Bruges to Amsterdam: Belgium and Holland by bike and barge

Day 1: Bruges (11 km)
You will find your boat waiting for you at the port of Bruges, the boarding time is from 13.00 to 14.00. After the welcome meeting with the crew at 2.00 pm, we will take some time to adjust the bikes to your size and then take a short test ride in the countryside around Bruges. After dinner, your tour leader will take you for a walk in the historic center. We advise you to arrive in the city one or more days in advance, so as to have enough time to visit the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and all the wonders contained in it. Also deservedly known as the Pearl of Flanders, Bruges is a city of astonishing beauty and culture. Do not forget to visit at least one of its many museums and stop for a moment to admire so much splendor comfortably seated on the terrace of one of its many cafes.

Day 2: Bruges – Ghent (57 km)
On this first day of tour, you will start pedaling early in the morning along the Ghent canal, through the beautiful Flemish landscapes. You will then have the whole afternoon to discover the treasures that the historic city of Ghent has to offer, such as the beautifully lit downtown streets and the architectural richness of the buildings, legacy of an important 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 center.

Day 3: Ghent – Dendermonde (40 km)
After breakfast, you start pedaling through the varied landscape surrounding the Scheldt, one of the main rivers of Belgium, to finally reach Dendermonde, a welcoming town located at the junction of the Schelde and Dendre rivers. The ideal place to enjoy a good beer at the end of your bike day is the pretty Town Hall square, but it is also worth visiting the Beguinage of St. Alexius, an oasis of peace in the heart of the city, where you can get an overview of how to he spent his life here in the past.

Day 4: Dendermonde – Antwerp (48 or 63 km)
Today we will cross the Temse region and the small village of Baasrode to finally make our entrance to Antwerp. This part of the itinerary winds along a beautiful and winding stretch of the course of the Schelda which played an important strategic role in the time of Romans, Vikings, Spaniards and Napoleon. Antwerp, the final destination of the day, is a port city located on the Schelde river, famous above all because 80% of the rough diamonds in the world are worked here and for being the birthplace 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 Het Steen castle.

Day 5: Antwerp – locks of Kreekrak – Tholen – Dordrecht (36 or 20 km)
Morning navigation on the Schelde-Rhine Canal, to then cross the large Kreekrak lock system. The bike itinerary will start in the beautiful Wouwse Plantage forest and will lead you to the city of Tholen, a former island of Zealand, today connected to the mainland through various communication routes, but which still retains its picturesque charm thanks to the many testimonies of a turbulent past. From Tholen, you will return to the boat for an afternoon of sailing to the beautiful city of Dordrecht, one of the oldest in Holland. About halfway, the boat will pass through the impressive Volkerak lock system. Your tour leader will then take you on an evening walk to tell you about the history of Holland.

Day 6: Dordrecht – Alblasserdam – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen ( 57 km)
A fast ferry will take you to Alblasserdam. This is where your bike itinerary begins in the direction of Kinderdijk, a Unesco Site and fairytale village, famous for its 19 perfectly preserved windmills (some are still functioning and can be visited inside), built in the 18th century to pump away the water from the Alblasserwaard polder. Polders are the typical areas located below sea level which in the Netherlands have always been artificially dried up by pumping systems and dams. Your itinerary then continues towards Vianen, passing through Schoonhoven, nicknamed, since the 17th century, the City of Silver due to the many silversmiths who have always been present in the city. Spend the evening in Vianen, a fortified town located on the banks of the River Lek.

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 houses, small castles and houses surrounded by parks and immense gardens. After passing through the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland, you will reach Nigtevecht, where you will have the opportunity to visit a traditional dairy. Finally, you will continue through the historic town of Muiden in the direction of Amsterdam, where you will meet the boat to spend a final evening at the port of Amsterdam.

Day 8: Amsterdam
Breakfast on board and disembarkation at 09.30.