Easy biking with E-Motion in Waterland
This e-bike cruise on A-ROSA's new E-Motion ship SENA combines a sustainable cruise with carefully planned cycling and cultural excursions in a relaxed and eventful way. With electric tailwind you travel on the northern Rhine and the Meuse through three countries: Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp, are undoubtedly among the most beautiful cities in Northern Europe and the mills of Kinderdijk are as much a part of Holland as the bicycle. Beautiful, lush green marshland and polder landscape awaits you on flat, enjoyable routes along the coast, rivers and canals! Fancy a tasty fietsen!
It is wonderful to return to the comfortable cabin on board the ship after an eventful day! In the evening, it's not far to the ship's own restaurant, where you can relax and enjoy your dinner while the river landscape leisurely passes by outside the windows. In addition, on this cruise you have the special advantage that drinks are already included on board.
The cities you will experience are among the most beautiful in Europe. The trading cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam are open, tolerant and cosmopolitan. Multi-layered metropolises full of tradition and past. Canals and gabled houses together with spectacular architectural novelties form a unique backdrop to the lively hustle and bustle of these cities.
Rich as Venice and Florence, Antwerp was once. Nowhere has medieval splendor been so perfectly preserved as here! The heritage of this "Golden Age" are the world-famous paintings of the Flemish masters: the names Jan van Eyck, Peter Paul Rubens or Jacob Jordaens put every art lover in raptures.
Highlights
- 5 guided bike tours along the Rhine and Maas & beyond the river banks
- Glorious cities, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp
- Eventful and easy cycle routes through polder and river landscapes
- Famous Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne with masterpieces by Rubens and Rembrandt
- Accommodations on the SENA, state of the art cruise ship
- Stress-free battery-assisted cycling with a support vehicle
Flemish Masters
Paul Rubens created world-class works. In the Rubens House you will walk in his footsteps and during knowledgeable guided tours you will see his outstanding paintings. In Antwerp Cathedral, marvel at the altarpiece "Assumption of Mary." Exhibits by Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes can be seen in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Architecture at its best in Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Amsterdam offers a unique attraction with its canals. Over 80 kilometers of waterways and 1000 bridges form the canal belt with the picturesque Amsterdam gabled houses and houseboats. Rotterdam's inner city has been recreated by star architects in the last 20 years (tour & walking tour).
Noble Antwerp, a "Stad aan de Stroom".
Antwerp achieved wealth through the diamond & wool trade. Walk with your guide through the Old Town to the Grote Markt and admire the colossal City Hall, magnificent Renaissance gabled houses, the Rubens House and the largest church in Flanders.
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Itinerary
Day 1: Cologne
Day 2: Amsterdam | 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 3: Amsterdam - Ijssel Sea - Amsterdam | 35 mi. (55 km)
Day 4: Rotterdam - Delft - Den Haag - Rotterdam | 38 mi. (60 km)
Day 5: Dordrecht - Kinderdijk - Dordrecht | 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 6: Antwerp - Mchelen | 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 7: Day on the River - No Biking
Day 8: Departure or extension in Cologne
*All distances are approximate. The itinerary is subject to change, at times without prior notice. Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances that make navigation unsafe or impossible. The captain reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary.
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DAY 1: INDIVIDUAL ARRIVAL TO COLOGNE
Your river cruise begins in the cathedral city of Cologne. At 3:00 pm we await you for a welcome drink on board the A-ROSA SENA. Starting at 2:00 p.m., AROSA offers a bus shuttle every half hour from the main train station in Cologne to the dock (included). At 4:00 p.m. the "SENA" departs and sails downriver towards Amsterdam. If the weather is good, enjoy the departure from Cologne on the sun deck with a view of the famous cathedral, the steeples of the surrounding Romanesque churches and the modern harbor district. Dinner together and 1st night on board.
DAY 2: CANALS, GABLES AND VAN GOGH | Approx. 19 miles / 30 km
While the ship glides gently over the Maas to Holland, you will learn exciting facts about the region during an informative lecture in the morning. Amsterdam offers a unique attraction with its canals. Over 80 kilometers of waterways and 1000 bridges form the canal belt with the picturesque Amsterdam gabled houses and houseboats. "Delicious Fietsen" on "New Land" in Amsterdam! After lunch, the famous bicycle city welcomes you. On a bike tour along those canals that have served as transportation routes for centuries, you'll explore the city like a local. Ride the city's most popular mode of transportation and learn about Amsterdam's past and present through fascinating stories. In no time, you'll feel like a true Amsterdammer. In the late afternoon, you will have free time to stroll through the old town alleys of Amsterdam. Dinner and 2nd night on board.
DAY 3: WATERLAND, CHEESE AND CLOGS | Approx. 35 miles / 55 km
Today we leave the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam behind by taking the ferry to the countryside for an e-bike tour outside the city. With views of the Amsterdam Tower and the Eye Film Museum, you'll take the ferry across the Amstel River. You'll then ride your e-bike through Amsterdam's Old Holland neighborhood and then a nature park on the way to Broek in Waterland. Pass canals, bridges and historic farms. This flat landscape offers views of moments that feel out of time as you encounter sprawling fields and traditional Dutch farmers going about their daily lives. Cycle through the old villages of Broek, where time seems to have stopped completely. The land is protected by miles of dikes and pumping stations, allowing picturesque villages to flourish and making the region a hotspot for outdoor activities on land and water. Finally, visit an authentic cheese farm to see how cheese and clogs are made. Dinner and 3rd night on board.
DAY 4: ROTTERDAM, DELFT UND DEN HAAG | Approx. 38 miles / 60 km
Experience the home of Dutch democracy on this day. Rotterdam is the most important transhipment center in Europe and the third largest port in the world. However, since the port was moved out of the city to the coast, the cityscape has been transformed. Star architects have redesigned the vacated port areas. Modern architecture with extraordinary skyscrapers have earned the city the nickname "Maashatten". The landmark is the huge Erasmusbrug, which has spanned the Maas since 1996 and is also dubbed the "Swan" by locals. Also worth seeing since 2014 is the market hall in the center of the city. During the construction work, archaeologists were able to make interesting discoveries. Thus, in addition to weapons, tools, pieces of jewelry and kitchen utensils, the remains of a very old farm were discovered. Some of the finds can be seen in the Rotterdam Market Hall. On the way from the first floor to the underground car park, a small exhibition has been created, the so-called "time travel". The deeper you go down in the building, the older the finds become.
Dinner and 4th night on board.
DAY 5: THE WINDMILLS OF KINDERDIJK | Approx. 28 miles / 45 km
Dordrecht received city rights as early as 1220, making it the oldest city in Holland. Located in the middle of a water-rich area on the rivers Merwede, Noord and Oude Maas, Dordrecht has always been an important trading city for wood, grain and wine trade. This history, wealth and culture are still clearly visible. In the historic city center of Dordrecht you will find about 1,000 monuments, which are also used to the fullest. Founded in 1842 by art lovers and collectors, a special museum is located in the heart of Dordrecht, a charming city with countless buildings from the Golden Age and other historic buildings.
There we hop on the e-bikes and ride up to the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, the windmills of Kinderdijk. 1000 years ago there was still swampland here, which was made arable by people in centuries of long effort. Hundreds of canals crisscross the river valley between the Ijssel and the Lek. Even from a distance you can recognize the windmills standing in the flat land. Today we explain why there are so many windmills in Holland! They are not so much used for painting grain but as water pumps! The windmills of Kinderdijk are among the most famous sights of Holland and have been elevated to the rank of World Heritage Site because of their importance! A total of 19 windmills can be found here in a very small area. They all date back to the 18th century and were built to pump the excess water out of the polders in order to make the land suitable for agriculture. The mills pump the water into the Nieuwen Waterschap, which flows into the river Lek. They were built after it was realized that the older canal systems were not very effective. Along the canals through the idyllic countryside you cycle to the ship in Dordrecht. Dinner and 5th night on board.
DAY 6: FROM FLEMISH MASTERS IN ANTWERP TO GOTHIC IN MECHELEN | Approx. 19 miles / 30 km
Today there is a lot of culture on the program, because you will see one of the most important cities in Flanders. In the morning you visit the glamorous city. Antwerp is best known today for diamonds. But hardly anyone knows that the largest church in the country is located here and the historic old town of Antwerp, around the church, is unique. In the 16th century, during the “golden age”, Antwerp was the undisputed economic metropolis of Northern Europe. The city was rich and with the wealth the tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady grew higher and higher. The market square gained in splendor, the town hall and the lavishly decorated gables of the guild houses still bear witness to this today. Back then the city was an arts center. Names like Rubens, van Dyck, Snyders or Jordaens are inextricably linked with the city. In the late morning, a transfer will bring you to the city gates. You cycle through the idyllic Flanders almost completely flat on little traffic-free streets. A former abbey, a small church and lakes are on the bike route. Today your tour guides will prepare a tasty picnic for you for lunch (included in the tour price). The surrounding area is characterized by industrialization. On a guided tour of a brickworks museum, you will learn a lot about the development of this region. The subsequent cycle route along small rivers and canals ends for today in Mechelen. The landmark of the city of Mechelen is the huge tower of the Gothic cathedral of Saint Romuald. Although it was never completed, it reached the stately height of 98 m. Today Mechelen is best known for its carillon school. In the late afternoon, a transfer will bring you back to your ship in Antwerp. 6. Overnight and dinner on board.
DAY 7: RIVER CRUISE DAY | No Biking
While the ship glides calmly along and over the Maas in the direction of Cologne, you also have the opportunity to make extensive use of the SPA area with sauna and various treatments. In the afternoon, your tour guide awaits you for an exciting lecture in the ship's lounge. On the final evening, a multi-course specialty dinner awaits you in the ship's own restaurant. Let the last evening come to a pleasant end. 7th overnight stay on board.
DAY 8: DEPARTURE & IMPRESSIONISM IN THE WALLRAFRICHARTZ MUSEUM IN COLOGNE
In the early morning your ship docks in Cologne again. You have the opportunity to enjoy a hearty breakfast on board one last time. At the end of the trip we will visit the grandiose exhibition of the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum with you. The affiliated Fondation Corboud shows the most extensive collection of paintings from French and international Impressionism and Late Impressionism in Germany. Works by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are among the more than 170 paintings that were given to the City of Cologne as a "permanent loan" in March 2001 and were transferred to the Wallraf-Richartz Museum as well as often misunderstood companions of the better-known painters. To thank the generous donation of these works by Gérard and Marisol Corboud, the internationally renowned Wallraf-Richartz-Museum has since had the addition “Fondation Corboud” in its name. The journey ends at 12:30 p.m. at Cologne Central Station. You will also receive your luggage there for departure.
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We reserve the right to make changes to the timetable and program!
Due to high and low tide, maintenance work and waiting times at locks and bridges, there may be changes to the timetable at short notice. In rare cases of high or low tide or force majeure, parts of the route may have to be covered by bus or train and, in individual cases, hotel accommodation may be necessary.
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EBIKE TRIP - ROUTE ASSESSMENT: The total distance by e-bike is approx. 137 Miles (219 km). The low-traffic cycle paths or small side streets along the IJsselmeer, the Rhine and the canals are almost without gradients. Wind can be tiring right on the Dutch coast. Then you can change to our escort bus at any time.
