I LOVE Backroads. What’s to love? The company layers its active adventures, primarily cycling, on top of cruises, both ocean and river. That layering provides the perfect adventure: You spend your days being active, exploring Europe the way many Europeans do, straddling a saddle. Your floating hotel is your oasis for rest and replenishment.
In 2016, I had what turned out to be one of the best trips I’ve had on the rivers, cycling with my son while cruising on AmaWaterways. Check out Backroads Bike Trips & River Boating: A Winning Combination For Active Travelers. Rinse and repeat. In 2019, we cruised Ponant and pedaled Croatia, a wonderful trip that I summed up in Bicycling Croatia with Backroads & Ponant.
Now it’s your turn. In 2022 and 2023, Backroads will offer a handful of active river cruises. At least two of these will be full-ship adventures, meaning that everyone on the cruise will be a Backroads enthusiast. No need to feel intimidated if you’re not a cycling diehard. Backroads does an excellent job at catering to riders of all skill levels. What will happen, however, is that you too will fall in love with Backroads.
Backroads Offerings In 2022/2023
Danube River Cruise Full Ship Celebration Bike Tour
Prague to Budapest with 100+ Backroads Friends
9/4/22 and 9/23/22 – classic and 20’s & Beyond departures
www.backroads.com/trips/BDFS/danube-river-cruise-full-ship-celebration-bike-tour
Rhine River Cruise Full Ship Celebration Bike Tour
Basel to Amsterdam with 100+ Backroads Friends
9/14/22 classic and 20’s & Beyond
www.backroads.com/trips/BRFS/rhine-river-cruise-full-ship-celebration-bike-tour
We also have two brand new trips launching in 2023 that we’d like promoted, but maybe that’s for a follow up story since it’s not as time sensitive?
Dutch & Belgium Waterways River Cruise Bike Tour
Tulip Time in the Netherlands & Belgium
www.backroads.com/trips/BNBS/dutch-belgian-waterways-river-cruise-bike-tour
April 2023
Bordeaux River Cruise Bike Tour
Vineyards & Chateaus of Garonne, Dordogne & Gironde
www.backroads.com/trips/BGBS/bordeaux-river-cruise-bike-tour
June & September 2023
This article was originally published at River Cruise Advisor.
An avid traveler and an award-winning journalist, Ralph Grizzle produces articles, video and photos that are inspiring and informative, personal and passionate. A journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ralph has specialized in travel writing for more than two decades. To read more cruise and port reviews by Ralph Grizzle, visit his website at www.avidcruiser.com.