This 8-day, 7-night bike and boat tour combines guided e-bike rides through Berlin and Brandenburg with a hotel ship that carries you between stops. Six days of cycling take you from Berlin to Potsdam, along the Havel to Brandenburg an der Havel, and back to the capital, covering historic sites, palaces, and memorials along the way. Nights are spent aboard the Clair de Soleil, a comfortable 28-passenger ship, with breakfast, packed lunches, and dinners included.
Arrive in Berlin and check in aboard the Clair de Soleil by 4 pm. Once we’re settled into our cabins, we’ll all meet together for a welcome gathering with the captain, crew, and tour guide, followed by our first dinner on board. A short evening walk gives us our first taste of the city before the week ahead.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
While we enjoy breakfast, the ship departs Berlin and follows the Spree River out of the capital, trading city bustle for quiet countryside. Once we’ve docked, we set off by e-bike along the water and through wide-open parks toward Oranienburg. The afternoon is dedicated to a visit to the Sachsenhausen Memorial, the former concentration camp and later Soviet internment camp that stands today as a place of remembrance.
Cycling: 35 km (21 mi) or 48 km (29 mi)
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
The ship continues south as we have breakfast, and today’s ride takes us deep into Brandenburg’s lake-and-canal country—the landscape behind the region’s “blue paradise” nickname. Along the way, we stop at Villa Marlier, the site of the Wannsee Conference and now a memorial to the Holocaust. We arrive in Potsdam in the afternoon.
Cycling: 35 km (21 mi) or 45 km (27 mi)
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
Today is all about Potsdam, a city of sprawling gardens and grand palaces where Prussian kings and German emperors once spent their summers. The ride takes us past the city’s finest sights, including a visit to Sanssouci Palace, the summer residence of Frederick the Great. The evening is free—dinner is on your own, and Potsdam’s restaurant scene, including its traditional Kartoffelhäuser potato restaurants, is worth exploring.
Cycling: 30 km (18 mi)
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
We set off through the wooded countryside around Potsdam, with a stop at Albert Einstein’s summer home along the way. After a morning of riding by the lakes and a short ferry crossing, we reach the island town of Werder, once a fishing village and now known for its fruit and wine, around midday. In the afternoon, the ship carries us onward from Ketzin to Brandenburg an der Havel, and in the evening, a guided walking tour introduces us to the city’s history.
Cycling: 40 km (24 mi) or 55 km (34 mi)—shorter or longer option
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
Today’s ride winds through Brandenburg’s countless lakes, canals, and riverside trails, with a picnic lunch along the way. The ship meets us in Ketzin for the sail back toward Berlin, and by afternoon we arrive in Berlin-Spandau—nicknamed “Little Venice” for its waterways and bridges—where a stroll through the old cobblestone streets rounds out the day.
Cycling: 38 km (23 mi) or 50 km (31 mi)
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
Our last full day belongs to Berlin. Those who’d rather explore independently can do so easily by S-Bahn, while the rest of us head out on a final guided ride past the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie, the government district, and the Brandenburg Gate—where Ronald Reagan once called on Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” In the evening, we celebrate with a captain’s farewell dinner on board.
Cycling: 25 km (15 mi)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Accommodation: Clair de Soleil ship
We disembark in Berlin after breakfast, at 9:30 am, bringing a week of contrasts—city and countryside, past and present—to a close.
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):
Not included:
In order to join this Berlin bike and boat tour, just basic fitness is required. The most you’ll cycle within a day is up to 55 km (34 mi), on flat, easy terrain, with most days offering a shorter route option. For more detailed information, check out the day-by-day itinerary—keep in mind that cycling route distances in the itinerary are approximate.
This tour runs on e-bikes only, so the pedal-assist does most of the work. You’re always welcome to skip the ride and stay aboard as the ship cruises ahead to the next stop.
If you’d prefer to cycle independently and at your own pace, you’re welcome to complete the routes on your own using our detailed cycling map and the handy Ride with GPS app.
Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more Germany bike tours here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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Yes—this is an e-bike-only tour, so a rental is the way to go, and you can add it to your booking at checkout.
The e-bike is typically a Flyer Go Tour6 3.40, with Shimano Nexus 5 gears, five levels of pedal-assist, and hand brakes. The Bosch PowerTube 500 battery is integrated into the frame, and it comes with frame and seat suspension, a gel seat adjustable for height, a lock built into the frame, and puncture-resistant tires—built for comfortable, dependable riding day after day.
Bringing your own bike or e-bike isn’t possible on this ship, due to limited space on deck—exceptions are only made for special bikes, and only if arranged with your guides well in advance. Family-friendly options like children’s bikes, tandems, and trailers can also be arranged on request, if needed.
Group sizes and pricing
Berlin bike & boat tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Yes, of course! Non-cycling guests are more than welcome to join. The price stays the same, as all inclusions are identical apart from the guided cycling tours themselves. Our tour guides can give you tips on how to enjoy your holiday without taking part in the daily rides—and while the boat travels between harbours, you can simply relax and enjoy the peace and quiet on board. It’s a lovely option for mixed groups!
The price for this Berlin bike & boat tour is based on twin-share cabins, but a single occupancy cabin can be arranged at an additional fee. You can add it to your booking at checkout.
Solo travelers are welcome to join, but securing a single occupancy cabin for themselves is mandatory—you’ll be able to add it to your booking at checkout. It’s not possible to join as a solo traveller and share a cabin with another guest.
The starting point of your Berlin bike and boat tour is Berlin, Germany. Most people fly into Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach the ship’s dock in Berlin.
You will meet your guide and check in aboard the Clair de Soleil at 4 pm on Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
The price of the tour includes the 5 euro SGR Insolvency Protection. This is mandatory consumer contribution called the SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme.