Bavarian tour of the river Main in Germany

Check in: 1:30 – PM. Once you drop off your luggage, your bike guide for the week will accompany you as you walk up the gradually ascending road, and arrive at the ‘Würzburg Residence’ fortress, which offers a magnificent view of the historic centre of Würzburg and its many towers. Enjoy a guided tour of the Residence, after which you can make your way to the ship. 4:00 PM – You are welcomed aboard, and we’ll present you with a welcome drink and introduce the crew. We will also provide information on the tour, the ship, and offer you a safety briefing. After your first dinner on board, there will be time to take an evening stroll ashore. We’ll stay overnight in Würzburg.

After an introductory talk about your bike, your first cycle tour will start. This will lead you along the river Main, leaving behind Würzburg and its historic centre. After your first impressions of the ‘Main-Radweg’ and a picnic lunch prepared by the Merlijn chef, you will reach Karlstad, where the streets are laid out much like a chessboard, but are not entirely straight: a concept conceived for military purposes. After your visit to the city, you will board the Merlijn. Together, we’ll sail on to Lohr am Main and pass our first locks on the river. Dinner will be served during the cruise, and afterwards there will be time for a post-meal walk in Lohr am Main with its Gothic and Baroque buildings.

While you enjoy your breakfast, the bikes will be prepared by the crew and will be waiting for you to start set off on today’s tour. This will take you to Wertheim: a town that invites you to visit its historic centre and mountain ruins, at the confluence of the rivers Main and Tauber. On the way, you will encounter the half-timber castle Homburg, and cycle through the ever-changing landscape of abundant vineyards and forested mountain slopes, with bizarre rocks and historic monuments, such as the Triefenstein monastery. At Wertheim, you will board the Merlijn again and sail on to Miltenberg, where our day ends. It’s a charming village with numerous alleyways, winding streets and old restored half-timber houses, as well as a historic market square and ‘Zum Riesen’, which is the oldest pub in Germany. After dining on board, you will be offered a tour and beer-tasting session at the famous ‘Faust’ brewery.

Today, the bike tour will lead you further on along the river Main, following the ‘Main-Radweg’. We will pass lovely small towns and villages, such as Klingenberg and Groszheubach, both famous for their fine red wines, before continuing to our destination of Aschaffenburg. In the afternoon, you’ll have the chance to stroll through the old city centre to see the churches, and the large castle situated along the riverbank. Once you’ve admired the local attractions, you can enjoy the local cuisine of Aschaffenburg when you dine ashore in the evening.

We start with another delicious onboard breakfast to fuel you up for the day’s cycling! Leaving Aschaffenburg with good memories you’ll start the bike tour, taking you to the small, romantic city of Seligenstadt with its meandering alleyways, half-timber houses and Basilica. Continuing via Klein-Krotzenburg along the river Main and Steinheim, we’ll head towards Hanau, the town where the famous Grimm brothers were born. You might want to try a ‘Currywurst mit Brötchen’ along the way: a type of fine German pork sausage typically steamed and seasoned with curry ketchup! After your visit, we will head towards Offenbach, passing Bürgel and Mühlheim.

From Offenbach, we’ll sail together towards Frankfurt: Europe’s banking city. Frankfurt was a city state, the Free City of Frankfurt, for nearly five centuries, and was one of the most important cities of the Holy Roman Empire, as the site of imperial coronations. It lost its sovereignty upon the collapse of the empire in 1806, and then permanently in 1866, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. Frankfurt is a both a major city and a global hub for commerce, culture, education, tourism and transportation. It is the financial centre of the European continent, and home to the headquarters of major European Banks. There will be enough time to discover the city at your own pace, as there is an overnight stay in Frankfurt.

Your last cycling day has already arrived, so wave ‘Auf wiedersehen’ to Frankfurt from the saddle of your bike and then follow the Main river ‘downstream’. A short stop at the inviting ‘Schwanheimer Düne’ nature reserve will recharge your green heart in this predominantly urban area. Passing along Eddersheim, Raunheim and Rüsselsheim (Heim means home), you’ll reach Kostheim, where the last lock of the river Main is situated; the ‘gates’ to the Rhine river for Merlijn. Here, you can board the ship for a last short cruise to Mainz, or continue cycling to Mainz by passing a large bridge accross the magnificent Rhine river. In the evening, captain’s dinner will be served on board.

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and continue your European trip or leave for the airport