A Caique 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.
Free WiFi is (limited) available in lounge and on deck.
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 speaks English/Italian. The tour leaders are carefully selected. They are experienced enthusiastic travelers who have a true passion for sharing their love of the outdoors, peoples, cultures and local food. Thanks to their knowledge of the territory, they can give you useful hints and help you appreciate the place you are visiting.
Tour programme variations
Due to organisational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday.
The captain and the guide reserve the right to make alterations to the itinerary, depending on wind, sea and weather conditions or organizational requirements.
This is not a sailing trip. The ship is a motor vessel, it has sails but the navigation is powered by engines.
During the tour the boat will be docked in a harbour during 6 nights, while on one night it will anchor in roadstead. The roadstead is a sheltered anchorage in a bay, which is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea. Natural roadsteads offer shelter from storms, winds and currents. In exceptional cases (bad meteorological and/or sea conditions), for safety reasons, the ship might have to return to the harbour also during the night that is scheduled in roadstead.
Only and exclusively in this case, the clients will be asked to pay a supplement for the overnight in the harbour. This amount, variable from port to port, will be divided among all participants and will be paid directly on site (approximately 20-50 € per person per night, subject to changes).
Route profile
This tour foresees 4 cycling days and 2 walking days.
The terrain is from plain to hilly, with a daily positive difference in height from 0 to 600 mt. The caique is moored at night and typically sets sail after breakfast, meeting up with the guests in the afternoon. Some parts of the itinerary are undertaken by caique.
Activity level
Leisure to Moderate: some days the itinerary will be flat, others it will present some hills. Suitable for everyone in good physical condition and with some cycling experience.