Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse) – 8 Days
Type of tour: Guided
Level: 1
Duration: 7 Nights
Distance: 21 Miles/day average
Dates:
From Amsterdam: Apr 18; May 2, 16, 30; Jun 13, 27; Jul 11, 25; Aug 8, 22; Sep 5, 19, 2015.
From Bruges: Apr 25; May 9, 23; Jun 6, 20; Jul 4, 18; Aug 1, 15, 29; Sep 12, 26, 2015.
Tour price: €799
Start city: Amsterdam, Holland or Bruges, Belgium
End city: Bruges, Belgium or Amsterdam, Holland
During this bicycle tour in the Netherlands, you will visit some of the most beautiful cities of Holland and Flanders: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, where you still can feel the charm of the days long gone.
After embarkation in Amsterdam, you will cross through a beautiful part of the Netherlands, before you bike along the winding small river Vecht with its impressive mansions and country houses on its banks. You will visit a real Dutch cheese farm and the 19 Dutch windmills in Kinderdijk.
Passing through Dordrecht and the fortified town of Willemstad, the ship cruises through the “Delta” Province of Zeeland to Belgium. You will spend the night in Antwerp, the city of Rubens, whose paintings can be admired in the cathedral. You will cycle from Antwerp to Ghent along the beautiful tidal river Lower Schelde.
The destination of your tour is Bruges, the “Pearl of Flanders” with its picturesque medieval town centre.
You will stay and travel on board of the barge FLUVIUS, which holds 36 guests, and has been a very popular ship for boat & bike tours.
All distances in the Daily Program are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours. When a guest does not wish to cycle, she/he can skip the bike tour and relax on board during the day while cruising to the next harbour.
You can choose to either cycle with the group and the guide, or you can choose to cycle individually, using tour descriptions and maps available on board.
Highlights: Guided Route from Amsterdam to Bruges Day 1: Arrival to Amsterdam; Nigtevecht – Breukelen (9 miles/15 km) Day 2: Vianen–Schoonhoven – Kinderdijk (30 miles/50 km) Day 3: Dordrecht – Tholen (21 or 30 miles/35 or 50 km) Day 4: Antwerp–Temse–Dendermonde/St. Amands (25–34 miles/42-56 km) Day 5: St.Amands/Dendermonde–Ghent (24-34 miles/42-56 km) Day 6: Ghent–Bruges (28 miles/45 km) Day 7: Tour around Bruges to North Sea (30 miles/50 km) Day 8: Bruges Route from Bruges to Amsterdam Day 1: Arrival and embarkation in Bruges Day 2: Bruges–Ghent/Merelbeke (24 miles/40 km) Day 3: Ghent–Dendermonde/St.Amands (24-32 miles/40-53 km) Day 4: St.Amands/Dendermond-Antwerp (28 miles/45 km) Day 5: Antwerp–Kreekrak locks; Tholen-Willemstad-Dordrecht (15-28 miles/25-45 km) Day 6: Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (16-32 miles/25-50 km) Day 7: Breukelen- Amsterdam (21 miles/35 km) Day 8: Amsterdam Included Services: Guided Bikes available to be rented (reserved in advance at the time of booking): Unisex hybrid touring bicycles, 7-speed, with step-through frame, hand brake and/or pedal brake Equipment included with bike: Rear saddlebag Pedals: Helmets:
Embarkation and check-in on 1 PM. Around 2 PM the ship leaves Amsterdam and sails to Nigtevecht. From here a short bike trip starts to Breukelen along the scenic winding small river Vecht. By the end of the afternoon the barge takes you to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek.
Overnight in Vianen.
After breakfast you will cycle a beautiful route to silver city Schoonhoven. Then further through the Alblasserwaard to Kinderdijk. There an impressive row of19 large windmills appears (UNESCO cultural heritage). You can visit one of these mills. Then the barge takes you further to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland. Dordrecht is an important intersection in the shipping. Night in the historic port of Wolwevershaven.
Overnight in Wolwevershaven.
During breakfast the ship sails to Tholen. Then a bike tour through a forest area, “the Wouwse Plantage“, via Bergen op Zoom, towards the south to the impressive Kreekraksluis (lock). The ship is docked at the end of the dam and from here it will sails through the impressive port of Antwerp to the city. Antwerp is not only known as diamond city, but also as native city of painter Rubens. You will find some of his paintings in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe (our lady) Cathedral”. After diner: a visit to the beautiful old city centre.
Overnight in Antwerp.
After breakfast you cycle out of the port to the Zeeschelde. You follow this beautiful but capricious tidal river upstream to Dendermonde. There is a beautiful bike path along the river, and the landscape around the Schelde is magnificent. You can join the barge again halfway in Temse or continue all the way to Dendermonde, a friendly little town along the river.
Overnight in St. Amands/Dendermonde.
Today starts either by bike from St-Amands or with a cruise on the barge to Dendermonde. From Dendermonde the bike tour, follows again the river Schelde in the direction of Ghent. Ghent is a lively university city, again one with a rich past. Ghent is a lively university city, again one with a rich past. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to discover the city some more, or to shop in the lively centre. The city was founded in Roman times, where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. The convenient location has over the years brought much prosperity, culminating in the late 13th, early 14th century. The textile industry brought great wealth. In the city, many old patrician preserved. The Cloth Hall (1425) came cloth merchants together. The main church St. Bavo Cathedral, which is built in different ages and in different styles. In the cathedral are some masterpieces of medieval art, which “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by Jan van Eyck is the most famous.The ship will be docked at the lock in Merelbeke, a suburb of Ghent.
Overnight in Ghent.
The day starts just outside the city and goes through the pleasant country side of Western Flanders to Bruges. Bruges, also called “Venice of the North”, is maybe the most beautiful of all Flemish cities. Its old centre, which dates from the Middle Ages, is almost completely intact. Bruges was at that time a metropolis and center of commerce and art. You can still see this glory at the beautiful buildings. But Bruges is a also a nice town for shopping or going out.
Overnight in Bruges.
The last bike tour takes you to a quiet canal along where you’ll find lots of poplars, through an attractive polder landscape with nice small farm houses to the North Sea coast. A 12 kilometer long sandy beach, numerous cafés and the attractive dune landscape of “Het Zwin” (an unique nature reserve) provide enough variety during your lunch break. Then back to Bruges.
Overnight in Bruges.
After breakfast: end of the tour and disembarkation till 10:00 AM.
Arrival and embarkation early afternoon in the beautiful city of Bruges, also called “Pearl of Flanders”. The crew will welcome you. You will have plenty of time to discover the beautiful historical city of Bruges. First night on board in Bruges.
Overnight in Bruges.
Today, your day starts on the water and the barge will leave Bruges early. Just outside, your first bike tour to Ghent through the flat land of West-Flanders will starts. Your destination today is the historical centre of Ghent. Enjoy the beautiful parts of Ghent during an afternoon stroll. The barge will be docked in Merelbeke (a small suburb of Ghent).
Overnight in Ghent.
Today, the barge will sail over the river Schelde to Dendermonde, a nice town on the conjunction of the rivers Dender and Schelde. The bike tour leads along one of the most beautiful parts of the Schelde, a tidal river. You will follow this beautiful tidal river downstream. Depending on high or low tide, the speed of the barge may vary. Therefore, tour leader and skipper will discuss which part of today’s tour will be covered by barge or by bike.
Overnight in St. Amands.
Today we will follow the Schelde further downstream over Baasrode and Temse to Antwerp. There is a beautiful cycling track along the river and the scenery is magnificent. Antwerp is well known as a major sea port, one of the world‟s leading diamond and the city where the famous painter Rubens was born. In the Cathedral Of Our Lady we can admire his work. The Market Square around the cathedral are fringed by beautiful town houses from a rich past.
Overnight in Antwerp.
The barge will sail over the Schelde-Rhine Canal, over the huge Kreekrak locks to Tholen, a former fishing village amidst the large streams of the province of Zeeland. From Tholen you will cycle along the impressive large Volkerak locks to the fortified town of Willemstad, then further to end in Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities of the Netherlands. Today, tour leader and skipper will discuss with you which part of the tour will be covered by barge or by bicycle.
Overnight in Dordrecht.
Today the barge will bring you from Dordrecht to Kinderdijk, the most famous windmills in the Netherlands with 19 windmills in line (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water out of the low Alblasserwaard polder. You can visit one of the windmills. Then bike tour via silver city Schoonhoven to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek. In the evening you can explore this town.
Overnight in Vianen.
First the ship cruises from Vianen to Breukelen, where you disembark and your cycling tour starts. Ride along the small Vecht river: this area is well known for its beautiful mansions, small castles and beautiful houses with large gardens and parks. Over the small villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland to Nigtevecht, where you can visit a traditional cheese farm. Continue over Abcoude and Ouderkerk on the Amstel river to reach Amsterdam. You will meet your barge again in the harbor of Amsterdam.
Overnight in Amsterdam.
After breakfast: end of the tour and disembarkation till 10:00 AM. If you wish, you can visit Amsterdam or one of its numerous museums, do some shopping or make a canal tour (not included).
Electrically assisted bikes (only a limited number available)
Children’s bikes, tag-alongs, tandems, bike seats available in limited quantities (please inquire for pricing)
Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles (at no extra cost). However, the crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles.
The bikes will have FLAT pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.
Please note that helmets are NOT available to rent on this tour. We recommend that you bring your own, or purchase one when you arrive at your destination. In the Netherlands, bikers are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet, but we strongly recommend everyone to wear a helmet.
