Bruges to Amsterdam Bike & Barge - Deluxe
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike & Barge - Deluxe
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike & Barge - Deluxe
8 Days Starting in Bruges and ending in Amsterdam
Visiting: Belgium
Tour Overview
Experience the great cities of the Netherlands and western Belgium on this classic barge and bike trip between Bruges and Amsterdam. En route visit Antwerp and Ghent whose historic centres will enchant you with their history and refined culture. Wind your way by bike along the Vecht river with its impressive mansions and country houses, visit a cheese farm and the 19 windmills in Kinderdijk. Via Dordrecht and the Kreekrak lock, the barge cruises from Belgium through the 'delta' province of Zeeland. Cycling with the group and guide or on your own with a set of maps and directions - the choice is yours. In the evenings, relax on board your comfortable barge or explore the towns on foot.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Join Barge In Bruges, Afternoon Warm Up Cycle And Evening To Explore (15Km/9Mi)
Embarkation in Bruges is between 1-2pm. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 2pm, there will be a bicycle fitting and a short warm-up cycle through the surrounding countryside. After dinner you can join the guide for a short walk through the centre of town. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Bruges is perhaps the most beautiful of all Flemish cities, with its Old Town almost completely intact. During the Middle Ages, the city was a metropolis and centre of commerce and art, evident in its many beautiful facades. It is a nice town for shopping and exploring. We suggest sampling a waffle, coffee or traditional Belgian beer around the Grote Markt (big market place).
Tip: There is so much to see in Bruges - we recommend having a night or two here pre tour.
Day 2 : Cycle The Flemish Countryside To Ghent (35 Or 57Km/21 Or 36Mi)
We start our first day of cycling by pedaling towards Ghent through the beautiful Flemish landscape along the Ghent canal. Ghent is a lively university city with a rich past, and in the afternoon you can discover more of its beauty on foot. The city was founded in Roman times, where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. During the Middle Ages, Ghent was Europe's second largest city after Paris. Its convenient location has brought much prosperity over time, culminating in the late 13th and early 14th century. The textile industry brought great wealth, with the Cloth Hall established in 1425 bringing many merchants together, and many aristocrats remain today. St Bavo Cathedral reflects different periods in history and building styles and houses some masterpieces of medieval art, the most famous of which is "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck (in the visitors' centre). The barge will dock at the lock in Merelbeke, a suburb of Ghent approx. 30 minutes by bike from the city centre. Before dinner a small canal boat will take you for a guided tour through the historic city.
Day 3 : Cycle To Dendermonde / St Amands (40 Or 53Km/24 Or 32Mi)
After breakfast in Ghent we will cycle downstream through a diverse landscape along the tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde, located at the confluence of the Dender and Schelde rivers. The boat's departure time will be set by the skipper, dependent on the tides. The River Schelde stretches over 400km through northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands and is connected by several canals to the basins of the Rhine, Meuse and Seine Rivers. It has had considerable commercial and strategic importance over the years. We will continue by bike or barge from Dendermonde to St Amands, depending on the tides. Overnight at St Amands.
Day 4 : Cycle To Antwerp, Evening At Leisure (32 Or 49Km/19 Or 31Mi)
Today we follow the Schelde further downstream through the Temse region to the lively port town of Antwerp. This part of the route is along a beautiful and winding section of the river which over the centuries held strategic importance for the Romans, Vikings, Spanish and Napoleon. Our destination is Antwerp, famous for handling most of the world’s rough diamonds and as the birthplace of the painter Rubens. You will find some of his paintings in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe” (Our Lady) Cathedral. Other attractions include the City Hall, one of many majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical square 'Grote Market' and the medieval Steen Castle. If dinner is not included tonight, recommendations are available from the crew.
Day 5 : Cruise To Kreekrak, Cycle To Tholen, By Bike Or Barge To Dordrecht (20 Or 36Km/13 Or 23Mi)
In the morning we cruise through the Schelde-Rhine Canal and the imposing Kreekraksluis (Kreekrak lock). Here our cycle tour starts through the beautiful ‘Wouwse Plantage’ forest to Tholen, a former fishing village amidst the large streams of the province of Zeeland. From Tholen we join the barge again for an enjoyable afternoon cruise to Dordrecht, en route passing through the impressive Volkerak lock system. Today, the guide will discuss with you which part of the tour will be covered by bicycle. After dinner you can join the guide for an evening walk through the town centre of Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands.
Day 6 : To Kinderdijk, Cycle To Schoonhoven And Vianen (32 Or 57Km/19 Or 36Mi)
Today we take the 'Waterbus' (fast ferry, 10 minutes) to Alblasserdam, from where it is a short cycle to the famous UNESCO listed windmills of Kinderdijk. The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water from the low Alblasserwaard polder (a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments). We will continue by bike to Schoonhoven, renowned for its talented silversmiths, and Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek (Lower Rhine), where we will stay for the night and which you can explore at leisure after dinner.
Day 7 : Cruise To Breukelen, Cycle To Nigtevecht And On To Amsterdam (36 Or 46Km/23 Or 28Mi)
During breakfast we will cruise to Breukelen then disembark for our last day of cycling. Following the winding river Vecht, the area is known for its sprawling mansions, small castles and beautiful houses with large gardens and parks. We'll pass through the small villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland en route to Nigtevecht, where we can visit a traditional cheese farm. We will continue cycling through the historical town of Muiden and on to Amsterdam and the barge in the harbour. This evening you're at leisure to explore the lively Dutch capital.
Day 8 : Trip Concludes In Amsterdam After Breakfast
After breakfast the journey comes to an end as you say farewell to the guide and crew. Check out and disembark by 9:30am.
What's Included
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Accommodation
7 nights in a twin share cabin -
7 breakfasts, 6 packed lunches, 6 dinners (does not include drinks). Continental breakfasts are served and will usually consist of breads, cheese, ham, tea, coffee & juices. At breakfast you will prepare your packed lunch for the day which will be sandwic
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7 nights in a twin share cabin with ensuite facilities on a Deluxe* category barge (cabins are configured with two lower beds - supplement applies for premium twin or upper deck suite on select departures, or single cabin. A discount applies for LaMar cab
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Bike rental with handbrakes, 7 speed (Magnifiques), waterproof pannier, helmet and water bottle (electric bike available on request - supplement applies)
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Cycling Map (1 per cabin) plus navigational App with GPS tracks
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Welcome drink and briefing on the first evening
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Two multilingual tour guides for fully guided cycling tours (group sizes of 22 passengers or more, except LaMar which is only one tour guide), daily briefings
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Several short city walks
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Linen and change of towels as required
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Daily cabin cleaning
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Entrance to Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Tasting of Belgian products, Canal trip through Ghent
What's Not Included
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Dinner in Antwerp (Zwaantje) / Antwerp or Bruges (Magnifiques)
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Catering for special diets (except Vegetarian). A supplement is payable for lactose or gluten free diets - EUR50pp (subject to change) paid locally on board. See below for further details regarding catering for dietary requirements.
What You Carry
During the cycle day you will carry your daily requirements in the panniers provided with the bike. This may include your lunch, wet weather gear, water and camera.
Grading
INTRODUCTORY - GRADE 1
The cycling is introductory (1) grade with daily cycling distances from 11 to 57km (6 to 36mi). As with all of our cycling programs, wind and poor weather could make the trip grade change. The accent is on keeping a relaxed pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos, visit a museum or enjoy the market places in many of the interesting towns visited. It is considered suitable for children, as long as they have road sense, are familiar with the workings of a bike (gear change etc) and are comfortable cycling alongside moving vehicles at times. Should you not wish to cycle it's possible to stay on board on board and relax while the boat cruises to the next landing place. *For safety reasons, we highly recommend that cycle helmets be worn during cycle sections.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.