Zwaan

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

Seeing windmills close up was great, but touring Keukenhof gardens was fabulous! We were there for 1.5 hours and could have stayed longer. The tulips and other flowers were spectacular! A lovely surprise was the three course gourmet meals we were served every night by a creative chef.
My husband is an avid bicycle rider, but I'm not. Having an electric assist bicycle took all the effort out of trying to keep up with the group. With this modern technology, everybody can participate and have fun!

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

The crew was fabulous! The tour was good. I thought we were going to stop at a cheese factory snd that did not happen. Most of our group was not thrilled with the bikes-tippy with handle bars that were raised up. The boat was great and meals delicious!

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

We had a wonderful trip. The weather did not cooperate (rain, hail, wind, cold), but we still managed to have a wonderful time every day. Our travel companions on the boat were fun and we all enjoyed each other. The crew was great! Sietse was our guide, and he is such a lovely person - so kind and humble. He was a wealth of information on the history throughout our travels. He cared for each of us and made sure to keep us safe on our rides. Ilja was our captain and we felt honored to have him - he shared so many wonderful stories with us and even sang for us on our last night. Craig was the best chef we could have hoped for - we were wowed by his meals every single day. Amerens kept us all in line and she was also wonderful. The tulips, towns, and rides were all wonderful, but it ended up being the crew and travelers that really touched my heart.

My only complaint is that the trip stated we would go to the flower auction, but that is scheduled on Sunday and the flower auction is closed on Sunday. The operator clearly knew that the flower auction was closed and not part of the trip, but Tripsite has not updated their itinerary.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

Our guide was sweet and knowledgeable and worked hard to accommodate everyone. And the chef was excellent! Cabins are snug but comfortable—so glad we had portholes so we could regulate air circulation. Tip: be sure you have waterproof clothing, including gloves and shoes! We had wind, rain, hail, and cold most days, but it was still so enjoyable I’d do it again in a minute!
One note: some sites mentioned in the intinerary were unavailable. For example, the flower auction we were looking forward to is closed on Sunday, so we missed that. It was disappointing. Several museums and churches were also closed. Updated info would prevent people from feeling misled.

  Zwaan Authentic Holland
Netherlands

The route was wonderful, the barge was great and the guide excellent. The downside was the food. It was not the level of interest and taste I had experienced on another bike/barge trip.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

I enjoyed being on a smaller boat and getting to know everyone. Rick is a great cook, Mariska a great first mate and Ed a fun and patient guide
What would I do different, spend more time in the towns we rode through/by Plan some lunches in a town Eat dinner off the boat once or twice

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

The reason we booked this trip was the I wanted to see a European rail-trail. It for us, was the highlight of the whole week.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

Biking through the vinyatds.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

The Moselle-Maar Cycling Trail offered a lovely change of scenery from the also beautiful Mosel River paths we followed most days.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

See the beauty of the country and spending time with wonderful co-travelers. I was moved to realize the deep history of Germany, see vineyards EVERYWHERE, castles in nearly every view of the mountains, the lovely quaint villages and the friendliness of the people.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

Biking along the river was incredible and I loved seeing small villages we would not have otherwise gone to. The lodging was way more comfortable than the pictures made the boat look, we were all impressed! The staff was all very accommodating to the multiple people in our group requiring gluten-free meals. Overall an amazing week with my extended family on the bikes and on the boat!

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

The boat crew and participants were wonderful. The food was beyond belief. The guide did any excellent job of leading the group on the road, but when we arrived at historic areas left us to ourselves. We did not receive any of the three guided town tours that the trip description promised.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

We enjoyed everything about this tour - great accommodations on the Zwaan, wonderful meals, outstanding staff, and beautiful scenery.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

This was a great trip - many great memories. Most memorable? - I rated it a 4 because we were stuck with the bow cabin on the Zwaan and no one should be given that cabin if they don't expressly want it - too small and too difficult to get in and out - and a much different standard than the other cabins on the boat. We are two taller, older people and the least suited for that cabin, but because we were the last to board we were stuck with it. We were told by Tripsite that we were getting a different cabin but that didn't happen.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

So many memorable things about our bike and barge trip through the Netherlands on the Super Tulip Tour! Our guide arranged a unique tour of a private cheese farm that was fantastic! We also passed by a MIler adjusting his windmill and our guide began conversing with him and we ended up getting a detailed explanation and demonstration about the working of the windmill from the miller. Great. No way to describe the beauty of the tulip fields. You have to see it to appreciate it!! It was a fantastic week. We would do it again in a heartbeat and have been telling our friends and family that since we returned and showed them all our photos.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

We loved the Super Tulip Trip on the Zwaan. The staff was wonderful, very friendly and accommodating. The chef was terrific. Her food delicious and we noticed how well she adjusted the menu for another traveler who had allergies to certain foods. The bike guides were very informative and showed us little out of the way places that we would not have easily found on our own. Our e-bikes were terrific.
We would highly recommend this boat and tour.

  Zwaan Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The camaraderie is what we will remember most on the Bruges to Amsterdam tour. For the third consecutive tour we were the only Americans and loved the company of our Canadian and Australian fellow- travelers as well as the Dutch crew. (If we wanted to be with other Americans we could stay home).
The actual touring was pleasant rather than spectacular on this our fifth bike and barge trip booked with Tripsite. No Pont du Gard, Bridge of Sighs or Eiffel Tower but there were the Dutch Alps which was a reference to the many canal bridges in the Netherlands. The red soccer shirts adorning the statues of Belgian royalty and heroes reflected local support for their World Cup team.
I like to refer to these trips as "making best friends we'll never see again"

Along the Ebro River to La Rioja
Spain

Of course the Rioja wines were what this trip was (mostly) about and they were so delicious for a low cost. It was great to stop for lunch and have delicious coffee and diverse tapas. The scenery was beautiful with great geological formations along the Ebro River. The history was fascinating. We saw cave dwellings from around 500 a.d., churches from 1100 and later. We had an extra day in Bilbao where we visited the Guggenheim Museum and the many festivities in the surrounding park. It was especially enjoyable to talk to local people about their life in Spain.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

The scenery was gorgeous, there were quaint little towns around every bend of the Saar and Mosel rivers. Our bike guide was excellent and very knowledgeable about the areas we were at. The food was plentiful and dinners were way above average. Great tour!

  Zwaan Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

CycleTours gave us a unique and thoroughly enjoyable way to see a country that was new to us. We cycled through farms and villages where there were no tourists -- met local folks and saw how they lived. Our delightful and knowledgeable guide made sure that the pace of each day's cycling was do-able by people of different abilities -- often we'd cycle for an hour or two, stop for coffee; cycle for an hour or so, eat lunch. Cycle for an hour and stop for refreshment; cycle an hour and we're "home", where bowls of nuts, cookies, and tea/coffee/juice welcomed us.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

Mosel/Saar B&B, It was a great trip, the barge was excellent, our staff especially the cook (meals) were wonderful and the scenery along the rivers was magnificent. I would highly recommend this trip especially with the barge and crew that took excellent care of our group.

  Zwaan Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Barge food excellent quality, diverse selections and plentiful.

  Zwaan South Holland Tour
Netherlands

I learned and saw things from the Netherlands that I had never seen before. I loved the cycling through the dunes.

  Zwaan Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Dutch and Belgium rural scenery and bike paths were beautiful, well marked and saw lots of wildlife.

  Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany

Great Trip, Great Barge, and Great Staff. This is a very scenic trip along the Mosel and Saar. The vineyards make the view even better. The staff was very helpful and friendly and helped make the trip even better. I highly recommend this trip to everyone.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

The staff,food and barge were exceptional. Just a wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend the tour.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

This was our first trip - what a fantastic experience and great way to see the country. We look forward to many more adventures.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

The staff on the Zwaan was top notch. They attended to our every need. Trip was superb. Every person in our group of 10 loved the trip!!

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

Excellent tour guide (Albert) after the first two days out I relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed the biking, all the explanations of what we were seeing along the route. The caption and partner were great hosts. Every evening a fantastic meal. After our evening meal Albert always offered to take us on a walking tour, on his own time, which we all did. I would certainly recommend trip site to anyone.

  Zwaan Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Enjoyed every aspect of the trip.

  Zwaan Super Tulip Tour
Netherlands

My husband and I enjoyed a fantastic Super Tulip Tour in mid April of 2012. The staff of the very comfortable Zwaan were all professional, yet entertaining and informative. We learned a lot about Holland that week, and saw its beautiful countryside at a leisurely pace on the excellent bicycles provided. I would definitely recommend this trip and company to anyone considering a bike and barge tour.

  Zwaan Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Dick and I had a marvelous trip on June 16-23 with the Zwaan. The crew was outstanding. We had a unique opportunity to see the lovely country of Holland (and a bit of Belgium) through professional eyes. Piet, Bas, Ilya and Moraije were the best. We are looking forward to another trip with you soon! Thanks again for preparing such wonderful experiences.

July 2, 2012

  Zwaan Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Probably one of the best vacations of my life so far. The crew of the Zwaan and our guide Albert were wonderful. I have recommended this trip to friends. And I will definately book another vacation with this company.