A ship as your hotel
Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink in the salon or admire the setting sun on deck. Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury.
The team
The captain/skipper, the chef and your tour guide all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The skipper is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the cook is in charge of the catering. A tour leader accompanies you during the bike ride and can assist in case of breakdowns. He/She will be your guide to point out the things of interest along the way and is multi-lingual (German/English).
The meals
The on-board chef is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day. The catering consist of 2 x full board and 5 x half board and starts with dinner on embarkation day and ends with breakfast on disembarkation day. Lunch could be packed or a picnic as well. The food served on board is traditional and characteristic for the country. Higher nutritional demands of bikers are taken into account. Breakfast on board generally includes at least bread, butter, cheese, ham, coffee and tea. For lunch/dinner the chef generally serves light fish or meat dishes or vegetarian meals.The on-board chef is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day. The catering starts with the dinner on the arrival day and ends with the breakfast on the departure day.
If you wish to eat vegetarian food or have distinctly different eating habits please inform us in time before your arrival. Please keep in mind that special food requirements cannot always be met in all details. If you have extensive food allergies we ask you to give us a list of the food that you can eat. This should be done before your arrival so that the cook can be instructed to plan and shop accordingly.
If you need gluten free meals then please note that due to the small size of the kitchen and the available equipment on board, we cannot guarantee that your food will not come into contact with kitchen utensils in which gluten-containing foods have already been processed.
So if you have a serious celiac disease, where the food must not come into contact with utensils in which food containing gluten was prepared, then we would recommend not to participate in the trip as the risk of an allergic shock would be too high. If it is a (mild) gluten intolerance it is not a problem.
You and the group, new friends from around the world!
One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time!
Activity level
E-Bike Level 2
Our cycle tours are suited for e-bikers. You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or to spend time on board the boat, instead of taking a planned cycle tour.
Requirements for e-bikers (level 2): When riding on an E-bike this tour is suitable for people with a good basic level of fitness. The tours and the elevation meters are very manageable with an e-bike (30-60km and 400-700 elevation meters per day).
Guided group pace:
This is a tour specially designed as an E-bike tour, the riding pace is determined by the cyclists
Requirement to wear a helmet
Helmet use is mandatory on this tour. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own (well-fitted) helmet. Rental helmets are available in limited numbers (reservation required).