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. Catering starts with dinner on the arrival day and ends with breakfast on departure day. Lunch can 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.
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 1 / Hybrid Bike Level 2 - 3
Our cycle tours are suitable for both: hybrid and e-bikers. You should decide beforehand, which bicycle you wish to rent. You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or to spend time on board the boat, instead of taking part on a planned cycle tour.
Requirements for hybrid bikers (level 2-3): When riding on a hybrid bike this tour requires a basic level of fitness from participants, which they should have acquired from regular cycling. The tours will take us up to a height of 200 to 650 m above sea-level. The day-tours from 12 to 37.5 mi. (20 to 60 km) will take us through hilly and mountainous terrain and can be completed without any time-constraints. Participants will also need to master long and steep climbs, during which they are, however, also permitted to push their bicycles. We cycle mostly on asphalted roads, which are rarely frequented outside the holiday seasons.
Requirements for e-bikers (level 1): When riding on an E-bike this tour is suitable for people with a good basic level of fitness. The tours and the elevation gain are very manageable with an e-bike (30-60km and 400-700 m of elevation per day).
Guided group pace
This is a tour specially designed as an E-bike tour. The riding pace is determined by the cyclists on e-bikes. Guests who are taking part on this tour on a regular bicycle should have the necessary physical condition to keep up with this pace. We thank you for your understanding.
Requirement to wear a helmet
Helmets are mandatory on our bike tours. It is advised to bring your own, well fitted, helmet with you as our rental helmet numbers are limited (reservation required).