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 a welcome meeting with the crew at 2:00 pm, we will take some time to adjust 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 for a walk in the historic center.

Day 2: Bruges and the North Sea - circular tour (38 km)
After breakfast, your guide will lead you on a circular tour of about 37 km. You will start with a relaxing ride along a canal lined with beautiful poplar trees and through enchanting green polder landscapes dotted with small farmhouses. Polders are typical areas situated below sea level that have been artificially drained by pumping systems and dams in the Netherlands. You will return to Bruges following another beautiful canal. In the afternoon you will have time to visit the historic center, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and all the wonders it holds. Also deservedly known 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 to stop for a moment to admire so much splendor comfortably seated on the terrace of one of its many cafes.

Day 3: Bruges – Aalterburg | Aalterburg – Ghent (37 or 45 km)
After breakfast, you will leave Bruges by cycling through charming woods and pastures. You will then find your boat waiting for you halfway along the canal that connects Bruges to Ghent. Once back on board, you can enjoy the views in perfect relaxation as you sail towards Ghent. In the evening, you can opt for a guided boat tour through the historic center, appreciating it from a privileged viewpoint, enjoying unique places such as Graslei and Korenlei. Ghent is a vibrant university city with a rich past that roots back to Roman times, when it was founded at the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers, and reached its peak between the 13th and 14th centuries, when textile production brought great prosperity to the city. In the historic center, you will find beautifully preserved houses of ancient wealthy merchants, as well as St. Bavo's Cathedral, built in various ages and styles. Inside, several masterpieces of medieval painting are kept, including Jan Van Eyck's Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.

Day 4: Ghent – Dendermonde/St. Amands (40 or 55 km)
After breakfast, you start cycling through the varied landscape surrounding the Scheldt, one of the main rivers in Belgium, to finally reach Dendermonde, a cozy town located at the confluence of the Scheldt and Dendre rivers. The landscapes through which the Scheldt flows are simply magnificent and this is surely one of the most beautiful stretches of the entire tour, which you can cover either by bike or by boat, but remember that the sailing speed will depend on the level of the tides. Spend the night on board at the port of St. Amands.

Day 5: St. Amands – Temse – Antwerp (33 or 49 km)
Today we will cross the region of Temse to finally make our entrance into Antwerp. This part of the itinerary winds along a beautiful and winding stretch of the Scheldt course with an important strategic role in the times of the Romans, Vikings, Spanish and Napoleon. Antwerp, the final destination of the day, is a port city on the Scheldt river, famous mainly because 80% of the world's rough diamonds are worked here, and for being the birthplace of the painter Rubens. The city offers many places worth a visit once in town: the City Hall, one of the most majestic buildings dating back to the Renaissance, the Grote Markt, the historic market square, Our Lady's Cathedral and the Het Steen castle (The Rock).

Day 6: Antwerp
Today your boat will remain moored at the port of Antwerp. You will have the entire day to discover this elegant city with an irresistible charm. You can visit the Rubenshuis, the house museum of the famous Flemish painter Pieter Paul Rubens, some of whose paintings can also be found in the nearby Cathedral of Our Lady. Alternatively, you can visit the famous De Koninck brewery for a tasting, or the MAS (Museum aan de Stroom), Antwerp's largest museum, that tells the city's history with over a million pieces. This evening's dinner is not included, giving you the opportunity to choose a restaurant at your leisure. The crew will certainly be able to advise you, if needed.

Day 7: Antwerp – Kreekrak locks | Kreekrak locks– Tholen (36 or 20 km)
Enjoy a morning of navigation on the Scheldt-Rhine Canal, and then cross the extensive system of Kreekrak locks. The biking itinerary will start in the beautiful Wouwse Plantage forest and will lead you to the city of Tholen, a former island in Zeeland, now connected to the mainland through various communication routes, but still retains its picturesque charm due to the many testimonies of a turbulent past.

Day 8: Tholen – Willemstad | Willemstad – Dordrecht (44 or 36 km)
Today's bike route passes through the charming village of Oud-Vossemeer and reaches Willemstad, an old fortified city surrounded by well-preserved walls that is located in an inlet of the North Sea. Here you will board your boat for a pleasant navigation stretch that will take you to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. Your guide will then lead you on an evening walk to tell you the story of the Netherlands.

Day 9: Dordrecht – Alblasserdam ferry | Alblasserdam – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (32 or 57 km)
A fast ferry will take you to Alblasserdam in just 10 minutes. After a short cycling, you will reach Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a 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 water out of the Alblasserwaard polder.
Your itinerary then continues to Vianen, passing through Schoonhoven, nicknamed the Silver City since the 17th century because of the many silversmiths always present in the city. You will spend the night in Vianen, a fortified town located on the banks of the Lek (Lower Rhine) which, after a delightful dinner on board, you will have time to explore.

Day 10: Vianen – Breukelen | Breukelen – Amsterdam (37 or 47 km)
During breakfast, the boat will sail to Breukelen, where your last day of biking will start. Initially, you will ride along the banks of the Vecht River through an area famous for its beautiful country houses, small castles, and homes surrounded by parks and vast gardens. After crossing the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen, and Vreeland, you will reach Nigtevecht, where you will have the opportunity to visit a traditional cheese factory. 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 11: Amsterdam
Breakfast on board and disembark by 9:30 am.