WHY IT RATES: Excursions. Savvy and active travelers don't want to be locked in to the sights and sounds that any tourist can partake. They want adventure, and AmaWaterways is delivering. - Rich Thomaselli, TravelPulse senior writer
PHOTO: Bike around Vienna when you enjoy an AmaWaterways river cruise. (Courtesy AmaWaterways)
AmaWaterways will enhance its lineup of biking and hiking tours for travelers in 2016, citing an increase in demand for active options onboard its popular Europe river cruises.
An array of new tours will make their debut in the coming season, the perfect timing to help travelers keep their active, healthy New Year's resolutions intact while enjoying exciting vacations.
"Over the past two seasons, we have seen steadily increasing demand from our passengers for more active excursions," said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways' executive vice president and co-owner. "While we have always maintained a commitment to healthy and active travel, we decided to start the New Year by kicking it up a notch, introducing new biking and hiking tours that specifically appeal to those seeking an even more active, adventurous experience."
SEE MORE: This Is What AmaWaterways Is All About
AmaWaterways was the first to carry a fleet of complimentary bicycles onboard its European ships, which will continue to be available to guests for individual or escorted bike tours. In 2015, the company introduced a partnership with Backroads to cater to even more adventurous bicycling tourists, with those sailings beginning this year. The company also received the 2015 Cruise Critic Editors' Award for "Best River Cruise Line for Active Cruisers," furthering their position as a leader in offering higher-energy excursions for all categories of active travelers.
AmaWaterways' 2016 new escorted bike tours will combine fitness with leisure, with itineraries including:
• A tour of the historic waterfront town of Willemstad
• Cycling along the river Sava and through Kalemegdan Park in Belgrade
• A ride through Antwerp visiting a fortress, museums and hidden quarters
• Tours of the Wachau Valley along the Danube
• A ride through the historic town of Bamberg (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), seeing its famous breweries and market gardens
• A picturesque tour through wooded hills and beaches of poplars along the scenic shores of the Inn River in Passau
SEE MORE: Guests Describe Their Post-Excursion Experiences
Additionally, in 2016, 12 port cities will be home to AmaWaterways' new hiking tours. This includes two wine tasting options during the Fortress Hike in Durnstein. Other options include:
• Fourviere Hill in Lyon
• Passau Castle Hike in Passau
• Mount Pipet in Vienne
• Chateau Gaillard in Les Andelys
• Dom Luis Bridge, Old Harbor Quarter, Cathedral in Porto
"We are thrilled to offer such a dynamic line-up of biking and hiking excursions, which will hopefully help travelers like myself, who have set health or fitness-focused New Year's resolutions, keep them in the year ahead," said Karst.
AmaWaterways' guided biking and hiking tours are included in the cruise fare in addition to standard tours that are often offered at a variety of paces, including gentle, regular and active. Guests can also participate in Limited Edition Tours, which give smaller groups unique opportunities to experience local culture.
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