we had an amazing time and when the skies opened up we managed to keep dry in a winery... Could be worse :)
The breakfasts were excellent, lots of selection cold and hot and nutritious, lunches were packed by the crew and again excellent. Dinners were three course meals and our last was a four course meal, absolutely delicious.
The boat and bikes were in perfect condition and always clean.
The staff was courteous and helpful, our guide Thomas knowledgeable and always watchful of the group.
The locations we stopped at were beautiful.
I had never ridden an e-bike before the trip but it was easy to learn and a lot of fun. No struggling to get up any hills :)
I would recommend this trip to anyone of all ages, as long as you can ride a bike.
I will go on more of these bike / ship trips!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Leslie W.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Stuttgart to Mainz
The bike touring, our guide, the boat staff, the food and the boat itself were all memorable.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Laura R.
12 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Saarburg to Mainz
This was a fantastic trip! The Merlijn was absolutely perfect. The crew was outstanding, the chef simply amazing. Our rooms were small but quite nice and always clean. Our bikes were so easy to ride and our guide, well I cannot think of any better guide that we could have had. A simply stunning view of Germany and the most fun way to see it.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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