Amsterdam to Bruges Bike & Barge - Deluxe

Make your own way to the boat in Amsterdam for embarkation and check-in at 2pm. Your crew for the week will be waiting to welcome you on board. At 2.30 pm the barge will depart from Amsterdam to Utrecht, a charming and lively university town. Settle in to your cabin and have plenty of time to get to know the boat and your fellow travellers. On arrival you can enjoy a scenic first test ride through the surrounding area of Utrecht. Later there'll be dinner on board.

During breakfast we cruise to Vreeswijk, where today's bicycle tour starts. It's a great first day of cycling as we head to Schoonhoven, renowned for its talented silversmiths since the 17th century. Enjoy the winding rivers, picturesque villages, and peaceful nature of the Dutch landscape. Later in the day we cycle through the Alblasserwaard region and reach Kinderdijk, famous for its impressive row of windmills. All have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a highlight. From nearby Alblasserdam we will take the “Waterbus” (fast ferry, 10 minutes) to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland.

During breakfast on board, we will cruise to Willemstad, from where the day's cycling begins. Willemstad is a beautiful old fortified town on the Haringvliet waterway. The ride takes us to Tholen, which was once an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Today, it is connected to the mainland. After visiting Tholen we continue to Bergen op Zoom, an historic fortified town that once lay on the open waters of the Oosterschelde. After dinner you can take a walk through the narrow street of the old town, with church squares and idiosyncratic monumental buildings that show its rich history that goes back more than eight hundred years.

In the morning a short ride takes us through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” area surrounding Bergen op Zoom. In the early afternoon we will board the boat and cruise to the port city of Antwerp, situated on the river Schelde. Antwerp is famous for handling most of the world’s rough diamonds and is a city with a long list of attractions including the City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle. Dinner is not included tonight (recommendations are available from the crew).

This morning we will cycle out of Antwerp alongside a picturesque section of the Schelde River to St Amands, our base for the night. This stage is one of the natural highlights of the tour.

Today we will cruise to Dendermonde then cycle, following the river Schelde, to Ghent. The barge will moor for the night at a lock in the suburb of Merelbeke, approx 30min by bike from the centre. Ghent is a lively university city boasting a rich history. Since Roman times its position at the junction of the Leie and Schelde rivers has ensured the town's prosperity as a trading port. In total the city features an Opera House, 18 museums, more than 100 churches and over 400 historical buildings. Major attractions are St Bavo Cathedral, where a number of masterpieces of medieval art including Jan Van Eyck's ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ can be viewed in the visitors' centre, and the 91m belfry of Ghent, one of three medieval towers that overlook the old city centre. Before dinner a small canal boat will take you for a guided tour through the historic city.

Today we will cycle from Ghent through the beautiful Flemish countryside of western Flanders to Bruges, widely described as the ‘Venice of the North’ and arguably the most beautiful of all the Flemish cities. UNESCO World Heritage listed, it has a picturesque medieval town centre and a long list of historic attractions. An outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement, Bruges has managed to maintain its historic fabric as it has evolved over the centuries, with the result that today the original Gothic buildings form an integral part of the town’s identity. You can visit one of its many museums or simply take in the stunning beauty and culture from the comfort of a local café or bar.