Rhine by Boat & Bike: Cologne, Castles and the Ruhr – 8 Days

Day 1 – Koblenz, welcome aboard (cruising)
You board in Koblenz, at the Deutsches Eck, the sharp point of land where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. Once you have settled into your cabin the crew introduces the captain and runs through life on board. Then it is cast off: the ship heads downstream past castles standing on both banks while you take in your first impressions from the sun deck. A welcome dinner closes the evening. Overnight in Cologne.

Day 2 – Cologne to Dusseldorf, 25 or 55 km
After breakfast your bike is fitted to you, and then you ride north along the Rhine through Monheim to Dusseldorf, past green floodplains and busy promenades. Dusseldorf is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia and its old town is known as the longest bar in the world, a nickname earned by the sheer number of pubs packed into a few streets. Walk the Rhine promenade, cross to the elegant Oberkassel side, or simply enjoy the mix of historic lanes and bold modern architecture.

Day 3 – Duisburg and the Ruhr, 40 or 60 km
While you have a slow breakfast the ship sails to Duisburg, where today's loop begins. This is the lesser-known side of the Ruhr: the old coal and steel heartland, where enormous industrial sites have been given over to parkland and culture. You ride through the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, past Oberhausen Castle and the landmark Gasometer, and on to the Centro, one of the largest shopping and leisure centres in Europe. Take the longer route and you also reach the Zollverein Coal Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage site and once one of the most important collieries anywhere. Then back to Duisburg and dinner on board.

Day 4 – Duisburg to Dusseldorf (cruising)
A relaxed morning, free to explore Duisburg at your own speed. Wander the city centre, or the Inner Harbour, once one of the busiest inland ports in Europe and now a quarter of cafes, restaurants and striking architecture. In the late afternoon the ship casts off for Dusseldorf. You watch the Rhine landscape slide past from the sun deck until the skyline appears, and by evening your floating hotel is moored in the heart of the city.

Day 5 – Dusseldorf to Cologne, 28 or 52 km
Today you leave the Ruhr behind and follow the Rhine south to Cologne, through river meadows and green belt, choosing the shorter or the longer route depending on how you feel. Founded by the Romans, Cologne is the oldest of Germany's larger cities: it was granted city status in 50 AD as a gift from the empress Agrippina and later became a major centre of the Holy Roman Empire. Its landmark is the Dom, begun in 1248 and finished only in 1880. The evening is yours, in the old town or one of the traditional brewhouses.

Day 6 – Cologne to Bonn, 38 or 58 km
The Rhine cycle path takes you from Cologne to Bonn, again with a shorter and a longer option. Bonn is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven and has more than two thousand years of history behind it: the Romans founded a settlement here, and from 1949 to 1990 it served as the capital of West Germany. Government buildings and historic facades still shape the streets. Look out for the Old City Hall, the Bonn Minster and Beethoven's birth house, then finish the day on the Rhine promenade.

Day 7 – Remagen to Koblenz, 50 km
After breakfast the ship takes you to Remagen, where your last ride starts. The town is known for the Ludendorff Bridge, the only Rhine bridge taken intact by American forces in March 1945. From here you follow a particularly lovely stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley, with castles on the heights and the first vineyards on the slopes. You pass the spa town of Bad Honningen and the old Roman town of Andernach, home to the highest cold-water geyser in the world, and reach Koblenz in the afternoon. The name comes from the Latin confluentes, the merging of rivers.

Day 8 – Koblenz, farewell (cruising)
One last breakfast on board, then disembarkation by 9:00 AM. Travel home at your own pace, or stay on in Koblenz a little longer.