European cruise-and-cycle tour operator Boat Bike Tours has opened a sales office in Fairfield, CT, to meet growing demand for active travel experiences among North Americans. The Amsterdam-based company offers over 70 itineraries across 15 countries and is known for its deeper, more active spin on exploring the continent by barge, motor yacht, sailing ship and bike.
While new to North America, Boat Bike Tours is not new to boating or biking. The company got its start when Channel Cruises Holland, a barge tour operator founded in 1977, added biking to its itineraries in response to guests asking for traditional Dutch activities. The new cruise-and-cycle concept was so successful that it was spun off into its own brand in the mid-1990s. Between 2000 and 2020, the company grew, adding more itineraries and ships, and last year it merged with Croatia-based Islandhopping, which also specializes in cruise-and-cycle travel.
Today, Boat Bike Tours offers a variety of experiences from Europe’s west coast to the Mediterranean. Its fleet of 50 unique ships includes barges, motor yachts and sailing ships, ranging from comfortable to superior. Biking styles include guided for casual riders and independent for seasoned cyclists, with touring bikes, e-bikes and even mountain bikes in select destinations. Itineraries range from five to 15 days, with most being eight days, and cater to a variety of budgets and interests, from historic cities and landmarks to picturesque landscapes and the world’s best wines.
The Boat Bike Tours experience is also deeper than traditional cruises offer. Spending days exploring by bike and nights moored in towns allows for more intimate connections with local people, culture and nature. Traveling by smaller boat and bike also takes guests beyond tourist hotspots and minimizes environmental impacts.
Popular destinations among North American guests include:
- Amsterdam to Bruges – Cruise and ride through the Dutch countryside of Zeeland and western Flanders in Belgium. See cities such as Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, as well as picturesque villages, a Dutch cheese farm, the windmills of Kinderdijk and the natural landscape along the Schelde River.
- Split to Dubrovnik – Go island-hopping in the South Dalmatia region of Croatia by boat and e-bike. See the town centers of Split and Dubrovnik, and experience the culture and nature of more sparsely populated islands such as Brač, Hvar, Korčula, Lastovo, Mljet and Šipan. E-bikes help with hilly and mountainous terrain.
- Cochem to Metz – Follow the Moselle River through Germany, France and Luxembourg, passing endless vineyards and stopping to taste local wines. See old cities such as Cochem and Bernkastel, the once-imperial Roman Trier, the stunning waterfalls of Saarburg, the Gothic cathedral of Metz and welcoming villages in between.
For more information, visit www.boatbiketours.com.
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