Between Holland and Flanders: from Bruges to Amsterdam by bike and boat

Day 1: Bruges (11 km)
You will find your boat waiting for you at the port of Bruges; boarding time is from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.
After the welcome meeting with the crew, scheduled for 2:00 pm, we will dedicate some time to adjusting the bicycles according to your size and then take a short test ride in the countryside around Bruges. After dinner, your guide will take you on a walk in the historic city center.

We suggest you arrive in the city one or more days in advance, so you will have enough time to visit the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and all the wonders it holds. Also known, rightfully, as the Pearl of Flanders, Bruges is a city of surprising beauty and culture. Don't forget to visit at least one of its many museums and take a moment to admire so much beauty while comfortably sitting on the terrace of one of its numerous cafés.

Day 2: Bruges – Ghent (57 km)
On this first day of the tour, you will start cycling early in the morning along the Ghent Canal, through the beautiful landscape of Flanders. You will have the afternoon free to explore the treasures the historic city of Ghent has to offer, such as the beautifully lit streets of the city center and the architectural richness of the buildings, legacy of a significant past; during the Middle Ages, Ghent was the second-largest city in Europe after Paris.
The boat will dock for the night near a lock on the outskirts of Ghent, about 10 minutes by bike from the city center.

Day 3: Ghent – Dendermonde (40 km)
After breakfast, we will start to cycle through the varied landscape surrounding the Scheldt, one of the main rivers in Belgium, to eventually reach Dendermonde, a welcoming town situated at the junction of the Scheldt and Dendre rivers. The ideal place to enjoy a good beer at the end of your cycling day is the charming Town Hall square, but it is worth visiting the Beguinage of St. Alexius, a haven of peace in the heart of the city, where you can get an overview of life here in the past.

Day 4: Dendermonde – Antwerp (48 or 63 km)
Today we will cross the region of Temse and the small village of Baasrode to finally enter Antwerp. This part of the route runs along a beautiful and winding section of the course of the Scheldt, which had a strategic role in the time of the Romans, Vikings, Spanish, and Napoleon.
Antwerp, the final destination of the day, is a port city located on the Scheldt river, famous primarily because 80% of the world's rough diamonds are processed here and for being the native city of the painter Rubens. There are many places worth visiting once in the city: the Town Hall, one of the most majestic buildings dating back to the Renaissance period, the Grote Markt, the historic market square, the Cathedral of Our Lady and the castle Het Steen ("The Rock").

Day 5: Antwerp – Kreekrak locks – Tholen – Dordrecht (36 or 20 km)
Morning of navigation on the Scheldt-Rhine Canal, then crossing the vast system of Kreekrak locks. The bike route will start in the beautiful Wouwse Plantage forest and lead you to Tholen, a former island of Zeeland, now connected to the mainland through various communication paths, which still retains its picturesque charm thanks to the many testimonies of a turbulent past. From Tholen, you will rejoin the boat for an afternoon of navigation towards the beautiful city of Dordrecht, one of the oldest in the Netherlands. About halfway through, the boat will pass through the impressive Volkerak lock system.
Your guide will then lead you on an evening walk to tell you the history of the Netherlands.

Day 6: Dordrecht – Alblasserdam – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (57 km)
A fast ferry will take you to Alblasserdam. Here you will start your cycle route towards Kinderdijk, a UNESCO Site and a fairytale village famous for its 19 well-preserved windmills (some are still operational and can be visited inside), built in the 18th century to pump out water from the Alblasserwaard polder. The polders are the typical areas located below sea level that have always been artificially drained by pumping systems and dikes in the Netherlands.
Your route then continues towards Vianen, passing through Schoonhoven, nicknamed, since the 17th century, the City of Silver because of the many silversmiths that have always been present in the city.
Spend the evening in Vianen, a fortified town located on the banks of the Lek River.

Day 7: Vianen – Breukelen – Amsterdam (38 km)
During breakfast, the boat will sail to Breukelen, where your last day of cycling will begin. You will first cycle along the banks of the Vecht River through an area famous for its beautiful country estates, small castles, and houses surrounded by parks and vast gardens. Having crossed the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen, and Vreeland, you will reach Nigtevecht, where you can visit a traditional cheese factory. You will then continue through the historic city of Muiden towards Amsterdam, where you will meet the boat to spend one last evening at the port of Amsterdam.

Day 8: Amsterdam
End of the tour. Disembarkation by 9:30 am, after breakfast.

Due to the nature of this tour and the characteristics of the territory, the itinerary may be subject to changes due to weather conditions or opening times of locks and movable bridges. The guide and the captain will decide day by day if and how to modify the tour.

Depending upon the boats employed, the opening of locks, and the confirmed docking points along the route, the length of the daily stages can also vary by 15 km, with the total km covered in the week of travel remaining unchanged. If desired, you can always choose to stay on board.