Along the River Rhine By Barge & Bike From Mainz to Basel

MS ANDANTE: "Enjoyment and Wine on the River Rhine"

"Indulgence and Wine on the River Rhine"

Why is it so beautiful along the Rhine River? There certainly will be hundreds of possible answers to this question. One of these will be provided by this journey, on which you will cross the French-German border several times. Both the French region of the Alsace and the German Black Forest area have much indulgence to offer, very fine wine and delicious plates. Along with beautiful churches and romantic castles that are well worth a visit you will visit scenic towns with half-timbered medieval houses like Speyer, Kehl and Strasbourg.
Your trip will start in Mainz and will lead you all the way up to Basel. This city in the tripoint between Switzerland-Germany-France will prove that Swiss people do also understand a lot of indulgence.

Your Ship - MS ANDANTE:
Constantly refurbished in the last years, the spacious river barge MS ANDANTE promises a comfortable vacation in cosy atmosphere. You will find the tastefully equipped lounge-bar and the dining room with panoramic windows on the promenade deck. There are 17 cabins on the promenade deck and 26 cabins on the main deck, two of which are single cabins. (On both decks there are limited capacities for twin cabins to be used as single). All cabins (approx. 8-9 qm) are equipped with low level beds, dressing table with mirror, flat-screen TV, shower/toilet, individually-controlled air conditioning and opening windows. There is a partially roofed sundeck with seats for the guests and a designed storage for bicycles. Look forward to meeting nice people; enjoy delicious food and interesting cycle tours, simply a nice holiday.

Technical Details:
Length: 74.4 m
Width: 10.2 m
Speed: 8.64 knots/16Kmh
43 cabins: max. 84 passengers
1 lift
Dutch flag and captaincy


Itinerary:

Day 1: Saturday, Mainz
Individual arrival in Mainz. There may be time to see the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate with its
lovingly restored half-timbered houses in the Old Town and the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint Martin. Embarkation will be between 3 and 5 pm. At 6 pm, the ship sails to Gernsheim, where you will spend the night.

Day 2: Sunday, Gernsheim-Mannheim by Ship | Mannheim-Heidelberg-Speyer, Cycle Tour approx. 30 - 55 km
In the morning, we will sail to Mannheim. In this lovely town, you will find one of the world's largest Baroque palaces. From Mannheim, either you cycle directly to Speyer or you make a detour via Heidelberg with its world-famous castle ruin. The cathedral in Speyer, today's destination, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. Explore the city of Speyer during a guided sightseeing walk (excursion, optional, bookable on board).

Day 3: Monday, Speyer-Sondernheim, Cycle Tour approx. 20 km | Sondernheim -Plittersdorf by Ship
Cycling through the Palatinate countryside you will reach the small town of Sondernheim (Brick Museum, optional, bookable on board), from where the MS ANDANTE will sail to Rastatt-Plittersdorf. Rastatt is a town characterized by its Baroque buildings and with two marvellous Baroque palaces. The Plittersdorf district is close to the Nature Reserve "Rastatter Rheinaue (Floodplains of the Rhine River)", which belongs to the most important natural treasures in the administrative district of Karlsruhe.

Day 4: Tuesday, Plittersdorf-Gambsheim, Cycle Tour approx. 40 km | Gambsheim- Strasbourg (Kehl) by Ship
Today you will set foot on French soil when cycling to the village of Gambsheim in Alsace. From here, the ship sails to Strasbourg in the afternoon. Enjoy the historical sites such as the cathedral of Strasbourg (Straßburger Münster) or the area known as "La Petite France" (called the Tanners' Quarter in German) during a boat trip with a pleasure boat (excursion on one's own initiative).

Day 5: Wednesday, Strasbourg (Kehl) -Rhinau by Ship | Rhinau-Breisach, Cycle Tour approx. 42 - 49 km
A first destination for today's leg is the village of Rhinau in France, situated amidst an amazing landscape shaped by the Rhine River. Here you leave the ship and continue the tour by bike, cycling towards the town of Breisach upon Rhine. From the rocky hill on which the Romanesque cathedral Saint Stephen towers over the town, you will have a wonderful view reaching from the Vosges Mountains over the Rhine valley to the Black Forest. You will also see the vineyards around the town; the wine and the sparkling wine from Breisach upon Rhine are world-famous. You will get an idea about the importance of Breisach on a vineyard tour with wine tasting (excursion, optional, bookable on board).

Day 6: Thursday, Cycle Tour from/to Breisach to Colmar, approx. 64 km or Cycle Tour to Freiburg, approx. 62 km
Today, while the ship will moor in Breisach upon Rhine, you can decide to go for a cycle tour to Colmar, the unofficial capital of Alsatian wine, or to Freiburg im Breisgau, waiting for you with gorgeous buildings like the Freiburger Münster, a gothic minster cathedral, in the marvellous Old Town. After the tour, you will turn back to Breisach upon Rhine (return trip by train would be possible on your own account).

Day 7: Friday, Breisach-Basel by Ship | or Breisach-Basel, Cycle Tour approx. 60 km
It's your choice today: Step on you bike in the early morning and cycle along the right bank
of the river Rhine via Neuenburg and Bad Bellingen to Basel, or stay on board of MS
ANDANTE and enjoy your last daytrip on the sundeck sailing the Rhine to Basel. You will love this marvellous Swiss city in the tripoint between Germany-France-Switzerland. Not at all unjustified, Basel calls itself "City of Gourmets" and has more than 20 restaurants with Gault Millau- or Michelin-valuation.

Day 8: Saturday, Basel
Disembarkation after breakfast.


Important:
- Embarkation: from 3.00 to 5.00 pm
- Disembarkation: After breakfast, until 09:00 am.
- Bike hire on board: Unisex bicycles with normal mount (ladies model), 7 gears, hand brake and pedal brake and pannier bag, limited number of freewheel hub bikes. E-Bikes are only available after prior request (by booking) and confirmation and at limited number.
- Cycle Tours: individual and self-guided. You will cycle about 20 to 64 km. The kilometres indicated for the cycle tours are approximate.
- Cycle ways / level of difficulty: The quality of the cycle ways along this route is excellent. Most of the way is paved or asphalted and does not have any gradients of note. This makes the trip suitable even for unpractised cyclists.
- Luggage on board: we recommend waterproof rain gear, bike helmet, sun hat and sports shoes. We would like to ask you to do without hard-side luggage as storage space in the cabin is very limited!
- Alterations of schedule or programme: subject to change. In case that as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons a route cannot be taken, the skipper reserves the right to change the route for your safety (this would not be a reason for fee-free cancellation).
- Travel documents: EU citizens need a valid identity card or passport for this journey.
- Special dietary needs and food allergies: inform us about your dietary needs and we will do our best to take them into consideration. There will be an extra fee of approx. EUR 25 per person/week (to be paid directly on board). Please inform us on booking.

Car Park Facilities:
Car park close to the main station (unguarded, cannot be booked) in Mainz. Parking fee approx. EUR 10 per day.

Characteristics:

Participants:
from 60 up to 84
Tourtype:
individual
Children:
no
Regions:
Countries:

Benefits:

  • 7 nights' in outside cabin with shower /WC in the booked category
  • Programme according to itinerary from Mainz to Basel
  • Welcome drink
  • Full board (breakfast, packed lunch for cycle tours or lunch snack, coffee and tea in the afternoon, three-course dinner)
  • Daily cabin cleaning
  • Change of bedding and towels
  • Passenger and port fees
  • Daily briefing on board for the respective cycle tour
  • Tour guide on board
  • Maps and information material 1x per cabin
  • Rental bike insurance
Start date: on request
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Additional costs:

  • Twin cabin promenade deck: EUR 899,-
  • Single cabin main deck (2 cabins per trip): EUR 959,-
  • Twin cabin for single use main deck (limited offer): EUR 1199,-
  • Twin cabin for single use promenade deck (limited offer): EUR 1349,-
  • EUR 70 Rental fee for a 7-gear unisex bicycle with hand and back pedal brake or freewheel hubs (must be reserved in advance, limited number). All bikes have pannier bags
  • EUR 165 E-bike with free wheel (must be booked in advance, limited number)
  • Arrival and departure, transfers, hire bikes, entrance fees and excursions, city maps, insurances, gratuities(at your discretion) and own expenses

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