Scenic and its partner, Trek Travel, are pumping up their cycling program and increasing the number of dedicated departures to 11 for 2018. Guests can enjoy biking to the town of Engelhartszell, home to the only Trappist monastery in Austria, and enjoy exploring and a local lunch. Or they can soak up the beauty of the Rhine Gorge while cycling past the south-facing vineyards and grabbing a drink at Rheinfels Castle. New for 2018 is an option to use an electric-assist bike – for those who may feel a bit out of practice. The six Gems of the Danube sailings – between Budapest and Nuremberg – run from late May through the end of August while the five Rhine Highlights cruises between Amsterdam and Basel, begin in mid-May and run until the end of September. All-inclusive fares start at $6,999 per person, double.
Working with Trek Travel, Scenic’s guests can enjoy daily 12- to 60-mile explorations on Trek Domane SL7 carbon fiber road bikes with electronic Di2 OR Trek FX hybrid OR Electric assist XM 700s. The seven-night Bike & River Cruise sailings include all the luxuries and inclusions of Scenic’s river cruises plus daily route support with experienced bicycling guides, equipment transport, and Trek Travel picnics and/or Bistro lunches.
Cycling highlights on the Gems of the Danube include winding through the hamlets of Furth and Erlangen, sampling local beers from the area which boasts the highest density of breweries in the world, cycling along the vineyards of the Wachau Region, discovering Vienna’s most loved cycling routes including the heavily forested range of hills known as the Vienna Woods, and exploring the rich architecture of Budapest’s Buda hills. Non-cycling Freechoice excursions include a walking tour of Cesky Krumlov or Salzburg, and a Budapest city tour or thermal baths and spa experience, while the exclusive Scenic Enrich event is a private concert in one of Vienna’s most impressive palaces – Palais Liechtenstein.
Guests experience the epicurean and cultural delights of the Rhine River on the Rhine Highlights itinerary. Visiting four countries, this trip stops at the major cities of Strasbourg, France, Koblenz and Cologne, Germany and Amsterdam. Cycling guests take in the Alsace wine route, tasting Rieslings and Pinot Gris along the way, pedal the Rhine Gorge with its castle and vineyard dotted landscape, discover the bike trails of Cologne, and partake in a cheese tasting tour through Amsterdam’s countryside. Those wishing to not cycle on any particular day can choose from an array of Scenic Freechoice excursions including a “Sweet Tastes” tour of Heidelberg and a trip to the fairy tale town of Cochem. All guests on board partake in the exclusive Scenic Enrich event – a private tour and classical concert at the Baroque period Mannheim Palace.
