Premium Blue Danube tour of Germany & Austria
September 09 - 16 / 2023
Departure date: 09 september 2023
Average biking distance per day 30 to 60 km
Highlights
One of the newest tours Merlijn offers, the only small-scale Bike & Barge cruise on the Blue Danube!
Bike, Barge and Cruise along the famous Blue Danube. Immerse yourself in Austrian culture, and enjoy all this country has to offer. Take the classic ‘Donau Radweg’ cycle route along the River Danube in the north of Austria. Sample traditional Austrian cuisine by stopping at local bakeries and enjoying an evening dinner. A good mix of cycling and cruising allows you to enjoy the Blue Danube to the full. With a healthy love of cycling, any level of cyclist can undertake this journey, as we offer a variety of routes almost every day. Enjoy included excursions such as a guided tour of the blockbuster Abbey of Melk, and a tasting session of local wines in the Wachau area.
Would you like to stay on board and travel longer on the Merlijn? This is an excellent trip to combine with the successive Passau - Nürnberg Bike & Barge cruise> This combination means your tour will run from Vienna to Nürnberg.

Day-to-day itinerary
Check in: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM. 4:30 PM, Merlijn will set sail for Korneuburg. We’ll present you with a welcome drink and introduce the crew. We will also provide information on the tour and the ship, and offer you a safety briefing. After you’ve got familiar with the ship, your dinner will be served, and following your meal, you can take a stroll or enjoy a relaxing evening in the cosy lounge.
We heartily recommend spending a few days in Vienna prior to joining the ship. Baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces set the stage for Vienna's artistic and musical masterpieces, alongside its coffee house culture and vibrant epicurean and creative scene. Don’t forget to eat a traditional ‘Sacher Torte’ during your stay. A day trip to the Slovakian city of Bratislava is also within close range, and is certain to make your cultural heart beat faster.
- Please note that Passau is a very busy cruise port. We may not dock in Passau itself but may have to divert to the first available berth outside Passau.
Your bike & barge cruise will include:
- 7 nights on board Merlijn
- welcome drink
- daily cleaning of your cabin
- supply of bedding, towels, facial tissues, hand soap, soap, shampoo, sewing kit, vanity kit, bathrobe & slippers.
- culinary care: 7 x breakfast buffets, 6 x packed lunches and 6 x 3-course dinners
- coffee, tea and iced water
- services of a tour guide
- daily information about the trip of the next day
- use of 27-speed bicycle, including a waterproof pannier, towel and universal helmet
- we will provide you with your own water bottle
- GPS-tracks on most routes
- canal, bridge & harbour fees.
- all ferry fares en route
- entrance to Schloss Greinburg
- wine tasting session with local wines
- entrance and guided tour at Stift Melk
Your bike & barge cruise does not include:
- 1 x dinner
- drinks other than those mentioned
- inbound and outbound journey
- city maps (though a few are available on board)
- bike maps
- insurance
- gratuities
For your comfort, we rent out electric bikes at € 30 each per day, reservations in advance are advisable.
The general terms and conditions of Merlijn de magie van water B.V. apply to all bookings, offers and agreements. Please find them on our website under ‘Terms & Conditions’.
Merlijn complies the General Data Protection Regulation to protect your privacy. Please find them on our website under ‘Privacy statement’.
We reserve the right to modify schedule and/or program. If (part of) the route is not navigable due to weather conditions and/or other nautical reasons and/or is closed off due to circumstances and/or for safety reasons, the operator and/or the captain has the right to change the schedule. This includes changing the location of departure and/or arrival and temporarily suspending departure. Nautical and/or meteorological reasons are understood to mean, among others, weather conditions, the tide, obstruction of waterways/shipping lanes, and the condition of the ship. Closed off due to circumstances and/or safety reasons are understood to mean, among others, terrorism, diseases, natural disasters. Changes in schedule and/or program do not give the customer the right on free cancellation.