Cologne – Mainz, MS Olympia

Embark in Cologne between 3 and 5pm. Enjoy the evening on board or with a Kölsch beer in one of the pubs with a view over the river Rhine.

Before starting your first cycle tour, take the opportunity to stroll through the Old Town. You then start your first cycle ride of this holiday to Bonn, the city of Beethoven. This federal city and former capital of Germany still has international flair. On your way it is worthwhile to visit the leisure island Groov amidst a vast landscape of the Rheinaue wetland in one of Cologne's suburbs, Porz-Zündorf. In Bonn there are museums like the House of History or the Bundeskunsthalle courting for visitors’ attention. The House of Beethoven, the Rheinaue as well as the Bundesviertel with the path of Democracy are all equally worth a visit.

You will continue towards Andernach by bike today. Königswinter with Drachenburg castle on the Drachenfels (steep ascent) as well as the Sea Life with aquariums for more than 6,000 sea inhabitants are both worth a visit. Your destination for today, Andernach, is famous for the world´s biggest cold water gush spring with its impressive fountain of 60m.

On your way to Coblenz you will go past castle Engers in Neuwied. At the famous “Deutsche Eck” (german corner), the river Mosel merges with the river Rhine. Another place of interest is the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, which you can also reach by cableway across the Rhine in Coblenz. Tickets for the cableway are available on board.

You continue your journey by bike up the river Rhine through the UNESCO world heritage site Upper Middle Rhine Valley. You will pass the romantic fortress Marksburg, the only hilltop castle of middle Rhine that has never been destroyed, as well as the city Boppard with its fortress Kurfürstliche Burg before reaching St. Goar. Here you will find the ruins of fortress Rheinfels, which is the biggest of its kind along the Rhine. The fortresses Katz und Maus (cat and mouse) in St. Goarshausen on the other side of the Rhine are also worth visiting.

Again you will pass very beautiful Rhine castles like Burg Reichenstein and Burg Rheinstein. You will cycle past the famous rock Loreley before you reach Rüdesheim. In Rüdesheim we recommend a city walk around the historical town with its beautiful half-timbered houses. Or treat yourself to a ride on the cable car up to the Niederwald monument. Here you will have a beautiful view over the old town of Rüdesheim and the river.

On your final cycling ride during this tour you will find the Rhine at its best. You are going to get to see the city Eltville am Rhein with its emblem, the castle Kurfürstliche Burg on your way. Mainz, today's destination , presents itself with numerous impressive buildings. You may want to visit its cathedral Hoher Dom St. Martin, one of Germany's proud imperial cathedrals, or the castle Kurfürstliches Schloss. In the old town you will find attractive alleys and squares like the Augustinerstraße and the Kirschgarten with its lovely timber framed houses and wine restaurants.

You will need to disembark after breakfast but before 9am.